Sunday, April 08, 2012

FRASER McKENNA WINS CHAMPIONS' TOURNEY BY THREE SHOTS

 JUST CHAMPION! That's how Fraser McKenna is feeling as he receives the winner's trophy from Peter Millar, the captain of Leven Golfing Society. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.
 
By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Fraser McKenna, 21-year-old Glasgow player from the Balmore club, won the Scottish Champion of Champions tournament by three shots in a finish to the 72-hole domestic golf season curtain raiser that was slightly anti-climatical today.
McKenna had rounds of 68, 69, 70 and 68 for a nine-under-par total of 275, finishing three shots ahead of joint runners-up, long-time leader Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) and  defending champion Brian Soutar (Leven Golfing Society).
McKenna, a former British boys beaten finalist and winner of the 72-hole Sutherland Chalice last season, got to 13 under par for the tournament with a par-eagle-par burst from the 11th to the 13th in his closing round.
But it was uphill after that. Each of the top three found the last few holes into a cold wind, dampish conditions and unashamedly tough pin placements a bit of a struggle just to par the holes.
McKenna, who had an eagle and five birdies in a bogey-free first 13 holes of his fourth round,  dropped four shots over the last five holes after going to the turn in three-under 31. He finished bogey-double bogey but was never in danger of defeat because it became as difficult for his rivals as it did for him.
"I was on a roll but the conditions got tougher, but despite dropping those shots I feel that all the practice and hard work I did in South Africa during the winter weeks the SGU Elite Squad spent there is paying off," said Fraser who would see a place in Scotland's team for the Home Internationals as a high enough target for the moment.
McKenna, who was the leading Scot in sixth place in last year's Lytham Trophy, doesn't rule out going to the European Tour Qualifying School - if he is playing well in the second half of the season.
Brian Soutar, who came out of the pack over Sunday's final 36 holes to win this title last year, looked as if he might just stage a repeat when he had a 66 in the morning third round and then birdied the first and third of his final circuit.
Brian, who has a mind to turn pro at the end of the season - if he is playing well, got to seven under par with birdies at the ninth, 11th and 12th but he took could make no further headway into the wind and closed with a 69 for six-under 278.
Graeme Robertson on Saturday looked as if he was going to make every post a winning one with opening rounds of 64 and 69 but he lost his momentum with a third round 73 (two over par) and when he could only par the first 11 holes of the third round, his chance had gone. Even an eagle at the 12th could not revive his challenge and he finished with a 72 for 278.
It wasn't a successful tournament for the North or North-east hopes.
Newmachar's John Duff looked as if he were running into form with a second-round 67 but he just could not get going over the Sunday rounds and scored 78-79 for 296. John can play a lot better than that.
Bryan Fotheringham finished on 297 with a closing round of 80 which included a 10 at the par-5 sixth hole.
 
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71) CSS 73 72 74 74
275 Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 68 69 70 68
278 Brian Soutar (Leven GS) 73 70 66 69, Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 64 69 73 72.
279 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 69 71 71 68
282 James White (Lundin) 71 72 68 71
285 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 71 72 68 74, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 72 71 73 69, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 69 68 78 70.
287 Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's) 78 64 74 71.
288 Scott  Brown (Turnberry Hotel) 72 75 69 72, Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 69 74 71 74, Stephen Machin (Cowglen) 71 70 75 72.
289 Gordon Miller (Cawder) 73 68 72 76, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 68 72 77 72.
291 Jamie Morris (Peebles) 71 70 77 73, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 66 74 77 74
292 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 72 75 73 72
293 Stephen Simmants (Dunbar) 72 73 75 73.
295 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 74 73 68 80
296 Hugh Nelson (Kilsyth Lennox) 73 72 75 76, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 72 70 73 81, John Duff (Newmachar) 72 67 78 79.
297 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 73 76 74 74, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 73 70 75 79, Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) 73 68 76 80.
299 Gary Sharp (St Andrews) 71 79 74 75, Raymond Perry (Monifieth) 74 75 73 77, Paul Alexander (Caldwell) 73 71 77 78, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 69 69 80 81
300 Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 76  70 77 77
301 Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle) 78 76 72 75.
302 George Crawford (Williamwood) 74 75 76 77
303 Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) 76 74 75 78, Josh Jamieson (St Andrews New) 73 73 77 80.
304 Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 78 74 74 78, Clark Brechin (Portlethen) 75 73 78 78.
305 Kevin Blyth (Lundin) 74 76 77 78
307 Scott Moffat (Braehead) 79 73 74 81, Greg Forrester (Balbirnie Park) 78 73 78 78.
310 Brian Graham (Kelso) 75 78 78 79.
311 Alan McKie (Glencruitten) 75 79 78 79, Mark O'Donnell (Hamilton) 80 73 81 77.
316 Thomas White (Milnathort) 83 75 79 79.
318 William Fleming (Ballochmyle) 80 81 82 75.
319 George McMillan (Machrihanish) 73 80 84 82.
327 David Wylie (Lenzie) 80 78 85 84.
330 Christopher Mooney (Gourock) 88 80 82 80.
NR Lee Jenkins (Elderslie) 75 73 NR -

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FIFE OVERPOWER P AND K IN PROVAN SALVER TIE

 Fife scored a resounding home win over Perth and Kinross in the Provan Salver men's area tie at Scotscraig Golf Club.
They won 6 1/2-1 1/2 with victories by Gary Sharp (St Andrews), Colin Martin (St Andrews), Kevin Blyth (Lundin), Ally Haines (St Andrews), Sandy Squires (Scotscraig) and Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's).
Details (Fife names first)
Gary Sharp bt Glenn Campbell 3 and 2, Colin Martin bt Scott Michie 5 and 4, Kevin Blyth bt Connor Neil 1 hole, Alex Moir lost to George Brass, Cammy Mitchell halved with Willie Hutton, Ally Hain bt Stuart McKendrick 2 and 1, Sandy Squires bt Stephen Harrower 4 and 2, Scott Stewart-Cation bt Mark Cameron 1 hole

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FRASER McKENNA THREE AHEAD IN CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

SCOTTISH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS TOURNAMENT
Leven Golfing Society.
LEADERS OUT ON THE COURSE at 5.50pm
10 under par after 11 holes - Fraser McKenna (Balmore)
7 under par - Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) (after 10 holes), Brian Soutar (Leven GS) (after 17 holes).

FINAL TOTALS IN CLUBHOUSE at 5.50pm
Par 284 (4x71) CSS 73 72 74 XX
288 Scott Brown (Turnberry Hotel) 72 75 69 72.
292 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 72 75 73 72
293 Stephen Simmants (Dunbar) 72 73 75 73.
295 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 74 73 68 80
297 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 73 76 74 74.
299 Gary Sharp (St Andrews) 71 79 74 75, Raymond Perry (Monifieth) 74 75 73 77
300 Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 76 70 77 77
301 Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle) 78 76 72 75.
302 George Crawford (Williamwood) 74 75 76 77
303 Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) 76 74 75 78, Josh Jamieson (St Andrews New) 73 73 77 80.
304 Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 78 74 74 78, Clark Brechin (Portlethen) 75 73 78 78.
305 Kevin Blyth (Lundin) 74 76 77 78
307 Scott Moffat (Braehead) 79 73 74 81, Greg Forrester (Balbirnie Park) 78 73 78 78.
310 Brian Graham (Kelso) 75 78 78 79.
311 Alan McKie (Glencruitten) 75 79 78 79, Mark O'Donnell (Hamilton) 80 73 81 77.
316 Thomas White (Milnathort) 83 75 79 79.
318 William Fleming (Ballochmyle) 80 81 82 75.
319 George McMillan (Machrihanish) 73 80 84 82.
327 David Wylie (Lenzie) 80 78 85 84.
330 Christopher Mooney (Gourock) 88 80 82 80.
NR Lee Jenkins (Elderslie) 75 73 NR -


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AUSSIE HEND WINS WEATHER-SHORTENED SINGAPORE CLASSIC

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ASIAN TOUR
Singapore, April 8: Australia’s Scott Hend described his week in Singapore as one of the most amazing in his life after he closed with a six-under-par 64 to win the weather-shortened ISPS Handa Singapore Classic on Sunday.
The US$400,000 full field Asian Tour event was reduced to 54 holes after inclement weather caused almost 10 hours of play to be lost over the first three days.
Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera, Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih, Spain’s Javi Colomo and David Lipsky of the United States were bunched in tied-second on matching 200s at Orchid Country Club.
“It’s amazing especially to have four weeks off and come back and win. It’s great to see some of the hard work and practice that I’ve put in paying off,” said the Australian.
Hend had to wait for close to an hour before he knew he had secured his second Asian Tour title with a winning total of 11-under-par 199.
As many as three players were still in contention for either a play-off or win after Hend had signed for his score and it was a wait that became impatient for the big-hitting Australian.
“It’s sort of like you’re going out and have to wait for your wife to do her hair or something. You’re just sitting around and pacing around and that was what I was feeling then,” said Hend
“I just wanted it to be over and know whether I’ve won or not. Luckily for me, I won,” added Hend.
The Australian’s week was further sweetened when Dr. Haruhisa Handa, Chairman of ISPS announced that he will gain a sponsor’s invite to the ISPS Handa Wales Open held at the famed Celtic Manor Resort in May.
Meanwhile Perera was almost loss for words after he signed off with a flawless 65 for his best finish on the Asian Tour.
The Sri Lankan who managed to play through an invite spot this week, made the most of his opportunity and was duly rewarded.
“I’m really happy about the week as I played really good golf,” said Perera.
“I don’t have a card on the Asian Tour but got a spot through an invitation. I just want to thank Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, for giving me the chance to play in this tournament,” added Perera.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70). 6835yd
Bad weather forced cancellation of one round
199 - Scott HEND (AUS) 67-68-64.
200 - Mithun PERERA (SRI) 67-68-65, LU Wei-chih (TPE) 65-69-66, Javi COLOMO (ESP) 67-66-67, David LIPSKY (USA) 63-69-68.
201 - Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 68-69-64, HWANG Inn-choon (KOR) 69-67-65, Yuta IKEDA (JPN) 69-66-66, Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 61-71-69.
202 - Adam GROOM (AUS) 69-68-65, Kieran PRATT (AUS) 67-66-69, Ben FOX (USA) 67-66-69.
203 - Rory HIE (INA) 69-68-66, Zaw MOE (MYN) 69-69-65, Shaaban HUSSIN (MAS) 66-65-72.
Selected scores
207 - Himmat RAI (IND) 68-69-70
209 -LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 73-66-70, Mardan MAMAT (SIN) 69-70-70.
210 - LAM Zhiqun (SIN) 70-67-73


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SWEDE PETER HANSON LEADS MASTERS INTO FINAL ROUND

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSTE
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) -- Phil Mickelson set off roars at Augusta National with a 25-foot eagle putt for a share of the lead, and an amazing flop shot behind the 15th green that only he would dare try.
Peter Hanson answered with four birdies on his last five holes, claiming some of those cheers for himself and taking the outright lead Saturday in the Masters with a 7-under 65, the lowest score of the tournament.
What a finish -- and it's all just beginning.
"Fortune favors the brave at times here," Padraig Harrington said.
"When you're leading a tournament, that's not the type of golf course you want to be on," he added. "You want to be on probably a boring golf course -- which this ain't."
That much was evident on a day filled with cheers from every corner, a prelude for a final round that would figure to favor Mickelson.
Hanson, a 34-year-old Swede playing in only his second Masters, has never been closer than seven shots of the leaders in his previous 17 majors. He goes into Sunday with a one-shot lead over Mickelson, who already has three Green Jackets.
Hanson passed his first test.
He was walking up the 14th fairway when he heard a commotion that shook Augusta National. He knew what it was without looking -- Mickelson draining an eagle putt on the 13th hole, raising the putter with his right arm and slamming down his left fist to celebrate along with 15,000 of his best friends.
"I'm standing in the middle of the fairway and I feel him breathing down my neck a little bit," Hanson said.
Hanson followed with an approach into 2 feet for birdie, a 15-foot putt from the fringe on the 15th, a 30-foot birdie putt over the ridge on the 17th and one last birdie at the 18th with a shot that stopped inside 3 feet from the cup.
He was at 9-under 207.
"I've been watching this tournament since I was a young kid, and seeing Freddie Couples and the guys go and shoot 30 and 31 on the back nine is something you just dream about," Hanson said.
Mickelson shot 30 on the back and signed for a 66, putting him in the final group at the Masters for the fourth time in the last nine years. Lefty won the last three times he was in that spot.
"I love it here, and I love nothing more than being in the last group on Sunday at the Masters," Mickelson said. "It's the great thing in professional golf."
Mickelson gave the leaderboard some star power when so many others faded or, in the case of Tiger Woods, never came close to getting there. Woods now has gone 26 consecutive holes on the back nine at Augusta without a birdie. He had to settle for a 72 and was 12 shots behind, his largest 54-hole deficit ever at the Masters.
But he wasn't alone.
U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy, who started the day one shot out of the lead, made double bogey from the trees on the first hole and it only got worse from there. He had three 6s on his card and went out in 42, finishing with a 77 that left him 10 shots behind. He played with Sergio Garcia, who shot 75. Neither made a birdie until No. 12, and they hugged each other on the green to celebrate.
Fred Couples, at 52 the oldest player atop the leaderboard going into the weekend at Augusta National, bogeyed his first two holes and tried to stay in the game. He wound up with a 75 and was seven shots behind.
A win would give Mickelson his fourth Green Jacket, same as Woods and Arnold Palmer.
But this is far from a two-man race.
Former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen rode his sweet swing to a 69 and was only two shots behind. Bubba Watson birdied the last hole for a 70 and was three shots back, followed by Matt Kuchar, who joined Mickelson as the first players in 13 years to birdie the 18th hole each of the first three rounds.
The group at 4-under 212 included Lee Westwood (72) and Harrington, who shot 68 and summed up what awaits on Sunday.
"It's not the player that plays the most consistent that wins at the Masters. The player who plays probably some of the most exciting golf wins at the Masters," Harrington said. "It's not really a contest of fairways and greens. It's a bit more flamboyancy in it. You only have to look at the way Phil has won some of his majors. You've got to take on golf shots."
And to think Mickelson almost lost this Masters on the opening day.
With a lost ball and a triple bogey on the 10th hole, he was 4 over par through 12 holes on Thursday and hitting the ball in places even he had never seen at Augusta National. Only his short game saved him that day, and he escaped with a 74.
He has been on the move ever since, and Lefty was at his best on Saturday.
If there was one shot that showed why he has an imagination unlike others, it came from behind the green on the par-5 15th. Moments earlier, Hanson was in about the same spot and played a conventional bump-and-run up the slope to a green that runs quickly toward the hole. Hanson went just over the green, and had to make a 15-foot putt.
Mickelson took out his 64-degree wedge -- he carries that club for moments like this -- and played a full flop shot that landed softly and trickled to 4 feet below the cup for a birdie.
How tough was the shot? Even Mickelson said it was risky.
"It was possible to slide underneath it, so I leveled out my weight a little bit so that I would not take too deep a divot and the ball popped up nicely," Mickelson said, describing the shot as if giving a clinic.
Hanson was on the 16th hole when all this unfolded.
"To be honest, I never saw that high flop shot from there," he said. "He's just amazing with the wedge and the way he plays those shots. When I ended up in that same spot on 15, I just sought the bump-and-run and get it past the hole and leave myself an uphill putt. He goes up and just hits a full swing and goes straight up in the air."
But it was a lesson for Hanson, especially for the final round: Don't watch, just play.
"He has a few shots around the green that I'm not even close to," Hanson said. "I just have to play my game and work around this golf course the absolute best I can."
First, he has to get through the night. Hanson expects that sleep won't come easily -- not when you're in the lead for the first time in a major, with a Green Jacket on the line.
He has quietly risen to No. 25 in the world ranking, with a pair of top-5s in the World Golf Championships and a runner-up finish at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters. Hanson also has spent time in good company. He started working in the offseason with coach Gary Gilchrist, who also teaches Yani Tseng, the No. 1 player in women's golf.
The last time he was in a twosome with Mickelson was at Celtic Manor, and timing could not have been worse. Mickelson had just set an American record for most losses in the Ryder Cup, and he hadn't contributed a point all week.
"He came out so hungry and desperate to win," Hanson said. "He started off with four straight birdies. So I had no chance."
It's up for grabs Sunday -- but not for everyone.
The biggest surprise was McIlroy, who has been flawless for the last six months and was poised to seize control of this major when he started out just one shot behind. With two double bogeys and a 42 on the front, his Masters effectively was over.
"Seems like every year I come here, I throw a bad nine holes out there," McIlroy said, referring to his 43 on the back nine of the final round last year when he lost a four-shot lead.
As loud as it was, Woods rarely heard it so quiet.
He missed out on all the action by playing so early -- he was done about the time the leaders teed off. And he did nothing to make anyone cheer. For the second straight round, Woods failed to birdie any of the par 5s. In his previous 17 years at the Masters, he had gone birdie-free on the par 5s only twice.
Woods has made only one birdie all week on the back nine -- the first hole he played, No. 10, on Thursday.
"I unfortunately did not play the par 5s very well today," Woods said. "I'm telling you, it was just so close to being a really good round of golf."
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
207 Peter Hanson (Sweden) 68 74 65
208 Phil Mickelson (US) 74 68 66
209 Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) 78 72 69
210 Bubba Watson (US) 69 71 70
211 Matt Kuchar (US) 71 70 70
212 Lee Westwood (England) 67 73 72, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 71 73 68, Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 71 71 70, Hunter Mahan 72 72 68
213 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 69 72 72
SELECTED SCORES
214 Fred Couples (US) 72 67 75 (T11)
215 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 72 68 75 (T14)
216 Justin Rose (England) 72 72 72 (T24)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

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SCOTTISH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS BOILING UP ON DAY TWO

Defending champion Brian Soutar, playing over his home course, is repeating last year's Sunday surge in the Scottish Champion of Champions at Leven Links.
Brian opened with rounds of 73 and 70 yesterday but moved up a gear with a five-under-par 66 in today's third round. That put him on 209 - three shots off the all-the-way leader Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) who followed rounds of 64 and 69 with a two-over 73 in the third round.
In second place is Balmore's Fraser McKenna who has shot 68, 69 and 70 for 207.
So Robertson, McKenna and Soutar are clear of the field - joint fourth placed Scott Borrowman (68), James White (68) and Alexander Culverwell (71) are back on 211

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 213 (3x71)
206 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 73
207 Fraser McKenna ( Balmore) 70
209 Brian Soutar (Leven GS) 66
211 Scott  Borrowman (Dollar) 71 71 68, James White (Lundin) 71 72 68, Alexander Culverwell (The Dukes) 71
213 Gordon Miller (Cawder) 72
214 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 71.
215 Conor ONeil (Pollok) 68, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 73, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire and Co) 78.
216 Scott Brown 69 , Matthew Clark (Kilmac olm) 73, Scott Stewart-Cation (The Dukes) 74, Stephen Machin (Cowglen) 75
217 Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) 76, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 77, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 77, John Duff (Newmachar) 78
218 Fraser Moore 75, Jamie Morris 77, Adam Dunton 80
220 Paul Shields 73, Hugh Nelson 75 Stephen Simants 75.
221 Paul Alexander 77
222 Raymond Perry 73
223 Scott Crichton 74, Allyn Dick 77, Josh Jamieson 77
224 Gary Sharp 74
225 Andrew Campbell  75, George Crawford 76
226 Craig Hamilton 72, Scott Moffat 74, Ross Noon 74,Clark Brechin 78
227 Kevin Blyth 77
229 Greg Forrester 78
231 Brian Graham 78
232 Alan Mckie 78

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SCOTS UNDER--16S WIN TITLE AT HILTON TEMPLEPATRICK

Scotland won the Under-16 boys title by smashing hosts Ireland’s 100 per cent record on the final day of the Four Nations Development Quadrangular golf matches at Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club, near Belfast on Saturday.
Second place looked to be the best the young Scots could achieve after beating Wales 8-4 but losing unexpectedly to the Netherlands 7-5 while Ireland beat Wales 8 ½-3 ½ and the Netherlands 9 ½ -2 ½.
But the Scots produced a five-star display in the closing singles after drawing the morning foursomes 2-2 against Ireland.
Scotland took the singles 6 ½-1 ½ with wins by Bearsden’s Ewen Ferguson and Cameron Kirkwood, Bob McIntyre (Glencruitten), Williamwood’s George Burns and Fraser Davren, Innes Ferguson (Drumpellier) and Alasdair McDougall (St Andrews New)
McDougall was the MVP (most successful player) in the tournament as a whole with five wins out of six.
Scotland and Ireland finished with identical records – two wins and one defeat with goal difference each of 21 ½-14 ½.
The tie-breaker was the result between the two teams which made it a double whammy of a Saturday triumph for the Scots.
Results:
Day 1 – Scotland 8, Wales 4; Ireland 9 ½, Netherlands 2 ½
Day 2 – Scotland 5, Netherlands 7; Ireland 8 ½, Wales 3 ½
Day 3 – Wales 8 ½, Netherlands 3 ½

IRELAND 3 ½, SCOTLAND 8 ½
 Ireland names first
Foursomes (2-2)

Rowan Lester and Marc Boucher lost to Ewen Ferguson and Cameron Kirkwood 4 and 3
James Sugrue andTommy O’Driscoll bt Bob McIntyre and George Burns 3 and 2
Neil McKinstry and Caolan Kennedy bt Adam Fisher and Alasdair McDougall 4 and 3.
David Carey and Cameron Mills lost to Fraser Davren and Innes Ferguson 2 holes


Singles (6 ½-1 ½)
Rowan Lester lost to Ewen Ferguson 2 and 1
Marc Boucher halved with Cameron Kirkwood
James Sugrue lost to George Burns 3 and 2
Tommy O’Driscoll lost to Alisdair McDougall 4 and 2
Caolan Kennedy lost to Bob McIntyre 1 hole
Neil McKinstry lost to Fraser Davren 1 hole
Cameron Mills lost to Innes Ferguson 4 and 3
David Carey bt Adam Fisher 5 and 3.




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