JIM FURYK'S LEAD CUT TO ONE SHOT AT BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL

FIRESTONE COUNTRY CLUB, AKRON, OHIO

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 210 (3x70)
Players from US unless stated
199 Jim Furyk 63 66 70
200 Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 67 65 68
203 Keagan Bradley 67 69 67
204 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 70 67 67, Steve Stricker 68 68 68
205 Bo Van Pelt 70 68 66, Justin Rose (England) 70 69 66, John Senden (Australia) 66 70 69
206 Luke Donald (England) 66 69 71, Jason Dufner 67 66 73
207 Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) 70 67 70, Simon Dyson (England) 66 71 70

SELECTED SCORES

208 Martin Laird (Scotland) 68 72 68, Lee Slattery (England) 65 71 72, Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 66 65 77 (T13)
210 Tiger Woods 70 72 68, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 67 72 71 (T24).
212 Ian Poulter (England) 74 69 69, Adam Scott (Australia) 71 70 71 (T34)
214 Ernie Els (South Africa) 73 73 68, Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 72 68 74 (T44)
221 Lee Westwood (England) 68 72 81 (70th)
222 Robert Rock (England) 76 72 74  (71st)
223 Michael Hoey (Northern (Ireland) 78 75 70 (72nd)
228 Tom Lewis (England) 78 70 74 (last of 75).

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HARRY ELLIS, NOT YET 17, IS ENGLAND'S YOUNGEST EVER AMATEUR CHAMPION

NEWS RELEASE FROM ENGLAND GOLF
Harry Ellis is the new English men's amateur champion. He won the title, supported by abacus, by beating Henry Tomlinson 2 and 1 in a 36-hole marathon final that lasted ten minutes short of 11 hours after two thunderstorm stoppages. 
He is the youngest ever champion at 16 years 11 months and 28 days, beating the previous record set by 18-year-old Nick Faldo when he won at Royal Lytham in 1975.
“I’m overwhelmed and exhausted,” said Ellis (image © Tom Ward).
 “I feel I’m in a dream but the whole week has been superb. I felt like pulling out after playing the Carris Trophy last week because I’ve played so much golf.
“At 16, you don’t expect this sort of thing to happen. You see the likes of Rory McIlroy making the headlines but you don’t expect to add to the history of this event.  I had no expectations at the start of the week but I think not knowing my opponents helped a lot. You just go out and play golf.
“I think my mental strength carried me through while I had tremendous support from those in Hampshire who made the long journey here to cheer me on.”
Tomlinson, virtually unknown outside his native Lancashire but on a golf scholarship at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, was naturally disappointed.
“Full credit to Harry. He played well,” he said. "I missed a few putts which were crucial but I’ll take a lot of positives from this."

Having trailed for most of the morning round and gone into lunch one up, Ellis extended his lead when Tomlinson three-putted the first. They were on the fourth green when play was suspended for the first time.

They resumed two hours later after the course had superbly soaked up gallons of water that had many greens under water.  But the pair completed only the fourth, which Tomlinson won with a par four, and two more holes, which were halved, before lightning forced the second suspension for an hour and 20 minutes.
When they resumed for the third time and after sterling work by the greenstaff, the rest of the final was completed in evening sunshine while the golf matched the magnificent surroundings.
Tomlinson had the chance to win the seventh as he had the fourth when play resumed on the first occasion. But this time he three putted to allow Ellis to remain two up.  It stayed that way until the tenth where Tomlinson holed from 18 feet for birdie to cut the deficit.
But Ellis hit back at the 11^th with a 20-foot birdie putt after his opponent had splashed out of a bunker to two feet.
Ellis went further in front at the short 12^th after both had finish short of the green. But while Tomlinson chipped eight feet past the pin and missed the return, Ellis left his two feet away and holed for par.
At three up, Ellis seemed home and dry. But Tomlinson bravely bounced back with back-to-back birdies at the 13^th and 14^th, both par fives. 

At 13, both missed the elevated green. Ellis chipped to five feet and Tomlinson to 15 feet. But while the Lancastrian holed, Ellis missed. 

Then at 14, Ellis fired his drive right on to a mound, could only chip back to the fairway and reached the green in three. Tomlinson was short of the green in two and chipped so close his putt was conceded.  Ellis needed to hole from distance but failed and his lead was back to one.
It looked as if Tomlinson would add a further birdie at the 15^th but he missed from five feet, a slip he was to regret.
They halved the 200-yard 16^th in pars superb chip shots but the end came at 17 when Tomlinson bunkered his approach. He came out to the back of the green and saw his putt slip by but Ellis, whose second finished short of the putting surface, wedged to three feet and holed out for victory.
More information and results the Men's English Amateur can be found on the Championships section of the England Golf website. 
 
Lynne Fraser
Marketing and PR Manager
ENGLAND GOLF

SANDY PIRIE AND ROBIN PATON THE SUPER SENIORS AT NAIRN DUNBAR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Hazlehead's Sandy Pirie, a Walker Cup player in 1965, won one of the leading trophies at the Scottish Seniors Golfing Society's Super Seniors Championship at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club.
Sandy, pictured, who is 70 and still plays to three of a handicap, won the 70 years and over section with gross rounds of 84 and 76 for a total of 160.
Colin Moir (Workshop) was runner-up to Sandy with a total of 162 (81-81).
The 65 to 69 years trophy was won by Nairn's Robin Paton, a two-handicapper, with a pair of gross 74s for a four-over-par aggregate of 148 on a day when the CSS was 73 for both rounds.
Billy Wallace (Prestwick St Cuthbert), the first-round leader by three shots, was second to Paton with scores of 71 and 79 for 150.
James Kinloch (Cardross) was third on 153 (75-78).
LEADING TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72) CSS 73 73
146 Robin Paton (Nairn) 74 74
150 Billy Wallace (Prestwick St Cuthbert) 71 79
153 James Kinloch (Cardross) 75 78.
154 Scott Macdonald (Dunfermline) 79 75, Brian Grieve (King James VI) 77 77, Trevor Bennett (Grear Barr) 76 78, David J Smith (Stirling) 74 80.
155 Patrick Tomisson (Nairn) 79 76.
159 Alan MacNaught (Colchester) 80 79.
160 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) 84 76, James Grant (Royal Montrose) 80 80.
161 David A Millar (St Andrews New) 79 82
162 Ian Dickson (Lundin) 83 79, Colin Moir (Worksop) 81 81
163 Keith Howie (West Kilbride) 83 80
164 Colin Campbell (Gullane) 84 80, Sandy Fairweather (Carnoustie Caledonia) 82 82
165 Robin Lawson(R&A) 83 82
166 Tom Allan (Dunblane New) 83 83, Peter Kinloch (Cardross) 82 84, Peter Boyd (Fereneze) 81 85.
167 Ian Peddie (Tulliallan) 90 77, Michael Mather (Ballater) 83 84, Robbie Nairn (Lochmaben) 81 86.
168 Tom Carson (Lockerbie) 87 81, Richard Goodale (Aberdour) 85 83.
169 John Hamilton (Murcar Links) 88 81.

ROSS CAMERON REVEALS HIS ALBATROSS CLUB

Editor: We've been trying for a day or two to find out which club Ross Cameron used to get his albatross ace at the par-4 14th in the McDonald GC pro-am at Ellon. Now Ross answers the question
 
E-mail from Ross Cameron
  I used my 'Wilson Staff' three-wood (my favourite club in my bag!) for the hole in one on the 14th hole yesterday at Ellon. I couldn't have hit it better and it looked great all the way, but we only knew it went in when the guys in the group ahead on the 15th tee burst into cheer as it rattled in! 
It was a fantastic moment in a very disappointing day for me personally. It was my first hole in one on a par 4 and my seventh in total. I have a long way to catch Sam Snead who I believe had a hole in one with every club in his bag including the putter!
 
Ross Cameron

GREAT SCOTT FINISH TO FIGURE IN THREE-WAY TIE AT PETERCULTER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Scott Henderson bounced back from a double bogey at the 14th to birdie the last three holes and figure in a three-way tie for victory in the Kippie Lodge Country Club pro-am at Peterculter GC, near Aberdeen today. Aberdonian Henderson (Kings Links), pictured, Craig Ronald (Carluke) and Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) all finished on three-under-par 68 and earned £1,168 each. Henderson had seven birdies in all but had a couple of bogeys as well as that double. Ronald was one over par after five holes but five subsequent birdies and only one further bogey enabled him to get to three under the card. Fenwick had nothing but pars until he bogeyed the short 10th. Then he covered the last seven holes in four under par with birdies at the 12th, 14th, 16th and long 17th. Chris Currie (Caldwell) led the ITS Energy Services trio of Derek Rothnie (handicap 18), Mick Harpin (7) and Bronson Larkins (14) to victory in the pro-am team event with a net score of 13-under-par 58. Scott Henderson's Paull and Williamsons team of former Curtis Cup player Elaine Farquharson Black (handicap 1 but she received one courtesy shot), Matthew Boyne (18) and Graeme Murray (18) also finished on net 58 but lost out on the inward half countback. PRO SCORES Par 71 68 Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Craig Ronald (Carluke), Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) (£1,168 each). 69 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Mark Kerr (unatt), Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle), David Patrick (Elie SC) (£500 each). 70 Steven Duncan (Carnoustie Links), Chris Currie (Caldwell) (£299 each). 71 Ross McConnachie (Peterculter), James McGhee (Dundonald Links), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), Jason McCreadie (Buchan Castle), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), David Orr (Mearns Castle), Mark King (Kingsfield) (£191 each). 73 Lee Vannet (Carnoustie Links), Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy), Ross Dixon (Renaissance Club) (£116 each). 74 Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links), Greig McBain (Gamola Golf), Peter Smith (Deeside), Dean Vannet (Peterculter) (£22 each) 75 Gary Forbes (Murcar Links), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links), James McKinnon (Irvine). 76 Stephen Gray (Hayston). 77 Craig Gordon (Edinburgh GC), Ian Bratton (Newburgh). 79 Graeme Brown (Montrose Links), Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy). 79 Iain Buchan (Alford), Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel). 80 Brian Mason (Callaway Golf). 82 Scott Gillespie (Burntisland).

ALYTH MIXED FOURSOMES ABANDONED - NEW DATE SEPTEMBER 1

The Alyth mixed foursomes had to be abandoned today because of flooding.

It has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 1.

Participants are asked to confirm they are available on the new date or whether they require a refund by contacting the Alyth Golf Club office:
Tel 01828 632268

email info@alythgolfclub.co.uk

Text 07761965542

Jim Docherty

Managing Secretary
The Alyth Golf Club
Tel. 01828 632268  Fax. 01828 633491
Mobile. 07761965542
www.alythgolfclub.co.uk

HENRY IN CONTENTION AFTER PUTTING LESSON FROM DEAR

REPORT BY SARAH GYWNN

European Challenge Tour Press Officer

sgwynn@europeantour.com 

 

Scott Henry credited fellow Scot Gavin Dear with turning his tournament around in the Finnish Challenge, as the 25 year old moved into contention.

Henry is seven under par at Kytäjä Golf in southern Finland, thanks to a four under par 67 in the third round, and he lies five shots off the lead held by Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg.

The Clydebank man would have been closer to Broberg were it not for two bogeys in his last three holes, but he is happy to be in the mix for his first Challenge Tour title.

“I had a putting lesson from Gavin Dear on Thursday after I played, and he totally changed the way I was putting,” said Henry. 

“Yesterday I didn’t even hit it well, but I scored five under because my putting was awesome.

“Today was the same up until the last few holes, when it got quite tricky with the wind. I was six under for the round playing the 16th, which is a tough par three, and I missed an eight footer for par there.

“Then I had a good chance for birdie on the 17th, but it was so windy and I missed it. It was really difficult to gauge the speed. On the 18th I hit my worst shot of the day – I hooked it into the water off the tee. And I actually made a good bogey there, a birdie with my second ball.

“So it was a disappointing finish but I’m really happy with my position. There were quite a few things Gavin told me to change with the putter. It was nothing too technical, more just the way I thought about it.”

Henry jokingly added: “I bought Gavin his dinner last night, but if I keep putting as well as this I might have to sort him out with a fee. I went from my worst putting performance as a professional on day one to the best on day two. He really helped me so I’m very grateful.

“I’m excited about tomorrow. I feel very comfortable and I’m much more confident now I’m holing some putts. It’s great to be in the mix tomorrow and I’ll just try to enjoy it.”

Fellow Scot Raymond Russell carded a 69 to reach six under, while it was also a productive day for Andrew McArthur, who had a 66 to go to four under, the same score as Chris Doak, who signed for a 67.

Jack Doherty, however, struggled to a 77 to slip back to five over par.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 213 (3x71) 

201 K Broberg (Swe) 69 66 66

205 P Uihlein (US) 72 65 68, W Besseling  (Ned) 69 67 69

206 A Tampion  (Aus) 71 67 68, S Henry  (Sco) 73 66 67, M Tullo (Chi) 71 65 70

207 C Gane (Eng) 68 69 70, N Dougherty  (Eng) 69 72 66, R Russell (Sco) 71 67 69

208 B Åkesson (Swe) 67 75 66, J Abbott (Eng) 72 68 68

209 R Steiner (Aut) 67 69 73, D Vancsik (Arg) 74 67 68, A McArthur  (Sco) 72 71 66, J Walters (RSA) 71 71 67, A Sullivan (Eng) 70 72 67, R Echenique (Arg) 71 69 69, C Doak (Sco) 72 70 67, E Kofstad (Nor) 69 67 73

210 M Kieffer (Ger) 70 70 70, R Saxton (Ned) 69 67 74, A Otaegui  (Esp) 73 70 67, J Dantorp (Swe) 74 68 68

211 P Relecom  (Bel) 72 68 71, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 70 72 69, P Edberg (Swe) 71 70 70, V Riu  (Fra) 72 67 72, T Nørret (Den) 70 71 70, D Gaunt (Aus) 70 73 68, J Guerrier  (Fra) 70 72 69, L Goddard  (Eng) 71 69 71

212 M Delpodio  (Ita) 76 67 69, J Barnes (Eng) 71 68 73, M Haines  (Eng) 67 71 74, B Koepka  (USA) 67 73 72, F McGuirk  (Eng) 73 69 70, J Grillon  (Fra) 71 72 69, T Ferreira  (RSA) 69 70 73, R De Sousa (Sui) 72 70 70

213 A Bernadet  (Fra) 69 73 71, S Benson (Eng) 75 66 72, C Moriarty (Irl) 71 71 71, E Bertheussen (Nor) 70 71 72

214 C Monasterio (Arg) 69 73 72, K Samooja (Fin) 70 70 74, J Busby (Eng) 74 68 72, R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 71 70 73, S Walker (Eng) 75 67 72, M Korhonen (Fin) 71 70 73

215 Å Nilsson (Swe) 74 69 72, A Ahokas (Fin) 73 67 75

216 D Whitnell  (Eng) 72 70 74, M Carlsson  (Swe) 73 70 73, S Tiley (Eng) 75 68 73, A Snobeck  (Fra) 71 72 73, R Kakko  (Fin) 75 65 76

217 P Oriol (Esp) 69 74 74

218 J Martikainen (Fin) 71 71 76, J Doherty  (Sco) 73 68 77

219 A Levy (Fra) 71 71 77

222 J Gibb (Eng) 70 73 79

FORRES GC FIVE-DAY OPEN RESULTS OF FINALS

 Allan Martin (Forres GC captain) and Colin Mackay

Colin Mackay won the Grant Cup for the first time.
Father and son Mackenzies both made it through to a final.

 

GRANT CUP (SCRATCH )

Colin Mackay (Forres ) bt Graham Mackenzie (Moray) 2 and 1

 

FRASER CUP (Low Handicap)

Craig Daly (Forres) bt Douglas Taylor (Dunfermline) 4 and 3

 

CAPRI TRAY (High Handicap)

Sam Mckenzie (Hopeman) bt Robbie Allan (Parklands) 4 and 3

Jim Simpson

07778 511558

GRANT FORREST IS NEW SCOTTISH AMATEUR CHAMPION

 GRANT FORREST with the Scottish amateur championship trophy. Picture by courtesy of Kenny Smith (SGU).

Grant Forrest, 19-year-old Craigielaw GC member and San Diego University, California student, is the new Scottish men's amateur champion.
Ranked No 305 in the world's amateurs, Forrest beat another unseeded young player, 22-year-old Richard Docherty (Bearsden) by 9 and 7 in the 36-hole final at Royal Dornoch GC's classic links today.
Doherty's WAGR is 2,236th.
Forrest was five up after seven holes and four up after 18. 

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION 

 By ED HODGE

SGU PR and Media Executive
Grant Forrest, the Craigielaw teenager, today added his name to the impressive Scottish men's amateur championship roll of honour after securing an emotional third national title with victory at Royal Dornoch GC.

Coming just over three weeks after the death of his father, Graeme, to cancer, Forrest did his family proud with an emphatic 9 and 7 triumph in the 36-hole final against Richard Docherty (Bearsden). It was the biggest win in the final since Colin Montgomerie’s victory at Nairn 25 years ago.

The SGU National Men’s Squad player, who will return for his second year of study at the University of San Diego next month, failed to find the top form that had swatted aside his opponents earlier in the week. Still, the 19-year-old managed to dig deep to hold off the challenge of Docherty, a surprise package in the 85th staging of the Scottish amateur championship.

After a superb six days on the glorious Dornoch Firth, Forrest came out on top from a starting field of 256, representing more than 130 clubs, and triumphed over eight matches spanning nine rounds.

Following his success in the Scottish Under-16s in 2009 and the Scottish Under-18 boys a year later, he has achieved a notable hat-trick.

“It feels great,” said Grant. “My mum, Audrey, was crying when I came off the green after my win so it means a lot. My dad would have been proud, it would have been his 50th birthday yesterday, and all he wanted was for me to do my best.

“It was actually the worst I’ve hit the ball all week, but when you play so many rounds in the space of a week your timing can be a little off. My long game wasn’t quite on song but I made a lot of up and downs.”

“I got putted off the course,” admitted Docherty. “His short game is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I still take a lot of positives, I felt as good as Grant tee to green.”

Forrest has now joined a stellar past winner’s list that includes legendary amateur Charlie Green and modern professionals such as Montgomerie and Stephen Gallacher.

Another European Tour player, Steven O’Hara, was the previous Scottish amateur victor at Royal Dornoch back in 2000, while Dean Robertson triumphed over Raymond Russell the first time the SGU’s flagship event was staged at the Highland links in 1993.

Forrest is also the first Lothians winner of the Scottish amateur since John Gallagher in 2007, and emulates the past two champions, David Law and Michael Stewart, in claiming a Scottish amateur and Scottish boys' double.

Cheered on this week by his family and well-wishers from East Lothian, Forrest laid the foundations for his success this morning. Four up at lunch, thanks hugely to winning five of the first seven holes as Docherty struggled to settle, Forrest was always in control.

He posted an approximate one-over-par 71 this morning to Docherty’s 75 and it was a scrappy affair again after lunch on the Old Tom Morris-designed course. Forrest moved five up after his opponent was unable to save par from a greenside bunker at the 22nd.

Docherty, the 22-year-old Dumbartonshire match play champion who finished a four-year degree in America at Lindenwood University, St Louis in May, pulled his drive left into thick rough at the 23rd to lose another hole, before Forrest went dormie eight with further wins at the 26th and 28th. Forrest’s par-4 at the 29th sealed victory.

Forrest, who had played only three men’s events coming into this week due to his personal circumstances, has now vastly boosted his chances of selection for the Scotland Home Internationals side competing at Gailes Links in 10 days’ time. 

The SGU offer their thanks to Royal Dornoch for providing such a fantastic course and giving courtesy to the players for the championship. Full credit to Eoin Riddell and his greenkeeping team, with all the players speaking highly of a truly wonderful links test.

Thanks also to club manager Neil Hampton for his help and assistance. Neil, incidentally, lost to Grant in the first round here and can now say he was beaten by the champion.

 

Click here for full completed scores from Royal Dornoch

 

GIL MORGAN LEADS US CHAMPIONS TOUR EVENT

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RUSSELL KNOX MAKES THIRD CUT IN A ROW ON US PGA TOUR

Mark the calendar! Russell Knox has made three cuts in a row on the US PGA Tour. The Inverness exile has scored eight points so far in the modified Stableford points system being used in the Reno-Tahoe Open at Montreux County Club, Reno, Nevada.
That puts him well down the field in T55 place - but at least he is playing in the weekend action and that has not happened too often for Knox this season.
Seven points of a running total was required to survive the cut.
Gary Christian (England) and Ireland's Padraig Harrington also made it through in this tournament, bereft of all the world stars who are playing in the WGC event at Firestone. Christian has scored 16pt and Harrington 14.
Alexandre Rocha from Brazil leads the way with 24pt (eight in round one, 16 in round two).

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