LIVE SCORING AS GRAEME McDOWELL LEADS ON FINAL DAY IN CALIFORNIA

TO ACCESS THE LIVE SCORING SERVICE FROM THE FINAL ROUND OF THE WORLD CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT AT SHERWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, 
THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA

CLICK HERE

LATER NEWS FROM THE COURSE

Graeme McDowell  16 under par after 16
Keegan  Bradley     13 under par after 15
Bo Van Pelt            12 under par after 17
Tiger Woods           10 under par after 17

LEADERS IN CLUBHOUSE
279 (-9) Jim Furyk 69 69 71 780, Rickie Fowler 73 67 70 69

SELECTED FINAL TOTAL
288 (level par) Ian Poulter 73 72 71 72     

PETER FOWLER WINS AUSSIE SENIOR OPEN BY SIX STROKES

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALASIA WEBSITE
Peter Fowler has stormed home to a six-shot victory in the final round of the 2012 ISPS Handa Australian Senior Open today.
In near-perfect conditions, Fowler capitalised on the typical Perth, weather finishing out the tournament with a final round of two-under-par 70, backing up opening rounds of 67 and 70.
Fowler got off to a strong start with a birdie on the par 4 first hole, backing it up quickly with further birdies on the fourth and seventh holes. A bogey on eight was disappointing but not threatening to his 6 shot lead over the rest of the field.
Turning at 2 under the card, Fowler played confident golf on the back nine, finishing out his round with a par on 18 to sign for 2 under par for the final round, six shots ahead of next best placed David Merriman and past champion Mike Harwood.
While accepting the trophy from Chairman of Golf Australia John Hopkins, Fowler thanked his coach and caddie Craig Bishop whom he credited with getting his (Fowler's) head right and really turning his game around over the past 2 and a half years.
An emotional Fowler also thanked his wife Kim and family back home in New Zealand who have all supported him over a long and impressive golfing career.
The honour of the Australian Senior Open title comes 29 years after Fowler won the Australian Open title in 1983. He joins a list of champions of the prestigious title including Wayne Grady, Mike Harwood and Peter Senior.
Fowler will take his winning form to Mauritius next week to contend the European Senior Tour season ending event the MCB Tour Championship.
David Merriman and Mike Harwood finished runner up in the event after scores of 70, 71, 72 and 72, 70, 71 consecutively. Both will also take their strong form to the event in Mauritius next week to finish out the long year of golf.
Michael Clayton had the round of the day shooting 5 under par 67 to finish in the tie for 4th with Tim Elliott.

KENNEDY T14 IN SEASON-ENDING JAPAN TOUR EVENT
 Australia's Brad Kennedy finished in a tie for 14th place behind runaway winner Hiroyuki Fujita at the Nippon Series JT Cup in Tokyo today.
In the season-ending tournament reserved for winners on the Japanese Tour in 2012 and those winless but in the top 25 on the money list, Kennedy closed with a final round of 71 to be four-under overall.
That left him some 14 strokes behind Fujita, who not only claimed the tournament victory by five shots, but also clinched the money list crown for the first time.
Fujita took a six-shot lead into the final round and was never seriously threatened as he cruised home with a 67 and an 18-under score of 262.
That was five shots better than his closest rivals, with Japan's Toshinori Muto and American Han Lee sharing second place at 13 under.
South Korean Kyung-Tae Jim was fourth at minus 12, while Japan's Toru Taniguchi was alone in fifth a further shot adrift.
Kennedy was one of only two Australians competing in the tournament, with compatriot Brendan Jones finishing well back in a share of 21st at two over.

 

USGA REACT TO HECKLING OF KEEGAN BRADLEY FOR USING LONG PUTTER

 FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
On Saturday, Keegan Bradley says that he was heckled by a fan off the 18th green at the end of his third round at the Tiger Woods World Challenge, with the fan calling him a "cheater" because of his continued use of his long putter.
This comes only days after the USGA and R and A proposed a ban of anchored putting which will come into effect on January 1, 2016.
The USGA made the following statement on Saturday's incident at Sherwood Country Club: "The United States Golf Association (USGA) today issued the following statement regarding yesterday’s incident at the World Challenge in which a spectator called Keegan for changes to the Rules of Golf.
'This is a deplorable incident, and there is no place in our game for this kind of behaviour. As we noted when announcing proposed Rule 14-1b, it has been and remains entirely within the Rules of Golf for players to anchor the club while making a stroke. 
"There should not be a shred of criticism of such players or any qualification or doubt about their achievements, and we think that it is inappropriate even to suggest anything to the contrary. 
"Rule changes address the future and not the past. Up until now and until such time as a Rule change were to be implemented, golfers using an anchored stroke will have been playing by the Rules of Golf.
'We are sorry that Keegan had to experience this unfounded criticism from an obviously uneducated spectator. Instead, Keegan and other PGA Tour professionals should be commended for their maturity and grace in managing through a proposed change to the Rules of Golf.
'While we understand that the proposed Rules change would cause some short-term angst, we believe the new Rule would serve the long-term best interest of the game.'

TRIPLE BOGEY SCUPPERS PAUL LAWRIE IN SOUTH AFRICA

A triple bogey 7 at the fifth hole in the final round scuppered Paul Lawrie's chances of regaining the lead he held over the star-studded elite field for the first two rounds of the Nedbank Challenge at Gary Player Country Club, Sun City in Africa today.
The tournament and its first prize of £1million  was won by Germany's Martin Kaymer with an eight-under-par total of 280.
Lawrie finished sixth on one-over-289. 
He earned £200,000.
It was a tournament of two halves for the Aberdonian.
Over the first 36 holes Paul shot 71-69 for four-under-par 140.
Over the final 36 holes he shot 75-74 for five-over-par 149.
Lawrie had started the final round as if he meant business with birdies at the second and fourth. Then the wheels came off with that disastrous 7 at the par-4 fifth. 
There was no way back after he shed further shots to par at the 10th and 11th before covering the last seven holes in one under par, thanks to a birdie at the 15th.
Not a bad way to finish a truly memorable season
for Paul. Come home and get your feet up, Paul. You've earned a rest!
    

PAUL LAWRIE'S BLOG
Got off to a good start this morning with birdies at the second and fourth holes but hit it straight right into the bush off the fifth and made triple bogey 7. Then hit some lovely shots but again really struggled with the putter to shoot 74 and finish +1 overall to be 6th on my own. 
It has been a strange week as have struggled with the driver and putter but hit some lovely iron shots.  
This is our final week for 2012 and what a week to finish off your year as this tournament is tough to beat.
Huge thanks to Nedbank and Sun International for looking after us so well.   

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) Yardage 7,831
280 Martin Kaymer (Germany) 72 69 70 69.
282 Charl Schwartzel (S Africa) 72 71 70 69
285 Bill Haas (United States) 70 73 71 71
286 Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) 71 72 69 74
287 Lee Westwood (England) 71 73 70 73
289 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 71 69 75 74
290 Francesco Molinari (Italy) 72 71 78 69, Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 72 75 74 69
291 Peter Hanson (Sweden)( 72 73 73 7
293 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 70 78 74 71
295 Justin Rose (England) 73 79 69 74
297 Garth Mulloy (S Africa) 75 73 75 74     

FOR ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND SCORECARDS

CLICK HERE     

KAYMER GETS A SOLITARY VICTORY ON
HIS RECORD BEFORE END OF SEASON 

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
Martin Kaymer wanted one victory from his 2012 season, and finally achieved his goal with a two-stroke victory at the Nedbank Golf Challenge today. 
The winner's prize was $1.25million.
“I’m very happy to finally win this year. That was the most important thing for me, because I was practising very hard. I played very well the last few weeks and months, but it just did not happen for me on the golf course," said the German former World No 1.
"I said to Craig, my caddy, we have to win one tournament every year and this is our last chance. Fortunately we could bring it home.”
The German’s win was preceeded on Saturday by countryman Bernhard Langer's victory in the three-round Nedbank Champions Challenge. 
It’s the first time that Gary Player Country Club has produced twp winners from the same country.
“Bernhard has been a very, very big help for me. There was a little bit more pressure today. Everybody was talking about the German double. I am very fortunate that everything worked out the way I was hoping it would and obviously very nice from Bernhard that he congratulated me straight away,” said Kaymer.
The former World No 1 began the day one stroke ahead, raced forward with an eagle at the second and then speed wobbled with a double-bogey at the third. He regrouped with a run of five pars and, once settled, stretched out his lead with three birdies around the turn.
On the back stretch Charl Schwartzel made his move and managed to get within a stroke. Although he’s recovered from a torn intercostal muscle, he still seems to lack that killer instinct that earned him a green jacket in 2011. 
Schwartzel struggled to capitalise on opportunities over the closing holes but went on to set the clubhouse lead at six-under-par for the tournament.
That left Kaymer to a comfortable two-stroke lead heading down the 18th, and the Ryder Cup hero knew exactly how to close out the tournament. 
 His victory marks the fifth consecutive international winner at the $5-million tournament.
American Bill Haas carded a final-round 71 to claim sole third, while Louis Oosthuizen never got the hang of the greens and floundered to sole fourth with his Sunday 74.
Defending champion Lee Westwood’s chances were destroyed by a 7 at the par-five 14th, and the Englishman finished sole fifth with his one-under-par total. 
 The rest of the 12-man field were all over par through four rounds at a tough and very long Gary Player Country Club lay-out, where narrow fairways, stubborn rough, gusty winds and - on Sunday - steady rain made scoring consistently difficult. No one shot better than 69 all week.

2013 MEN'S MID-AMATEUR TOUR DATES, VENUES

MID AMATEUR GOLF

Contact:  Jason Morris                                                                                                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Telephone:  01227 274263                                                                                          Mobile:  07891 766102

MID AMATEUR GOLF TOUR ANNOUNCE

SCHEDULE FOR 2013

Mid Amateur Golf (www.midamgolf.co.uk) are pleased to announce the schedule for the 2013 season that starts with a 36 hole event at the Nick Faldo designed Chart Hills Golf Club in Kent and will be the first event on the Mid Amateur Golf Tour Order of Merit, which was won this year by Martin Young from Brockenhurst Manor GC.

The schedule for 2013 includes events at Chart Hills, Hunstanton, West Lancashire, Doonbeg, Lahinch, Turnberry, Machynys Peninsula, Sunningdale, Hankley Common, Liphook, Porters Park, Berkhamsted, Royal Cinque Ports, Hollinwell, Old Fold Manor, South Herts, Farnham, Hindhead, Wellingborough and many more with the events at Machynys Peninsula and Turnberry being part of the R&A & USGA World Amateur Ranking for 2013. (WAGR)

Mid Amateur Events for 2013.

Event		Venue			Date		H/C Limit		Ballot?		Price
Mid Amateur Open		Chart Hills			16 April 2013		14		NONE		£90
Mid Amateur Open		Hunstanton			26 April 2013		14		NONE		£95
North West of England		West Lancashire			24 May 2013		12		NONE		£85
Mid Amateur Open		Old Fold Manor			24 May 2013		TBA		7
Irish Mid Amateur		Lahinch & Doonbeg			29-31 May 2012		14		NONE		£449
Welsh Mid Amateur		Machynys Peninsula			20-21 June 2013		9		NONE		£90
Mid Amateur Open		Wellingborough			12 July 2013		18		NONE		£55
English Mid Amateur		The Worcestershire			5-7 July 2013		9		5		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		Hollinwell			28 July 2013		TBA		7		TBA
Dartmoor Trophy		Teignmouth			01 August 2013		TBA		7		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		Hankley Common			09 August 2013		TBA		5		TBA
Scottish Mid Amateur		Turnberry Resort			13-14 August 2013		12		NONE		£110
Gerald Micklem Cup		Sunningdale			30 August 2013		TBA		1		TBA
Mid Amateur Quaich		Berkhamsted			04 September 2013		TBA		6		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		Hindhead			11 September 2013		TBA		8		TBA
Pearson Trophy		Liphook			14 September 2013		TBA		6		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		Porters Park			16 September 2013		TBA		6		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		Royal Cinque Ports			23 September 2013		TBA		9		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		Farnham			TBA		TBA		8		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		South Herts			TBA		TBA		8		TBA
Mid Amateur Open		TBA			October		6 to 18		NONE		TBA
(Open to 6-18 handicaps)

ASIA-PACIFIC OVERHAUL CHINA IN NISSAN CUP SINGLES

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ONEASIA TOUR
SHENZHEN, China - An Asia-Pacific select side rallied from behind with a string of powerful singles performances today to beat Team China 14 1/2 - 9 1/2 in the Ryder Cup-style Dongfeng Nissan Cup at the CTS Tycoon Club in Shenzhen, China.

Trailing 7-5 after the fourball and foursome rounds, the Asia-Pacific team won nine and halved one of the 12 singles matches to retain the trophy they claimed at the inaugural OneAsia event last year.

China's sole victories on the final day came from veteran Zhang Lianwei, considered the father of professional golf in the country, and Liang Wenchong, who succeeded him as the mainland's best and most successful player.

But it was left to the next generation to lead the way on Sunday when China sent out 14-year-old amateur sensation Guan Tianlang in the first singles match against New Zealander Mark Brown -- who was winning tournaments before his young opponent was even born.

"He certainly has a future," Brown said after securing a 2 and 1 victory against Guan, who next year will be the youngest ever player to compete in the U.S. Masters having secured a spot by virtue of winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur championship last month.

"He plays so well that it's easy to forget just how young he is."  

China has invested heavily in pulling together a national squad to fly the flag in Brazil when golf makes a return to the Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and their Dongfeng Nissan players form the backbone of that squad. Newly named Olympic captain Liang Wenchong led by example and raced five-up against fellow OneAsia Order of Merit winner Andre Stolz before taking his foot off the gas and easing out a 3 and 1 winner

Jin Daxing managed to squeeze a half for China against Choo Tze Huang in the fourth match, but from then it was a procession in blue --  summed up by Jason Kang's  6 and 5 victory against Yuan Hao.

The biggest win of the day, however, belonged to the veteran Zhang, who was shaking hands on the 12th against Soushi Tajima after winning 7 and 5.

It was left to Asia-Pacific playing vice-captain Scott Laycock -- who didn't lose a match all weekend -- to wrap up the proceedings against Zhang Xinjun with a birdie putt on the 18th for a one-up victory.

"I am very proud of the way the players came together on the final day," said Asia-Pacific captain Peter Thomson, the legendary five-time Open Championship winner and the first Australian to be inducted in world golf's Hall of Fame.

"I wasn't sure we would be able to pull if off after the first two rounds, but the players buckled down and showed great character in the singles."

China captain Wang Jun said he was disappointed, but said the team would learn from the defeat.

"I hope we can come back stronger and next year score our first victory."

 

Result

China  9 1/2, Asia-Pacific 14 1/2

 

Singles  (2 1/2-9 1/2)

 (Chinese names first):

Guan Tianlang (amateur)  lost to Mark Brown 2 and 1

Liang Wenchong bt Andre Stolz 3 and 1.

Ouyang Zheng lost to Rory Hie 2 and 1

Jin Daxing halved with Choo Tze Huang

Zhou Guowu lost to Nicholas Fung 1 hole.

Yuan Tian lost to Yosuke Tsukada 4 and 3.

Wu Weihuang lost to Michael Long 3 and 2

Wu Kangchun lost to Wisut Artjanawat 3 and 2

Han Ren lost to Choi Jin-ho 3 and 2

Yuan Hao lost to Jason Kang 6 and 4.

Zhang Lianwei bt Soshi Tajima 7 and 6

Zhang Xinjun lost to Scott Laycock 1 hole.

 

THAILANDER MAKES KING'S CUP HIS FIRST ASIAN TOUR TITLE

                          AND THE WINNER IS ... Arnond Vongvanij

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN TOUR

Khon Kaen, Thailand:  Thailand’s Arnond Vongvanij showed that he can match up against the region’s biggest names when posted a flawless eight-under-par 64 to clinch his maiden Asian Tour title at the King’s Cup today.

Although the 23-year-old is only playing in his rookie season on the Asian Tour, Arnond displayed the form of a seasoned professional to pip veterans Mardan Mamat of Singapore and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant to the title with his winning total of 22-under-par 266 at the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club.

Despite missing out on his fourth win of the season, Thaworn took consolation that he now leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit with his tied-second place finish alongside Mardan after the duo closed with matching 268s.

Defending champion Udorn Duangdecha of Thailand had to settle for equal fourth alongside compatriot Thammanoon Sriroj after he signed off with a 67 at the King’s Cup which is the third last event on the 2012 Asian Tour Schedule.

After four top-10s this season, Arnond finally earned his career breakthrough in the most deserving way when he held off the combined challenges of Thaworn and Mardan who have a total of 18 Asian Tour victories between themselves.

Starting his final round three shots back of overnight leader Mardan, Arnond birdied holes two, seven, eight and nine to turn in 32.

He continued his birdie run on the 11^th, 14^th and 16^th holes.

However with Mardan continuing to share the lead with Arnond right up to the 16^th hole, the pivotal moment in the round would come at the par-three 17^th when Arnond drained a 10-feet birdie putt to take the outright lead.

“I just kept playing one shot at a time and it was really a close fight all the way as Mardan was also making birdies. It was tough not to feel any pressure and I tried to steady my nerves after every hole,” said Arnond.

Arnond survived a scare on the closing 18^th when his approach shot missed the green and landed in the rough. The Thai, however managed to save par by chipping his shot to within five-feet of the pin for his maiden win. 

“This win means a lot to me as I now have a two-year winner’s exemption and I can focus on playing well at the every tournament that I take part in,” said Arnond, who holds a finance degree and is nicknamed ‘Bank’ because he was born the day after his mother took her Masters final examination in financial banking.  

Mardan started off convincingly with an eagle-three on the third hole. He bogeyed the fifth but recovered well with birdies on the 10, 12 and 15 holes.

A poor tee shot on the 17^th proved costly for Mardan as he went on to bogey the hole, dropping to 20-under.

The Singaporean then had to eagle his last to force a play-off with Arnond but he could only manage to reach the green in three and eventually settled for a par.

“I played really steady golf today except on the 17^th where I had a bad swing. But other than that, it was okay. It was just tough with everyone chasing you down for the lead,” said Mardan.

“I’m very pleased with the way I putted and that’s the positive that I can take from my performance this week. Hopefully I can carry that over to the last two events,” added Mardan.

Thaworn, meanwhile tipped his hat to Arnond whom he felt was the deserving winner.

“Arnond played well today and he deserves to win. He played really good golf and to finish with a 64 is a good effort from a young man like him,” said Thaworn.

The 15-time Asian Tour winner then issued an ominous warning to his rivals in the Order of Merit race after he regained pole position.

“I’m beginning to believe that I can win the Order of Merit for the second time. There’re still two more events to play and I’m confident of doing well,” said Thaworn.

  James Byrne and Ross Bain, the only two Scots in the field, finished T46 and 67th respectively. Byrne shot 70 69, 73 and 70 for joint 46th place on six-under 282 and earned $2,700.

Bain  finished T67 with scores of 70, 70, 75 and 75 for a total of two-over 290.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72) Yardage 7,418

266 Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA) 65-70-67-64.                                                   
268 Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 69-66-65-68, Mardan MAMAT (SIN) 63-70-66-69.

269 Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA) 70-66-68-65, Udorn DUANGDECHA (THA) 65-68-69-67.

272 Boonchu RUANGKIT (THA) 67-67-71-67, Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 67-69-69-67, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 65-69-70-68, Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 67-68-68-69, Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA) 70-65-67-70.

274 Quincy QUEK (SIN) 69-66-71-68, Simon GRIFFITHS (ENG) 69-70-67-68, Chris RODGERS (ENG) 64-69-72-69, CHIANG Chen-chih (TPE) 70-64-71-69, Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA) 71-68-66-69, Javi COLOMO (ESP) 65-72-65-72.

 

Selected scores

276 LIN Wen-tang (TPE) 66-68-69-73

278 LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 69-69-71-69
282 James Byrne (Scotland) 70 69 73 70 (T46)
290 Ross Bain (Scotland) 70 70 75 75 (T67)