LEVY CHARGES INTO LEAD AT KAZAKHSTAN

      

 

REPORT FROM NEIL AHERN

Challenge Tour Press Officer

Alexander Levy took one step closer to the biggest victory of his career as the Frenchman charged into a two shot lead on the third day of the Kazakhstan Open thanks to a seven under par round of 65, which included an incredible run of six consecutive birdies.

That moved Levy to 18 under par, ahead of Scott Henry who was in turn two shots clear of former World Amateur Number One Peter Uihlein and Denmark’s Andreas Hartø in tied third place at Zhailjau Golf Resort in Almaty.

Levy had history with his playing partner Uihlein prior to this week’s European Challenge Tour ‘Major’, having rolled in a 50 foot putt on the way to beating the American and his team-mates to the 2010 World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina.

Maybe it was the memories of that French victory - alongside Romain Wattel, amongst others - that propelled him, because Levy’s putter was on fire all day. He did start relatively slowly, however, clearing the first eight holes in level par thanks to a birdie at the third and a bogey on the fifth.

It was just before the turn that the 22 year old’s round really took off as a birdie at the par four ninth started a streak of six consecutive birdies to launch the American-born Frenchman clear of his playing partners Henry and Uihlein.

“It was crazy,” he said, “I just kept holing putts. I've never had six birdies in a row in my life. It was not adrenaline, I was just playing every shot as it came but I putted well so it was really nice to play like that.”

Levy wasn’t finished yet and he birdied the 16^th, after a rare par at the par five 15^th, to boost his hopes of a win that would go a long way towards securing him a European Tour card for the 2013 season.

“It was a great day today,” he said. “I played really good and I'm happy that I continued to play well after a good opening two days. I didn’t make any mistakes.

“I hope tomorrow I can do the same as I did today. It’s my first time in contention but I know what I need to do in this position. It’s going to be fun playing in the last group again, Scott is a really good guy so it will be good.”

Henry stayed in the hunt going into the final day after the Scotsman signed for a second consecutive five under par 67 to move to 16 under. It was his first round of the week without a single bogey and the former Jacques Léglise Trophy Captain is thoroughly looking forward to competing for the title on Sunday.

“I played well from about the fifth hole onwards,” said the 25 year old. “I hit a lot of good shots and holed a few putts around the turn. It was good to get those putts because I knew people were scoring well.

“I was pleased with the way I played. I holed a good six or seven foot par putt at 16 so that was important. You make a bogey out there when everyone’s making birdies and it’s almost like a double-bogey.

“I’m happy to be in the mix and five under is a good score anywhere. Alexander got on fire for a spell and played well so it was good fun, we all enjoyed it and it was actually quite relaxed.

“I’m sure somebody is going to score a low round tomorrow so I just need to keep pressing for birdies. I don’t want to be silly attacking every pin, I’ll just try and do the same tomorrow and hopefully hole a few putts.”

Uihlein was two shots further back in tied third after a three under par round of 69 elevated him to 14 under, alongside Denmark’s Andreas Hartø, who carded three eagles in the front nine of his eight under par round of 64.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)

198 A Levy (Fra) 66 67 65,

200 S Henry  (Sco) 66 67 67,

202 A Hartø  (Den) 68 70 64, P Uihlein  (USA) 63 70 69,

203 G Lockerbie  (Eng) 67 68 68, M Haastrup  (Den) 67 69 67, J McLeary  (Sco) 71 66 66,

204 E De La Riva  (Esp) 68 68 68, L Jensen (Den) 65 72 67, S Benson (Eng) 65 69 70, W Besseling  (Ned) 67 74 63, S Pinckney (USA) 66 73 65, J Senior (Eng) 70 69 65,

205 A Snobeck  (Fra) 68 71 66, A Tadini (Ita) 69 68 68, M Madsen  (Den) 70 69 66, C Paisley  (Eng) 68 69 68, A Kaleka  (Fra) 68 68 69, H Bacher (Aut) 67 67 71, P Oriol (Esp) 68 69 68, R Kakko  (Fin) 69 69 67, C Doak (Sco) 69 69 67, J Walters (RSA) 68 71 66, A McArthur  (Sco) 70 66 69,

206 J Busby (Eng) 67 70 69, R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 71 65 70,

207 J Hansen  (Den) 70 67 70, L Claverie (Esp) 68 70 69, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 69 71 67, J Dantorp (Swe) 69 68 70, P Edberg (Swe) 68 68 71, B Parker  (Eng) 71 66 70,

208 J Lima  (Por) 67 71 70, J Parry (Eng) 68 70 70, P Dwyer (Eng) 68 67 73, A Bernadet  (Fra) 67 72 69, N Dougherty  (Eng) 70 66 72, M Carlsson  (Swe) 70 69 69, J Doherty  (Sco) 69 68 71, B An (Kor) 68 69 71, N Lemke (Swe) 69 71 68,

209 M Glauert (Ger) 69 72 68, R Steiner (Aut) 70 71 68, S O'Hara  (Sco) 71 69 69, M Tullo (Chi) 73 68 68, R Saxton (Ned) 72 69 68,

210 C Ford (Eng) 70 70 70, F De Vries  (Ned) 70 68 72, E Pepperell (Eng) 70 69 71, N Meitinger  (Ger) 72 67 71, R Wingardh (Swe) 69 71 70, M Delpodio  (Ita) 71 66 73, T Whitehouse  (Eng) 69 72 69, L Saltman (Sco) 71 68 71, E Kofstad (Nor) 72 69 69,

211 D Vancsik (Arg) 68 72 71, C Macaulay  (Sco) 70 69 72, Å Nilsson (Swe) 71 69 71, J Huldahl (Den) 70 71 70,

212 P Baker (Eng) 69 69 74, C Hanson (Eng) 69 72 71,

213 J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 71 70 72, M Nixon (Eng) 70 70 73, G Houston (Wal) 70 71 72, J Abbott (Eng) 68 69 76, P Relecom  (Bel) 72 69 72,

214 R McGowan  (Eng) 69 72 73, C Gane (Eng) 69 69 76, K Eriksson (Swe) 70 71 73, J Mommo  (Fin) 75 66 73, C Russo (Fra) 69 72 73,

216 A Hansen  (Den) 71 70 75,

219 A Ahokas (Fin) 70 69 80,

 

 

MULROY LEADS ITALIAN OPEN BY ONE STROKE

NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

South African Garth Mulroy will take a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the BMW Italian Open presented by CartaSi after a six under par 66.
The 2011 Alfred Dunhill Championship winner had seven birdies and only his second bogey of the week in moving to 17 under par at Royal Park I Roveri, but he has a trio of Spaniards hot on his heels.
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño birdied the last two holes for a 67 to reach 16 under, while Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Pablo Larrazábal are a shot further back after rounds of 65 and 66 respectively.
Mulroy, 34, said: “I said on the first day the course reminds me a lot of a South African course. The trees and the shape are similar, and the ball goes a little further too.
"I haven't played well this year. It would be a big thing to win on mainland Europe, especially with the purse here and the two-year exemption.”

Fernandez-Castaño had seven birdies and four bogeys - two from hitting his ball in the water - but the highlight was undoubtedly a 70 foot eagle putt at the long eighth.

"I played well but I had a few unforced errors which cost me a few shots,” said the five-time European Tour winner.

"But two birdies to finish on the last two holes has put me back in contention and I'm in a great position for tomorrow.

"It's not going to be an easy task. There are a lot of players within four shots, and this is one of those courses where you can go really low if you have a good day.”

Ryder Cup players Nicolas Colsaerts and Martin Kaymer remain in contention on 13 under, alongside home favourite Matteo Manassero, overnight leader Richard Bland, Welshman Phillip Price and Frenchman Grégory Bourdy.

 

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
199 Garth Mulroy (South Africa) 66 67 66
200 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 68 65 67
201 Rafa Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 67 69 65, Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) 69 66 66
SCOTS' SCORES
205 Marc Warren 68 65 71 (T16)
209 Scott Jamieson 68 69 82 (T61)
211 Alastair Forsyth 68 71 72 (T63)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

PETER HAS HIS SENIOR MOMENTS ON US CHAMPIONS TOUR

FROM THE US CHAMPIONS TOUR WEBSITE

KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) -- Australia's Peter Senior shot a 7-under 65 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Champions Tour's inaugural Pacific Links Hawaii Championship.

PACIFIC LINKS

Full leaderboard
Senior's scorecad

Winless in 65 starts in three seasons on the 50-and-over tour, the 53-year-old Senior birdied seven of the first 13 holes and closed with five pars in breezy afternoon conditions.
"It'd be nice to have a win," Senior said. "I've come close."
Senior has five runner-up finishes on the tour, losing three playoffs. He won the 2010 Australian PGA for the last of his 27 regular international victories, and also won the 2010 Australian Senior Open.
"It was a good hitting round and I putted extremely well for the first 15 holes," Senior said. "I wish it was that easy every day. ... I drove it well, which sets up this course. You've got to be coming from the fairway on a lot of your iron shots to get a little bit of spin. ... These are exactly the same conditions I play in every day at home. The wind comes up in the afternoon."
Jay Don Blake and Bill Glasson were tied for second. Blake, coming off a victory three weeks ago in the Boeing Classic, finished with eight straight pars after making six birdies in an eight-hole stretch.
Mark McNulty and Eduardo Romero shot 67, and Charles Schwab Cup leader Tom Lehman was another stroke back along with Duffy Waldorf and Willie Wood.
Waldorf is making his second senior start. The four-time PGA TOUR winner tied for eighth in the Boeing Classic.
"I felt good out there today and hit a lot of good shots," Waldorf said. "I ran into a little trouble there at the end, but all in all, it was a real nice round."

WEB.COM TOUR BOISE OPEN REPORT, SCORES

REPORT FROM
Joe Chemycz, Web.com Tour

BOISE, Idaho. -- The distance from Seattle to Boise is approximately 500 miles but for several players it's as close as next door. Four players with ties to the Emerald City, including the top two who once shared the same golf coach as junior players, have their names on the leaderboard at the 23rd annual Albertsons Boise Open.

BOISE OPEN

Full leaderboard

"It's the same exact grass we have at home," said Tacoma-born Michael Putnam, who has posted opening rounds of 62-65 for a tournament-record 15-under 129 total and a two-stroke lead over former University of Washington All-America Richard H. Lee. "We're just comfortable with it. Little chips around the greens, where some guys grew up with Bermuda (grass) probably fools them the way Bermuda fools us."
There's no fooling anyone -- Putnam is putting up numbers that will make members at Hillcrest Country Club scratch their heads in disbelief. The Seattle-area resident has chalked up 17 birdies in 36 holes and stamped himself as the man to beat in one of the Web.com Tour's richest events.
"That's a lot of birdies," Putnam said with smile as big as the outdoors. "I've had it going at home but this course is perfect. It's as easy as it's ever been out here with zero wind and soft greens."
The numbers back him up. Thursday's opener produced the lowest first-round scoring average (69.365) in tournament history. Friday's follow-up was even lower -- the 68.966 was the lowest of any single round over the past 23 years.
Lee, a rookie on the PGA TOUR this year, moved into contention with a 9-under 62, the best of the day and the fourth such score in two days.
"I'm not shocked that I shot 62 because I've been playing really well, it's just nice to finally see the putts drop," said Lee, who is alone in second place. "It's all about putting. If you're putting well you can turn a 67 into a 62."
South Africans Tyrone van Aswegen (68) and Dawie van der Walt (65) are not only good friends as well as roommates this week but they also share third place at 12-under par 130. Joining them is 25-year old Sam Saunders (66), who is in his first full season on Tour but sometimes gets interviewed about his famous grandfather, Arnold Palmer.
Jeff Gove, another Seattle native, has certainly found the greens to his liking and has put up scores of 63-68 for an 11-under total that has him in sixth place, four back.
Six players are at 10 under and one shot further behind, including Luke List, No. 2 on the money list and the fourth man with Seattle ties (birthplace).
"I guess we just like it out here," said Gove of the successful start for the quartet. "It's a huge comfort factor. You walk up to the ball and you just know what shot to hit. And into the green, you can see the breaks so much easier."
Second-Round Notes:
• Friday weather: partly cloudy, wind NW 3-8, high of 88 degrees.
• A total of 70 players made the 36-hole cut, which came at 5-under 137.
• The 36-hole cut of 5 under matched the lowest cut in the tournament's 23-year history. The only other time the cut was that number was in 2010.
• The lowest cut on the Web.com Tour this year was 6 under at the Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha. The cut also came at 5 under at the Price Cutter Charity Championship.
• Michael Putnam's 127 total set a tournament record for the lowest opening-36 hole score. The previous mark of 128 (14-under) was first set by Kevin Stadler in 2006 and later matched by Jim McGovern (2007), Blake Adams (2008), Peter Tomasulo (2010) and Jonas Blixt (2011). Of those five, only Stadler went on to win the tournament.
• Nate Smith had two eagles Friday, both on par-5s. Smith eagled Nos. 2 and 16.
• Only two players of the 70 who made the cut posted an over-par score thus far. David Mathis had a one-over 72 in the opening round but back it up with a 65 on Friday. Andrew Svoboda, who shared the first-round lead with a 62, stumbled to a one-over 72 in the second round. Every other player in the field of 70 posted par-or-better scores in both rounds.
• The top-25 money winners are all entered in this week's event. Here's how the top 5 have fared:

Rank Name Scores Position 1 Casey Wittenberg 67-66 -- 131 T13 2 Luke List 67-65 -- 132 T7 3 Ben Kohles 66-66 -- 132 T7 4 Robert Streb 70-68 -- 138 m/c 5 Paul Haley II 72-76 -- 148 m/c

• Seven of the top-10 players on the money list made the cut, 11 of the top-15 and 13 of the top-25.
• Jeff Klauk, making his first start in more than a year, shot scores of 71-69 140 but missed the cut. Klauk, first diagnosed with epilepsy in 2006, earned his PGA TOUR card in 2009 after finishing No. 3 on the 2008 Web.com Tour money list.
He spent 2 1/2 years on Tour, highlighted by his rookie season in which he made 21 cuts in 29 starts and earned $1.24M. He started suffering from ankle and back problems in 2010 and was limited to just 13 starts.
He made only eight starts last year before his year came to an end in June.
Medication has helped him control the partial seizures that have plagued him for several years but he underwent a procedure in April of this year in which 108 electrodes were attached to the inside of his skull in an attempt to locate the source of the seizures.
• Ryan Hietala, a Boise transplant, posted scores of 68-71 139 and did not advance to play on the weekend. He announced earlier in the week that he isn't retiring but rather preparing to "take a break" from competitive golf after this event. The 38-year old will be assuming the assistant coaching duties for the men's golf team at Boise State, among other things.
Hietala has made 234 career starts on the Web.com Tour and won twice -- 2005 Chitimacha Louisiana Open, 2008 Cox Classic. His wife, Jennifer, who played on the BSU women's golf team, is due to give birth to the couple's first child within the next week.
"The last three years have been tough financially for us," he said Thursday. "I haven't been playing great and I've been spending a lot of money and incurring a lot of debt, which golfers do. That's part of the game. It's time for me to be a good husband and a good father."
Hietala joined the Tour in 1999 and played one season on the PGA TOUR (2006) but has decided to join Head Coach Kevin Burton's staff and give up the nomadic life of a touring pro.
• J.J. Killeen, the Web.com Tour's 2011 Player of the Year making his first start on this Tour this year, fired a 5-under 66 in the second round will be around for the weekend. Killeen was a two-time winner last year and the Tour's leading money winner. Thus far in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR he has made 13 cuts in 29 starts and is No. 153 on the money list with $371,001. His only top-10 finish came at the True South Classic, where he was solo eighth.
• Patrick Cantlay, a two-time All-America at UCLA who turned pro earlier this year, posted scores of 69-70 139 (-3) and missed the 36-hole cut. Cantlay, 20, decided to forego his final two years of eligibility with the Bruins. Since becoming a professional in late June, Cantlay has made five of six cuts on the PGA TOUR but his T31 at the Wyndham Championship last month is his best finish thus far.
Cantlay, who was the number one ranked amateur in the world for a record 55 weeks before turning pro, got into the Albertsons Boise Open as a Monday qualifier. He shot a 63 to win medalist honors by three shots.
Cantlay won four tournaments in his freshman season at UCLA and was named winner of the Haskins Award, the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year and the National Freshman of the Year.
• Casey Martin, 40, has carded scores of 68-67 135 (-7) in his first Web.com Tour start in nearly six years. Martin, the men's head golf coach at the University of Oregon, made his last start on Tour (and his last cut) at the 2006 Oregon Classic (T59). Martin, winner of the 1998 Lakeland Classic, was back in the spotlight earlier this summer when he qualified for the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club. He posted scores of 74-75 and missed the cut. Martin is making his seventh career start in this event -- he has made the cut three times -- and his first since 2005. Martin's best finish in Boise was a T30 in 2004.

• The Web.com Tour moves to Texas next week for the WNB Golf Classic. The tournament will be held at Midland Country Club Sept. 17-23. Last year Danny Lee made a par on the first playoff hole to defeat fellow rookie Harris English for his first career title.

TYPHOON SAMBA HALTS PLAY ON ASIAN TOUR

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN TOUR

Play for the second round of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) has been called off again due to Typhoon Sanba making landfall in Taipei on Saturday.

Play was unplayable due to weather and course conditions at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club and tournament officials have decided to reduce the US$500,000 event into a 54-stroke play tournament.

“The extremely wet and windy conditions made it a challenge for play to continue today. The safety of our players going out to the course was also another priority. As such, we have taken the decision to abandon play for today,” said Wanchai Meechai, Asian Tour’s Tournament Director for the Yeangder TPC.

 

“All players will return on Sunday morning 8am to complete their rounds where the forecast is for much calmer conditions. We are also not ruling out a Monday finish so that we can get all 54 holes played,” added Wanchai.

 

Philippines’ Angelo Que holds the clubhouse lead with his first round seven-under-par 65 while American Jason Knutzon, who was even-par through nine holes, took a share of second place alongside India Gangajeet Bhullar.

 

Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang is in fourth place after an opening 67 while India’s Anirban Lahiri is one back in fifth place on 68.

The Yeangder TPC will be celebrating its third edition this week and the full-field Asian Tour event has raised its profile further following a significant increase in its total prize fund to a record US$500,000 this year.

 

Singapore’s Koh Dengshan, who was one-over after three holes before play was abandoned, remained unperturbed by the weather conditions.

 

“This is expected of the weather in Taipei and before I came, I was already mentally prepared for these kinds of conditions. There’s nothing much you can do except to go back there again and play your best when the weather conditions are much,” said Koh.

 

The Yeangder TPC also celebrated the magical aces of Knutzon and Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wen-teh, who won for themselves an Audemars Piguet watch and a cash prize of US$10,000 respectively

 

Kuntzon had the honour of recording the event’s first hole-in-one on the fifth hole on Thursday while Lu added the second on the par-three 11^th on Friday.

www.MyGolfRanking.co.uk

MyGolfRanking.co.uk, Fife Golfing Association

Week 36 ending 9 September 2012

1 C Nelson (St Michaels) 993.18 pts

2 M Elvin (Forrester Park) 986.67

3 G Cramb (Canmore) 982.17

4 A L White (New Club St Andrews) 975

5 E Davidson (Charleton) 954.22

6 A Duncan (Drumoig) 950

7 I Fleming (Auchterderran) 937.5

8 A R Medcraf (Balbirnie Park) 912.09

9 G Angus (Scotscraig) 911.63

10 O McCue (Kirkcaldy) 910

T11 T W Corke (St Andrews GC) 908.33

T11 G Lowe (Pitreavie) 908.33

13 B A A Kinsley (St Andrews GC) 907.14

14 C Malcolm (Canmore) 897.57

T15 A Liddle (Cupar) 893.75

T15 J Woods (St Andrews GC) 893.75

17 D Paterson (Leven GS) 888.89

18 D G G Begbie (Ladybank) 883.65

19 J Henderson (Ladybank) 881.37

20 M Miller (Canmore) 878.57

For ranking lists of participating clubs, the full Fife and National ranking lists and How It Works, visit www.MyGolfRanking.co.uk