TRAVIS PERKINS SENIOR MASTERS

SCROLL DOWN PAST THE SCORES TO
READ A SUMMARY OF THE DAY'S PLAY
 
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD

69 D Durnian (Eng)

70 P Fowler (Aus) , A Sherborne (Eng) , R Drummond (Sco) , G Brand Jnr (Sco) , J Quiros (Esp) , J Gould (Eng) , M Belsham (Eng) , M Cunning (USA) , T Johnstone (Zim)

71 K Tomori (Jpn) , T Thelen (USA) 

72 G Wolstenholme (Eng) , G Manson (Aut) , J Bruner (USA), A Murray (Eng), C Mason (Eng), D Smyth (Irl) , A Franco (Par) , J Rhodes (Eng) , M Harwood (Aus)

73 P Wesselingh (Eng) , N Ratcliffe (Aus) , B Cameron (Eng) , P Curry (Eng) , J Rivero (Esp) , A Fernandez (Chi) , T Price (Aus) , C Williams (RSA) 

74 D Merriman (Aus) , B Lane (Eng) , R Chapman (Eng) , R Sabarros (Fra) , P Golding (Eng) , B Ruangkit (Tha) ,

75 S Torrance (Sco) , B Longmuir (Sco) , M Martin (Esp) , D Hospital (Esp) , A Oldcorn (Sco) , B Smit (RSA) 

76 S McAllister (Sco) , S Cipa (Eng) , D Cambridge (Jam) , Z Martinez (USA) , B Lincoln (RSA) , G Ryall (Eng) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , G Brand (Eng) , G Ralph (Eng) , M James (Eng)

77 M Mouland (Wal), R Davis (Aus), J Harrison (Eng), M Farry (Fra) , N Job (Eng) , P Barber (Eng) 

78 E Rodriguez (Esp) , P Mitchell (Eng) , K Spurgeon (Eng) , T Elliott (Aus) , R Gibson (Can) , G Norquist (USA) 

79 E Darcy (Irl) , G Banister (Aus) 

80 L Carbonetti (Arg) , M Piñero (Esp) , P Walton (Irl)

81 V Garcia (Esp) , J Hall (Eng) ,

83 C O'Connor Jnr (Irl) 

84 A Garrido (Esp)

Sarah Gwynn

Press Officer

European Tour

A change of driver inspired Englishman Denis Durnian to a three under par 69 in the first round of the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters at Woburn Golf Club, which gave him a one shot lead.

 

The 62 year old, by his own admission, has struggled to find the fairways this season, but a new club was just the remedy as he carded seven birdies, two bogeys and a double to go top of the pile, ahead of nine players on two under par.

 

Durnian, whose last of three Senior Tour victories came in 2002, said: “I’ve been driving it so badly all season, so the Ping guy gave me a new driver the other day, and today I ripped it down the middle of every fairway. I’ve not been on the fairways all year, so it was a nice change not to always be hitting out of the trees.

 

“Everything else was going nicely today and I holed a few good putts. I got a bit nervous towards the end but hung on and three under par is a good score. The three birdies in a row around the turn (from the eighth) really gave me some momentum.

 

“As a rule I drive the ball straight, which you have to do on this golf course. So it has been particularly frustrating lately and I’m pleased to have improved a lot today.”

 

One of the group at two under par is Peter Fowler, last season’s Order of Merit winner who was presented with the 2011 Rolex Player of the Year award at Thursday evening’s annual Senior Tour awards dinner.

 

“Maybe last night inspired me to a good round,” the Australian joked. “I made a slow start, but then played really well on the back nine. The eagle at the 11th really got me going – I hit a great drive and then a five wood to about five feet and holed the putt.

 

“That gave me some momentum and I was able to finish off nicely and put myself in a good position for the weekend. I always feel good when the weather is nice, and we were lucky to have such a good day today after two days of heavy rain.

 

“The course is always tidy and it’s a fun week. Here’s to a good weekend.”

 

The other players at two under par are Tony Johnstone, who has recently been employed as Lee Westwood’s short game coach, Scots Russ Drummond and Gordon Brand Jnr, Englishmen John Gould, Mark Belsham and Andrew Sherborne, Spaniard Juan Quiros and American Mike Cunning.

 

Defending champion Boonchu Runagkit opened with a two over par 74, the same score as England’s Barry Lane, who was tied second here last year, and his compatriot Phil Golding, who has finished runner-up in his last two tournaments.

 

 

LANARKSHIRE SENIORS TEE TIMES AT DRUMPELLIER

LANARKSHIRE  GOLF  ASSOCIATION

COUNTY  SENIORS  CHAMPIONSHIP & HANDICAP COMPETITION

DRUMPELLIER GOLF CLUB – TUESDAY 4^TH SEPTEMBER 2012.

Competitors must report to the Recorder 15 mins prior to their starting time.

Competitors are reminded that jeans, denim trousers, trainers, collarless or sleeveless shirts, shell suits are not permitted in the clubhouse or on the course. Distance measuring devices are allowed.    
  
Spaces available - phone Tom Logan on 01236 428799

                    

1. 9.00  C.McCALLUM        W.TAYLOR     J.WILSON     

              Airdrie                Bellshill           Mouse Valley

2. 9.07  A.G.BROWNLIE    R.SADLER     G.BUCHANAN

         Drumpellier         Bellshill           Airdrie

3. 9.15  J.DEMPSEY          T.ROSS         D.CAIRNS     

              Airdrie                Bellshill          Crow Wood

         

    4. 9.22   E.HART            K.McMULLAN      M.WALSH

                 Bellshill              Airdrie              Crow Wood

     

   5.  9.30   M.ROONEY        C.WALKER        C.SCOULAR

                   Airdrie             Bellshill             Crow Wood

   6. 9.37    W.WALKER       H.D.MILLER        B.McDONALD

                   Bellshill            Airdrie                 Crow Wood

     

   7. 9.45    J.MILNE            B.O’NEILL         W.DICKIE

                  Airdrie              Crow Wood         Bellshill

  8. 9.52    F.GUNNEE          G.BURDEN        B.MACKINTOSH     

                   Crow Wood       Easter Moffat     Kirkhill

 9. 10.00    G.RUSSELL        A.SADDLER      J.KANE         

                  Easter Moffat      Kirkhill            Crow Wood

      10.     10.07               L.D.THOMSON                     R.WYLIE                                D.NOBLE

                                       Drumpellier                              Kirkhill                                    Crow Wood

     

      11.     10.15               A.EDEN                                 A.WATT                                 J.J.KELLY

                                       Crow Wood                            Kirkhill                                    Easter Moffat

     

      12.     10.22               L.CARMICHAEL                   D.MARTIN                            D.BECKETT

                                       Easter Moffat                           Crow Wood                            Drumpellier

      13.     10.30               W.CUMMING                       K.C.McLEAN                        J.GREEN

                                       Easter Moffat                           Drumpellier                              Kirkhill

      14.     10.37               H.McMILLAN                       R.HETHERINGTON              C.ARROL

                                       Easter Moffat                           Drumpellier                              Kirkhill

      15.     10.45               J.MAGILL                              J.M.SMITH                            A.ATTWOOD

                                       Easter Moffat                           Drumpellier                              Airdrie

      16.     10.52               J.REID                                    A.FRASER                             A.MacPHEE

                                       Easter Moffat                           Airdrie                                     Crow Wood

      17.     11.00               J.COYLE                                I.DRUMMOND                     T.DUNCAN

                                       Easter Moffat                           Airdrie                                     Kirkhill

      18.     11.07               B.MACKENZIE                     W.NEILL                                I.G.WILES

                                       Easter Moffat                           Airdrie                                     Drumpellier

      19      11.15               R.RESTON                             J.MAIN                                  W.BROWN

                                       Easter Moffat                           Airdrie                                     Strathaven

      20.     11.22               E.SLOAN                               J.VEITCH                               S.McKITTING

                                       Easter Moffat                           Airdrie                                     Larkhall

      21.     11.30               A.CUMMING                        R.SHEVILL                            R.J.STARK

                                       Easter Moffat                           Airdrie                                     Drumpellier

      22.     11.37               T.REID                                   K.ROBERTSON                    D.KIRKCALDY

                                       Easter Moffat                           Larkhall                                   Drumpellier

      23.     11.45               M.COYLE                              J.RUSSELL                            S.CAMPBELL

                                       Easter Moffat                           Bellshill                                    Drumpellier

      24.     11.52               J.LAWLOR                            J.LOGAN                               A.D.FERGUSON

                                       Bellshill                                    Easter Moffat                           Drumpellier

      25.     12.00               J.ANDREW                            A.H.STEWART                      D.M.HARDIE

                                       Easter Moffat                           Drumpellier                              Airdrie

      26.     12.07               J.CLARK                                G.MAGUIRE                          K.McALINDON

                                       Easter Moffat                           Drumpellier                              Mouse Valley  

      27.     12.15              

ALBATROSS ACE FOR JAKE SCOTT AT ELGIN

Buckpool's North-east youths champion Jake Scott got his second hole in one of the season but
his first career albatross at Elgin Golf Club today when he aced the par-4 276yd 12th hole in the Paul Lawrie Junior Jug practice round.Scott was accompanied by George Burns (Williamwood) and Alan Waugh (Cowglen)

GB AND I LEAD 7-5 IN ST ANDREWS TROPHY BUT TRAIL IN BOYS' MATCH

FROM THE R and A WEBSITE
Great Britain and Ireland will take a 7-5 lead into the final day of the St Andrews Trophy at Portmarnock Golf Club, Ireland as they attempt to win back the biennial team title they lost to the Continent of Europe in Italy two years ago.
Conditions were testing all day at the famous north Dublin venue but Nigel Edwards’ side stuck to their task with his lower order showing real character in the afternoon singles.
It proved to be a difficult afternoon for two of GB  and I’s leading players as British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar and European Amateur champion Rhys Pugh both lost their singles.
Pugh, lost 3 and 2 to Manuel Trappel, the 2011 European Amateur champion, in the top match. The  Welsh 18-year-old was behind for majority of the game against his Austrian opponent.
Dunbar (22) was four down with four to play before a run of par, par, birdie was good enough to take his match to the 18^th. However, the Rathmore golfer found trouble off the tee and eventually lost by two holes to Eduard Espana from France.
After the morning foursomes were halved 2-2, it was the bottom three matches that went in favour of GB and I, which proved to be the key difference between the sides. 
England’s Neil Raymond and Ben Taylor plus Ireland’s Kevin Phelan all recorded important wins. Phelan holed from 50 feet on 16 and got up and down at 17 and 18 to turn his match around and win by one hole against Germany’s Moritz Lampert.
"I’m really pleased to take a two-point lead into tomorrow for at one stage it didn’t look very good for us as we were only up in two matches,” said captain Edwards after the singles session.
"The boys were great at the end. The finish by Neil, Kevin and Ben was really strong. There’s a lot of fight in this team, they’re a great bunch of lads.”
The result was reversed in the Jacques Leglise Trophy as Gary Stangl’s Continent of Europe under-18 side won the afternoon singles (4.5-3.5) to secure their 7-5 lead overall.
The top match saw Irish amateur champion Gavin Moynihan play out a halved match with Austria’s Matthias Schwab, who finished runner-up to Dunbar at this year’s British Amateur Championship. Moynihan holed a most unlikely winning birdie pitch from the back of the 17^thgreen before going on to share the spoils at the 18^th.
However the following three matches went Europe’s way with victories before Max Orrin, Ashton Turner and Matt Fitzpatrick answered for GB and I. France’s Romain Langasque’s one hole win over Patrick Kelly finalised the opening day scoreline.
"The result may be a little bit of a surprise but I’m proud of the way my team fought all the way, especially when you see the likes of Romain winning at the last. That really gives us a good push for tomorrow,” explained Stangl, who refuses to take anything for granted.
"There are still another 12 points to win. We know it’s tough to play a GB and I team here in Ireland and I know Peter McEvoy has a lot of experience. I need to be careful not to predict anything.
"It was a great day for my team, I am very proud of them and hope we can continue tomorrow,” added Stangl hoping to win back the trophy GB and I won in Spain 12 months ago.

Full results from The St Andrews Trophy can be found here.

Full results from The Jacques Leglise Trophy can be found here.

NICOL MAKES TOP TEN ON ALPS TOUR

Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol finished joint eighth and Philip McLean (Peterhead) shared 35th place in the Alps Tour's Valle d'Aosta Open which ended in the Alpine resort of Cervinia, Italy yesterday (Friday). In very cold conditions, there was a flurry of snow for the final round as Nicol scored 64, 67 and 73 for a three-under-par total of 204 over the par-69 course. Nicol, who had an outward half of 29 in the first round, finished six shots behind the winner, Frenchman Thomas Fournier (65-69-64 for 198). McLean had rounds of 67, 70 and 76 for 213. TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS CLICK HERE

SCOTS CHASING £10,000 PRIZE AT MORPETH

Scots Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) and Grantown on Spey's Duncan Stewart are both in with a chance of lifting the £10,000 jackpot prize in the PGA EuroPro Tour event, the Sweetspot Classic, which ends at Longhirst Hall GC, Morpeth on Saturday. McAllister had a bag of seven birdies and two bogeys in compiling a five-under-par 65 to move into joint second place on 137 alongside overnight leader Stewart, two shots behind leader James Ruth (St Mellion) (67-68). Stewart went from an opening 66 to a two-over 72 with three bogeys and only one later birdie. Other Scots who made the cut on 147 and better were John Gallagher (Turnhouse), joint 10th on 142 (71-71), Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links), joint 23rd on 144 (75-69) and Wallace Booth (Comrie), joint 38th on 146 (78-68). Scots who missed the cut were Paul Doherty (74-74) and John Henry (Clydebank and District) (78-70) on 148, Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) on 151 (80-71) and Ian Redford (St Andrews New) on 161 (81-80).

PAUL LAWRIE IN THE PICTURE AT EUROPEAN MASTERS

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Julien Quesne carded a spellbinding round of 65 in treacherous conditions to open up a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Omega European Masters.
Despite driving rain at Crans-sur-Sierre, Quesne produced a Gallic masterclass, with seven birdies and an eagle carrying the Frenchman to the very top of the leaderboard on nine under par, one shot clear of Danny Willett after the Englishman shot a round of 67.
Quesne said: “I hit so many good shots, and holed a lot of putts. I managed to stay calm, and I took a lot of pleasure from how I played today. I found a lot of greens, and any time you do that you’re going to have a good day.”
Like BMW International Open Champion Willett, Quesne already has one European Tour title to his name, having triumphed at this year’s Open de Andalucia Costa del Sol, but to add to their tally the duo will have to fend off the in-form Scot Paul Lawrie.
Lawrie is looking to run up the same treble as Thomas Björn, who last year added the Omega European Masters title to his victories at the Commercialbank Qatar Maters presented by Dolphin Energy and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Lawrie arrived in Crans Montana on the back of his triumph on home soil last week, and is confident of signing off with another victory before taking a three-week break from competitive action in the build-up to his second Ryder Cup appearance. 
He said: “I played lovely again today, hit a lot of good putts – not all of them went in, but a fair few did. So I’m very happy with my day’s work, despite the weather. 

"There’s not a lot you can do the conditions, You’ve just got to get on with the job in hand. A lot of guys don’t like playing in the cold and the wet, but that plays into the hands of people like me who don’t mind it.”

Play was abandoned for the day due to darkness with two groups left out on the course. The second round will resume at 7.45am on Saturday morning, with the third round not scheduled to get underway before 9.25am.

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

    SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
           Par 142 (2x71)
133 Julien Quesne (France) 68 65
134 Danny Willett (England) 67 67
135 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 69 66
136 David Howell (England) 66 70, Tommy Fleetwood (England) 70 66, Marcus Fraser (Australia) 68 68, Robert Coles (England) 68 70

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
137 Richie Ramsay 69 68 (T8)
138 Stephen Gallacher 67 71 (T13)
140 Colin Montgomerie 72 68 (T34)
142 David Drysdale 68 74, Marc Warren 70 66 (T58)

MISSED THE CUT
143 Peter Whiteford 71 72
144 Scott Jamieson 69 75
148 George Murray 70 78
152 Ross Bain 77 75

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE 

JAMES BYRNE WINS NORTHERN OPEN BY FIVE STROKES

The first of many? James Byrne with the Northern Open championship trophy after his first success as a professional. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Rookie James Byrne from Banchory maintained an overnight lead of five strokes to score his first win as a professional in the Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open championship at Meldrum House Golf Club today.
Byrne won the £4,000 prize and the prestigious title, first contested in the early 1930s, with a 12-under-par total of 268, made up of rounds of 66, 66, 66 and 70 over the par-70 parkland course at Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire.
The 23-year-old strapping six-footer won by five shots from two men on 273 - defending champion, David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), winner of the title as an amateur 12 months go, and David Orr (Mearns Castle Golf Academy).
Law shot 73, 68, 63 and 69. Orr was the only man in the field to break 70 in each round - 69, 69, 66 and 69.
They each earned £2,600
"I had a shaky patch in the middle but was able to come through that, steady myself up and par my way in," said Byrne, who turned pro after helping GB and I win the Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen last September.
"I've grown up in the North-east so the Northern Open means a lot to me, apart from being my first win. It's a prestigious title in Scottish terms.
"A win is a win wherever it is but making my first pro win in my own part of the country makes it special for me.
"I was a bit nervous early on because it's a long time since I led in a tournament ... I think way back to 2009 as an amateur."
Byrne, who flies out tomorrow to resume his campaign on the Asian Tour in Malaysia, said he hopes that the first win as a pro will breed more confidence which in turn would make it a bit easier to get win No 2. 
That he will build on the Northern Open triumph is almost a foregone conclusion. He is too good a player not to make the highest grade.
"I am playing a couple of events on the Asian Tour and then flying back to play in the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 1 event at Frilford Heath," said Byrne, who played for four years on the US college golf circuit as a student at Arizona State University and was beaten finalist in the 2010 British amateur championship at Muirfield.
James, who received his first golf lesson from coach Andrew Locke at Inchmarlo (Andrew has now moved his base to the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre),  was also the Scottish boys' open stroke-play champion at Cardrona in 2007.
For whatever reason, James never got up the same full head of steam on the final day as he had in reeling off three four-under-par 66s to surge five shots clear of the field after 54 holes.
His outward half of one-over-par 36 was a mixed bag of birdies (first, fourth and eighth), bogeys (short third and short sixth) and a three-putt double bogey 6 at the ninth.
Banchory townmate Greig Hutcheon, Northern Open winner two years ago, got to within two shots of the leader when he birdied the long 11th just as Byrne was running up that  6 at the ninth.
That was the closest any of the chasing pack got to Byrne.
Hutcheon admitted to "a comedy of errors" down the inward half when, on song, he might have put pressure on Byrne.
"I bogeyed the 14th and the 16th, birdied the 17th and then, for the second day in a row, bogeyed the short 18th," said Hutcheon who finished with a 69 for joint fourth place on 274 alongside Welshman Gareth Wright.
Recent winner of the Glenmuir PGA championship, West Linton's Wright signed off with a 66 in which his inward half of 30 was the lowest by anyone over the four days.
Hutcheon and Wright both earned £1,400.
David Law made a stout defence of the title and he would have finished closer to the winner and playing partner had he not three-putted the 12th and missed a tiddler at the 13th.
"But I didnt let my head go down. I holed a 30ft putt for a birdie at 15th and from 6ft for another birdie at the 17th so I am taking away a lot of confidence from my performance," said 21-year-old Law. 
And so he should. Three national titles as an amateur give him the pedigree of a young man who will prosper if he can make it up to the European Tour.
"Rounds two and three were as well as I have played anywhere all year," added the Aberdonian who acknowledged the help given to him in the Northern Open for the second year in a row by his caddie, Nick Macandrew, the +2 member at Royal Aberdeen.

 Bookless Cup winner Fraser McKenna, Hugh Little of sponsors Aberdeen Asset Management, and Northern Open champion James Byrne. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

The Bookless Cup as the leading amateur went to Fraser McKenna, 21, from the Balmore club near Glasgow. McKenna, winner of two SGU Order of Merit 72-hole events this season, finished joint 12th overall on 280 with scores of 70, 71, 70 and 69.
Six-footer McKenna has no lofty ideas about his golfing future.
"That's my last tournament of the season. I might try the Tour School qualifying process at the end of next season," he said.
McKenna finished one shot ahead of fellow amateurs Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) and Scott Crichton (Aberdour).
Dunton closed with a 71 for 281, Crichton with a 68.
The starting field of 144 included 11 invited amateurs, most of them of Scotland international class.
Down through the years, the Northern Open has always had an amateur element in its field - European Tour player George Murray won the Bookless Cup before he turned pro - but to invite amateurs of quality has been an enterprising move by the PGA of Scotland. 

FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70) Yardage 6,700
268 J Byrne (Banchory) 66 66 66 70 (£4,000)
273 D Orr (Mearns Castle) 69 69 66 69, D Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 73 68 63 69 (£2,600 each)
274 G Wright (West Linton) 70 69 69 66, G Hutcheon (Banchory) 66 68 71 69 (£1,400 each)
275 N Fenwick (Dunbar) 69 67 71 68 (£1,000)
276 P McKechnie (Braid Hills) 69 68 70 69 (£900)
277 D Patrick (Elie Sports Centre) 69 71 69 71 (£800)
278 J Lomas (unatt) 66 74 70 68 (£700)
279 S Henderson (Kings Links) 72 71 70 66, Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 65 71 68 75 (£587.50 each).
280 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 71 70 72 67, J McGhee (Duddingston) 69 71 70 70, G McBain (Gamola Golf) 69 69 69 73 (£433.33 each), F McKenna (Balmore) (am) 70 71 70 69 (Bookless Cup winner as leading amateur).
281 G Fox (Rowallan Castle) 70 67 74 70, K Hutton (Downfield) 72 66 73 70, C Kelly (Cawder) 69 71 69 72 (£363.33 each), S Crichton (Aberdour) (am) 69 71 73 68, A Dunton (McDonald Ellon) (am) 73 66 71 71
282 C Currie (Caldwell) 73 71 69 69 (£340), P Shields (Kirkhill) (am) 73 67 70 72, G Marchbank (Dumfries and Co) (am) 71 72 65 74
285 R Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 73 71 73 68, A Mackenzie (Renaissance Club) 70 71 73 71, M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 71 73 68 73, M Kerr (unatt) 70 70 70 75 (£315 each)
286 S Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 70 74 72  70, P Walker (Ballumbie Castle) 70 69 74 73
287 R Cameron (Saltire Energy) 73 69 75 70, I Brown (Newent) 73 71 72 71, I Colquhoun (Dundonald Links) 73 70 72 72
288 M King (Kingsfield) 73 67 73 75, S Lamb (Macdonald Cardrona) 72 70 71 75
289 A Crerar (Panmure) 68 74 75 72
290 F Moore (Glenbervie) (am) 70 73  74 73, M Rae (Alyth) 72 70 73 75
292 R Dixon (Renaissance) 70 73 74 75, S Herald (Mearns Castle) 72 71 74 75
293 C Robinson (Dumfries and Galloway) 74 69 77 73, J Sharp (Carrick on Loch Lomond) 67 75 76 75
297 J Cliff (Murrayfield) 74 69 73 81

BORROWMAN BIDS TO CLINCH SGU ORDER OF MERIT TITLE

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE SGU

Scott Borrowman, a member of Scotland’s winning Home Internationals team, will tomorrow bid to cap a hugely consistent season by winning the 2012 SGU Order of Merit.

 

The 25-year-old from Dollar heads the standings going into the final event of the Men’s season, the South East District Championship at Longniddry in East Lothian.

 

It’s incredibly tight at the top with a number of players still in the frame for overall merit success, but Borrowman has the edge.

 

The Clackmannanshire player won the Scottish Youths Stroke Play at Erskine in 2007, but is now on the verge of putting a disappointing two years behind him with his biggest individual success in the amateur ranks.

 

Having finished 24th in the standings last year, Borrowman has displayed a consistency of performance these past months to reach the top.

 

Although a victory has eluded him, Borrowman has posted six top-10 results in 11 events. Highlights have included a second-place finish behind Matthew Clark at the Newlands Trophy and third spot at both the Leven Gold Medal and the East of Scotland Stroke Play.

 

Borrowman’s displays saw him earn a first-ever call-up to Scotland’s Home Internationals side at Gailes Links and he contributed one-and-a-half points as the host nation claimed victory for the first time since 2006.

 

“I’ve not had a win which I’m desperate to get – it would top of a good season,” Borrowman said. “If I play well this weekend then the rankings will take care of themselves.

 

“I’ve had two poor years really, it’s not been much fun, but I started working with Gregor Monks (Scottish Golf National Academy Coach (Central)) at Brucefields just over a year ago and it’s starting to pay off. I’ve not reached where I want to be but we’re heading in the right direction. I’m going to keep working hard this winter.”

Ross Bell (Downfield) and Clark (Kilmacolm) were also debutants in the Scots’ Home Internationals side and they have designs on merit success too, sitting second and third in the current standings respectively. Indeed, Borrowman is only ahead of Bell by 17.00 points, with Clark 32.00 adrift of the leader.

 

Bell has also impressed in 2012, leading the Carrick Neill Scottish Stroke Play into the final round only to fall away at Kilmarnock (Barassie). Bell posted his best finish at the Sutherland Chalice, finishing runner-up to James Ross of Royal Burgess.

 

Clark, as well as winning the Newlands title, tied fourth in the Craigmillar Park Open and The Battle Trophy at the start of the season, as well as coming runner-up at The Tennant Cup behind Liam Johnston of Dumfries and County.

 

“We are all good friends and have been chasing each other this season, so it’s been fun,” added Borrowman. “We all wanted to get into the Home Internationals team and made it. Now we are chasing the merit title.”

 

Michael Daily from Erskine and Graham Gordon (Newmachar) are fourth and fifth in the merit rankings and also still have an outside chance of overall success.

 

Daily has posted three top-three finishes and five top-10s in all, while 2003 Scottish Amateur champion Gordon has also achieved five top-10 results, including back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Leven Gold Medal and North East District Open Championship.

 

The top five players on the Order of Merit, all of whom are playing at Longniddry, are seeking to emulate last year’s winner from Lundin, James White. In a two-horse race during 2011, White edged out Glenbervie’s Graeme Robertson in the final standings.

 

Played this weekend, the South East District Championship is a 72-hole event with a 36-hole cut for the top 30 and ties. Previous winners include former Amateur champions Stuart Wilson and Gordon Sherry.

 

>> Click here for the current SGU Men’s Order of Merit rankings

 

Ed Hodge

SGU PR & Media Executive

SEVENTH HEAVEN FOR YORKSHIRE BOYS

NEWS RELEASE FROM ENGLAND GOLF Yorkshire were in seventh heaven at Cotswold Hills as they won the English Boys County Championship at a canter by beating their closest rivals Staffordshire 7-2.  Hampshire finished third after a 5½-3½ victory over Devon.  It was Yorkshire’s seventh title success and seven years since they last got their hands on the trophy and they proved they were a class apart by completing a clean sweep of the other counties.  “We have not won this title for some time so to win it this year is important for the county,” said captain and coach Steve Robinson.  “I’m delighted for the team. It is a good young team for the future and we’ve got strength in depth.  “I’m also pleased for the coaches who helped develop these players. I said at the start of the week that you don’t get many opportunities to be national champions and we had to grasp it. We wanted it to be in our own hands and not to rely on someone else tripping up."  It was also a personal success for Robinson. He has  been the boys' coach since 1998. This was the fifth time he has led Yorkshire to the boys' title and he has also steered Yorkshire ladies to five successes. After Wednesday's miserable conditions of heavy rain and a cold, driving wind, the day was generally dry apart from the occasional shower. There was still a testing wind but the players enjoyed much kinder conditions and the golf reflected that. Although Yorkshire edged the foursomes 2-1, they took command in the singles, winning five of the six games. They wrapped up three early wins through Ben Brewster, Joe Dean and Nick Marsh to see them home but county champion Dan Brown, who completed a perfect six-wins-out-of-six, and Jonathan Thomson had to go to the final green to  seal narrow victories. Staffordshire, who were the only side who could have deprived the northern champions of the title, were left with the consolation of Cameron Long’s 3 and 2 victory over James Walker. But it was scant success in a tough week and their captain, Mike Tunnicliffe was spot on when he said: “We got flattened by a steamroller.” Having shared the morning foursomes, Hampshire put the pressure on in the singles, winning four of the games Jack Singh Brar and Devon’s Dan Rosevear were locked in combat for 12 holes before Singh Brar won the three of the next four to secure a 3&2 victory in the top game. Scott Gregory was always ahead against Matt Wells and added to Hampshire’s tally with a 4 and 3 win, while Charlie Manning ensured his side couldn’t lose by handing Ryan Pope his first defeat of the week, Manning being level par when the game finished 4 and 3 on the 15th green. Devon gained a point when Jacob Tinsley, their most successful player, turned a one hole deficit against Billy McKenzie into a 3 and 2 success with birdies at the 12th and 13th, but Jack Stubbington confirmed Hampshire’s overall victory when he beat Harry Flower 4 and 3. But Devon had the last laugh when Anthony McGeorge beat Jamie Mist on the final green. McGeorge raced 4-up after six holes only to see that lead gradually disappear until they were level after 14.  They came down 18 all square but McGeorge produced a magical shot from under a tree to a foot for a winning birdie. Manning was Hampshire’s most successful player with four points from five games, while Jacob Tinsley topped the Devon list with five-and-a-half points from six. Lynne Fraser Marketing and PR Manager Email: pr@englandgolf.org Tel: 01526 354500

Web: www.englandgolf.org Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/EnglandGolf Facebook: www.facebook.com/EnglandGolf

TOM WATSON TO PLAY IN AUSSIE OPEN

Tom Watson is to play in the Australian Open for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Tournament officials said today that Watson, who won the Australian Open in 1984, will join Australians Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and Greg Chalmers at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney from December 6-9. 
Scott won the Australian Open in 2009, and Chalmers is the defending champion.
Watson's win at Royal Melbourne in 1984 came a year after he won the last of his eight majors, the 1983 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. He joined the Champions Tour in 1999, and has 14 wins on the senior tour.