JAMES BYRNE LOOKS BACK ON ASIAN TOUR Q SCHOOL SUCCESS

By JAMES BYRNE
It was a nervy affair but I made a great birdie on 18 to secure my Asian Tour card. Looking forward to a full year on what is becoming an extremely competitive tour these days.
My first event is the Myanmar Open, next week. I'm in Singapore at the moment for a bit of practice, celebrating Chinese New Year with family and also trying to get a visa for Myanmar. The one trouble with the Asian Tour is that visas are required for almost every event.
James

EPD TOUR WASH-OUT - ENOUGH WATER TO HAVE A TURKISH BATH

Turkey's reputation as an ideal winter-golf venue took another knock today when the second event on the EPD (German PGA) Tour was reduced to two rounds after heavy overnight thunderstorms flooded the Gloria Old Course at Belek.
The first event on the tour last week was also reduced from three to two rounds following severe overnight frost on two successive mornings delayed play until the afternoon.
Motherwell's Paul O'Hara earned 550 Euros for rounds of 72-73 for 145 which gave him a joint 11th place finish, five shots behind the winner of the 5,000 Euros top prize, Germany's Bjorn Stromsky (68-72 for 140).
Ellon's Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) finished joint 19th on 146 (69-77) and earned 406 Euros.
Cameron said: "We had perfect conditions on Day 1 with warm sunshine and little wind. Day 2 (Tuesday) we had some rain for about an hour and a half. However from Tuesday evening beginning around 5pm straight through most of the night we had heavy rain, making the course unplayable.
"There are two more EPD Tour events in its Turkey swing and we move to the Sueno resort for the final two. Let's hope we can get in three rounds in both!"

Leading final totals
140 Bjorn Stromsky (Ger) 68 72 (5,000 Euros).
141 Anton Kirstein (Ger) 72 69 (3,000 Euros).
142 Daniel Wunshe (Ger) 69 73 (2,000 Euros)
143 Max Kramer (Ger) 69 74, Grant Jackson (Eng) 72 71 (1,353 Euros each).
Selected totals
145 Paul O'Hara (Sco) 72 73 (T11) (550 Euros).
146 Ross Cameron (Sco) 69 77, Lee Corfield (Eng) 73 73 (T19) (406 Euros each).
148 James Wilson (Eng) 76 72 (T32) (327 Euros).



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FINDLAY AND FITZPATRICK JOINT WINNERS AT WINDY BUCKPOOL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Fraserburgh rookie pro Jordan Findlay finished in the first two for the fourth North-east Alliance in a row at a very windy Buckpool today.
He shared first place with Ryan Fitzpatrick, from the pro staff at Inchmarlo, on the one-over-par 71 mark at the head of a field of 84 from which there were 17 No Returns - an indication of the severity of he wind.
Findlay, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a former British boys champion and, it is sometimes forgotten, also a beaten finalist the following year, won at Oldmeldrum last week and finished joint second at Inverallochy and Craibstone on the Wednesdays before that.
Findlay was the overall clear leader when he got out in one-under-par 34, despite the wind. But the conditions got to him after the turn and he dropped shots at the 11th, 12th and 15th before he birdied the long 16th in coming home in two-over 37.

Fitzpatrick, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, had birdies at the seventh and long 16th but dropped shots at the sixth, 11th and 15th in halves of 35-36.
Rookie pro Philip McLean (Peterhead), soon to be heading off to play in Morocco tournaments, finished third with a 72. Newmachar's John Duff, fourth with a 73, was the leading amateur.

LEADING SCRATCH
Par 70
71 R Fitzpatrick (Inchmalro), J Findlay (Fraserburgh).
72 P McLean (Peterhead).
73 J Duff (Newmachar).
74 J Nicolson (Auchmill), S Larkin (Royal Aberdeen).
75 M Lawrie (Kemnay), S Finnie (Caledonian), K Nicol (Fraserburgh).
76 M May (Cruden Bay), G Paterson (Northern).
77 G Munro (Fraserburgh), F Bisset (Banchory).
78 D Leslie (Northern), C Nelson (Mackenzie Shop), Laura Murray (Alford), D Clark (Duff House Royal).
79 J Borthwick (Craibstone).
80 J Forrest (Northern), M Lawrence (Newmachar), E Kennedy (Newmachar), A Graham (Aboyne), D Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen).
81 C Carnegie, B Nicolson, A Gall, A Smith, J Duncan, B Harper.
82 D Fleming, K Beveridge, J Thomas.
83 N Keith, C Cassie, M Duncan, D Wilson, K Watson.
85 D Bisset, J Scott, G Milne.
86 D Randall, T Collie, H MacNaughton, M Rogers.
87 J Dalgarno.
89 R Lamb, R Brown.
90 P Cornfield, L Prouse, N Stewart, L Roger.
91 N K Parker, D Mackay.
92 K Stephen, Claire Prouse.
93 M Rendall.
94 B Lumsden.
96 D Lawrie, C Brindley.
99 J Gall.
100 P Leech, J Jessiman, S Davidson.
102 I Grant, M Brown.

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - M Lawrie (Kemnay) (7) 68; J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4), M May (Cruden Bay) (6) 70; J Forrest (Northern) (9), A Graham (Aboyne) (9) 71.
Class 2 - M Rogers (Kemnay) (14) 72; D Randall (Banchory) (13) 73; P Cornfield (Auchmill) (15) , T Collie (Kemnay) (11), H MacNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 75.

BUCKPOOL SCORECARD Par 70
OUT: 4-4-5-4-4-3-4-3--4: 35. IN: 4-4-4-3-4-3-5-4-4: 35

JORDAN FINDLAY 71
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-3-4-2-4: 34. IN: 4-5-5-3-4-4-4-4-4: 37

RYAN FITZPATRICK 71
OUT: 4-4-5-4-4-4-3-3-4: 35. IN: 4-5-4-3-4-4-4--4-4: 36

DOAK HOPING FOR FIRE IN HIS BELLY-PUTTER IN INDIA CHALLENGE

FROM NEIL AHERN
European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Chris Doak is counting on the inspiration of Qualifying School winner David Dixon to put some fire in his belly-putter as the Scotsman’s Challenge Tour season tees off at this week’s Gujarat Kensville Challenge, in India.
After an admirable 36th place finish in the Rankings in his first full season on the Challenge Tour, Doak, pictured, is hoping that this will be his year as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of his close friend, compatriot and regular travelling partner last year, Craig Lee, by making the step up to The European Tour.
The Glasgow-born player believes he is well capable of progression this year but knows that he has to improve his putting and, after watching Englishman Dixon win The European Tour’s Qualifying School Final Stage last December with a belly-putter, he decided to follow suit with the hope of similar success.
“I played with David at Tour School and he obviously went on to win it,” explained the 34 year old. “So I took his belly-putter and hit a few putts with it after the round – then I was straight on the phone to Callaway looking for one for myself.
“It keeps me still over the ball, so I’m looking forward to using it this year. If I hole two or three more putts a round it’ll make a big difference.
“I definitely played more than well enough from tee to green last year to have earned a card for The European Tour, but it was actually quite embarrassing the way I putted at Q-School, I almost felt like my playing partners were just in disbelief at it. Hopefully, it’s sorted now though.”
Doak was full of praise for Stirling man Lee, who has started The Race to Dubai in superb form, finishing eighth at the Africa Open and 17th at the Joburg Open, and is hoping that his mission to follow in Lee’s footsteps and qualify from the Challenge Tour will begin on a strong note this week.
“Craig had a great start,” he commented, “I thought he was going to win the first one, and of course I know Branden (Grace) quite well, and he’s been unbelievable. The difference is putting, these guys are all holing putts. I do think I have the game from tee to green, definitely.
“I hope this is my year, it’s just getting in the right frame of mind, head down and getting on with it week-to-week.
“The course is a bit like home, hard and fiery. It’s quite tight here as well, which is good. If the wind gets up it will be tough and I heard the greens were even harder this year, but it’s a good course.”
Raymond Russell, meanwhile, is relishing the prospect of a full season after a virus ruled him out for a large part of the 2011 European Tour season, having qualified through the Challenge Tour the previous year.
“I’m really looking forward to playing again,” said the 39 year old, who has won on both The European Tour and Challenge Tour. “I didn’t play much last year at all. From December 2010 to about September 2011 I didn’t play at all, so it’s just a case of getting back into it and getting sharper.
“Physically I’m fine, mentally it’s just a case of playing now, I had a bit of momentum going into 2011 and it just stopped so it’s just a case of starting to post scores now. I’ve got no excuses anymore.”
Other Scots involved in India this week are Callum Macaulay, who will be hoping to go a step further this year after finishing in 49th position in the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2011, Andrew McArthur, who will hope to make a return to The European Tour after finishing 198th in The Race to Dubai last year, and Jack Doherty, who was 79th in last year’s Challenge Tour Rankings.

HUNTING ENERGY SERVICES SPONSOR PAUL LAWRIE, DAVID LAW

              DAVID LAW and PAUL LAWRIE

NEWS RELEASE
Aberdeen, January 25 - Hunting Energy Services International, the global energy service provider to leading national and international oil and gas companies, have extended their sponsorship with former Open champion Paul Lawrie, following a successful first year to the partnership.
They have also signed a new sponsorship agreement with rookie golfer David Law, who turned pro in October last year following an excellent career as an amateur.
Both Lawrie and Law are from Aberdeen, also home to the UK operational headquarters of Hunting. Lawrie has won the most prestigious trophy in golf, the Claret Jug with his triumph at the 1999 Open championship at Carnoustie.
He has since won five further events on the European Tour with victories in Spain, Qatar, Wales and Scotland - his most recent win came last year at the Open de Andalucía.
David Law turned to the professional ranks of the game in October of last year following a stellar amateur career. The 20 year old has been a key member of the Scottish elite squads over the last 5 years and quickly established himself as one of Scotland’s finest young amateurs.
In 2009 came one of David’s finest achievements which saw him capture the boys' and men’s Scottish amateur championships in the same year, a feat which went down in history and remains unbeaten. He rounded off this outstanding year by winning the Scottish boy's order of merit.
2011 also saw Law produce a string of impressive results where he started the year with a 2nd place finish in the South African Open followed by a win at the Northern amateur also held in the Southern hemisphere. He was victorious once again in the Scottish men’s amateur championship, and a few weeks later won a professional event, the Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open on the Tartan tour.
Hunting’s interest in Paul Lawrie initially followed the acquisition of Welltonic Ltd, a long term supporter of the sportsman through his blossoming Foundation, of which David Law has also been a member of.
Given the relationship between Hunting, Paul and consequently David, Hunting saw a natural fit to both extend their sponsorship with Paul, and also support David as he starts out on his professional career.
Bruce Ferguson (Managing Director, Hunting Energy Services International) commented: “Paul is an excellent ambassador for golf and we are delighted to continue this partnership, supporting both the glory and grassroots elements of the sport, through his work in the wider community with the Paul Lawrie Foundation.
"The Foundation encourages participation and fair competition in a range of sports and Hunting is pleased to support Paul’s enthusiasm in giving something back to the local community. David is an excellent prospect and deserves the support from both business and the community towards the achievement of his goals”.
Lawrie was delighted to extend the partnership with Hunting. He stated: “I’m very grateful to Hunting for their continued support of me, both personally and through my Foundation, and now with one of the players to have come through the Foundation. I’m glad I was able to produce a win for them in their first year sponsoring me.”
Law was equally as pleased to have the support of Hunting at such an early stage of his professional career. He added: “To have a sponsor such as Hunting behind me as I’m just starting out is a great boost. It’s great to have the support of a local company from Aberdeen and I hope that I can provide them with some good exposure when I compete internationally in 2012.”
The agreement will see both Law and Lawrie wearing the Hunting corporate logo on their collars in the coming year.

About Hunting Energy Services International
Hunting PLC is an international energy services provider to the world’s leading oil and gas companies in the upstream sector. Established in 1874, it is a fully listed public company on the London Stock Exchange.
From its global footprint, Hunting provides high specification casing and tubing with licensed and proprietary premium connections, in addition to a range of proprietary drilling tools including non-magnetic drill collars, directional drill rods, mud motors and Well Intervention pressure control equipment on a sale or rental basis. Sales and service operations are located in the major oil centres of the world, comprising twenty company owned facilities and a network of more than 60 licensed partners.