Tuesday, June 12, 2012

HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

Scott Moffat (centre) receives the championship trophy from county president George Kay (on right). Runner-up David Finlay is on the left.

   TOP QUALITY GOLF IN COUNTY MATCH-PLAY

  The concluding stages of the County Match Play Championship were played last week---- there was some concern about the weather in the final, with rain threatening all evening, but the event was successfully completed.

   In the semi-final matches at Tillicoultry, Alloa’s Jamie Aitken took on the 2011 champion Scott Moffat, and although Jamie squared the match at the 15th, Scott took holes 16 and 17 to take him through to the final.  In the other semi-final, Braehead’s David Findlay looked to be cruising against Darren Hulston when he stood 5 up after 7; Darren fought back with birdies at 8,9 and 10, but could not continue the fight back leaving David the winner on the 16th green

 Semi-final results:
Scott Moffat (Braehead) bt Jamie Aitken (Alloa)  2 and 1.
David Findlay (Braehead) beat Darren Hulston (Dollar) 3 and 2.

    And so to the all Braehead final over Schawpark golf course----the few spectators who braved the poor weather conditions were treated to a high standard final with long driving, accurate approach shots and good putting. Scott started steadily going 2 up after two holes and it was a cushion that helped in the closing stages. Although David reduced the lead to one at the 4th, Scott retaliated immediately by reducing the 508yard par5 fifth hole to a 350 yard drive and a 52 degree wedge shot to ten feet.. Three holes later a monster putt from Scott across the 8th green took the lead to 3. David’s rifled iron to four feet at the 15th, and the putt reduced the lead to 2, but with tree trouble up 16, Scott took the sixteenth and the match by 3 and 2, and so retaining his title.

FINAL
Moffat beat Findlay 3 and 2.

NO JOY AT COWGLEN FOR COUNTY BOYS TEAM.

  In the Scottish Boys Area Team Championship, the Clackmannan quartet of Lawrence Allan (Alva), Rikky Alexander (Braehead), Scott Beattie (Braehead) and Brian Macadam (Alloa) finished down the field in 14th position.  In the morning foursomes, Allan and Macadam teamed up well to produce a one over par 71, but Alexander and Beattie could only manage an 80.   In the afternoon singles with three out of four scores to count, Allan was best at 70, followed by Beattie making his debut for the County, and compiling a good 72.  The others could only manage 81’s to leave the Clackmannan near the bottom of the field (but not last!!), with a total of 374.  A mere four shots better would have given them a respectable top ten placing.

NUMBERS, NUMBERS AND MORE NUMBERS

The top Wee County golfers continue to make their presence felt in the various ranking lists.  In the Boys ranking, Alva’s Lawrence Allan is at 4th position in the Scottish Golf Ranking, and with a Junior Tour event this weekend at Rowallan in Ayrshire, he will be hoping to improve. Lawrence also features in the Men’s ranking at 22, just ahead of Dollar’s Scott Borrowman at 27.   In the World Amateur rankings, Scott Borrowman, takes over as the top County player on 1201 with Lawrence further back on 1364.
 Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) is 17 equal in the Senior Order of Merit  In the recent East of Scotland seniors held at Forfar, Bob Stewart and Phil Dempsey both finished well down the field. 

 In the professional game, Tulliallan’s Callum Macaulay sits at 19th in the challenge Tour rankings.  Just last weekend, Callum had his best performance for some time when he finished in 9th position and best Scot in the Karnten Golf Open in Austria.  Callum scored 70,70,68,68, and earning himself just under €4000.  Callum’s world ranking in the professional game is 555.

  Callum is entered for the St Omer Open this week in Northern France and next week he will be back in Scotland for the Scottish Hydro Challenge.


                         COUNTY CLUB EVENTS COMING UP

16 June      Open Greensomes   Alva
16th June   Lamert Trophy    Tulliallan
23rd June   Open Greensomes Tillicoultry
23rd June   Sir James Younger Open    Braehead  .

        

 

         

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STEWART WATT WINS DUNCAN TROPHY AT RENFREW

RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE

The Duncan Trophy is awarded by Renfrewshire Golf Union to the County Youth Match Play Champion.  It is contested by the leading sixteen youths from the Stroke Play Championship.
Renfrew Golf Club provide the venue for all the rounds and the four who fought their way to the semi finals were Gavin Stirling (Caldwell) who had disposed of the leading qualifier, Whinhill’s Jamie Alexander, in the previous round, Alex Ferguson (Paisley), Craig Pirie (Renfrew) and Stewart Watt (Old Course Ranfurly) who had beaten last year’s champion, Anton O’Donnell (Whinhill)
The semi-finals turned out to be one-sided affairs. Last year’s runner up, Alex Ferguson cruised to a 4 and 3 victory over Gavin Stirling and Stewart Watt produced a birdie barrage to take care of a spirited challenge from Craig Pirie winning 5and 4  despite Craig’s home advantage.  He scored well but could not cope with the powerful and accurate ball-striking of Watt.

In the final, the competitors had to deal with persistent rain but, despite this, Stewart played some great golf and was four up at the turn.  Alex matched him on the back nine but he had left himself too much to do and eventually had to settle for his third runner up spot with the new champion winning 5 and 4 after a very impressive display of golf.
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Pictures show President Ian McCosh with Ferguson and Watt and with the winner Stewart Watt





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PETER SMITH'S SENIOR BEST EARNS HIM RETURN TO HOLLAND

FROM THE PGA WEBSITE
Peter Smith, born at Udny Station, Aberdeenshire and whose father was a Highland League footballer, carded a level par final round of 72 for a share of fifth place in the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Slaley Hall.
His best-ever performance in a European Senior Tour event also earned him entry to the Van Lanschot Senior Open at the Royal Haagsche Golf and Country Club in the Hague in two weeks time.
The PGA teaching professional from Deeside Golf Club, Aberdeen finished five shots behind champion Paul Wesselingh in the £250,000 tournament which was reduced to 54-holes due to Friday's play being washed out.
Smith, who spends the majority of his time coaching, is looking forward to the chance to compete in Holland and is guaranteed to have some local support having worked their previously.
"I used to be head pro at Hilversumsche Golf Club so I know the area and the course well and I might even have a few members come along to cheer me on," said Smith.
"I lived an hour away so I've played it a few times. I'm comfortable in Holland, I know the people."
Smith was a model of steadiness with two birdies and two bogeys in his round.
"I was very tentative today, I couldn't afford to go for it. I played really well the first two rounds but today was very much a case of don't make any mistakes."
Smith, winner of the 2011 Senior PGA Professional Championship, revealed his display over the difficult conditions at the Hunting Course was a timely filip.
"It gives me confidence, I played three Senior events last year and finished between 30th and 40th every time and I knew there was more in the tank but coming into this I wasn't playing good.
"This is my best finish against these guys, that's why I was a bit tentative. I could have been more aggressive. Chris Williams, who I played with took driver a few times when I was taking five wood. It's one of those courses where you have to be careful.
"I just have to take each event as it comes, there was no great plan this year. I've got a few teaching clients and I'm glad we've got a week so I can go back and coach them."

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CRAIG LEE HAPPY WITH PROGRESS ON CHALLENGE TOUR

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Craig Lee is hoping to build on his promising start to the season in the Saint-Omer Open presented by Neuflize OBC this week, an event which holds happy memories for the Scot.
The Stirling man finished tied second 12 months ago and the €44,740 prize money was key to him finishing 14th in the Challenge Tour Rankings, which earned him a second shot on The European Tour following his rookie season in 2008.
The 35 year old did not keep his card four years ago, but this time he has the benefit of more experience and the confidence to feel he is where he belongs.
Three top 20 finishes at the beginning of the campaign set him off on the right track, and although he has faltered in recent weeks – with three missed cuts preceding the Saint-Omer Open – Lee is happy with his progress.
“I know more people this time around and I’m much more used to life on Tour,” said Lee. “I feel a lot more comfortable and I think playing a full season on the Challenge Tour last year has helped a lot.
"I’ve got used to being away and living out of a suitcase, and I’ve got to know the other boys a lot better.
“Many of the courses are the same as in 2008, so I have the benefit of having played them before. And I’ve had four years to work on my game, so I’m a better player than when I was last on Tour.”
Lee has changed his practice routine to try to recapture the form that yielded an eighth place finish in the Africa Open in January following a two-month break from competition.
“I worked really hard on my game over the winter and spent a lot of time in Spain,” he said. “I thought the work I did then would see me through the season, but that’s not the case and I’m going back to the things I worked on then.
“It was a great start to the season, but I’m not happy with how I’ve been playing recently, so I’m looking at different ways of practising. I need to work a bit harder. Hopefully a good week this week will get me back on track.”
The Saint-Omer Open presented by Neuflize OBC is dual-ranked between The European Tour and the Challenge Tour and has a €500,000 prize fund. The winner gains a European Tour exemption until the end of 2013, as well as the €100,000 first prize, so it is like a Major Championship for the Challenge Tour players.
Scots Chris Doak, Alastair Forsyth, Steven O’Hara, Scott Henry, Callum Macaulay, Andrew McArthur, Jamie McLeary and Lloyd Saltman are all in the field.

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ABERDEEN LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH-PLAY RESULTS

Seven former winners of the Aberdeen Links championship won their way through to the second round last night.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Matty Grieg bt Callum Dunbar 6 and 5
Walter Ross bt Chris Somers 1 hole
Matty Dunn bt l.Hadden 6 amd 5
Alan Shand bt Mark Grieg 1 hole
David Grieve bt Levi Ross 6 and 5.
Ian Watt bt Scott Jamieson 5 and 4.
Sonny Smith bt David Leslie 4 and 3.
GraEme Somers bt Jeff Killman 4 and 2.
Keith Hird bt Rikki Nielson 1 hole
Willie West bt Liam Minty 6 and 4.
Lee Morrice bt David Forbes 6 and 5.
George Paterson bt Cammy Johnstone 2 and 1.
Alex Cruickshank bt Alan Divers 5 and 4
Barry Reid bt Sean Murray 5 and 4.
Barrie Edmond bt Tommy Still 7 and 6.

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CASEY, OUT OF US OPEN, REPLACED BY A FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD

FROM THE BBCSPORT.COM WEBSITE
A 14-year-old will replace injured Englishman Paul Casey in this year's US Open which starts on Thursday.
China-born Florida-based Andy Zhang, who had missed out on qualifying in his own right in a play-off, is the competition's youngest player since the Second World War.
Casey, 34, dislocated his shoulder snowboarding on Christmas Eve and is not fully fit to play in San Francisco.
"It's affecting my ability to be ready for the test of a major," he said.
Zhang, who was second reserve, beats the record of Tadd Fujikawa, who was 15 when he qualified for the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot. 
==========================================
Who is Andy Zhang?
Born seven months after Tiger Woods won his first major
Brought up in Beijing
Began playing aged six and moved to United States four years later
Has been part of the Leadbetter Academy in Florida
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"When I got the call, my mind just went blank," said Zhang. "Then, I said "Wait! What? I am in the US Open?"
He was due to play a practice round with Masters champion Bubba Watson today (local time), prompting his caddie Christopher Gold to say: "You can play with whomever you want. Why not Bubba?"
Zhang's coach Andrew Park said: "Andy hits it miles and miles.
"He's got a very good head on his shoulders. He couldn't speak any English when he got here, and now we can't keep him quiet."
He will tee-off at 16:21 BST in Thursday's first round alongside Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita, 42, and 37-year-old Mark Wilson of the United States.
Casey, who has also been beset by rib and in recent seasons, was ruled out for the first two months of the season following his accident in Colorado.

When he returned to competition he missed his first four cuts, including the Masters at Augusta in April where he shot rounds of 76 and 75.
He finished 25th in Korea later that month but then had to withdraw after nine holes of the Players Championship in Florida and pulled out of the World Match Play in Spain.
Rounds of 78 and 76 led to another cut at Wentworth's PGA Championship three weeks ago and Casey, who is down to 58 in the rankings, has not played since.
"You're always disappointed to miss time due to injury, but it's especially true when you have to withdraw from the US Open," said Casey, who was once world number three.
"I've been trying to play my way back and I feel like I probably came back too soon originally. I so want to play and it's so frustrating. I've got to get my brain to trust that I can't hurt it any more. It's amazing how the brain controls the body almost involuntarily."

BBC RADIO GOLFWRITER IAIN CARTER SAYS:
"Andy Zhang legitimately won the right to compete through qualifying, but his inclusion brings golf into one of sport's biggest ethical debates. The question of how healthy it is for children to be competing in the adult world is being more frequently posed as more and more emerge from coaching hot-houses. 
"Zhang is a native of Shandong in China and is learning golf at the Leadbetter Academy in Florida. He is already 6ft tall, has a swing speed of 115mph and is playing and winning mini tour events. Zhang is certainly one of the big talking points at this US Open."

BRANDT SNEDEKER ALSO WITHDRAWN
American Brandt Snedeker has also withdrawn from this week's second major of the season.
The 31-year-old has a rib injury and will be replaced by amateur Jordan Spieth, 18, a member of last year's beaten American Walker Cup side at Royal Aberdeen.

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ABERDEEN TRADES FOURSOMES TIES THIS WEEK

 The rescheduled Aberdeen Trades Foursomes, postponed in May when the Hazlehead No 1 course was too wet for play, starts tomorrow evening. This year's tournament sponsors are Raeburn Christie Clark and Wallace.

PROGRAMME
TONIGHT (Wed)
4.19 Transocean v Dynamic Electrical
4.33 Teachers vl Tulloch Recruitment
4.47 PSN bye
5.01 Meat Trade bye
5.15 Grampian Fire Brigade v Surveyors
5.29 Baker Hughes bye.

TOMORROW (Thu)
4.19 AMC/Forum Engineering v Aberdeen Press 
(Playing at 5pm Friday)
4.33 Corn Trade v Sparrows Group
4.47 Royal Mail 1 v Greenkeepers
5.01 Insurance v Chartered Accountants
5.15 Plumbers bye.
5.25 R and C Construction v Grampian Police.

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2012 FIFE BOYS' ORDER OF MERIT

In association with http://www.mygolfranking.co.uk/

Positions after six events

1 Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 270
2 Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy) 250
3 Greg Forrester (Lundin) 220
4 Ryan Brown (Dunfermline) 130
5 Alisdair McDougall (St Andrews New) 100
T6 Ben Kinsley (St Andrews0 80
T6 Niall McMullen (Lochgelly) 80
T8 D Neilson (Aberdour) 73
T8 Kyle Ritchie (Leven Th) 73
T8 Robbie Spriddle (Dunfermline) 73
T8 D Stewart (Lochgelly) 73


The next counting event for the 2012 FIFE BOYS ORDER OF MERIT is the SGU JUNIOR TOUR 3 at ROWALLAN CASTLE on 16 & 17 June.

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ABERDEEN PENNANT LEAGUE MONDAY NIGHT RESULT

SPONSORED BY THE CULTS HOTEL

NEWMACHAR 4, PETERCULTER 1

Newmachar names first
M. McKechnie and N. Melvin bt M. Aitken and D. Maclean 5 and 3
J. Duff and E. Kennedy bt P. Robb and T. Robertson 2 and 1
E. Duthie and E. Kennedy halved with with F. Downie and J. Kennedy
B. Robson and M. Barclay bt K. Johnstone and D. Burt 2 and 1.
R. Barr and C. Watt halved with D. Eaton and R. McRae

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Global Golf Post


This weeks Global Golf Post has 16 pages of amateur golf coverage from the weekend including Lewine Mair's in depth look at the dramatic Curtis Cup win.

Also, in this weeks issue Colin Callander's preview to the Scotland / South Africa International showdown at Prestwick, James Bunch's take on the Links Trophy and entry criteria, and Dan Huizings runaway victory at St Andrews. Amateur golf starts from page 27.

The Global Golf Post is a free digital golf magazine delivered every Monday round the World. It takes less than 2 minutes to subscribe and you can read at your leisure. To see this weeks issue click here.

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