CHALLENGE TOUR PREVIEW FROM NEIL AHERN

Jack Doherty is hoping that having his brother Paul as company for the English Challenge this week will help him build confidence as the Kilmarnock man looks to turn a corner in his season.

Doherty claimed his best finish of 2011 at Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa, near Colchester in Essex, where he finished fifth.

With his brother in the field this week and family attending, the 30 year old believes it could be the perfect tournament to build some confidence midway through a year which has thus far been disappointing.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Doherty. “I finished fifth here last year so I quite like the course. I’m quietly confident that I can play well this year.

“It’s been disappointing so far this year. I feel like I'm not far away. I know quite a lot of people say that but I do feel that there’s something good around the corner. It’s just a matter of getting one or two good rounds under my belt and building the confidence.

“It’s been frustrating but in this game you never know what’s around the corner, you just have to keep plodding away and hopefully find a change in fortunes somewhere.

“I think being here this week might relax me mentally. Obviously it can nudge the confidence up a bit being in a place where I've done well before so fingers crossed it does. I can chill off the course with my family and we’re staying on site so we can use the Spa facilities here and things like that might relax me on the course as well as off it.”

His younger brother Paul is amongst the large number of Scots in the field for the €160,000 event and Jack believes his brother could make an impression this week.

“Myself and Paul played together once before on the Challenge Tour in Scotland,” said the older of the Dohertys. “It’s the first time we’ve played together in a couple of years at the very least so it’s good to have him here. Paul’s playing well this year. He’s ninth on the EuroPro Tour so his confidence is up.

“Playing with him during the week is the first time we’ve played together in a while and you can tell his confidence is high and he’s hitting it well.

“It’s good to have him here. My Mum and Dad are coming down from Cardiff and my wife is here as well so it’s nice to have everyone here. It’s a bit of a family affair.”

Another set of brothers, Elliot and Lloyd Saltman, are also in attendance this week, as are Raymond Russell, Callum Macaulay, Jamie McLeary and David Law.

DAVID LAW WINS BUCHAN FIRKIN AND £400 - AFTER PLAY-OFF

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com David Law won the Buchan Firkin and a £400 first pro prize after a play-off finish to the Fraserburgh Golf Club's 36-hole open tournament. Law, pictured left with the Buchan Firkin, is now attached to the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre at Ardoe, on Aberdeen's South Deeside Road. Law  and local amateur Andrew Hepburn tied on 143, Law scoring 70-73, Hepburn 69-74. Law sank a 15ft par putt at the first extra hole to win the tournament. Another rookie pro from the Paul Lawrie Team - Peterhead's Philip McLean finished a stroke behind in third place. Nicky Robertson (Fraserburgh), pictured above, won the Town Council Trophy with the best net aggregate of 134.  The tournament was sponsored by Financial Options and Crudens Joiners. LEADING SCRATCH 143 David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 70 73; Andrew Hepburn (Fraserburgh) 69 74 (Law bt Hepburn in play-off). 144 Philip McLean (Peterhead) 69 75. 146 John R Mitchell (Fraserburgh) 71 75. 147 John Godward (Cruden Bay) 73 74. 148 Andrew D Ironside (Fraserburgh) 75 73, Ross Buchan (Inverallochy) 74 74. 149 Darren Watson (Peterhead) 76 73, Nick Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 73 76, Bruce Wisely (Inverallochy) 72 77, Michael Summers (Fraserburgh) 69 80.  A "firkin" as in Buchan Firkin is the name for a barrel of herring.

ROTHESAY 36-hole OPEN LATE ENTRIES ACCEPTED

FROM GRAHAM BOLTON
Entries are still being accepted for the 36 hole Bennie Trophy being held at Rothesay Golf Club on the Isle of Bute on Saturday, August 4.
This tournament was first played for in 1931 after a trophy was presented by George Bennie, the inventor of the railplane which was an air-rail system of transport.
Previous winners have included the late Barclay Howard, Stuart Murray, Gordon Murray and Lorne Kelly all ex-Walker Cup players
Entry is £15 per head with 10 scratch prizes and various other prizes.
Entry can be made by calling the club shop on 01700 503554

 

 

GRAHAM FOX GOES THREE CLEAR AFTER THREE ROUNDS AT GLENEAGLES

     

   GRAHAM FOX in action during his flawless round of 65 today.

     Image by ANDY FORMAN

FROM RON MARSHALL

PGA PRESS OFFICER, SCOTTISH REGION

Ever-reducing scores in the 60s have set up Graham Fox for Thursday's  final round of the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship over the King’s Course.

The 35-year-old produced a flawless stellar round of 65, six under par, to move three shots clear of Aberdeen’s Scott Henderson, with another major threat, Greig Hutcheon, and Kenny Hutton a stroke farther back.

And with just a shade more luck Fox could have shaved a few strokes off that.

“I three-putted the last, and missed two five-footers for birdies at the 14th and 17th.  I hadn’t been putting sharply enough, so I took an old centre-shafted putter from my car boot, and it’s been working well.  I hadn’t touched it since the (European) Tour school last December.”

 No less an authority than Hutcheon, who was playing immediately ahead of Fox, attested to his brilliance. “Every time we looked round, shots were raining down on the flag from Graham and from Kenny.  He’s going to be a hard act to beat tomorrow.”

 Henderson has knocked on the door of this championship for years – or, as he preferred to describe it, “I’ve thrown it away a few times!”

He also threw away his electric caddie-car after six holes, after the handle had snapped at the third.  “I pushed it as best I could for three holes until the PGA brought me out a replacement.”

A former European Tour Rookie of the Year, Henderson reckoned it was hard to go for the flags on several greens. “I’m hitting a club more, softer, to get them to sit in the right place.  It’s a bit of a game of chess really. You can only do your best on any given day – that’s the nature of golf.”
BELOW EXPECTATIONS

Hutcheon, signing for his third 68, said “I’m not going to moan, but on a good day like this you should be looking for a 65, 66 or 67.”   

 Hutton, joint overnight leader with Fox, did nothing wrong in a round of 69 – except his putter had fallen out of favour. “I holed nothing, but this is certainly the best I’ve done in the Scottish championship.  I’ll just need to sustain it for one more round.”

  Somebody who couldn’t do that was defending champion, Alan Lockhart, whose challenge disintegrated as he signed for a seven-over 78 and a four-way tie on 14th place.

GLENEAGLES SCOTTISH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP THIRD ROUND TOTALS

King's Course, Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire THIRD-ROUND TOTALS Par 213 (3x71) 200 Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle) 68 67 65 203 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 68 69 66 204 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 68 68 68, Kenny Hutton (Downfield) 68 67 69. 207 Chris Kelly (Cawder) 68 70 69 208 David Orr (Mearns Castle) 71 69 68, Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) 73 67 68 209 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 71 68 70 210 Jonathan Lomas (unatt) 71 71 68, Gareth Wright (West Linton) 68 70 72 211 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 71 71 69 212 David Patrick (Elie SC) 70 72 70, Ronan Rafferty (Roxburghe) 71 72 69 213 Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 75 70 73. 214 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 73 70 71, Christopher Currie (Caldwell) 71 72 71, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 71 73 70, Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 67 69 78. 215 Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links)78 67 70 216 Ian Taylor (Drumpellier) 71 73 72, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 7670 70, Ross Dixon (Renaissance Club) 75 70 71 217 Scott Herald (Means Castle) 71 72 74, Craig Gordon (Edinburgh GC) 72 71 74, Andrew Crerar (Panmure) 74 71 72 218 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 70 77 71 219 Jonathan Cliff (Murrayfield) 70 73 76 220 James McGhee (Duddingston) 73 74 73, Scott Grieve (Turnhouse) 74 73 73. 222 Ed Wood Crow Wood) 75 72 75, Stephen Lamb (Cardrona) 79 68 75 223 Paul Wilson (Cawder) 71 73 79 225 Keir McNicoll (Gullane) 74 72 79. 226 Alastair Mackenzie (Renaissance Club) 72 72 82

MONTROSE OPEN WEEK RESULTS

 

SCRATCH MATCHPLAY ROUND ONE RESULTS

WEDNESDAY 25 JULY 2012

           

Ross Coull (Edzell)                               beat     Fraser Auld (Montrose Caledonia) 3&2

James Grant (Royal Montrose) lost to  David Saunders (Montrose Mercantile) 19th

Alistair Serrels (Royal Montrose)          beat     David Fletcher (Pitreavie) 6&4

Andrew Simpson (Royal Montrose)      beat     Andrew Maiden (Montrose Mercantile) 3/2

Paul Teviotdale (Arbroath Artisans)      lost to  Richard Laing (Grange) 19th                

Barry Mitchell (Murcar Links)   beat     John Adams (Edzell)     5&4    

Iain Reid (Arbroath Artisans)                beat     Stephen Noble (Newbiggin) 4&3

Azzie Paton (Royal Montrose)  beat     Stephen McGill (Montrose Mercantile) 1 up

William Bremner jnr (Edzell)                 beat     Michael Letford (Logie) 19th

Steven Rogerson (Lundin Links)           beat     Kenny Dickson (Montrose Mercantile) 3/2

Ross Colquhoun (Kilspindie)                 beat     Tim Leddy (Horsforth) 2 up

Gary Tough (Edzell)                              beat     David Reid (Raintree Country Club)      4/3

Stuart Smith (Downfield)                       beat     Scott Arbuthnott (Arbroath Artisans)    2/1      

Lindsay Clark (Edzell)              lost to  Craig Penny (Newbiggin) 4/3   

Liam Geddes (Montrose Mercantile)  beat        Glen Millar (Bruntsfield) 6/5

Neil Leslie (Montrose Mercantile)         beat     Deryk McLean (Royal Montrose) 4/3

SECTION B MATCHPLAY – ROUND 1 RESULTS

12 – 18 HANDICAP

WEDNESDAY 25 JULY 2012

Sandy Barclay (Montrose Mercantile)   beat          Robert Hogg (Ladybank) 4 and 3

Clive Bell (Forfar)                                             lost to   John Eeles (Montrose Caledonia) 3&2

Gary Alexander (Bishopbriggs)             lost to   Brian McKay (Montrose Mercantile) 2&1       

Andy Law (Callander)                          beat      Graeme Stephen (Montrose Caledonia) 1 Up

Allan Fotheringham (Montrose Mercantile)        beat      Mike Graham (Montrose Mercantile) 1 Up

Doug Pirie (Montrose Mercantile)                     lost to   Robert Wishart (Montrose Mercantile) 2&1     

Stewart Turriff (Montrose Mercantile)   lost to   Steven Dye (Brechin)    3&2    

Arthur Forsyth (Royal Montrose)                      lost to   Frankie Kennedy (Caledonian) 20^th

Ian Watson (Montrose Mercantile)                   lost to   Craig Strachan (Montrose Mercantile) 1 up

Warren Beedie (Montrose Mercantile)  beat      Stewart Melrose (Letham Grange) 1 up

Bruce Logan (Forfar)                                        beat      Joe Hurst (Montrose Mercantile) 3&2

Han Jenrik Nissen (Edzell)                                beat      Jonathan Cole (Drumpellier) 1 up

Ian Buist (Montrose Mercantile)                        lost       Kevin Watt (Montrose Mercantile) 1 up

Kevin Kane (Sheddens Lethamhill)                   beat      Stewart Spark (Montrose Mercantile) 5&4

George McMillan (Edzell)                                 beat      Jim Cameron (Montrose Mercantile) 3&1

John Young (Royal Montrose)              beat      Sandy Brand (Montrose Mercantile) 2 holes

           

SECTION A MATCHPLAY ROUND ONE RESULTS

UP TO 11 HANDICAP

           

Iain Sanderson (Montrose Mercantile)  beat      Graham Hemsley (Royal Montrose) 3&2

Bill Dryden (Montrose Mercantile)                    lost to   Bruce Bell (Blairgowrie) 4&3

Hugh Riddell (Kemnay)                                    lost to   Jeff King (Montrose Mercantile) 5&4

Willie Bremner snr (Edzell)                                beat      Ross Pert (Royal Montrose) 1 up

Euan Callander (Forfar)                                    lost to   Steven Anderson (Newmacher) 5&4

Tony Davidson (Dunwhinnie)                beat      Stewart Smith (Kemnay) 6&5

Mark Toshney (Royal Montrose)                      lost to   Paul Stewart (Forfar)    2 up

Robert West (Montrose Mercantile)                 lost to   Joe McGill (Montrose Mercantile) 1 up

Allan Reoch (Montrose Mercantile)                  beat      Rod Arthur (Edzell) 3&2

Jimmy Trewick (Burgham Park)                        beat      Jamie Beedie (Montrose Mercantile) 5&4

Robert Milne (Edzell)                                        lost to   Mike Maguire (Royal Montrose) 1 up

Jim Robertson (Montrose Mercantile)   lost to   Craig Carnegie (Kemnay) 1 up

Alan Cunningham (Montrose Mercantile)          beat      Kenny Yates (Letham Grange) 4&3

Ally Bremner (Edzell)                                        beat      John O’Hara (Montrose Mercantile) 1 up

Magnus Taylor (Montrose Mercantile)  beat      Craig Traill (Royal Montrose) 3&1      

Jeff Crum (Cairndhu)                                        lost to   Kevin Craig (Montrose Mercantile) 2&1

EIGHT SEEDS NAMED FOR NEXT WEEK'S SCOTTISH AMATEUR AT ROYAL DORNOCH

The draw for next week's Scottish amateur championship at Royal Dornoch GC has been released by the SGU.
The eight players who have been seeded are:
1 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie)
2 Brian Soutar (Leven GS)
3 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie)
4 Paul Ferrier (Baberton)
5 Fraser McKenna (Balmore)
6 Paul Shields (Kirkhill)
7 Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm)
8 Ross Bell (Downfield).

Ross Bell is currently No 1 in the SGU Order of Merit, ahead of No 2 Graeme Robertson and No 3 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) who is not seeded.
Neither is Daniel Kay (Dunbar), last year's finalist beaten by David Law, now a professional.
In fact there is a host of dangerous "floaters," in the draw, including men of the calibre of Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe), former Scottish champions Graham Gordon (Newmachar) (2003) and Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) (2005), James Ross (Royal Burgess), winner of the Sutherland Chalice at Dumfries and Galloway a couple of weeks ago, former Scottish youths champion Scott Borrowman (Dollar) who has been playing better this summer than he has done for a year or two, Scott Crichton (Aberdour), Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar).
The most dangerous "floater" of all might well be the Royal Dornoch GC general manager Neil Hampton, a former North District team stalwart and still a scratch golfer although he does not play in so many open tournaments these days.

CHRIS "BANDIT" EVANS BANNED FROM DEFENDING DUNHILL TITLE

                            CHRIS EVANS, allegedly a 10-handicapper

FROM THE EUROSPORT WEBSITE
Chris Evans has been banned from defending his Dunhill Links pro-celebrity golf title at St Andrews this year over accusations that he's a golf bandit.
The Radio 2 DJ stormed to victory in the event last year with European Tour star Nick Dougherty his partner, beating off competition from A-list celebrity golf fans including Michael Douglas, Samuel L Jackson and Hugh Grant.
Dougherty was not the driving force behind the victory, however: the European Tour player had a mediocre tournament, missing the cut for the final round in the individual tournament.
Evans, however, put in a storming performance off his 10 handicap which helped him and Dougherty post an amazing best-ball score of -40.
The 'best ball' format means that the better of the two players' scores is taken on each hole, after taking handicaps into account, and low scores are rife.
But the Dougherty-Evans score - the lowest ever seen in the event - was so good that eyebrows were immediately raised. Dougherty's topsy-turvy performance across the three courses used - St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns - might have included 20 birdies, but he also threw in lots of dropped shots.
EXCEPTIONAL PLAY
And it was Evan's exceptional play that turned also-rans into winners, with the DJ making pars when Dougherty made bogeys and picking up several eagles thanks to him birdieing holes where he was already getting a shot according to his handicap.
Now, it seems that Evans's performance has been deemed a little bit too good to be true: tournament organisers have banned the golf nut, who started playing as a teenager and plays several rounds a week, from taking part in the 2012 event after it emerged that they were suspicious of his 10 handicap.
Evans's banditry - the golfing term for a player using an artificially high high handicap in order to win competitions - has meant that he will never be allowed back.
"I've been barred for life," Evans wrote in his newspaper column, admitting that the first rumblings of dissent started as soon as his victory was complete last year.
 HANDICAP TOO HIGH
"Along with congratulations, there were rumblings of dissent. The gloaming was dark with talk of my handicap being too high for my ability," he said, before launching a scathing attack on the organisers.
"If we were kids in the playground, the boy who owns the ball just took it home in a huff because his team didn't win."
Evans denied that he is bitter about the decision despite having already booked the week off from his job presenting a morning radio show, but admitted that he is toying with the idea of getting some revenge: "It crossed my mind to set up an alternative tournament on the exact same dates. I think I'll call it the Dung Hill Cup."