ALAN WELSH WINS WEST ALLIANCE AT IRVINE BOGSIDE

Young gun Alan Welsh from Cathkin Braes won today's West of Scotland Alliance competition at Irvine Bogside with a scorching, four-under-par round of 67 to head a field of 53 players. This was the last fixture until September.

Scratch
1st Alan Welsh (Cathkin Braes) 67
2nd Ian Graham (Crow Wood) 70
3rd Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) 72
T4 John Fowler (Hayston) and James Steven (Bothwell Castle) 73

Handicap
1st Douglas Martin (Crow Wood) 80 (10) 70
2nd Len Grindrod (Cawder) 74 (1) 73
T3 Allan McRoberts (Bonnyton) (7) and Malcolm Shepherd (Pollok) (11)

Seniors
1st Hugh Macartney (Cathkin Braes) 83 (6) 77
2nd Peter Kinloch (Cardross) 84 (6) 78


Margaret Carrell

CHRIS AND HEATHER WIN £900 IN FOUR-BALL BETTER-=BALL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Cawder's Chris Kelly and Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) won the £900 first prize in today's Glenmuir Winter Series four-ball better-ball competition at The Renaissance Club, East Lothian.
They were one of four pairs with scores of six-under-par 65 to head a field of 54 couples.
Chris and Heather won the card countback.
Placed second equal were Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) and Robert Arnott (Bishopriggs), Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg) and Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy) and Gareth Wright (West Linton) and David Patrick (Elie Sports Club). Each pair won £616.
Former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart figured on the prizelist in joint eighth position with David Russell (Archerfield Links). They won £112 between them for a four-under 67.

LEADING TOTALS
Par 71
65 Chris Kelly (Cawder) and Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) (won card countback) (£900); Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) and Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) (£616), Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg) and Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy) (£616), Gareth Wright (West Linton) and David Patrick (Elie SC) (£616).
66 Stuart Callan (Bathgate) and Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) (£316), Andrew McIntyre (Ranfurly Castle) and andrew Buttar (Strathaven) (£316), Christopher Russell (Dunbar) and Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) (£316).
67 Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) and Mark Kerr (unatt) (£112), James McKinnon (Irvine) and Christopher Currie (Caldwell) (£112), David Russell (Archerfield Links) and Andrew Coltart (unatt) (£112), Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) and Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) (£112).

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McLEARY LOOKING TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM IN KENYA OPEN

                  JAMIE McLEARY. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images (c)

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Scotland’s Jamie McLeary is hoping for a good week at the Barclays Kenya Open to continue his promising start to the 2012 Challenge Tour season.
The 30 year old finished tied eighth in his first event of the year, the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Classic earlier this month, and he is hoping to prolong that fine form at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi this week.
“Normally I don’t start the season very well, so I was very happy with my performance in Colombia and if I can put in another good week here in Kenya I’ll be delighted,” said McLeary.
“I took a week off after Colombia and then a week ago I started hitting balls again in preparation for coming here. I’m working on a few things with my coach but we didn’t need to do too much as I’m swinging it pretty well at the moment. The ball is doing what I want it to do, so it’s just a case of doing that when the tournament starts.
“Although the weather has been great back home, the courses are still not in tip-top condition, so I’ve just been hitting balls on the range. It’s just a question of getting the rust off, then most of my preparation will be done here. I’m really looking forward to getting going again.”
The Edinburgh man, who finished 84th in the 2011 Challenge Tour Rankings, stressed the importance of accuracy around the Muthaiga course and feels he has an advantage being a straight hitter.
“I don’t hit the ball wildly off line a lot,” he said. “I don’t have a really wild drive in my bag, so the course suits me. It’s important to hit it in the middle here because it’s so firm - even more so this year. The ball just kicks on. So if you can keep it in play it’s a big advantage. If you keep it on the fairway you’ll have a good chance of birdie.
“Normally the guys who do well here are those who keep it down the middle – guys like (Robert) Dinwiddie (2010 champion) and (Michiel) Bothma (last year’s winner). You don’t need to hit many drivers but when you do, it’s imperative to hit it straight.”
McLeary is joined by compatriot Chris Doak, who is hoping to rediscover the form which yielded a tied h place finish in the season-opening Gujurat Kensville Challenge in January. Fellow Scots Andrew McArthur, Jack Doherty, Scott Henry and Gavin Dear are also in the field.