ENGLISHMAN GREG OWEN SHARING LEAD DOWN MEXICO WAY

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
By Staff and wire reports
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico -- Daniel Summerhays birdied the final hole Friday for a 6-under 65 and a share of the second-round lead with Will Claxton and England's Greg Owen in the wind-swept Mayakoba Golf Classic.
Claxton, the first-round leader, shot a 68, and Owen had his second straight 67 to match Summerhays at 8-under 134 on the El Camaleon course.
Chris Stroud was a stroke back after a 66, and Robert Allenby, Kevin Stadler and Richard S. Johnson followed at 6 under. Allenby shot 67, Stadler 68, and Johnson 66.
Summerhays had seven birdies and a bogey. The 28-year-old former Brigham Young University player made only eight cuts in 29 US PGA Tour starts last season.
"I drove the ball perfectly, pretty much," Summerhays said. "I hit it really solid into the wind. It's a tough driving golf course."
He holed a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-4 second hole and hit to an inch on the par-3 third to set up another birdie.
"It kind of just set me at ease there," Summerhays said. "I'm looking forward to learning and just seeing how my emotions react. And that's the only way to become a champion, so I'm excited for the weekend."
Claxton, the 30-year-old former Auburn University player making his fifth career start on the US PGA Tour, had four birdies and one bogey.
"The wind was a little gustier today, but I've just kind of had good control over my ball," Claxton said. "I certainly had a couple of good breaks here and there and putted the ball well. I'm just doing all the things you do when you're playing well."
Owen had five birdies and one bogey. The 40-year-old Englishman won the European Tour's 2003 British Masters.
"I played really well today," Owen said. "Tough conditions and drove it in most of the fairways and just kept plugging away and took some chances.
"It's been a bit of wandering around in the wilderness for a couple of years, so it's nice to see play is back and it's nice to see a few putts drop in."
Defending champion Johnson Wagner was 1 over after a 70. He won the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and tied for second the following week in the Humana Challenge.
Last year, Wagner beat Spencer Levin with a par on the first hole of a playoff.
Levin was 2 over after a 71.
Greg Norman missed the cut with rounds of 79 and 73. The 57-year-old Norman designed the seaside course. He played in a group with Wagner and Levin.
Mike Weir also missed the cut, following an opening 79 with a 78.
Coming off surgery on his right elbow in August, the Canadian missed the cut two weeks ago in the AT and T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and failed to secure a sponsor exemption last week for the Northern Trust Open at Riviera.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
134 Greg Owen (England) 67 67, Will Claxton (US) 66 68, Daniel Summerhays (US) 69 65.
135 Chris Stroud (US) 69 66.

Selected scores
141 Russell Knox (Scotland) 74 67 (T27)
143 Gary Christian (England) 73 70 (T43)
144 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 72 72 (T52)


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BURMESTER LEADS SOUTH AFRICA PGA CH/SHIP AT HALFWAY

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
In 2008 young Free State professional Dean Burmester watched Louis Oosthuizen win the Telkom South African PGA Championship at Country Club Johannesburg. Now Burmester heads into the weekend with a chance to add his own name to one of the most sought-after trophies in South African golf.
With a second successive 66 in today’s second round, Burmester heads the field on 12 under par. It puts him one clear of veteran Keith Horne, who produced a sublime 63 on Friday. And there is further experience only two strokes back in the trio of James Kamte, Trevor Fisher Jnr and Alex Haindl.
It’s a dream position for the 22-year-old from Bloemfontein to be in, and one he’s still trying to get used to.
“It’s a shock to me. The hard work has paid off, but you know, I’m still young and there are a lot of big guys out here. To be honest, I’m still nervous. It’s a little surreal. But I know I’m good enough to be up there with the best,” Burmester said after his round of four birdies and an eagle.
But despite his age, Burmester showed plenty of composure over the closing holes, where he made two incredible saves for par.
On the par-five 16th, his drive kicked right and finished in a hole in the rough. “I just chipped it out into the rough, and then hit seven-iron into the green. I hit my putt about four feet past and luckily I made the return putt for par,” he said.
Then on 17 he hit his drive into the water. But after a penalty drop, he hit a gap wedge to one foot and holed the putt to save par. A birdie on 18 earned him the lead, and Burmester paid tribute to his younger brother Andrew, who is his caddie this week, for the role he played over the closing stretch.
“If it wasn’t for him I don’t think I would’ve done what I did. He is fantastically positive towards me. He’s been my saviour on the greens this week. I’m lucky to have him on the bag.”
While he may have dreamt of being in this position, Burmester is the first to admit that, “Making dreams reality is tough.” It’s a task made harder by having the experience of Horne chasing him in Saturday’s third round.
Horne eased his way to a 63 that was built around his putting and a switch to a belly putter for the first time this week, which yielded an impressive 25 putts on Friday.
“That’s done the trick. When you hit good shots to 10 or 15 feet and capitalise by making them, that’s when you make the good scores. Often you hit it that distance and only make one or two of them. This time I made a lot of them and kept the momentum going,” he said.
But as much as the belly putter has helped him, Horne believes too much is being made about its impact in the game.
“You know, players start winning with the long putter, and suddenly everybody is using it. But then Tiger Woods starts winning again, and everybody will go back to the short putter. It goes in ebbs and flows in this game.”

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LAIRD v WESTWOOD IN WORLD MATCH-PLAY QUARTER-FINALS

TO ACCESS THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE COVERAGE FROM THE ACCENTURE WORLD MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP IN ARIZONA

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ROUND OF THE LAST 16 RESULTS

TOP HALF OF DRAW
P Hansen bt B Snedeker 5 and 3.
M Wilson bt D Johnson 4 and 3.
M Kuchar bt M Kaymer 4 and 3.
H Mahan bt S Stricker 4 and 3.

LOWER HALF OF DRAW
R McIlroy bt M Jimenez 3 and 1.
S Bae bt J Senden 1 hole.
L Westwood bt N Watney 3 and 2.
M Laird bt P Lawrie 3 and 1.

SATURDAY QUARTER-FINALS
Hansen v Wilson
Kuchar v Mahan
McIlroy v Bae
Westwood v Laird

FROM PAUL LAWRIE'S WEBSITE
It was very frustrating. I got off to a poor start against Martin Laird by taking 5 at the first two holes. Martin played steady and putted magnificently, holing six putts on the back nine alone from around 6 feet.
I didn't play quite so well and again struggled to hole putts but, nonetheless, it's another top ten and some world ranking points, so its all really good new.
I fly home with cries of "You're the man" and "Get in the hole" ringing in my ears!

LEHMAN AND PAVIN TO PLAY IN SENIOR OPEN AT TURNBERRY

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR

Former United States Ryder Cup Captains Tom Lehman and Corey Pavin are hoping their love of links golf can inspire them to further Major glory when they head to Turnberry for The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex, from July 26-29.

Pavin, who won the 1995 US Open Championship at the links-style Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, finished runner up to Germany’s Bernhard Langer the last time The Senior Open Championship visited Scotland at Carnoustie in 2010.

He followed that by finishing third behind Russ Cochran at Walton Heath Golf Club in The Senior Open Championship last year, and after defeating Peter Senior in a play-off to capture his first US Champions Tour victory in the recent Allianz Championship, Pavin is hoping to make it third time lucky at Turnberry.
“After finishing second and third in the past two Senior Opens, I’m hoping that 2012 will be my year,” said Pavin.
“It would mean a lot to me to win it. Winning any Major would be a nice accomplishment, but winning The Senior Open would be extra special because I love links golf, especially in the birth country of golf.
“The Ailsa Course is a wonderful golf course, and one that I enjoy playing. How can anyone not remember The 1977 Open Championship duel between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus?
“The fans in Scotland have always been great and their knowledge of the game is second to none.”
Lehman, pictured above, who topped the US Champions Tour Money List in 2011, won The 1996 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes, and he will be hoping to add The Senior Open Championship title to his victory at the 2010 US PGA Championship.
“Turnberry is an amazing place,” said The 2006 United States Ryder Cup Captain, who won the 2011 European Senior Tour season-ending MCB Tour Championship.
“It is a tremendous golf course and a beautiful spot in the world. The views from the top of the hill and the hotel looking over the course to Ailsa Craig are exceptional.
“They do love their golf up there and it seems like whenever there is an event at Turnberry something special happens. The Watson-Nicklaus duel was pretty special and then Tom playing so well a few years ago, when Stewart Cink ended up winning, was one of those rare moments in sport when everyone was holding their breath. Turnberry seems to do that. It is just a great golf course and it brings out the very best in people.
“Winning The Senior Open is one of the things that is on my wish list – to win both The Senior Open and the US Senior Open.”
Discounted advance tickets to watch some of the game’s iconic names in action at Turnberry, in The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex, can now be purchased online. Season passes are 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.
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.

JAMES BYRNE STILL STRUGGLING TO FIND FORM ON ASIAN TOUR

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR 

New Delhi: India’s Anirban Lahiri continued his dominance when he posted a five-under-par 67 to take the third round at the SAIL-SBI Open today.

Lahiri will take a three-shot lead heading into the final round after he signed for a three-day total of 15-under-par 201 at the Delhi Golf Club.  

Australia’s Scott Barr began to pile on the pressure on the Indian leader when he returned with his best score of 65 to take a share of second place alongside Thailand’s Prom Meesawat on 204.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and P. Gulfam signed for matching 207s to take tied-fourth at the US$300,000 full field Asian Tour event.

 Lahiri, who started in the front-nine, opened with a birdie but dropped a shot on the par-four second.

 The 23-year-old then responded with two further birdies on the third and fourth holes before adding another on the ninth hole to turn in 33.

Lahiri seemed to be surging ahead after carding another three birdies in five holes after the turn. However two successive bogeys on the 15^th and 16^th holes led to some anxious moments for the Indian before he restored order with a closing birdie on the 18^th.

 “I’ll take my 67 anytime today. I made a few silly mistakes which cost me a few bogeys. I could have done without those but overall I’m still happy,” said Lahiri.

 “It’s never nice to give away shots but that was how it was today and I’ve take that and come back tomorrow and play well again,” added Lahiri who is seeking a wire-to-wire victory at the SAIL-SBI Open.

 Barr is hoping that his red-hot putter will continue to sink in those crucial putts as he seeks to win his maiden Asian Tour title this week.

 “It was great. I probably left a couple of shots out there but today I holed a couple of nice putts. I’m putting better than ever and it’s nice,” said the Australian.

Barr reached the turn in 34 after birdies on the third and fourth holes. He then stormed home with a birdie blitz that included five birdies in his last seven holes.

“Anything is possible tomorrow and we’ll wait till we get to the back-nine. Hopefully I can put some pressure there and we’ll take it from there,” said Barr.

England's Stephen Lewton made a big leap up to a share of 10th place on 211 after a third-round 66. His earlier rounds had been 72-73.

But Banchory's James Byrne is still not reproducing his quality amateur form in his early weeks as a rookie tour pro based in Singapore. He had the same opening rounds as Stephen Lewton - 72-73 - but his third-round 78 for a 54-hole tally of 223 dropped him down to last of the 65 qualifiers at halfway.

The SAIL-SBI Open is the second of the four events scheduled to be played in India on the Asian Tour this season.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 216 (3x72) Yardage 6,935 Delhi Golf Club course.

201 Anirban Lahiri (India) 65 69 67.

204 Scott Barr (Australia) 71 68 65, Prom Meesawatt (Thailand) 72 64 68.

Selected scores

211 Stephen Lewton (England) 72 73 66 (T10).

223 James Byrne (Scotland) 72 73 78 (last of 65).

PATHETIC PUTTING KOs THREE TIME TITLE WINNER TIGER WOODS

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By Oliver Brown in Marana, Arizona
Tiger Woods tumbled out of the Accenture World Match-play championship yesterday with one of his most inept putting performances of recent times.
“The greens were tricky,” he said, by way of excuse, but this was scant justification for missing a five-footer on the 18th to lose to Nick Watney by one hole. The lapse offered further evidence that Tiger's touch with the putter, not to mention his nerve at such critical junctures, had disintegrated.
From the centre of the final fairway, Woods struck a glorious approach, only to watch the ensuing putt drift high of the hole; a sight that ate away like acid at his already fragile confidence. In his halcyon years, when he was seizing this title on three occasions, the 14-time major champion would never have wavered.
His miss added to an uncomfortable sense that Woods was no longer the alpha male, the remorseless predator, but simply just another golfer.
Woods had a surfeit of chances to assert his authority over fellow American Watney, who was so edgy himself that he flailed one shot into a hospitality tent. But his reading of the Dove Mountain greens was lamentable.
His driving was also errant, and there was a worrying moment as he escaped from a fairway bunker at the 10th, where he flung away his club in apparent pain.
Woods missed out on a potentially fascinating duel on Friday night against Lee Westwood.
For the first time at the Accenture, Westwood can savour that Friday feeling. In 11 years of trying, the world No 2 had never reached the third round in this ultimate test of head-to-head nerve, until his 3 and 2 dispatch of Sweden’s Robert Karlsson sealed his place in the last 16.
“I feel like the first man on the moon,” Westwood said.
“It’s one giant step, through to Match Play on Friday. I need more clothes — I didn’t pack for a long enough stay!”
All told, it was a productive day for the British. Rory McIlroy delivered a consummate exhibition in his short game to beat Anders Hansen 3 and 2, fashioning three fabulous chips from the 14th that left the Dane with no resistance.
He will play Miguel Ángel Jiménez today, after the Spaniard enjoyed a surprising 2 and 1 triumph over USPGA champion Keegan Bradley.
Paul Lawrie and Martin Laird also ensured that the Saltire kept fluttering in Arizona. The Scots staged a fine show of defiance, reaching the third round at the expense of young gunslingers Ryo Ishikawa and Matteo Manassero, as these two seasoned hands silenced golf’s new wave.
Lawrie was especially impressive against Ishikawa. The 1999 Open winner is playing the best golf of his career at the age of 43, and prevailed by one hole.
Laird was less convincing, displaying scant assurance with his putting. But still he held off the talents of Manassero for a 2 and 1 victory.
In recent memory, the Scots have seldom had it so good. In 1999, Lawrie was lifting the Claret Jug and Colin Montgomerie remained at No 2 in the world rankings, but the ensuing decade brought steady decline.
Laird could be the man to arrest the trend, despite his mid-Atlantic accent.
He never allowed Manassero to threaten seriously here, and when he sank a four-footer on the short 16th, a half at the next was sufficient to secure his place in the last 16.
By poetic coincidence, in the round of the last 16 the former Scottish youths amateur champion plays against Lawrie, whom he recalls giving him a pep talk back in ’99.

HIGHLAND HIGHLIGHT WILL BE TARTAN TOUR 2012 FINALE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The 2012 PGA Scottish Region tournament schedule will draw to a close in the Highlands with a £50,000 enterprising addition to the Tartan Tour.
It's the Tomatin three-day pro-am, to be held from October 1 to 3 over arguably the three best links courses north of Aberdeen - Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart and Nairn.
It's been a successful concept for the Dunhill Links championship at Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course, St Andrews, but the Tomatin tournament will not have the film stars and other celebrities, of course.
Seventy-five teams of four players (one pro and three amateurs will be split into three groups of five and they will rotate round the three venues.
Michael MacDougall, pictured, the PGA of Scotland supremo, says there will be a professional prize fund in excess of £50,000 for the Tomatin three-day pro-am, which will ensure that all the top Tartan Tour men will be heading north in October.
The Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open (August 28-30) will be held for the third year in a row at the Meldrum House Country Hotel course at Oldmeldrum.
The Paul Lawrie Invitational (September 17-20) will again be hosted by the golf club nearest to his Bieldside home - Deeside GC -  after a successful inaugural event there last year. It has been moved to the tail-end of the season as a result of Paul's recent excellent performances. 
Set for a mid-May date, his inclusion in the Volvo World Match Play field in Spain that month meant an 11th-hour date move.
 The Sandy Pipey Young Masters (September 23-24) goes on again at Royal Dornoch.The Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship  returns to a July 23-26 berth with the Kings Course as the venue.

TARTAN TOUR PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE

+Some pro-am dates and venues will be added over next few weeks

APRIL

23 Patrons' spring meeting (The Duke's).

MAY

5 Portpatrick pro-am.

11 Back 9 Charity pro-am (Renaissance).

18 Teddy Bear pro-am (Gleneagles)

19 Buchanan Castle pro-am.

23 Belhaven Best/Ben shotgun pro-am (Cardross).

25 Lochwinnoch pro-am.

26 West Dunbartonshire Council pro-am (Dalmuir).

27 Bishopbriggs pro-am

28 Patrons' greensomes (Downfield).

29 Glenmuir championship qualifier (Ladybank).

30 Brother International pro-am (Turnberry).

JUNE

1 Cawder pro-am

5 Strathaven pro-am

6 Pollok pro-am

7 West Lothian pro-am

8 Eastwood invitational pro-am

9 Kemnay pro-am

15 Kirkhill pro-am

16 Portlethen pro-am

18 Virgin Atlantic national pro-am qualifier (Crieff)

20 Duff House Royal pro-am

21 Parkdean pro-am (Belleisle)

22 Airdrie pro-am

23 Bathgate pro-am

25 Open qualifying (various venues)

28 Douglas Park pro-am

29 Prestonfield pro-am

30 Hayston pro-am

JULY

2-3 Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship qualifiers (Crieff).

6 Roselle pro-am (Aberdour)

7 Drumpellier pro-am

10 Muir Deer Park Masters qualifier (Deer Park)

11 Shotts Young Professionals' pro-am qualifier (Shotts)

12-15 Scottish Open (Castle Stuart)

13 Fairways pro-am (Newmachar)

17 Patrons' pro-am (Irvine)

19-22 Open championship (Royal Lytham)

20 Turriff pro-am

21 Petrofac/Montrose Links pro-am

22 Bothwell Castle pro-am

23-26 Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship (Kings Course).

26 Virgin Atlantic national pro-am qualifier (Haggs Castle).

26-30 Senior Open championship (Turnberry).

27 Grampian Houston Junior Fund pro-am (Royal Aberdeen)

31-Aug 1 Muir Deer Park Masters pro-am.
AUGUST

2-3 Craigielaw Young Professionals' pro-am

3 McDonald Ellon pro-am

4 Kippie Lodge pro-cel-am (Peterculter)

6 Glenmuir championship pro-am Carden Park).

7-10 Glenmuir championship (Carden Park).

10 Stirling pro-am; Clan/Insch Young Professionals' pro-am; Caldwell Invitational pro-am

12 Sandyhills pro-am

14 Skin 4-ball qualifier (Musselburgh)

15 Kerr Investment qualifier (Dumfries & Galloway)

16 VSA Tartan pro-am (Aboyne).

17 Deeside pro-am

19 Easter Moffat pro-am

19-20 Shotts Young Professionals' pro-am

21 Ben pro-am (Archerfield Links)

23-26 Johnnie Walker Championship (Gleneagles)

24 Lombard pro-capt qualifier (Crail)

27 Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open pro-am (Meldrum House).

28-30 Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open (Meldrum House).

28-30 Ryder Cup (Medinah).

SEPTEMBER

1-2 Kerr Investments pro-am (Dumfries & Galloway).4-5 Carnegie Invitational pro-am (Skibo Castle)

6 RRS Discovery pro-am Downfield)

7 S and D Harper pro-am (Elgin).

10 Patrons' autumn meeting (Dalmahoy).

11-13 Scottish Young Professionals' championship (West Lothian).

14 Blue Group pro-am (Auchterarder); Buchanan Castle seniors.

17 Paul Lawrie Invitational pro-am (Deeside)
18-20 Paul Lawrie Invitational (Deeside).22 Sandy Pipey Young Masters pro-am (Royal Dornoch)

23-24 Sandy Pipey Young Masters (Royal Dornoch).OCTOBER

1-3 Tomatin three-day pro-am (Castle Stuart, Nairn & Royal Dornoch).