McKENNA AND SHIELDS IN QUARTER-FINALS IN SOUTH AFRICA

FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Balmore’s Fraser McKenna and Paul Shields of Kirkhill will fly the flag for the SGU in the quarter-finals of the South African Northern Amateur Open at Randpark, Johannesburg tomorrow morning (Thursday).

Shields, the runner-up in the South African Amateur Championship to compatriot Michael Stewart a year ago, and McKenna both face tricky last-eight ties. Should they be victorious, they will meet in the semi-finals, which are also played tomorrow.

Shields progressed after a one-hole victory against Pedrie Oosthuizen, before also dispatching Otto Van Greunen 3 and 2 in the last-16.

McKenna, meanwhile, who fired a brilliant fourth round 67 in stroke play qualifying to only just make the match-play stages as 31st of the 32 qualifiers, continued his good form with a 4 and 3 win over the No 2 seed, Victor Lange, and then a 3 and 2 triumph against Michael Loppnow, the No 15 qualifier.

The Men’s National Squad players now face two of South Africa’s finest talents in the quarter-finals, with McKenna meeting No 1 ranked Brandon Stone and Shields facing Shaun Smith.

Smith showed his class this morning by seeing off Lundin’s James White 5 and 4 to end the hopes of the 2011 SGU Men’s Order of Merit winner.

Aberdour’s Scott Crichton kept up his form on the winter performance trip by destroying Jacques Kruyswijk 7 and 6 but lost his last-16 tie 2 and 1 to Sipho Bujela.

National coach Ian Rae, with the players in South Africa, feels McKenna and Shields both have a chance of emulating David Law, who won the Northern Amateur Open 12 months ago.

Rae said: "Paul played really well, as did Fraser. Fraser had five birdies in a row during his morning round and is playing lovely.

"I think they have a great chance of winning the event, they are both playing well. They both have tough matches tomorrow, as their opponents are both great players, but there is no reason why they can't win."

The SGU programme in South Africa is supported by Aberdeen Asset Management, South African businessman Johann Rupert and the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation.

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TROON MAN HUGH BURNS WINS WEST ALLIANCE AT FALKIRK TRYST

WEST OF SCOTLAND ALLIANCE REPORT

By MARGARET CARRELL 

Out first today in the meeting at Falkirk Tryst and first in the prizewinners' list was Hugh Burns. The scratch player from Troon Welbeck finished two shots clear of the field of 68 players with a four-under-par 66.

Tartan Tour star Stephen Gray (Hayston) and Colville Park tour pro Paul O'Hara shared second place on 68.

LEADING SCORES 

Scratch

1st Hugh Burns (Troon Welbeck) 66

2nd (equal) Stephen Gray (Hayston) and Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) 68

4th (equal) Ian Graham (Crow Wood) and James Hendrick (Pollok) 70.

Handicap

1st (equal) Neil McGarva (Kilmacolm) 73 (6) 67 and Kieran Stark (Crow Wood) 76 (6) 69

3rd Allan Gilmour (Deer Park) 77 (9) 68

4th (equal) Len Grindrod (Cawder) 71 (1) 70 and John Wood (Brunston Castle) 75 (5) 70

Seniors

1st John Greene (Cowglen) 82 (12) 70

2nd (equal) Hugh Macartney (Cathkin Braes) 77 (6) 71 and James Nugent (Vale of Leven) 88 (17) 71

McLEAN LEADS HUTCHEON AFTER ROUND 1 OF NE ALLIANCE CHSHP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Rookie Peterhead tour professional Philip McLean will carry a one-shot lead over Banchory's Greig Hutcheon, one of the Tartan Tour's leading players, into next Wednesday's second and final round of the North-east Golfers' Alliance championship at Portlethen Golf Club.
On a latterly balmy day at Fraserburgh Golf Club, McLean, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency,  shot a first-round, bogey-free score of five-under-par 65 (34-31) to head a field of 91 and pick up the £100 first scratch prize for the day's competition.
"I definitely feel much sharper than is usually the case for me at this time of the year, having played several tournaments on the EPD Tour in Morocco," said the 24-year-old McLean who is sponsored by the Paul Lawrie Foundation and also by L and N Scotland and Intermoor.
There was no particular highlight in the Buchan man's round - he did most things very well indeed, but perhaps, on second thoughts, it was hid driving that set up many of his birdies. He certainly drove it a long way off the tee today.
McLean was home in two for a two-putt birdie at the sixth hole (529yd) and drove the green for a two-putt birdie at the 10th (332yd).
At the 13th (341yd), McLean was only 25yd short of the putting surface with his drive and got down in two for another birdie.
The longest putt he holed all day was a 10-footer for a birdie at the 11th.
In all, he birdied the sixth, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 16th.
"I'm going back to Morocco on April 6 for more EPD Tour events and from there on to the Alps Tour competitions in Slovenia, Austria and places like that. I love travelling so I'm looking forward to going out there again."
Hutcheon had halves of 34 and 32 with birdies at the fourth, sixth, 10th, 11th, 15th and 18th but bogeys at the ninth and 14th.
"I'm not all that happy with a 66. It could have been better but at least I'm in touch with the leader at the halfway stage of the championship," said Hutcheon who is four shots clear of a group of five on the par-70 mark.
They include other two members of the Paul Lawrie-back trio of rookies, Aberdeen's David Law and Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), Inchmarlo teaching pro Keil Beveridge and two Duffs who are not related - John who plays off +3 at Newmachar and Justin, who has a +1 handicap at Fraserburgh.
Defending champion Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) - he won the title by TEN shots last year but is still recovering from a wrist operation he had to have last autumn - had a disappointing 75 (40-35).
Kris Nicol, playing over his home course, had the best outward half of 32, which included six 3s - at the second, third, fourth and ninth (he also had a bogey 6 at the sixth) but the supply of birdies dried up in an inward half of three-over 38 with a double bogey 6 at the 16th and another shot dropped at the 14th.
Royal Aberdeen's Joel Hopwood will have been disappointed with a 71 (35-36), particularly as he hit 17 greens in regulation, according to one of his playing partners.
Lee Vannet's 71 included a double bogey 6 at the first and a double bogey 5 at the 14th. Birdies at the short fifth, long 15th and 18th eased some of the pain but for the Carnoustie Links man it was a chance missed to score in the 60s and be on the heels of McLean and Hutcheon going into the final round at Portlethen.
David Law also started with a double bogey 6 in totalling 37 to the turn but he came back in 33 with birdies at the 13th and 15th for a 70.
All three players in one group scored birdie 2s at the short 17th - Jim Duncan (Newburgh), Gordon Milne (Newburgh) and Martin Forster (Cruden Bay).
Claire Prouse (Hazlehead), playing off the same tees as the men, had her best ever Alliance round - a four-over-par 74 (40-34) in which she was six over par after a double bogey 6 at the eight.
Then she began to motor with birdies at the ninth, 11th, 13th and 18th, offset by bogeys at the 10th and 16th.
Claire won the Class 1 handicap with a net 66, her LGU handicap being raised to eight to compensate for playing off the men's tees.
Former Aberdeen Links champion Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) had the proverbial "game of two halves " - one mediocre, the other very good. He was out in 43 (eight over) and back in 33 (two under) for a six-over 76.
Berryhill Driving Range pro Willie McKenzie kept an 8 off his card for the second Alliance in a row. Worth a mention because until last week he was know as Willie The VIII as he ALWAYS had an 8 on his card.
A pep talk from Scottishgolfview.com has worked wonders for Willie who tells me he did have a narrow escape at one hole where he had to hole from about 10ft to get a 7.
Kemnay Golf Club members did well with four in all winning handicap prizes - one in Class 1 and the first three in Class 2.

FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 70 (35-35). Yardage 6,308
65 P McLean (Peterhead) 34-31
66 G Hutcheon (Banchory) 34-32
70 John Duff (Newmachar) 35-36, Justin Duff (Fraserburgh) 38-32, D Law (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 37-33, K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 32-38, K Beveridge (Inchmarlo) 36-34.
71 L Vannet (Carnoustie Links) 36-35, F Clarke (Newmachar) 38-33, J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen) 35-36, R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo), C Carnegie (Kemnay) 36-35.
72 T Mathieson (Murcar Links) 35-37, J Duncan (Newburgh), D Brown (Kemnay).
73 G Paterson (Northern) 39-34, D Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 35-38, K Watson (Deeside) 36-37.
74 R Lamb (Newmachar), J Thomas (Newmachar), Claire Prouse (Hazlehead) 40-34, C Nelson (Mackenzie Shop), E Kennedy (Newmachar).
75 J Nicolson (Auchmill), G Milne ( Newburgh ), F Bisset (Banchory), S Larkin (Royal Aberdeen ), D C Clark (Duff House Royal), M May ( Cruden Bay ), J A Ritchie (Fraserburgh)
76 J Borthwick (Craibstone), L Prouse (Hazlehead), D Leslie (Northern), W McKenzie (Berryhill DR), S Finnie (Caledonian) 43-33.
77 M Lawrie (Kemnay).
78 G Nethercott (Deeside), C Cassie (Nigg Bay), A Gall (Deeside), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen ), I Esslemont (Cruden Bay), B Nicolson (Cruden Bay), P McIntosh (Newmachar).
79 B Harper ( Newburgh ), C Duffus (Kemnay).
80 M Merchant (Newmachar), J Scott (Peterculter), D Nelson (Aboyne), D Wilson (Duff House Royal).
81 H Roulston (Stonehaven), J Hamilton (Murcar Links), A Rodger (Fraserburgh), D Fleming (Portlethen), M Forster (Cruden Bay), M Booth (Kemnay).
82 C Carnegie (Kemnay) , T A Collie (Kemnay), D McKay (Caledonian).
83 M Duncan (Murcar Links), J Dalgarno (Hazlehead), A Graham (Aboyne), W Skene (Deeside).
84 L Roger (Royal Aberdeen ), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum), M Rogers (Kemnay), J Murray (Banchory), I D Smith (Hazlehead).
85 B Shaw (Banchory), D Randall (Banchory), P Murray (Kemnay).
86 P Cornfield (Auchmill), J Forrest (Northern), R Brown (Newburgh), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum), G Allan (Newmachar)
87 N Stewart (Northern), D Bisset (Banchory).
88 K Stephen (Northern), M Smith (Inverurie).
89 D Lawrie (Inchmarlo), B Lumsden (Northern), P Guthrie (Peterculter), N K Parker (Murcar Links), J Turner (Kemnay).
90 D Wright (Northern), I Grant (Keith)
92 H McNaughton ( Cruden Bay ), M Rendall (Stonehaven).
94 P Leech (Oldmeldrum), J Gall (Caledonian).
95 M Brown (Newburgh).
98 S Davidson (Northern).

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - Claire Prouse (Hazlehead) (8) 66; K Watson (Deeside) (6) 67; J Duncan (Newburgh) (4), C Carnegie (Kemnay) (3) 68; M May (Cruden Bay) (6) 69 (bih).
Class 2 - M Rogers (Kemnay) (15) 69; M Booth (Kemnay) (11) 70; T A Collie (Kemnay) (4), P Cornfield (Auchmill) (15) 71; J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (15) 72.

TODAY'S TOP SCORECARDS
FRASERBURGH PAR 70 OUT 4-4-4-4-3-5-3-4-4: 35 IN 3-4-4-4-3-5-4-4-4: 35

PHILIP McLEAN 65
OUT 4-4-4-4-3-4-3-4-4: 34 IN 3-3-3-3-3-5-4-3-4: 31
GREIG HUTCHEON 66
OUT 4-4-4-3-3-4-3-4-5: 34 IN 3-3-4-4-4-4-4-3-3: 32
DAVID LAW 70
OUT 6-4-4-4-3-4-4-4-4: 37 IN 4-4-4-3-3-4-4-3-4: 33
JOHN DUFF 70
OUT 5-4-4-4-2-5-4-3-4: 35 IN 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-3-4: 35
JUSTIN DUFF 70
OUT 5-4-7-3-4-5-2-4-4: 38 IN 3-4-4-3-3-5-3-3-4: 32
KRIS NICOL 70
OUT 4-3-3-3-3-6-3-4-3: 32 IN 4-4-4-4-4-5-6-3-4: 38
KEIL BEVERIDGE 70
OUT 5-4-4-3-4-5-3-4-4: 36 IN 5-4-3-4-3-4-4-3-4: 34

NEXT WEDNESDAY'S ROUND 2 TEE TIMES
AT PORTLETHEN GOLF CLUB

8.15 C Cassie - B Harper - K Watson
8.22 J Duff - E Kennedy - free
8.29 M Merchant - R Lamb- free
8.36 H Roulston - M Rendall - free
8.43 L Roger - J Hamilton - Claire Prouse
8.50 C Nelson - J Dalgarno - L Prouse
8.57 F Clarke - D Macandrew - free

9.04 T Mathieson- G Nethercott - free
9.11 G Allan - B Nicolson - H McNaughton
9.18 free- free- free
9.25 M brown - R Brown - S Davidson
9.32 L Vannet - M Forster - I Esslemont
9.39 free- free- free
9.46 N K Parker - P Guthrie - free
9.53 M Smith - I Grant - free

10.00 G Paterson - J Scott - D Lawrie
10.07 J Forrest - N Stewart - M Duncan
10.14 A Gall - L Fowler - D Fleming
10.21 B  Lumsden - D Leslie - G Homer
10.28 J Jessiman - A Petrie - W Skene
10.35 P McLean- K Nicol - P McIntosh
10.42 D Law - W Shaw - M Booth
10.49 K Beveridge- D Nelson - A Graham
10.56 M May - W McKenzie - P Leech

11.03 J Hopwood - J Duncan - G Milne
11.10 S Larkin - G Hutcheon - F Bisset
11.17 D Bisset - J Murray - D Randall
11.24 T A Collie - C Carnegie - J Turner
11.31 D Brown - M Lawrie - C Duffus
11.38 C Brown - R Orr - P Murray
11.45 S Finnie - J Gall - D McKay
11.52 free- free- free
11.59 free- free- free

12.06 J Borthwick - J Thomas- free
12.13 free- free- free
12.20 free- free- free
12.27 free- free- free
12.34 free- free- free
12.41 J Nicolson - P Cornfield - free
12.48 D Wilson - D C Clark- R Fitzpatrick

JAMES BYRNE'S NIGHTMARE START TO CAMBODIAN CLASSIC

James Byrne had a nightmare start to the tournament with a nine-over-par round of 81 which left the Banchory rookie in joint 140 position in a field of 144.

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Siem Reap, Cambodia: South Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun established a new course record of six-under-par 66 to open up a one-shot lead after the opening round of the inaugural Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic today.
The talented 21-year-old produced matching halves of 33s in the US$300,000 Asian Tour event at the impressive Angkor Golf Resort as he finally overcame his driving yips which haunted him for most of last season.
Ireland’s Niall Turner overcame a double bogey to card a fine 67 while Thailand’s 16-year-old newcomer Rattanon Wannasrichan showed he was a star in the making with a bogey-free 68 to be bunched with countrymen Chawalit Plaphol and Atthaphon Prathummanee, Filipino Elmer Salvador, Australian Paul Donahoo, Korea’s Kim Hyung-sung and American Berry Henson.
After finishing 51st on the Order of Merit last season, the burly Baek, who is seeking his first Asian Tour victory, overhauled his golf swing after ending 2011 ranked a lowly 92nd with 54% of fairways hit.
“It was quite windy and I was just playing fairways and greens, fairways and greens. Suddenly, my putting was good and my irons just went to the pins. I missed some putts but I’m happy with my score,” said Baek, who recorded long birdie conversions from off the green on the 18th and first holes.
“I’ve been changing my swing for the past three months and missed three cuts in a row. I have been working hard and last week in the Singha Masters (a local Thai event), the form was getting better. The confidence is coming back and I just went for it in every shot.”
Such was Baek’s despair with the longest club in the bag that he did not use the driver for most of 2011.
“No more hooks and my yips for the driver is now gone. I’m pretty confident with the new swing and grip. I’m really happy with this as I missed only four fairways. Hopefully I’ll play good tomorrow and maybe I’ll have a chance to win the trophy,” said the Thai-based Baek, who needed only 25 putts in his round.
The lanky Turner lost his ball in the trees on his 11th hole of the day at the second but fought back with four birdies in his last seven holes. “I was pretty proud of that. In the past, I would have got cranky and let a few shots drift away,” said the Irishman, who is playing his second season on the Asian Tour.
“I was hitting my driver long and made it easy on some of the holes where I got a wedge or nine iron which made a big difference as you can stop the ball quite quickly. It definitely wasn’t easy.”
Thai teenager Rattanon, who turned professional in January after winning the team and individual gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia, underlined his potential with four birdies on the card.
Like Baek, his driving was laser-guided as he missed only three fairways and took just 26 putts.
“My tee shots were so good but my iron play was average,” smiled the softly-spoken Thai, whose longest birdie conversion was from 20 feet at the 13th hole.
Rattanon, who missed out on his Asian Tour card by two shots at Qualifying School in January when he double bogeyed his last hole, said he turned professional early with the intention of rewriting Asian Tour history.
“I want to try to become the youngest Asian Tour winner,” he declared. “Chinnarat (Phadungsil) won on the Asian Tour when he was 17 years and five days old, so I’ve got less than a year to try to do it.”
After working two years in a golf shop in Brisbane, Danohoo is enjoying his rookie season touring Asia’s elite circuit where he has made three cuts on the trot, including a tied for sixth place at the ICTSI Philippine Open last month.
With a hot putter in hand, the 31-year-old took 23 strokes on the slick Angkor greens to feature on the leaderboard. “Putted really well,” he enthused. “It was good from about five to 10 feet. A lot of birdie putts and a couple of crucial par putts. It’s just a good golf course and good fun.
“Asia is a lot like Queensland … similar climate, similar grasses. The courses are very similar too. I’ve done some sports psychology work and that’s helped a lot. I’m obviously enjoying it,” he said.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Angkor Course.
Par 72. Yardage: 7,279.
66 - BAEK Seuk-hyun (SKOR).
67 - Niall TURNER (IRL).
68 - Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), KIM Hyung-sung (SKOR), Elmer SALVADOR (PHI), Chawalit PLAPHOL (THA), Paul DONAHOO (AUS), Atthaphon PRATHUMMANEE (THA), Berry HENSON (USA).
69 - Hamza AMIN (AUT), Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND), Ben LEONG (MAS), S. Siva CHANDHRAN (MAS), Shaaban HUSSIN (MAS), KIM Gi-whan (SKOR), Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA), HONG Soon-sang (SKOR), Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA), Jonathan MOORE (USA).
70 - Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Gavin FLINT (AUS), Jhonnel ABABA (PHI), Dodge KEMMER (USA), SIDDIKUR (BAN), Prom MEESAWAT (THA), Marcus BOTH (AUS), Sam CYR (USA), Guy WOODMAN (ENG), Zaw MOE (MYN), Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA), PARK Hyun-bin (SKOR).

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ENGLAND SEND BEN LOUGHREY, JOSH WHITE TO S AMERICA

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
England squad members Ben Loughrey (Wrag Barn, Wiltshire) and Josh White (Chipstead, Surrey) will break new ground when they represent England Golf in the South American Amateur Championship at the Club Campestre de Farrallones in Cali, Colombia, from March 21 to 24.
This will be the first time England has sent players to this 72-hole stroke play event.
Loughrey was a member of the victorious Wiltshire team in last year’s English County Championship at Ganton. A former South West Colts and Wiltshire junior champion, Loughrey won the North of England Youths Championship in 2009 and triumphed in the Lee Westwood Trophy in 2010.
Last year, the 23 year old won the New South Wales Cup in Australia, enjoyed top-five finishes in the Welsh Open Stroke Play, the Brabazon Trophy and the South of England Stroke Play, made his full England debut against Spain at The Berkshire and was also a member of the winning England team in the Home Internationals.
White, 20, won the Surrey Championship in 2009 and 2011 and followed up last year by winning the Berkshire Trophy. A former boy international, he represented the English Golf Union in Spain, Sweden and Finland last year and finished tied fourth in the County Champions Tournament.