Thursday, May 10, 2012

ROSS ROBERTSON (14) WINS RENFREWSHIRE'S OPENING EVENT

PRESS RELEASE FROM RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION
By DON BREMNER
turnberry.db@gmail.com
Caldwell Golf Club was the venue for the opening event of the Renfrewshire Golf Union season, the Caven Trophy, and as the scores came in, it became clear that the course was offering a stiff challenge to the competitors.
Fourteen year old Ross Robertson from Old Course Ranfurly set the pace with a first round 74 with Fraser Lauder (Paisley) and Paul Reilly (Lochwinnoch) hot on his heels – both with 75.
Their quest for the trophy faded with poor afternoon rounds and it was Colin Edgar (Cochrane Castle) and Ewan Waugh (Whitecraigs) who posted the first challenge with aggregate scores of 154.
However, Renfrew’s Stewart Cameron had a second round of 75 to add to his morning’s 76 and Ross needed to hold his nerve. He did just that and a 75 for a total of 149 gave him a two shot margin. Ross is pictured right with the Caven Trophy. 
A great win for the youngster which sees him top both the Junior and 14 and Under Orders of Merit.

BINNING MAKES IT THREE IN THE MENZIES CUP

For the first time since 1959, a name will appear on the Menzies Trophy three times. The Youth Stroke Play Championship was held at Caldwell Golf Club and Sam Binning from Ranfurly Castle was determined to repeat the record held by Eastwood’s J A Davidson who won the event in 1957, 1958 and 1959.
Sam posted a one over par round of 72 in the morning and had Craig Pirie (Renfrew) and Jamie Alexander (Whinhill) in close pursuit with rounds of 73 and 74 respectively.
Craig made a strong challenge with a second round 72 for 145 but it was Jamie who recorded the day’s best score of 70 for 144. This left Sam needing 71 or better to win the trophy but a second 72 meant that a three hole playoff was required to determine the champion.
Sam’s experience at the top level of Boys’ golf was a factor as he added three pars to his previous great scores to win the playoff by two shots. A historic achievement for the young golfer.
+Picture shows Sam Binning and Renfrewshire president Ian McCosh.

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JACK'S ALL RIGHT BUT REST OF SCOTS STRUGGLE IN FRANCE

        EDDIE PEPPEREL in action in France today. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c).

From Challenge Tour Press Officer Paul Symes
Kilmarnock-based Jack Doherty lies one shot off the lead on the opening day of the ALLIANZ Open Côtes d’Armor Bretagne after a solid start in tough conditions in northern France.
Doherty came into the week encouraged by some swing changes he had implemented under the watchful eye of his coach Bill Lockie, and he coped manfully with the high winds at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André to sign for a two under par round of 68.
That left him one shot shy of the lead held jointly by the English duo of Chris Hanson and Eddie Pepperell, and former professional footballer Stephen Grant of Ireland.
Doherty’s fellow Scots fared less well, however, with former Walker Cup player Michael Stewart (72), Wallace Booth, Gavin Dear (both 74) David Law (77), Duncan Stewart (78), Scott Henry (79) and Elliot Saltman (83) all in need of making dramatic improvements if they are to fall the right side of the cut line.
Proud new father Chris Hanson defied high winds on the opening day.
Despite gusts of up to 30mph at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André, in northern France, Hanson refused to be blown off course, carding a three under par round of 67 to continue the fine form he has shown thus far in his debut Challenge Tour season.
Instead of travelling to Kenya at the end of March, the 26 year old – currently 11th in the Challenge Tour Rankings thanks chiefly to a tied fourth finish in Colombia – opted to remain at home in Harrogate, England, with his expectant wife Laura. Daughter Jessica was duly delivered four weeks ago to give Hanson another mouth to feed, but also a new-found perspective on his career – and indeed life.      
He said: “I’ve had a month at home with my wife and Jessica, which I really enjoyed. Now that I’ve got another person to look after I guess there’s a bit more pressure on me to perform, but in some ways having a baby also puts your golf into perspective. It’s been an amazing experience so far, and she’s been as good as gold. I’ve obviously had one or two sleepless nights, but I’m certainly not complaining.”
Grant, meanwhile, is keen to make up for lost time, having only picked up a club for the first time aged 25. The former Ireland Under-21 international forward enjoyed spells at Sunderland, Burnley and more recently Shamrock Rovers in his homeland, before a back injury curtailed his career eight years ago.
He promptly chose to swap the football field for the fairways, and after a difficult introduction to life as a professional golfer, the 35 year old is now beginning to flourish. Grant picked up five birdies in his round of 67, with a double bogey at the 14th hole – where he lost his ball after a hook from the tee – the only blemish in an otherwise impressive display.
 He said: “It’s the worst wind I’ve played in for a long time, because I’ve been playing on the Hooters Tour in the States for the last year or so and if you get wind and rain over there it normally means a storm is on the way, so you generally tend to get called in off the course before too long. So it was tough, and probably a few years ago I would’ve been blown out of the tournament. But I’m now a much more experienced player, so I’m proud of the way I fought and dug in.”
Pepperell is just starting out in his career, but the 21 year old from Oxford, England, showed admirable maturity to bounce back from an opening bogey with four birdies in his next six holes. He added a further gain at the 11th hole to take the outright lead, before a bogey at the 16th saw him slip back to three under par. He said: “The highlight of the day was probably on the 14th, where I had to take a drop from the bushes but managed to find the green with my third shot and then holed a 55 foot putt for a fairly unusual par. I felt a bit embarrassed, but you need a bit of luck on days like this, and I felt I probably deserved it for the way I’d played up until then.”     
Dutchman Floris De Vries, Scotland’s Jack Doherty, Frenchman Thomas Fournier, Finland’s Mikko Korhonen and Italian Gregory Molteni all share fourth place on two under par.
Of that quartet it was De Vries, returning from an injury-ravaged season on The European Tour, who produced the most eye-catching card, opening with back to back eagles for the first time in history on the Challenge Tour. Having driven the green and holed the putt on the par four tenth – his first hole – De Vries promptly chipped in at the par five 11th to race to four under par through two holes. He promptly gave two shots back at the next two holes, and after birdies at the 18th and eighth holes were cancelled out by a double bogey at the fifth, De Vries signed for an eventful round of 68.
His playing partner Anton Haig of South Africa, winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic at the tender age of 21, marked his first appearance on European soil for almost two years with a highly encouraging round of 69.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 70
67 C Hanson (Eng) , S Grant  (Irl) , E Pepperell (Eng) ,
68 T Fournier  (Fra) , M Korhonen (Fin) , G Molteni (Ita) , J Doherty  (Sco) , F De Vries  (Ned) ,
69 D Nouailhac (Fra) , G Stal  (Fra) , T Leon (USA) , W Ormsby (Aus) , I Elvira  (Esp) , A Hortal  (Esp) , A Haig (RSA) , J Timmis (Eng) , C Aguilar  (Esp) , D Perrier (Fra) ,
70 K Broberg (Swe) , N Lemke (Swe) , C Monasterio (Arg) , J Busby (Eng) , K Benz (Sui) , B McCarroll  (Irl) , A Rota (Ita) , F Keenan  (Eng) ,
71 I Sanchez-Palencia  (Esp) , W Roebuck (Eng) , D Wright (Eng) , R Hjelm (Den) , L Claverie (Esp) , L Bond (Wal) , K Le Sager  (Fra) , T Whitehouse  (Eng) , K Samooja (Fin) , E Chamaulte (Fra) , J Adarraga Gomez  (Esp) , B Pastore (Ita) , M Evans (Eng) , J Barnes (Eng) , L Goddard  (Eng) , R Marguery (Fra) , M Higley (Eng) , J Abbott (Eng) , S Manley (Wal) ,
72 J Palmer (Eng) , J Huldahl (Den) , J Van Der Vaart (Ned) , J Rask (Swe) , A Maestroni  (Ita) , J Billot (Fra) , O Henningsson  (Swe) , M Stewart (Sco) , J Lando Casanova  (Fra) , G Lockerbie  (Eng) ,
73 V Almstrom (Swe) , J Ruth  (Eng) , M Cryer (Eng) , C Devlin (Nir) , N Mourlon (Fra) , U Weinhandl (Aut) , D Higgins (Irl) , L Canter (Eng) , O Farr (Wal) , S Garcia (Esp) , M Eliasson (Swe) , F Fritsch  (Ger) , N Kearney (Irl) , M Haines  (Eng) , P Baker (Eng) , B Hafthorsson (Isl) , G Clark (Eng) , J Levermore (Eng) , M Quiros (Esp) ,
74 W Booth  (Sco) , J Robinson (Eng) , S Matton (Eng) , C McNamara (Irl) , A Levy (Fra) , D Küpper (Ger) , T Mordt  (RSA) , S Piaget  (Mon) , D Geminiani (Ita) , R Batibasaga (Aus) , J Garcia Pinto (Esp) , R Neil-Jones (Eng) , A Bihan (Fra) , G Dear (Sco) , R De Sousa (Sui) , F Ojeda  (Arg) , X Poncelet  (Fra) , D Ulrich (Sui) , A Knappe (Ger) , I Giner (Esp) , J Dantorp (Swe) , N Peyrichou (Fra) ,
75 P Del Grosso  (Arg) , C Günther (Ger) , E Johansen  (Nor) , B Evans  (Eng) , R Harris  (Eng) , R Schneider (Fra) , J Caldwell  (Nir) , N Porteboeuf (Fra) , N Bertasio (Ita) , S Lewton (Eng) , A Butterfield (Eng) , R Wingardh (Swe) , B Mannix (Eng) ,
76 M Glauert (Ger) , F Abadie (Fra) , E Chaudouet (Fra) , A Kaleka  (Fra) , N McCarthy  (Eng) , F Calmels  (Fra) , N Els (RSA) , M Hill (Fra) , A Bruschi  (Ita) , N Ravano (Ita) , R Dupuis  (Fra) , R Kilpatrick (Nir) , J Clément  (Sui) , G Watremez (Bel) , J Howarth (Eng) , A Kristiansen  (Nor) ,
77 J Housby (Eng) , S Tanfin (Fra) , N Joakimides (Fra) , M Oueld Es Cheikh (Fra) , J Guillet  (Fra) , A Zarlenga (Arg) , D Law (Sco) , D Lokke (Den) ,
78 J Grillon  (Fra) , D Stewart (Sco) , A John (Ger) , A Grenier  (Fra) , P Golding (Eng) , A Versfeld (RSA) , M Rominger  (Sui) , M Lowe (Eng) ,
79 S Henry  (Sco) , E Bertheussen (Nor) , A Renck (Fra) , A Högberg (Swe) , J Bragulat  (Esp) 
80 A Peres (Fra) , L Tintera  (Cze) , J Fransson (Swe) ,
81 F Adarraga (Esp) , J Lopez Lazaro (Fra) , J De Lope (Esp) , G Leblois (am) (Fra)
82 B Ahlenback (Swe) 
83 E Saltman  (Sco)
84 A Campanile  (Ita)



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KINGSPA CONCRA WOOD OPEN ADDED TO EUROPRO TOUR FROM JULY 9-13

 NEWS RELEASE 
(l-r) Andy Whelan (Concra Wood GC President), Pat Freeman (MD, Kingspan), Christy O’Connor junior (course designer), Conor McKenna (Head Professional Concra Wood GC), Ms Eithne McAviney (Lady Captain, Concra Wood GC)

CONCRA Wood GC, in conjunction with the PGA EuroPro tour, is proud to announce that Kingspan Insulation, has come on board as title sponsor of the ‘Kingspan Concra Wood Open’ scheduled to take place from July 9-13 at the Castleblayney venue, Co Monaghan, near the border with Co Armagh.
Course designer and Ryder Cup legend, Christy O’Connor junior was on hand to help launch the event which is set to add another dimension to a spectacular summer of golf in Ireland.
Jim Loughran, Commercial Director at Kingspan Insulation, said: “Kingspan Insulation are delighted to be the main sponsors of the Kingspan Concra Wood Open. Being located adjacent to our manufacturing site in Castleblayney, we are aware of the high standards set at Concra Wood and the opportunities that being involved with such a high profile event offers Kingspan Insulation.
"Supporting local business and events has always been at the forefront of our community involvement, we are very proud to be involved with Concra Wood and to sponsor this PGA EuroPro tour event.”
Christy O’Connor junior said; “It is a great honour to be asked to help launch this event. Getting a tournament here is a huge thing for me personally as it proves the golf course is considered a proper test of golf. I would like to extend my own thanks to the title sponsors, Kingspan.
"We all know this is a difficult time in Ireland and it is great to see them supporting the community. I would also like to congratulate everyone at Concra Wood. Bringing this tournament to the venue is proof that the club is ambitious and moving forward, which is fantastic news in these tough times.”
Head professional at Concra Wood, Conor McKenna, said, “We are delighted to have secured Kingspan Insulation as the main title sponsor of the event. Not only do they play a vital part in the local community in terms of continued job creation, but they are a market leader in thermal insulation and their brand is renowned worldwide. We look forward to working closely with Kingspan Insulation in the coming months to make this tournament a success for the whole community.”
The PGA EuroPro Tour is a partnership between The Professional Golfers’ Association and Matchroom Sport. It has become one of the leading tours in Europe and is the only officially recognised golf developmental tour in the UK. The backing and support of the PGA is pivotal to its success as players strive to progress from the PGA Europro to Challenge Tour and full European Tour. The 2010 Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen is one of the tour’s greatest success stories. Oosthuizen made his PGA EuroPro Tour debut in 2002, building his confidence and skills for two years.
Ryder Cup star Ross Fisher, 2008 Irish Open winner, Richard Finch and Scottish World Cup winner Marc Warren have all used the PGA EuroPro Tour as a launchpad to European Tour success.
There are 168 players in each tournament, which are three day events, usually preceded by a one, or two-day pro-am’s, all organised by the extremely professional team at the PGA.
In 2012 there will be up to 15 PGA EuroPro tournaments staged at venues around UK and Ireland - all televised on Sky Television.

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ALVARO VELASCO SWOOPS LATE FOR TWO-SHOT LEAD IN MADEIRA ISLANDS OPEN


 Alvaro Velasco in action today. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR
Spaniard Alvaro Velasco stormed into the lead in the first round of the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal with a superb eight under par 64 at Santo da Serra Golfe.
The 30 year old, who won the 2010 Challenge Tour Rankings, had nine birdies and a bogey to lead by two from five players – English trio Tommy Fleetwood, Ben Parker and Oliver Wilson, Swedes Magnus A Carlsson and Joakim Lagergren and Denmark’s Morten Orum Madsen.
Velasco, who lost his card last season after finishing 127th in The Race to Dubai, nine spots from safety, said: “I was consistent all day and I putted very well. I gave myself many good birdie chances and managed to hole a lot of them.
“If you hit it in the right spots the course is quite easy, but if you’re in the wrong place it’s easy to get in trouble.
“I had a good week in Sicily, where I was ninth, but I can’t remember the last time I made such a good start to a tournament. My putter has been working well lately and I’m feeling confident.
“I’ve played this course once before, in 2008, and I was fifth, so I have good memories of it, although this year it is playing completely differently as it is so firm and different shots are required.”
Fleetwood’s opening effort was a far cry from his first-round 80 in last week’s Reale Seguros Open de España, which he admits was the worst he has played since turning professional two years ago.
“It was a pretty stress-free round today,” said the 21 year old, who topped last season’s Challenge Tour Rankings.
“I missed a few chances but overall I played well. I’ve been saying for a while that I’m very close to playing great, and it’s certainly nice to open with a round that isn’t 80.
“The longest putt I had for birdie all round was about four feet, so I hit it close and holed out well, but didn’t hole any long ones.
“Today the course was very much for the taking. It doesn’t get much easier than that. There were a few pins tucked away but it’s the best chance of scoring you’re going to get so it was good to take advantage.
“It’s nice to be in the mix early on. Three more rounds of 66 would be nice. My swing felt great today so I hope I can build on this over the next few days.”
Half the field for the €675,000 event is made up of Challenge Tour players, and Madsen took advantage of the increased prize fund with his fine start. The 24 year old was similarly explosive at the beginning of his last tournament, carding a 64 at the Barclays Kenya Open, only to fade away at the weekend.
“It’s very exciting and it’s nice to get off to a great start, but it's a tough field and there’s a long way to go,” said Madsen, who shares the same home club as Thomas Björn. “Hopefully I can still be up there on Sunday, but you never know in golf.
“I made a great start in Kenya a few weeks ago and was leading after two rounds, but didn't handle myself well over the weekend, so hopefully I have learned from that experience."
Nick Dougherty, playing on a sponsor’s invitation, made a promising start with a three under par 69, a score also posted by the last player to win the event at this venue, Alastair Forsyth, who triumphed in 2008 before the tournament moved to Porto Santo Golfe.


FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72
64 Alvaro Velasco (Spain).
66 Tommy Fleetwood (England), Morten Orum Madsen (Denmark), Joakim Lagergren (Sweden), Oiliver Wilson (England), Ben Parker (England), Magnus A Carlsson (Sweden).
67 Matthew Baldwin (England), H P Bacher (Switerland), Charlie Ford (England), Colm Moriarty (Ireland), Andreas Harto (Denmark), Warren Abery (S Africa).

SCOTS' SCORES
68 Lloyd Saltman (14).
69 Gary Orr, Jamie McLeary, Alastair Forsyth (T22).
70 Chris Doak, Andrew McArthur (T41)
71 Raymond Russell, Scott Drummond (T59).
72 Craig Lee (T83)
73 Steven O'Hara (T101)
76 Callum Macaulay (T137)

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McILROY HOAXER CATCHES OUT FOUR GOLF CLUBS IN IRELAND

FROM YAHOO SPORT
As one of Ireland's top courses, Ballybunion Golf Club is used to hosting some of the biggest names in golf. So when club officials received recently a call from a man purporting to be Mark O'Meara's agent, they never had an inkling that anything was wrong.
As the Independent in Ireland reported, the man on the other end of the phone told the club that he was trying to set up a round of golf for O'Meara and Rory McIlroy, who were going to be in Dublin for the Heineken Cup semi-final rugby match between Ulster and Edinburgh.
Word travelled fast that McIlroy was going to be at the course, and within hours Ballybunion was scrambling to get everything in order for the two-time Major winner, and the current No. 1-ranked player in golf.
Saturday rolled around and everything was in place for O'Meara and McIlroy's arrival. But there was just one problem: The entire phone conversation was part of an elaborate hoax that left course officials feeling silly, and young fans let down.
The report read: "Well used to VIP visitors, Ballybunion saw nothing amiss and swept into action with their preparations. Extra catering arrangements were made, caddies took precise measurements to ensure their yardages were spot on, and the Old Course was in pristine condition for Rory and his entourage.
"Except they never showed - much to the disappointment of up to 100 young fans, club members and local media who had gathered from 7.30am. Most waited patiently until 11.30 when it became clear that McIlroy was a non-runner."
Oops. McIlroy wasn't playing that week, so the story most likely seemed believable at first. Unfortunately, it turned out that all their set-up work was for naught. Ballybunion was one of four clubs in Ireland stung by the hoax. (Lahinch, Doonbeg and the Adare Manor resort were the other three involved.)
What can we learn from this story? That Caller ID still has a place in the world. Someone should really consider giving it to Ballybunion as a Christmas gift this year.
Jonathan Wall
Yahoo! Sports

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PETER RICHARDSON SHARES LEAD IN MALAYSIA WITH A 67

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR
Malacca, Malaysia: Malaysia’s Rashid Ismail and Hanafiah Jamil enjoyed the opening honours alongside England’s Peter Richardson after they posted matching five-under-par 67s to share the first round lead at the PGM ADT Masters at A’Famosa today.
South Korea’s Kim Ji-hoon signed for a 68 to take fourth place while Singapore’s Quincy Quek, Australia’s Unho Park and Malaysia’s Lam Yu Shuen are bunched in fifth place on 69 at the RM180,000 (approximately US$60,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the third ADT event to be staged this season.  
Hanafiah was delighted with his opening performance after he marked his card with four birdies, one bogey and an eagle-three on the par-five seventh at the A’Famosa Golf Resort in Malacca.
The Malaysian, who played on the Asian Tour in 2008 but lost his card the following year, is confident that he can play his way back into the main Tour after enjoying a strong start. 
“I’m really pleased with how I’ve played today. The course was in perfect condition for scoring and if I can continue playing like how I did today, I should get a good result this week,” said Hanafiah.
“I enjoyed playing on the Asian Tour and I hope to make my return starting with a good performance this week,” added the Malaysian.
Meanwhile Rashid credited his solid putting for giving him a share of the lead, which he is determined to hold on to as the week progresses.  
“I putted really well which was the key to my good start today. I couldn’t have asked for more. I hope that my good form will continue throughout the week” said Rashid who marked his card with seven birdies and two bogeys.
Launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia, the ADT has gained support from Corporate Asia, growing its schedule from five tournaments in the first season to eight tournaments in the 2011 season.
The leading three players on the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals.

Leading first round scores
67 Peter RICHARDSON (ENG), Rashid ISMAIL (MAS), Hanafiah JAMIL (MAS)
68 KIM Ji-hoon (SKOR)
69 LAM Yu Shuen (MAS), Unho PARK (AUS),  Quincy QUEK (SIN)
70 Sukree OTHMAN (MAS),  Akhmal TARMIZEE (MAS), Go NAKAUCHI (JPN)

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EIGHT SHARE LEAD IN MAEKYUNG OPEN IN SOUTH KOREA

NEWS RELEASE
SEOUL, South Korea - Eight players, including an unheralded Aussie who turned pro less than a year ago, shared the lead after the first round on Thursday of the 31st GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship in the Korean capital.
The leaders all shot four-under-par 68s in the billion won (around U.S. $900,000) tournament at Namseoul Country Club, the third stop on a burgeoning OneAsia tour that boasts 14  events this year with a total purse of over $16 million.
Australian Kalem Richardson, Japan's Koichi Kitamura, China's Hu Mu, American Garrett Sapp, and Koreans Kang Kyung-nam, Park Sang-hyun, Kang Wook-soon and Hur In-hoi were all jostling for position at the top of the leaderboard at the end of a day in which conditions were perfect for golf.
But it was Richardson, 24, who stole the limelight in his first full OneAsia event. The Tasmanian, who now calls Melbourne home, feared the worst after dismal practice rounds earlier in the week, but it all came good for him on Thursday.
"I sneaked out and played nine holes on Tuesday and then had a full practice round yesterday," he said. "Funnily enough it wasn't very good then. I didn't play very well at all, but today was different."
"I really enjoyed myself out there today. Things just went sort of well."
Richardson only turned pro in August and earned his spot in this week's bumper 159-player field with a seventh place finish in OneAsia's Q School in January. He is already finding life different at the top level.
"The big difference between playing as an amateur and a professional is around the greens. You just can't afford to let anything slip around the greens. You really have to try and make everything," he said.
"This is my first full tournament on OneAsia and I really  want to do well and get the opportunity to play more." 
At the other end of the age and experience spectrum but also atop the leader board was veteran Kang  Wook-soon, 45, who rolled back the years with a blemish-free round.
The well-traveled Kang topped the Asian Tour's Order of Merit in 1996 and 1998 and was also the first man to make half a million dollars on that tour in career earnings.  In 2003 he missed out by a shot at Q School for a PGA tour card, but was happy to return home as he said he missed Korean food.
Mu, who was joint sixth in the opening event of the season, the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open, but missed the cut at the Volvo China Open last month, was not surprised by his excellent showing.
"Its been there all year," he said. "I just stayed really really calm out there."
"I played here the last two years and struggled a bit because my ball striking just wasn't there. Coming into this year my goal was just to improve."
"Tomorrow is the same strategy. Try to hit all the fairways and greens. This is a really narrow course and the greens aren't too difficult, but you must stay in play.
Defending champion Kim Kyung-tae, who also won in 2007 and was runner-up in 2010, was well placed after shooting a 70.
With a cut set to the top 65 professionals and ties, there will be a lot of pressure on the field tomorrow.
Thai Thaworn Wiratchant will have to improve on his 74 if he is to record back-to-back victories following his triumph in the ASEAN PGA Tour's Luang Prabang Laos Open last weekend, while Indonesia's Rory Hie faces a free weekend after shooting a 77.
FIRST-ROUND SCORESNamseoul GC
Par 72. Yardage: 6,964. Players from South Korea unless stated
68 Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS), HUR In-hoi, Koichi KITAMURA (JPN), KANG Wook-soon, PARK Sang-hyun, KANG Kyung-nam, Garrett SAPP (USA), HU Mu (CHN).
69 KIM Woo-chan, SHIN Yong-jin, KIM Bi-o, HWANG In-choon, PARK No-seok, Jamie ARNOLD (AUS), LEE Jung-hwan.
70 Jason KANG (USA), Maxwell McCARDLE (AUS), Douglas HOLLOWAY (NZL), JIN Daxing (CHN), CHO Min-gyu, CHOI Ho-sung, KIM Seung-hyuk, KIM Kyung-tae, LEE Sang-hee, JUNG Ji-ho, LEE Seong-ho, PARK Jun-Won.
71 HONG Chang-kyu (USA), MA Sookil, Stephen LEANEY (AUS), HAN Min-kyu, SONG Young Han, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN), HONG Soon-sang, Scott LAYCOCK (AUS), KIM Meen-Whee, Lucas LEE (BRA), YOON Jung-ho, WU Ashun (CHN), Ted OH, LEE Chang-woo (am), KIM Wi-joong, KIM Seong-yong, MAENG Dong-seop.
72 PARK Jae-kyung, BANG Doo-hwan, Brent McCULLOUGH (AUS), Peter WILSON (AUS), KIM Jong-duck, LEE Jin-won, Ryan HALLER (AUS), Craig HASTHORPE (AUS), ZHANG Xinjun (CHN), Ashley HALL (AUS), JOO Heung-chol, Masao NAKAJIMA (JPN), KIM Gi-whan.
73 BYUN Jin-jae, SON Hyun-ho, Leigh DEAGAN (AUS), RYU Hyun-woo, Tanutchan PUAKTES (THA), Young NAM, Terry PILKADARIS (AUS), SEO Jeoung-min, YANG Ji-ho, Kim FELTON (AUS), KIM Bong-sub, Michael HENDRY (NZL), Anthony SUMMERS (AUS), Aaron TOWNSEND (AUS), KIM Si-woo (am), SONG Young-hoon (KOR), CHOI Joon-woo, LI Haotong (CHN), PARK Sung-Hyuk, PARK Jun-sub, Mark BROWN (NZL), KIM Soo-whan.
74 HONG Sung-min, LEE Ki-sang, PARK Sung-kug, MOON Kyung-jun, LEE In-woo, Andrew TSCHUDIN (AUS), Stephen DARTNALL (AUS), David OH (USA)

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INTERNATIONAL FIELD FOR GOLF DATA LAB SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP AT LADYBANK

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Young golfers from across the globe will bid to follow in the illustrious spike marks of Martin Laird, Stephen Gallacher and Paul McGinley as they chase glory at the Golf Data Lab Scottish Youths Championship from tomorrow until Sunday (11-13 May).
The prestigious Under-21 event is being staged at Ladybank Golf Club in Fife, an Open qualifying venue, and is sure to provide a feast of golf to match the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Boys Championship at Murcar Links last month.
The assembled field have the chance to join a stellar list of past champions, with Laird - Scotland’s highest-ranked professional at 39th in the world – among the most notable.
The honorary Hilton Park member, who left Glasgow as a teenager to enrol at Colorado University and has since gone on to win twice on the US PGA Tour circuit, claimed the Youths crown at Letham Grange in 2003, the same year he represented Scotland in the Home Internationals.
Other notable past winners have progressed to the European Tour, including Frenchman Gregory Bourdy (2002), Scots trio Gallacher (1994), Dean Robertson (1991) and Andrew Oldcorn (1979), as well as Ireland’s Ryder Cup hero McGinley (1988).
Wallace Booth, a World Amateur Team Championship victor for Scotland in 2008, also claimed victory in the event back at Brunston Castle in 2004.
Last year, Royal Dornoch’s Lyle McAlpine (pictured above) weathered the conditions to secure his maiden national title by three shots. Morning rain on the final day reduced the event at Paisley to 54 holes, but 18-year-old Invergordon-based McAlpine, who works in Inverness, proved the most accomplished on the wet turf to post a three-under-par winning total.
Torwoodlee’s Simon Fairburn, second a year previously at Monifieth, again had to settle for the runners-up prize while Greig Marchbank, the Dumfries and County player who went on to win the 2011 SGU Boys’ Order of Merit, took third spot.
McApline is back to defend his title in a truly international field that features players from Hong Kong, France and Sweden as well as strong representation from south of the border. Marchbank is among the home hopefuls, joined by his fellow SGU National Boys’ Squad players including Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), Anthony Blaney (Liberton), David Wilson (Troon Welbeck) and Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Boys runner-up Ewan Scott (St Andrews).
Scott is looking forward to another excellent week and the 16-year-old said: “I’ve managed to keep my game ticking over since the Scottish Boys last month and I feel in pretty good shape for the Scottish Youths Championship.
“It’s an older age category and there are a lot of good players, but I’ll be trying my very best to win an important title. Hopefully I can go one better than the Scottish Boys.”
Caird Park’s Connar Cook, a semi-finalist at the Scottish Boys Championship, also tees-up, but the champion at Murcar Links, Craig Howie from Peebles, is unable to play due to school exam commitments.
The championship, featuring a starting field of 120, will be played over 72 holes starting on Friday, with the leading 40 players and ties after the second round qualifying for the final two rounds on Sunday.
Host venue Ladybank was established in 1879 and the architect of the original 6-hole course was Old Tom Morris. The course last hosted Local Final Qualifying in 2010, when The Open Championship was played at St Andrews.
Golf Data Lab, sponsors of the event since 2009, is the exclusive supplier of performance data to the Scottish Golf Union squads, providing statistical data and measurement on players’ performance, designed to identify key practice requirements. Golf Data Lab also works with a number of players on the European Tour and its innovative website tools are also available for the ‘average’ club golfer.


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