BARRY LANE WINS WALES SENIOR OPEN

Barry Lane carded a two under par final round of 70 to claim his fourth European Senior Tour title in the Speedy Services Wales Senior Open, as Philip Golding missed out on a maiden win by one shot for a second week in a row.

Lane, who began one shot behind overnight leader Golding, produced a stunning four iron approach shot from 175 yards to six inches on the 17^th hole to give himself a two shot cushion over the Englishman going into the final hole.

After Lane’s chip on the 18^th ran eight feet past, Golding had the chance to put pressure on him with a 12ft birdie putt, but he left it agonisingly short, and although Lane missed his par putt, he was left with a tap-in for bogey to finish on seven under par 209 and seal his first victory of the 2012 season.

“It’s a very good standard out here, so it’s always nice to get a win,” said Lane. “It’s never easy and it wasn’t today with Phil and Peter Fowler pushing me all the way.

“No-one was really pulling away and then I hit such a great shot into the 17^th which gave me a nice cushion into 18. It was always going to be one or two shots in it, and it was always going to come down to those final three holes which are so tough.

“I’ve not won since Casa Serena last year in the Czech Republic and I’ve watched a few of the guys win twice, so it was good to get a victory. I’ve played pretty well this year so it’s nice to get the reward.”

The victory at Conwy (Caernarvonshire) Golf Club caps a superb run of form for the former Ryder Cup player, who is now €103,681 behind Roger Chapman on the Senior Tour Order of Merit.

Lane finished tied third in The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex last month and tied eighth in last week’s SSE Scottish Senior Open Championship, where his bid for three consecutive victories in the event was scuppered after his clubs were delayed in transit, limiting his practice at Fairmont St Andrews.

There was no such misfortune on the north Wales coast as the 52 year old safely negotiated each hole in par on the front nine of his final round. That meant he reached the turn level with Golding, who had carded a record breaking third consecutive 64 in the first round, after the Englishman dropped shots on the first and second holes, before his first birdie of the day on the fourth.

Lane, a five-time winner on The European Tour, had to wait until the tenth hole to card his first birdie, with Golding also beginning his back nine by picking up a shot.

Golding then surrendered a share of the lead with a bogey on the 11^th, and Lane took full advantage with a birdie on the 12^th to open up a two shot gap.

While Golding pulled a shot back on the 16^th, Lane’s majestic approach to the 17th proved the difference, meaning Golding had to settle for second place for the second consecutive week, having finished runner up to Anders Forsbrand in the SSE Scottish Senior Open last Sunday.

“I got off to a poor start bogey the first and the third hole,” said Golding, who signed for a level par 72. “I had hoped to make a few birdies early on, but Barry played lovely and he had a career shot to 17.

“I’ve played the 17^th hole poorly in the last two tournaments now. I dropped three shots on that hole in the first two rounds here, and last week in Scotland I took seven on the 17^th there, so the number 17 has not been kind to me.

“Obviously I’m disappointed, but its two second place finishes in two events at the start of my Senior Tour career and a course record here again this week. So you have to take the positives.

“My aim was to get in the top 18 on the Order of Merit for the end of the season and I’m 17^th now, so it’s been a good start.”

Forsbrand, who last week became the first Swede to win on the Senior Tour, closed with a three under par 69 to finish joint third on four under par 212, alongside Australian Fowler, the man who beat Lane to last year’s Order of Merit, who carded a level par 72.

Welshman Mark Mouland carded a one over par 73 to lie one shot further back in a share of fourth place with Englishman Paul Wesselingh.

Chapman, the US Senior PGA and US Senior Open champion, closed with a level par 72 to finish in a share of 15^th position on one over par in the tournament sponsored by his own sponsor, Speedy Services.

Home favourite Ian Woosnam, the former World Number One who was runner up to Peter Mitchell on the Senior Tour’s last visit to Conwy four years ago, finished down the field in tied 29^th position.

Having started the day four shots off the pace, Woosnam’s challenge was ended by back-to-back bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes followed by a double bogey on the seventh hole and another double bogey on the ninth as he carded a final round 78 to finish on four over par. 

Final scores from the Speedy Services Wales Senior Open at Conwy Golf Club (par 72)

209 B Lane (Eng) 72 67 70

210 P Golding (Eng) 64 74 72

212 P Fowler (Aus) 71 69 72, A Forsbrand (Swe) 67 76 69

213 P Wesselingh (Eng) 71 73 69, M Mouland (Wal) 66 74 73

215 T Johnstone (Zim) 69 76 70, A Fernandez (Chi) 72 72 71, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 73 70, D Smyth (Irl) 71 71 73, K Tomori (Jpn) 71 71 73

216 M Harwood (Aus) 70 74 72, R Gibson (Can) 68 75 73

217 D Russell (Eng) 70 75 72, A Oldcorn (Sco) 70 74 73, R Chapman (Eng) 73 72 72, R Sabarros (Fra) 73 75 69, K Spurgeon (Eng) 76 70 71,

218 R Drummond (Sco) 80 67 71, D Merriman (Aus) 72 75 71, M Martin (Esp) 69 74 75, J Rhodes (Eng) 74 72 72, G Ryall (Eng) 70 73 75,

 219 T Price (Aus) 71 79 69, B Longmuir (Sco) 70 77 72, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 73 71 75, A Murray (Eng) 72 75 72, S Torrance (Sco) 75 66 78,

 220 A Franco (Par) 72 73 75, M James (Eng) 70 76 74, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 76 75 69, P Mitchell (Eng) 72 78 70, I Woosnam (Wal) 70 72 78, P Curry (Eng) 77 75 68,

 221 G Banister (Aus) 70 78 73, N Ratcliffe (Aus) 73 74 74, L Carbonetti (Arg) 79 72 70,

 222 M Belsham (Eng) 72 77 73, G Brand (Eng) 81 69 72, G Manson (Aut) 71 77 74, S McAllister (Sco) 72 79 71, A Sherborne (Eng) 72 74 76, J Hall (Eng) 74 74 74, B Lincoln (RSA) 74 73 75,

 223 G Norquist (USA) 70 76 77, B Smit (RSA) 73 74 76, T Thelen (USA) 73 76 74, D Durnian (Eng) 73 73 77,

 224 G Ralph (Eng) 72 77 75, J Bruner (USA) 76 74 74,

 225 C Mason (Eng) 74 77 74, J Harrison (Eng) 74 78 73,

 226 T Elliott (Aus) 74 76 76, G Davies (Wal) 76 78 72, R Davis (Aus) 76 73 77, C Williams (RSA) 69 82 75, P Walton (Irl) 74 76 76,

 227 M Farry (Fra) 76 78 73, N Job (Eng) 74 76 77, J Rivero (Esp) 75 78 74,

 228 S Cipa (Eng) 76 75 77,

 229 D Hospital (Esp) 75 81 73, B Cameron (Eng) 76 79 74, M Cunning (USA) 81 72 76,

 230 G Cali (Ita) 74 76 80,

 231 J Quiros (Esp) 74 75 82, Z Martinez (USA) 73 79 79,

 233 M Bembridge (Eng) 79 78 76, E Darcy (Irl) 75 77 81,

 235 T Burgoyne (Sco) 78 81 76, D Cambridge (Jam) 77 80 78, J Thomas (am) (Wal) 78 80 77,

 238 M Deboub (Alg) 76 81 81, S Hopkins (am) (Wal) 78 82 78,

 247 P Bloomfield (am) (Wal) 83 88 76,

DECLAN DOOEY WINS LANARKSHIRE TITLE

 

Declan Dooey of Colville Park won the Lanarkshire County Championship today at Colville Park Golf Club
The event was reduced to 27 holes due to flooding, and Declan won by virtue of a first round 70 and 2 under par first nine second round.
Declan, pictured with his trophies, was also winner of the Lanarkshire Youths Championship which is played in conjunction with the main event
The top eight available players will contest the Lanarkshire Matchplay Championship which will start tomorrow at 5pm at Colville Park.
Match-play Draw:
Declan Dooey v J Bradley
Mark Lutton v D Cardwell
Kevin loughrie v S Henderson
Dominic Dougan v A Read

JOHN FORBES WINS CARNEGIE SHIELD AT ROYAL DORNOCH

By ROBIN WILSON

Inverness's John Forbes won the Carnegie Shield at Royal Dornoch for a first time on Saturday and to go with the adage “you have to lose a final first before you win one”.

Twelve months ago Forbes lost in the the final where in all honesty he played the best golf against Englishman, Paul Dolton (Frilford Heath). On Saturday he came up against the leading qualifier, Jorg Paulus of German origin but living and working in Copenhagen.

The member of Sollerod Golf Club enjoyed qualifying scores of 68 and 77 and might have won the silver medal had he been a Royal Dornoch member but the medal went to Chris Mailley for a fourth time after his two cards of 75 and 73.

Overcoming a stiff hurdle in Round two by cruising past formed Scottish Internationalist Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County) Paulus was quickly installed as favourite and when he beat the last local and 2010 winner Alex MacDonald on the 17^th green in the semi final the Danish visitor  confirmed his rating.

Forbes arrived in the final by a similar route as he took twelve months ago, again beating an Inverness club-mate in the semi final. This time Stewart Wilson, the last Shield winner to have back to back wins in 1998 and 1999.

SMALLISH GALLERY

Void of a local player, the smallish gallery accompanying the final were treated to birdies from each player on the opening hole and followed by two cast iron par figures before Forbes took the lead when holing his birdie attempt on the fourth green.

The Inverness golfer could never have expected to be handed the next three holes so easily but after bunkering his drives from the 5^th and sixth tees Paulus lost all feel for the Dornoch sand which had become quite heavy to play out of after early morning rain. From the bunkers at the fifth 5^th and then the sixth holes he skinned his recovery shots over the greens to lose both holes. 

A penalty drop from a whin bush at the next hole and the visitor was four down before another  skinned bunker shot flew the ninth green and he was five behind on the tenth tee.

Forbes was still below par but a three putt on the tenth gave Paulus a little hope. He cut the deficit to three when he won the par five twelfth hole with birdie but 

PAULUS LOST BALL

Forbes got into a four hole dormie position when Paulus lost a ball from the 14^th tee and with the winning half on the next green the memory of last year was erased and Forbes became the fourth Inverness Golf Club member to have his name on the Carnegie Shield since the resumption of the competition after World War Two. The four Inverness winners have been,  Brian D Fraser, Fraser Urquhart, Stewart Wilson and Scott Chisholm.

There were no local members through to the last four of the Class 1 Davidson Trophy and contesting the final was Lorne Smith from Northamptonshire County GC (7)against American Kevin MacGillivray (Palm Springs) (6). Evenly matched on handicap it took twenty holes to separate them, Smith finding the par three second green in the extra holes to secure the win after MacGillivray missed the green on the right to make bogey four.

The Class 2 handicap E C Fraser Trophy final was guaranteed a local face in the final. Grant Mackay (16) beating former club captain Jim Campbell in the semi final to play Alan Botterill (Sandy Lodge) (8) in the final. In receipt of eight strokes Grant led for most of the way until a run of three losses over the 12^th 13^th and 14^th holes put him two behind. With his stroke Mackay's nett three won the 16^th hole, the next hole halved and the final hole won by by Botterill for the two hole win and take the Trophy to North London.

RESULTS 

CARNEGIE SHIELD

Semi finals

J P Paulus (Sollerod, Denmark) bt A MacDonald (Royal Dornoch) 2 and 1.

J Forbes (Inverness) bt S Wilson (Royal Dornoch) 4 and 3.

Final

Forbes bt Paulus 4 and 3.

DAVIDSON TROPHY

Semi-finals

L M Smith (Northamptonshire County) bt R Yates (The Wisley) 3 and 2.

K MacGillivray (Palm Springs) bt N MacLeod 6 and 5.

Final

Smith bt MacGillivray at 20^th.

E C FRASER TROPHY

Semi-finals

G Mackay (Royal Dornoch) bt  J M Campbell (Royal Dornoch) 1 hole.

A Botterill (Sandy Lodge) bt R E Sheffield 1 hole.   

Final

Botterill bt Mackay 2 holes.     

KAYMER LAST AUTOMATIC QUALIFIER FOR RYDER CUP

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Martin Kaymer was today confirmed as the last of the ten automatic qualifiers for The 2012 European Ryder Cup team who will travel to Medinah Country Club, Chicago, seeking to retain The Ryder Cup from September 28-30.
After visiting 23 countries through 48 events, the year-long Ryder Cup qualification race drew to a close at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and all ten players – five from the European Points List and five from the World Points List – will head to the United States with previous Ryder Cup experience.
With Nicolas Colsaerts unable to claim the top two finish he needed to earn an automatic place in the final qualifying event, Kaymer maintained his position as tenth on the qualifying table.
European Captain José María Olazábal will announce his two wild cards at 12:00 BST on Monday to complete the 12-man team who will take on the United States next month.
The ten qualifiers are:-

NAME	RYDER CUP APPEARANCES	MATCHES	RECORD
		PLAYED	W-L-H
José María Olazábal (Captain)	1987-89-91-93, 97-99, 06	31	18-8-5
Luke Donald	2004-06, 10	11	8-2-1
Sergio Garcia	1999-02-04-06-08	24	14-6-4
Peter Hanson	2010	3	1-2-0
Martin Kaymer	2010	4	2-1-1
Paul Lawrie	1999	5	3-1-1
Graeme McDowell	2008-10	8	4-2-2
Rory McIlroy	2010	4	1-1-2
Francesco Molinari	2010	3	0-2-1
Justin Rose	2008	4	3-1-0
Lee Westwood	1997-99-02-04-06-08-10	33	16-11-6

The ten confirmed members of the team will have played in a combined 23 Ryder Cup matches with a record of Won 52, Lost 29 and Halved 18, contributing a total of 61 points.
Their ages range from 23 to 43 - the youngest being World Number One Rory McIlroy, who qualified top of the list to secure his second Ryder Cup cap at the age of 23, and the oldest Paul Lawrie, who will also be playing his second Ryder Cup 13 years after making his debut.
Seven of the ten – Donald, Hanson, Kaymer, McDowell, McIlroy, Molinari, Westwood - played in the victorious 2010 European Team at The Celtic Manor Resort, where Graeme McDowell claimed the winning point in the dramatic 14 ½ - 13 ½ victory two years ago.
The ten players now confirmed for the team will come together to represent Europe from seven different countries - England, Germany, Italy, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.
European Captain José María Olazábal will make his announcement of the two wild cards LIVE on www.rydercup.com at 12:00 BST on Monday.

PAUL LAWRIE WINS BY FOUR SHOTS AT GLENEAGLES

 

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Paul Lawrie gave Europe's Ryder Cup Team yet another boost by winning on home soil for the third time in his career - and making it look easy in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
The United States were looking favourites for the match until Rory McIlroy had his runaway eight-shot win at the US PGA Championship a fortnight ago.
Sergio Garcia then won in the States for the first time in four years last Monday and now Lawrie has marched impressively to a four-stroke success.
One ahead overnight, the 43-year-old Aberdonian shot a closing 68 to beat Australian Brett Rumford by four with a 16 under par total of 272.
CONFIDENCE SKY-HIGH
It could take him to his highest ever position on the Official World Golf Ranking when it is updated on Monday - and it certainly sends his confidence sky-high as he heads towards his first appearance in The Ryder Cup since 1999.
That was the year he won The Open Championship at Carnoustie and two years later he was the Dunhill Links champion at St Andrews.
"I feel calmer in Scotland for some reason - it's weird - and I play some of my best golf too," Lawrie said.
He admitted the pressure of trying to secure his return to the European Team had affected him in recent months, but he came into the tournament knowing his place was safe.
"I felt better - cooler - and things didn't bother me."
His lead went from one to two when playing partner Romain Wattel bogeyed the first and he never allowed anyone to get closer than that all day.
“It was probably one of the best ball striking weeks in my career,” added Lawrie, who only missed two greens all day. “There's no question I hit the ball extremely well this week. 
FANTASTIC WEEK
“The course is obviously very good and the course played quite long, and I've hit the ball a bit longer this week. I've been working on rhythm and when you hit it a bit longer, it helps a bit. It's been a fantastic week.”
Rumford started the week 109th on The Race to Dubai but a cheque for €197,408 ends any worries about retaining his playing card for next season.
Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber also enhanced their chances of returning to The European Tour next year by sharing third with Wattel – the 21 year old Frenchman recording the best result of his fledgling career by birdieing the last from eight feet.
“Hopefully I can build some confidence from this one and keep playing good golf for the rest of the year,” said Andersson Hed, who started the week 115th on The Race to Dubai.

PAUL LAWRIE   Wins his eighth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 509th European Tour event.   Moves to €1,637,132 (7th position) in The Race to Dubai – the highest single-season earnings of his career, beating his €1,428,831 total of 2001.   On Monday, could move to inside the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking, from 34th.   His second victory of the 2012 season following the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy.   Would record multiple European Tour victories in the same season for only the second time and first since 1999.   Becomes the fourth multiple winner on The European Tour in 2012, following Branden Grace (Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and Volvo China Open), Louis Ooosthuizen (Africa Open and Maybank Malaysian Open) and Bernd Wiesberger (Ballantine’s Championship and Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity).   At aged 43 years and 238 days becomes the oldest winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship beating the previous record of Thomas Björn in 2011, who was 40 years and 191 days.   At aged 43 years and 238 days, becomes the oldest player to record multiple victories in the same season, since Miguel Angel Jiménez, who was 46 years and 180 days in 2010.   Becomes only the second Scot to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, following Marc Warren in 2007.   Becomes the first Scot to win a European Tour event on home soil since Warren in 2007.   Becomes the first Scot to win three official European Tour events on Scottish soil, following the 1999 Open Championship and 2001 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Has now won more times in Scotland than in any other country. OTHER FACTS This victory beats his previous best finish in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles of third in 2009 Victory comes in his 12th appearance in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. Has now won seven of his eight European Tour titles when leading or sharing the lead going into the final round. Becomes the first Scot to win twice in the same European Tour season since Colin Montgomerie in 2001. Gains his seventh top finish of the 2012 season from his 19 events. Seven is the most top ten finishes he would have gained in a single European Tour season. Aged 43 years and 238 days, he would become the oldest winner on The European Tour since Miguel Angel Jiménez, who was aged 46 years and 243 days at the 2010 Omega European Masters. Moves to €2,384,837 in the final European Ryder Cup Points Table to finish third. Records the second Scottish victory of the 2012 season, following his own victory in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy. Achieves the 129th Scottish victory in European Tour history. Gains his 13th victory as a professional. Moves to over €11 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.      LEADING FINAL TOTALS Par 288 (4x72) Prizemoney in Euros 272 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 68 69 67 68 (296,119) 276 Brett Rumford (Australia) 69 70 71 68 (197,408) 277 Hed Andersson (Sweden) 73 69 70 65, Martin Lafeber (Netherlands) 68 73 67 69, Romain Wattel (France) 74 68 63 72 (91,798 each) 278 Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) 75 67 65 71, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 68 72 71 67, Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) 72 68 69 69, Richie Ramsay (Scotland) 69 71 70 68 (49,926 each) 279 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 70 71 68 70, Rafa Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 72 68 69 70, Paul Waring (England) 71 67 72 69, Peter Whiteford (Scotland) 72 69 71 67 (31,848 each) 280 Craig Lee (Scotland) 70 73 70 67 (27,184)    OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS 283 Chris Doak 76 66 69 72 (T26)(16,613) 286 Lloyd Saltman 77 67 71 71 (T40) (11,193) 287 Scott Jamieson 76 68 73 70 (T43) (9,594) 291 Gary Orr 74 67 73 77 (T54) (5,774)

STEVENSON'S SUNDAY BEST WINS AT TAIN

GORDON Stevenson with the David Blair Trophy flanked by North District SGU president Robert McKerron (left) and Tain Golf Club captain Munro Ferries (right) By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Gordon Stevenson's "Sunday best" form - a pair four-under-par 67s - brought him through to win the North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play championship for the David Blair Trophy at Tain Golf Club, Ross-shire today. The experienced Whitecraigs GC player was five shots behind halfway leader Conor O'Neil (Pollok) after two rounds of 70 on Saturday to O'Neil's 71 and 64 which left the Pollok man sharing the lead with Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) (69-66) going into the final two rounds. Stevenson's third-round 67 saw him still five shots off the pace because O'Neil moved into solo leadership with a 67 for 202. But the last round was decisive. Stevenson was able to turn over seven shots with O'Neil - a 67 to a 74, to finish on 10-under-par 274 and beat long-time leader O'Neill down into second place on 276.  DUNTON, BINNING JOINT THIRD Dunton (Sunday scores 74-68) and Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) (69-67) shared third place on 277. Former Walker Cup player and past Scottish amateur champion Graham Gordon (Newmachar), runner-up in the last two SGU Order-of-Merit 72-hole tournaments, the Leven Gold Medal and the North-east District Open, was in contention to finish at least second again until he slumped to 10th place with a final-round 77 for 285. Gordon was not the only one to struggle over the final round. Scott Crichton (Aberdour) took 80 blows on his last circuit for 292 after so-steady rounds of 70-71-71 ALL THE FINAL TOTALS Par 284 (4x71) CSS 72 72 71 72 274 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 70 70 67 67 276 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 71 64 67 74 277 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 68 68 74 68, Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 74 67 69 67 278 Justin Duff (Frfaserburgh) 68 72 69 69 279 Varun Varadharajan (Royal Burgess) 71 71 68 69 282 Nick Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 67 71 70 74 283 Michael Daily (Erskine) 7467 69 73 284 Matthew Clarke (Kilmacolm) 74 72 66 72 285 Graham Gordon (Newmachar) 67 70 71 77, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 70 70 72 73 286 Jonathan Mullaney(Dundonald) 76 69 70 71, Lyle McAlpine (Royal Dornoch) 74 73 68 71 287 Douglas Thorburn (Reay) 70 75 72 70 288 Alan Sutherland (Ladybank) 71 74 69 74 289 Jamie Lamb (Lanark) 70 73 73 73, Fraser Fotheringham (The Nairn) 72 70 72 75, Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 73 72 68 76 290 Ewan Forbes (Inverness) 72 73 70 75 291 Jeff Wright (Forres) 74 71 74 72, Ross Bell (Downfield) 72 72 77 70, Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) 69 74 71 77 292 John Mitchell (Fraserburgh) 71 69 74 78, Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 70 71 71 80 293 Alan Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 74 73 74 72 294 Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) 75 77 71 71 295 Greg Watson (Meldrum House) 74 68 71 82, Darren Watson (Peterhead) 74 72 72 77 297 Gordon Munro (Fraserburgh) 74 70 75 78, Paul Gault (Westerwood) 73 74 72 78 298 Jordan Shaw (Kingussie) 73 74 73 78 299 Ross Jack (Tain) 77 74 75 73, Darren Hexley (Muir of Ord)74 79 74 72 301 Jordan Milne (Elgin) 73 80 73 75 302 James Hendrick (Pollok) 74 78 77 73 303 Frank Mackie (Tai) 71 81 72 79, Tom Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar) 73 78 77 75 318 Alasdair Ross (Fort William) 76 76 79 87

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE FIXTURES 2012-2013

SEPTEMBER
3 Annual meeting (Auchmill Golf Club 7.30pm)
5 Auchmill
12 Kemnay
19 Stonehaven
26 Aboyne
OCTOBER
3 Inchmarlo
9-11 Scottish Alliance Championship (Monifieth and Arbroath)
17 Ballater
24 Cruden Bay
31 McDonald Ellon
NOVEMBER
7 Buckpool
14 Craibstone
21 Montrose
28 Fraserburgh
DECEMBER
5 Peterhead
JANUARY
9 Inverallochy
16 Peterhead
23 Murcar Links
30 Fraserburgh
FEBRUARY
6 Newburgh
13 Oldmeldrum
20 Newmachar Swailend
27 Craibstone
MARCH
6 Insch
13 Duff House Royal (Championship 1)
20 Montrose (Championship 2)
28-29 Murcar Links (pro-am)

BANFF PAIR WIN SIMMERS TROPHY

Duff House Royal's David Morrison (pictured above) and Sam Griffiths won the North-east District SGU's foursomes tournament with a round of 72 at Cruden Bay GC today In a tight finish the Banff pair won by one shot from Anthony Bews and Clark Brechin (Murcar Links) with Royal Aberdeen's Steven Buchan and John Johnston third on 74. LEADING SCORES 72 David Morrison and Sam Griffiths (Duff House Royal). 73 Anthony Bews and Clark Brechin (Murcar Links) 74 Steven Buchan and John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen). 75 Jamie Robertson and John Williamson (Turriff), Stewart Finnie and Roy Pirie (Caledonian). 77 George Connon and Alan Middleton (Cruden Bay), Alan Duff and Stewart McCulloch (Cruden Bay), David Brand and Lee Morrice (Banchory). 78 Roy Black and Lindsay Smart (Banchory) 79 Ryan Donaldson and Keith Horne (Portlethen), G Innes and Lewis Shand (Portlethen). 80 Chris Gilbert and Bruce Mitchell (McDonald Ellon). 81 Matthew Dunn and Jeff Killman (Bon Accord). 82 Brian Gerrard and Callum McKay (Longside) 83 Jack Walker and Fraser Milne (Fraserburgh), Ian Grimmer and C Shelland (Newmachar). 84 Craig Lawrie and Jamie Pryde (Deeside), Duncan Raitt and Adrian Styles (Murcar Links). 85 Ian Angus and Lewis Mutch (Duff House Royal).

O'NEIL LEADS BY FIVE IN NORTH OF SCOTLAND STROKE PLAY

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS AT TAIN GC

Par 213 (3x71)
Jordan Milne    Elgin    73    80    73    226
Darren Hexley    Muir of Ord    74    79    74    227
Frank Mackle    Tain    71    81   72    224
James Hendrick    Pollok    74    78      77    229
Malcolm Penntcott    Whitting Bay    75    77   71    223
Alasdair Ross    Fort William    76    76    79    231
Tom Dingwall    Nairn Dunbar    73    78    77    228
Ross Jack    Tain    77    74   75    226
Neil Munro    Royal Dornoch    72    78    86    236
Jamie Whittet    Muir of Ord    78    72     80    230
Jordan Shaw    Kingussie    73    74      73    220
Paul Gault Jnr    Westerwood    73    74     72    219
Lyle McAlpine    Royal Dornoch    74    73     68    215
Alan Cameron    Fortrose Rosemarkie  74 73  74    221
Mathew Clarke    Kilmacolm    74    72   66    212
Darren Watson    Peterhead    74    72   72    218
Douglas Thorburn    Reay    70    75     72    217
Alan Sutherland    Ladybank    71    74   69    214
Ewan Forbes    Inverness    72    73    70    215
Kevin Duncan    McDonald    73    72     68    213
Jeff Wright    Forres    74    71    74    219
Jonathon Mullaney    Dundonald    76    69    70    215
Ross Bell    Downfield    72    72   77    221
Gordon Munro    Fraserburgh    74    70     75    219
Bryan Fotheringham    Inverness    69    74    71    214
Jamie Lamb    Lanark    70    73   73    216
Varun Varadharajan    Royal Burgess  71  71   68    210
Fraser Fotheringham    The Nairn    72    70   72    214
Greg Watson    Meldrum House    74    68    71    213
Scott Crichton    Aberdour    70    71     71    212
Sam Binninmg    Ranfurly Castle    74    67   69    210
Michael Daily    Erskine    74    67    69    210
Justin Duff    Fraserburgh    68    72      69    209
Scott Borrowman    Dollar    70    70     72    212
Gordon Stevenson    Whitecraigs    70    70   67    207
John Mitchell    Fraserburgh    71    69    74    214
Nick MacAndrew    Royal Aberdeen  67    71   70    208
Graham Gordon    Newmachar    67    70   71    208
Adam Dunton    McDonald    69    66    74    209
Conor O'Neil    Pollok    71    64    67    202
                       

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SERGIO GARCIA LEADS BY TWO AT THE BARCLAYS

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By JAMES CORRIGAN
Who needs a professional caddie? Sergio Garcia was daring golf to ask that blasphemous question after grabbing a two-shot lead at the Barclays and so setting up his second win in as many weeks after using an amateur as a bagman.

Last week at the Wyndham Championship, Garcia employed a club caddie and duly won his first American event in four years.

This week, he has handed his clubs to a friend, Wayne Richardson, who normally walks the course as a spotter for a US network. 
DOING HIS OWN THING

Garcia has pledged to use a recognised caddie for the Ryder Cup, although now he must be in two minds.

Doing his own yardages, his own reads, proving his own counsel, Garcia has excelled, his third-round 69 taking him to 10-under and clear of Nick Watney, the other joint-leader at halfway.

In truth, it is his putting which is to thank for this Sergio resurgence.

What an asset he will be for Jose Maria Olazabal next month at Medinah. But then, a fired-up and firing Garcia would grace any Ryder Cup team in history.

Certainly nobody can deny Garcia’s commitment to the cause. After all, the Spaniard has diminished his chances of winning $10m (£6.3m) in order to be in peak form next for Chicago.
Before going out here, Garcia his explained his reasons for skipping next week’s Deutsche Bank Championship, the second event in the FedEx Cup play-off series.
It would have made miserable reading for his accountant – but would have been so pleasurable to Olazabal.
“Having to play six weeks in a row and then one week off and then the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup is just too much,” said Garcia.
RYDER CUP IMPORTANCE
“Everybody knows how important the Ryder Cup is for me, and I want to be fully fit there. I want to be feeling strong so I can help my team.”
A win today would take him into first place in the FedEx standings and put the massive winning bonus squarely in his sights.
And although he would be sure of qualifying for the Tour Championship, which takes place in Atlanta the week before the Ryder Cup in Chicago, he will inevitably concede ground to some of his rivals who intend to play four – including Tiger Woods.
The 14-time major-winner was plagued by attack of the three-putts – four in all.
Those blunders were complicit in restricting him to a 72 and on four-under, he is six behind. “I can’t believe how slippery those greens were,” he said.
“The putter was even slipping when you put it on the ground.” Woods did, though, have good news for Davis Love, the US Ryder Cup captain, when revealing that the bad back which caused such pain on Friday had eased.
Woods put the complaint down to a soft hotel bed and, so, on Friday slept on the floor. “It isn’t a problem any more,” he said.
Alongside Woods is Lee Westwood, after an encouraging 68, while Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald, the world Nos 1 and 2, are on two-under after a pair of 69s.

LEADERBOARD 
Par 213 (3x71) 
Players from US unless stated
203 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 66 68 69
205 Nick Watney 65 69 71
206 Kevin Stadler 72 69 65
207 Brandt Snedeker 70 69 68, Bob Estes 69 66 72

SELECTED SCORES
209 Phil Mickelson 68 74 67, Lee Westwood (England) 69 72 68, Tiger Woods 68 69 72 (T10)
211 Rory McIlroy 69 73 69, Luke Donald 68 74 69 (T22)
213 Greg Owen (England) 68 73 72 (T32)
214 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 64 75 75, Gary Christian (England) 66 71 77 (T43)
215 Ian Poulter (England)(68 71 76, Martin Laird (Scotland) 70 68 77 (T53)
218 Justin Rose (England) 67 72 79 (T69)

MISSED THE CUT (143 and better qualified) 
144 Jim Furyk 71 73, Keegan Bradley 71 73
146 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 75 71
148 Brian Davis (England) 72 76

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