GRAEME ROBERTSON'S GOOD START TO PORTUGUESE CH/SHIP

Stirling student Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), pictured, one of the success stories of last year's Scottish amateur season, is starting this year in good form.
A three-under-par 69 at the Montado Golf Resort, Lisbon has him joint fifth at the end of the first round of the Portuguese men's amateur international championship.
Robertson had six birdies in all. He started well and he finished well but dropped three shots in the middle part of his round.
Sam Binning is down at the other end of the field after an 81 which left him sharing 105th place in a field of 123.
The lead is shared on four-under 68 by Curtis Griffiths (England), Moritz Lampert (Germany), Joe Vickery (Wales) and Daan Huizing (Netherlands).

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
68 Moritz Lampert (Germany), Joe Vickery (Wales), Daan Huizing (Netherlands), Curtis Griffiths (England).
69 Philipp Muller (Germany), Graeme Robertson (Scotland), Eddie McCormack (Ireland), Ryan Evans (England).
SELECTED SCORES
70 Charlie Wilson (England).
71 Eoin Arthurs (Ireland).
72 James Frazer (Wales), Jamie Rutherford (England).
74 Greg Payne (England).
75 Joshua White (England), Ben Stow (England).
79 Michael Saunders (England).
81 Sam Binning (Scotland), Sebastian Crookall-Nixon (England), Harry Casey (England).

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SGU'S ELITE SQUAD BEAT SOUTH AFRICA IN GOLF TEST MATCH

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Aberdour’s in-form Scott Crichton, pictured, played the leading role as the SGU Men’s National Squad defeated South Africa in an International Test Match to clinch The Leopard Trophy for the first time since 2010.
Holding a two-point overnight lead at Leopard Creek Country Club, the Scots achieved a 11½-9½ success despite a spirited singles comeback from the host nation.
It was the third successive time that the two-day Test has been played at the championship layout near Malelane, but it was the visitors who this time took the spoils to deny South Africa a hat-trick of wins.
Crichton, fresh from finishing in a share of sixth place in the South African Stroke Play last week, was the star of the show for the SGU Men’s Squad, who are competing in South Africa as part of an eight-week winter performance programme.
The Fifer, third on the SGU Men’s Order of Merit last year, won all four of his ties (foursomes and singles) as the Scots achieved a memorable triumph.
The visitors extended their overnight 6½-4½ lead to four points after winning all three morning foursomes.
For a second day running, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) combined with Crichton to win, this time beating South Africa’s No 1 Brandon Stone and Shaun Smith 2 and 1.
Fife pair Brian Soutar (Leven GS) and James White (Lundin) then stayed on a winning course by defeating JP Strydom and Drikus Bruyns 4 and 3.
C J du Plessis and Zander Lombard also went down for the hosts, losing 3 and 1 to Daniel Kay (Dunbar) and his new partner, Conor O’Neil of Pollok.
Only Haydn Porteous, winner of the Stroke Play Championship, who was scheduled to play Kirkhill’s Paul Shields in a singles match, earned South Africa’s lone point when the Scot had to withdraw due to a stomach ailment.
Riding a wave of confidence, Crichton then again beat Stone by a hole in the opening afternoon singles tie and McKenna followed suit, ousting Du Plessis by the same margin.
The wins gave the Scots overall victory, but South Africa won the last four singles ties to illustrate their quality and mean the SGU Squad only triumphed by two points.
“With the lunchtime score our guys really had to dig deep in the single ties to get out of trouble,” said South African Golf Association president, Colin Burger. “But the final score line tells very little of the thrilling battle that played itself out in the singles.
“In reflection, international tournaments like these are aimed at providing our players with an opportunity to compete against top amateurs in the world. We shouldn’t lose sight of the invaluable experience a Test like this brings, especially for our rookies.”
SGU National Coach Ian Rae added: “It was a tremendous performance from the guys, who played fantastically well throughout the Test.
“Scott (Crichton) was the stand-out performer of the match. He won his four matches and beat their top-ranked player, Brandon Stone, three times. Scott was awesome.”



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ROSS CAMERON PIPS LAURA MURRAY AT BUCKPOOL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Ellon tour professional Ross Cameron chalked up two North-east Golfers' Alliance wins in a row when he pipped former Scotland women's international Laura Murray (Alford) for first prize at Buckpool GC today.

Cameron, sponsored by Saltire Energy, had to share the honours with Jordan Findlay at Peterhead last week but this time his one-over-par 71 in a testing wind gave him outright victory with a round in which he birdied the fourth, 16th and 18th, offset by bogeys at the fifth, 14th, 15th and 17th in halves of 35-36.
Laura, a member of the Paul Lawrie Foundation Elite Team, plays off the same tees as the men in Alliance competitions so this was quite a performance by the long-hitting former St Rule Trophy winner to fill second place with a 72 (37-35) in which she birdied the short 15th and par-4 17th. A bogey 6 at the 16th cost her a share of victory but it was still her best performance on the circuit.
On this form, Laura is on the road to regaining her Scotland international place in the 2012 season.
Carnoustie, venue for the British women's open amateur championship in June, should suit her game.
Newmachar amateur Euan Kennedy finished a creditable third with a 73.
Keith Watson (Deeside) won the Class 1 handicap prize with a net 71 off five while retired Hazlehead professional won Class 2 with a net 69 off 12.
Next Wednesday's competition is at Murcar Links

LEADING SCRATCH
Par 70
71 Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy)
72 Laura Murray (Alford)
73 Euan Kennedy (Newmachar).
74 Donald Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen).
76 George Paterson (Northern), Keith Watson (Deeside).
77 Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), David Leslie  (Northern).
78 Ally Fiddes (Murcar Links), Mike Duncan (Murcar Links), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo), John Nicolson (Auchmill), Colin Nelson (Mackenzie Shop).
79 David Nelson (Aboyne), Fergus Bisset (Banchory), Robert Lamb (Newmachar).
80 Lawrence Prouse (Hazlehead), Willie McKenzie (Berryhill DR), Keil Beveridge (Inchmarlo), Phil Murray (Kemnay), Chris Brown (Kemnay).
81 Harry Roulston (Stonehaven), David Fleming (Portlethen), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), Alan Gall (Deeside), Ian D Smith (Hazlehead), Jim Duncan (Newburgh), Gordon Milne (Newburgh).

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - K Watson (Deeside) (5) 71; L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (5) (bih), M Duncan (Murcar Links) (6), P Murray (Kemnay) (8) 72.
Class 2 - I D Smith (Hazlehead) (12) 69; M Booth (Kemnay) (11) 71; P Cornfield (Auchmill) (15) 72; N Chisholm (Kemnay) (11) 73; T Collie (Kemnay) (11) 75.

ALL FOUR SCOTS MISS THE CUT IN MOROCCO

All four Scots in the field - Gavin Dear, Ross Kellett, Kris Nicol and Philip McLean - failed to survive today's 36-hole cut in the Alps Tour's Samanah Open at Marrakesh, Morocco.
Dear missed out by one with a total of 150, having bogeyed the 17th and 18th for a second-round par 72.
Kellett missed out by two with a 77 for 151. He had a double bogey 6 at the 18th. A par 4 would have got him through.
Nicol shot a 78 for 154, finishing 7-5-7 against the par of 4-3-4. He had halves of 34-44.
McLean had two double bogeys in an 80 for 158.
Jack Senior, the Lancashire player who was one of GB and I's Walker Cup heroes at Balgownie last September, shares the lead on four-under-par 140 with scores of 71 and 69. Joint leader is Italy's Alessandro Grammatica (69-71)

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
140 Jack Senior (Eng) 71 69, Alessandro Grammatica (Ita) 69 71.
141 Jesus Legarrea (Spa) 70 71.
142 Matteo Delpoddio (Ita) 71 71, Steven Brown (Eng) 69 73, Sebastien Gros (Fra) 76 66, Javie Lope (Spa) 74 68.
MISSED THE CUT (149 or better qualified)
150 Gavin Dear (Sco) 78 72.
151 Ross Kellett (Sco) 74 77.
154 Kris Nicol 76 78.
158 Philip McLean 78 80.

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MACAULAY'S 68 TAKES HIM INTO TOP TEN ON Hi5 PRO TOUR

Callum Macaulay moved up from joint 25th to a share of eighth place with a very good round of three-under-68 on the second day of the Hi5 Pro Tour's El Valle Open in south-east Spain today.
The Tulliallan man improved by eighth shots on his first round, thanks to birdies at the fourth, short sixth, 11th and long 16th with only one blemish, a bogey at the 11th in halves of 35-33.
Macaulay is eight shots behind the English leader, James Maw (70-66) on 136.
Scott Hendry (Cardross), with one round to go, is in joint 14th place after a 71, which included a double bogey 6 at the 13th, for 145.
Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) had six birdies but five bogeys in returning a 70 for 146 to squeeze into the top 20 in joint 19th place.
Scott Henderson (Kings Links) did not join the general Scottish improvement. He ran up a 9 at the par-4 11th in a 77 for 153 and a share of 36th place.
Fraserburgh amateur Justin Duff made the cut on the limit mark of 155 with a second-round 74 in which he had five birdies and six bogeys.
Scots who missed the cut were David Thomson (85-79) on 164 and Ian Redford senior (85-83) on 168.

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
136 James Maw (Eng) 70 66.
137 Gustav Adell (Swe) 68 69.
140 Jamie Abbott (Eng) 68 72.

SCOTS' SCORES
144 Callum Macaulay 76 68 (T8).
145 Scott Henry 74 71 (T14).
146 Greig Hutcheon 76 70 (T19).
153 Scott Henderson 76 77 (T36).
155 Justin Duff (am) 81 74.

MISSED CUT (155 or better qualified)
164 David Thomson 85 79.
168 Ian Redford senior 85 83.

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FORMER WOOSNAM BAGMAN IS DARREN CLARKE'S NEW CADDIE

Open champion Darren Clarke has appointed Phil "Wobbly" Morbey, who used to caddie for former world number one Ian Woosnam, as his new bagman.
ISM, Clarke's management team, told Reuters that Morbey would launch his partnership with the 43-year-old Briton at next week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Arizona.
The World No 54 announced in January that he had split up with John Mulrooney, the caddie who helped him land his first Major championship at the Open in July.
Northern Irishman Clarke has been out of sorts since his victory at Sandwich, his best result a 20th-place finish at the Volvo Golf Champions tournament in South Africa last month.
He and Mulrooney parted company after the player slumped to rounds of 72 and 81 to miss the cut at the Abu Dhabi Championship two and a half weeks ago.
Morbey spent 14 years as caddie for Woosnam and was with the Welshman when he won the 1991 US Masters.
Reuters

DAVID DUNBAR WINS NORTH ALLIANCE AT REAY

By ROBIN WILSON
Dougie Thorburn's run of three scratch wins in the North Golf Alliance fixtures was ended by his Thurso club mate David Dunbar at their neighbouring Reay course.
The entry of 47 was headed in all sections by Caithness members, Dunbar enjoying a rare scratch win and two first time winners breaking through in the handicap sections. Five-handicapper Dunbar, who topped the Class 1 Category section at Brora last November, saw off a strong scratch challenge at Reay with his two over par card of 71.
Dunbar made a reasonable start to Reay round, three fours and then a six at the long par five hole before pulling back one of the dropped shots with a birdie 2 at the next hole.
A second 2 at the next par three was wasted with an awful triple bogey 6 at the final outward half par three hole to take his card up to a three over par count of 37 for the first nine.
One of his three outward dropped shots was recovered when he featured his third birdie of the day at the par five 14th hole for an excellent one under par inward 34.
The quality of Dunbar's Dunbar's scratch win can be judged against the two players who came closest to him, 73s from the holder of the Scratch Quaich, Munro Ferries (Tain) and another +1 handicapper and multiple Quaich winner, Wick's Ronnie Taylor.
Taylor, for a second time this season, was edged into third place as Ferries made only his second positive move to retain his trophy. The Tain member matched the winner's inward sub par 34 to better the count of Taylor.
Following up with a 74 was the Alliance Secretary, Tony Gill of Brora whose putter let him down on the inward half. After a first nine of 35 which included a three putt on the opening green for bogey he then missed an easy birdie chance on the inward par five hole and followed it up with three putts on both of the next two greens to raise his inward count to 39.
Thorburn had his worst return of the year, a 75, the same score as the only other previous scratch winner on the course, club mate Bryan Ronald. There was a positive return to the Alliance circuit by Reay's Don Mackay who was also on the 75 mark.
Thorburn remains ahead in the Quaich aggregate scoring, his 75 at Reay completing the mandatory four scores to take his total to 291 and one ahead of his clubmate Bryan Ronald.
A fourth gross 75 (38/37) from Thurso's Wayne Mowat turned into a nett 69 to head the Category 1 handicap scores. With the same nett score from Gill the cards were brought out for the split. Mowat's bigscore of eight at the second hole was a downer for him on the outward half but his inward nine holes were two better than Gill's after the Secretary's costly errors with his putter which knocked him down to second place.
Raymond Lockie (Tain) was woeful at the par-3s on the outward card, triple bogey scores of 6 at two of them but a final gross 79, nett 70 was rewarded with a third place just ahead of Reay's long time member Fred Groves.
Now ahead in the race for the MacKintosh Handicap Salver is Durness's Francis Keith. He has already one Category 2 win to his belt and two second places and with another sub nett score at Reay for third place his best four nett round aggregate is now 280.
Keith's nett 67 was four behind the category winner, local David Gray, nett 64 off 12, Gray breaking forty on both halves (37&39) for gross 76 to win by two from his club mate Alex Mackay. He also broke 80 and with a handicap of 14 was nett 65 . A third local member Euan Munro (hdc 20) completed the section winners with nett 70.
It's back on the road again this weekend when Tarbat hosts their allocated fixture and remaining are just two more outings, next to Invergordon on March 4, and the championship Royal Dornoch course on March 18 to end the season.
Reay Results
Scratch
71 D Dunbar (Thurso)
73 M Ferries (Tain), R W Taylor (Wick).
74 A J Gill (Brora).
75 D Thorburn (Thurso), D A Mackay (Reay), B Ronald (Thurso), W Mowat (Thurso).
76 D Gray (Reay).
Handicap
Class 1 (scr-9) - W Mowat (Thurso) (6), A J Gill (Brora) 5) 69; R S Lockie (Tain)
(9) 70; F Groves (Reay) (7) 71.
Class 2 (10-28) - D Gray (Reay) (12) 64; A Mackay (Reay) (14) 65; F R M Keith (Durness) (12) 67; E Munro (Reay) (20) 70.

SAM TORRANCE TARGETS TURNBERRY TRIUMPH JULY 26-29

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOURScotland’s Sam Torrance is targeting a sentimental ‘home’ victory when The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex returns to Turnberry for a record seventh time from July 26-29.

The 2002 Ryder Cup Captain was born in Largs, less than 60 miles up the Ayrshire coastline from Turnberry, and he rates the iconic Ailsa Course as one of his favourite golfing backdrops.
Torrance came close to winning The Senior Open Championship in 2009 when it was played at Sunningdale, the venue he is a member of close to his Surrey home, finishing two shots behind winner Loren Roberts in fifth position.
The 58 year old hopes returning to his native west coast of Scotland can inspire him again as he attempts to become the first Scot since Brian Barnes in 1995 and 1996 to win The Senior Open Championship.
“It would mean everything to me to win The Senior Open,” said Torrance. “It is the week after The Open Championship and we should get great crowds at Turnberry.
He added: “I’ve not done what I would like to do at Turnberry in the past – I missed the cut in my last Open there – but it is a place that inspires you and I can’t wait to get there.”
Torrance, who this year marks the 40th anniversary of his maiden professional victory, has amassed an impressive collection of accolades in his career, including 21 European Tour titles, eight Ryder Cup appearances as well as his triumphant captaincy ten years ago, 11 Senior Tour titles and three Senior Tour Order of Merits.
However, success in the Major Championships has so far eluded him, with fifth place in The 1981 Open Championship at Royal St George’s ranking as his best performance to date, alongside his display at Sunningdale three years ago.
With the support of the Scottish fans behind him, Torrance believes Turnberry would be the perfect venue to add another prestigious title to his glittering CV.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Torrance. “Aesthetically it (Turnberry) is one of the most beautiful looking courses in the world, in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, and it is a great golf course.
“There will be a very strong field and I’m sure that Tom Watson is looking forward to going back to Turnberry. I’m sure that the Scottish fans will come out to watch him – I might even go and watch him myself. He can play that course like his home course.
“The Senior Open is always special, no matter where it is played, but it is extra special when it is played in Scotland. I’m from that area – I was born about an hour and a half from Turnberry – so it will be special.”
Discounted advance tickets to watch Torrance and many more of the game’s iconic names in action at The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex can now be purchased online.
Season passes now available at £60 and any one day tickets at £18. They can be booked online at www.europeantourtickets.com, where other discounts and offers can also be found.
American Russ Cochran won The 2011 Senior Open Championship at Walton Heath, England, holding off the challenge of former Open Champion Mark Calcavecchia, three-time Senior Open Champion Tom Watson and 2010 United States Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin.
Hospitality packages are also now available at £95 per person inc VAT, which includes admittance to the course along with a three-course lunch and glass of champagne in Turnberry’s signature restaurant, 1906, reserved parking, a Championship programme and a draw sheet.