"VERY DISAPPOINTED" RORY McILROY IS ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THE MASTERS IN APRIL

 FROM THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Rory McIlroy admits he was "very disappointed" after his first tournament with Nike clubs ended in failure.
Having already felt the need to return to one of his old putters, the world number one's 2013 debut could hardly have gone any worse. For him or the company who are paying him a fortune.
 McIlroy missed the cut at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by four shots, two rounds of 75 leaving him joint 98th in a field of 126.
"It's very disappointing," he said. "You really want to get off to a nice start at the start of the season, but I've got to realise that it is only the start. As long as I feel like my game is in good shape heading into Augusta (the US Masters on April 11-14) that's all I'm worried about."
On his putter switch between rounds he added: "I just felt like the greens I've been practising on are a lot faster than these.
"The Nike putter is great on that, but getting to here it's just a weight issue more than anything else.
"I've got a few weeks off now to work at it and try and get my game in decent shape for the US.
"I knew it was going to be a tough week with everything going on (only last Monday was his multi-million pound Nike deal unveiled in a glitzy ceremony).
"I was just looking forward to getting to the golf course and getting back to what I do and what I'm comfortable with.
"It just didn't work out like that. I hit the ball really well last week in practice in Dubai and just sort of gradually got worse this week for some reason.
"But I'm going to spend the weekend here and work at it with Michael (coach Michael Bannon) a little bit."

STILL FROSTY ON HAWAII - DAVID LEADS BY TWO

FROM THE US CHAMPIONS TOUR WEBSITE  

KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii -- David Frost shot his second straight 7-under 65 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead on John Cook after the second round of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

Rd. 2 highlights Rd. 2 notebook
 

Frost's bogey-free round left him at 14-under 130 at Hualalai Golf Club in the season opener of the Champions Tour.
With winds gusting to 28 mph, scores were higher in the second round, but it barely bothered the 53-year-old South African. Despite having his first-round lead cut in half, he remained in front with five birdies on the back nine, where he needed just 12 putts.
Cook, the 2011 Mitsubishi Electric winner, holed out for eagle from 114 yards on No. 18 to finish at 6-under 66.
"We all have to pay attention," said Cook, who won each of his first five years on this tour before being shut out in 2012. "It's early in the year. It's not like it used to be where you kind of played your way in the first couple weeks.
"You better come here with your game intact if you want to have a chance because everybody else is. These scores, for the first week of the year on a tough day like this -- those are pretty good scores being shot."
Frost said the result of Cook's clutch final shot is "sometimes good, sometimes bad" going into the final day.
"Obviously the bigger lead you can have the better," Frost said. "With nine holes to go is where the action really starts tomorrow so you just want to put yourself in position with nine holes to go. Sometimes with a big lead you guide yourself around the golf course. When you don't have a big lead you tend to play your natural game."
Kirk Triplett, the 2012 Rookie of the Year, was third, another two strokes back after a 68. Fred Couples and 63-year-old Tom Kite both shot 69s and were at 135.
Two-time Mitsubishi Electric champion Hale Irwin finished with a 68 to move into a tie for 11th.

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STUART BALLINGALL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND PLAYING ON THE GECKO TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com 
Norwich-based Anglo Scot Stuart Ballingall disappeared off the radar after playing - and winning twice - on the US college circuit as a freshman student at Missouri University
Scottishgolfview.com has found him!
Paisley-born Ballingall (pictured) turned professional and is playing on the Gecko Spanish mini-tour. This past week he finished joint fourth in the 36-hole event at Torrequebrada with scores of 75 and 68 for one-under-par 143.
That performance earned the former Scotland boy cap 550 Euros.
Duncan Stewart from Grantown on Spey was playing in the same event after he too finished joint fourth a few days earlier in the Gecko Tour 36-holer at Parador Malaga.
But, at Torrequebrada, Stewart, who will be playing on the Challenge Tour in 2013 after his two wins on the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2012, did not fare so well.
Duncan shot 71-84 for 155 and finished out of the money in joint 18th position.
Winner of the tournament, by the way, was Spaniard Marcos Pastor Rufian with 70-67 for seven-under 137.
Callum Trahan of Meldrum House, Oldmeldrum, who turned pro recently, has also been playing - but not too well - on the Gecko Tour.
In the Parador Malaga event, Callum finished T20 with scores of 82-74 for 156 and in the two-rounder just finished at Torrequebrada, Trahan shot 78-83 for 161 and finished T26 in a field of 43 players.
Stick at it, Callum. Even the best of players are inclined to struggle in their early days in the pro ranks.

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BYRNE AND STEWART WIN SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR CARDS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com  Winning Walker Cup team-mates at Balgownie in 2011, Banchory's James Byrne and Michael Stewart from Troon have  earned membership of a pro tour for the 2013 season.  They finished on the same 12 under par mark of 348 after five rounds of the Southern Africa PGA Sunshine Tour Qualifying School at Schoeman Park Golf Club.  Byrne, pictured left, played on the Asian Tour last year and he also won the Northern Open on the Tartan Tour but Stewart has enjoyed little luck since he turned pro. His form these past few days in South Africa suggest that Michael has found the key to the door of his old amateur form. Stewart was officially placed 11th with scores of 72, 70, 67, 70 and 69.  Byrne finished 12th with rounds of 68, 66, 73, 71 and 70.  Stewart, pictured right, earned 4,000 South African Rand, Byrne 3,500.A total of 36 players with aggregates or 354 or better earned playing rights on the Sunshine Tour. Stewart and Byrne finished high up in the pecking order and this should gain them entry to all the tour events. Byrne might well finish up with two strings to his bow as far as 2013 tours are concerned. Next week he is playing in the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School in Thailand.    Winner of the 90-hole endurance test at Bloemfontein and Schoeman Park golf clubs was a German,Torben Baurmann, with scores of 70, 70, 67, 65 and 62 for a 26-under-par total of 334. That is some scoring. Remember the name. He might well be the next Bernhard Langer or even Martin Kaymer. SUNSHINE TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL  Schoeman Park Golf Club, South Africa  Leading 36 players with totals of 354 and better  earned playing rights on tour.  LEADING FINAL TOTALS  Par 360 (5x72) Players from South Africa unless stated 334 Torben Baurmann (Ger) 70 70 67 65 62. 337 J P Van der Walt 66 66 69 70 66. 339 M J Daffue 63 70 70 69 67, Johan de Beer 72 66 67 64 70 SELECTED TOTALS 346 Laurie Canter (Eng) 68 74 66 72 66 (9th). 348 Michael Stewart (Sco) 72 70 67 70 (11th), James Byrne (Sco) 68 66 73 73 70 (12th).  352 Ross McGowan (Eng) 70 68 71 69 74 (24th).  MISSED THE CUT  (Players with totals of 354 and better earned cards) 355 Rhys Enoch (Wal) 73 69 71 71 71, Michael Downes (Eng) 69 71 71 74 70. 357 Tim Rice (Ire) 71 68 71 73 74 359 Joe Braddon (Eng) 78 76 69 64 72

DRAKEFORD v SMITH IN SUNDAY'S AUSTRALIAN FINAL

Geoff Drakeford (Victoria) will play Cameron Smith (Queensland) in Sunday's Austratlian men's amateur championship at Commonwealth Golf Club, Melbourne.  
Smith beat the last surviving English player, Neil Raymond, by 2 and 1 in the quarter-finals and, before that, KOd another England player, Craig Hinton, also by 2 and 1, in the second round.

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JUSTIN ROSE NOW LEADS BY TWO IN ABU DHABI

 

                             A textbook backswing from tournament leader Justin Rose
                                       Picture by coutesy of Getty Images(c)

 FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
 Justin Rose stayed on course for a dream debut in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship after extending his lead to two strokes in the third round.

With Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods having both missed the halfway cut, Rose is now the highest ranked player remaining in the field, and the World Number Five proved his pedigree with another sparkling display at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

An opening bogey was not the start the Englishman had in mind, but he swiftly rebounded with five birdies in six holes to put distance between himself and the chasing pack.

A measured seven iron to four feet on the par three 12th hole led to another birdie and a four shot lead over the field, but his advantage was whittled down to a single stroke after bogeys at the 13th and 17th holes.

Rose was just short of the green in two on the par five closing hole, however, and after chipping to three feet and sinking the resulting birdie putt he was signing for a round of 68 and a 12 under par aggregate total.

He said: “I’m delighted about the day. Any time you strengthen your lead, I guess that’s always good. But more importantly, I felt I played really, really well today. Every time I had the club in my hand, I felt like I was going to hit a good shot – and that’s not always the case.

“Some days you have to work harder than others and some days are a bit of the grind, even if you do come in with a good score. But today was a day where it felt pretty smooth.

“The key was that stretch on the front nine, which snuck up on me. I think that’s when you play your best golf, when you’re not all aware of how well you are going. I hadn’t realised I’d made five birdies in six holes, so I guess that is sort of testament to how calm I was. 

“After a dodgy start with a bogey at the first, I had to settle myself into the round. It definitely took a couple of holes, but it was good to put that behind me with that nice run of birdies.”

Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Dane Thorbjørn Olesen, who will partner Rose on the final day, lie in a share of second place on ten under par after both carded rounds of 69.

Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee, who finished in third place at last week’s Volvo Golf Champions, is a further shot behind, followed by Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, England’s David Howell and Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño on eight under par.

 

THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD

Par 216 (3x72) 

204 J Rose (Eng) 67 69 68

206 J Donaldson (Wal) 67 70 69, T Olesen (Den) 68 69 69

207 T Jaidee (Tha) 70 71 66

208 D Howell (Eng) 69 71 68, G Fernandez-Castaño  (Esp) 70 67 71, R Ramsay  (Sco) 73 68 67

209 M Campbell (Nzl) 69 71 69, A Dodt (Aus) 74 70 65, R Santos  (Por) 71 72 66

210 M Kaymer (Ger) 71 69 70, J Kruger (RSA) 72 69 69

211 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 74 71 66, S Chowrasia (Ind) 73 73 65, A Hansen (Den) 71 71 69, G Coetzee (RSA) 69 71 71, P Hanson (Swe) 73 72 66, J Campillo (Esp) 74 68 69

212 L Gagli  (Ita) 74 68 70, D Willett  (Eng) 70 71 71, J Dufner (USA) 71 69 72, J Luiten (Ned) 70 69 73, J Edfors (Swe) 71 73 68

213 P Lawrie (Irl) 72 72 69, M Fraser (Aus) 75 71 67, B Grace  (RSA) 71 69 73, M Manassero (Ita) 72 68 73, G Maybin (Nir) 71 71 71

214 R Gonzalez (Arg) 72 72 70, P Larrazábal (Esp) 68 74 72, R Jacquelin (Fra) 72 69 73, D Fichardt (RSA) 72 70 72, A Hartø  (Den) 74 72 68, P Harrington (Irl) 72 72 70, C Lee (Sco) 72 70 72, P Casey  (Eng) 71 73 70, P Meesawat  (Tha) 76 69 69, A Cañizares  (Esp) 73 69 72, G Mulroy (RSA) 71 68 75, A Noren  (Swe) 76 70 68, K Horne (RSA) 72 69 73,

215 L Wen-Chong (Chn) 69 72 74, T Hamilton (USA) 75 69 71, P Price (Wal) 72 74 69, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 74 72 69, J Sjöholm (Swe) 71 70 74, R Wattel  (Fra) 73 69 73,

216 P Whiteford (Sco) 73 70 73, H Stenson (Swe) 69 71 76, R Green (Aus) 71 75 70, M Siem  (Ger) 72 72 72, P Lawrie (Sco) 74 71 71, E Els (RSA) 71 73 72, S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 71 75,

217 S Webster (Eng) 73 72 72, T Lewis (Eng) 74 72 71, S Dyson  (Eng) 75 70 72, R Bland (Eng) 72 73 72, T Björn (Den) 72 74 71,

218 M Foster (Eng) 72 72 74, G Storm  (Eng) 72 73 73, O Fisher  (Eng) 73 71 74, G Bourdy (Fra) 72 73 73, I Garrido (Esp) 75 70 73,

219 M Hoey  (Nir) 72 73 74, F Zanotti (Par) 76 70 73, D Horsey (Eng) 74 72 73,

220 A Sullivan (Eng) 71 73 76, R Coles (Eng) 73 70 77,

221 C Wood  (Eng) 73 71 77

WHERE TO GO .. AND WHEN

 

 

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Trump International Golf Links, Scotland Menie Park Lodge | Menie Estate, Balmedie Aberdeenshire, AB23 8YE T:+44(0)1358 743300 www.trumpgolfscotland.co

HAHN AND CASTRO SHARE LEAD ON US PGA TOUR

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
LA QUINTA, California (AP) -- James Hahn jumped all over his drive on the par-5 fifth hole at La Quinta Country Club, then hit his second shot so pure that it went a little father than he wanted. Undaunted, he turned to his trusty 54-degree wedge and holed a 30ft bump-and-run chip for eagle, part of a late birdie-eagle-birdie run that gave him a share of the second-round lead in the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation. 
"It was a long-drive stat hole, so I kind of came out of my shoes a little bit," Hahn said about his 310-yard poke on the tree-lined hole. That left him 220 yards, and he figured a smooth 3-iron was his best play
"I didn't want to really overpower a 4-iron," Hahn said. "I had a lot of adrenaline." 
He made perfect contact.
"Just hit it too good," Hahn said. "Hit the centre of the green, landed it 220, rolled to the back. ... I could have hit it with a 6-iron and probably hit it within 2 feet.
"It didn't matter when the chip rolled in. I read the break perfectly, broke about 2 feet straight down the hill," Hahn said. 
Hahn finished with a 5-under 67 to match Roberto Castro at 14 under after another day of perfect conditions in the Coachella Valley. 
Castro shot a 67 on PGA West's Arnold Palmer Private Course after they began the round tied for the lead with Jason Kokrak at 63. Hahn followed the eagle with a birdie on the par-5 sixth. 
"Any time you have back-to-back par 5s that are reachable, it's definitely something to look forward to," Hahn said. "Especially if the round's not going well." Castro had the lead alone at 16 under, but bogeyed two of his last three holes -- three-putting the par-4 ninth.
 "A couple slipped away there at the end, but yesterday I made a 50-footer on the last," Castro said. "Today, I felt like I hit a good putt and three-putted. So, that's stuff over 72 holes that's going to even out." Hahn opened his rookie season on TOUR last week in Hawaii with a tie for 67th in the Sony Open. The 31-year-old South Korean-born American played briefly at the University of California and won a Web.com Tour event last year. "I'm just soaking it in, having a good time," Hahn said. "Any time that I play a good round, it feels good and makes me cherish the momentum a little bit more, because I know they're few and far between."
 Castro is in his second season on the TOUR. The 27-year-old former Georgia Tech player missed the cut last week in Hawaii in his first start of the year. 
"I learned a lot last year," Castro said. "One of the best things that happened to me was making a lot of the cuts early in the year. I didn't have any big finishes, but I got to play four days and I got to learn pretty quickly. I got to play with some good players and watch what they do."
 Darron Stiles, Scott Stallings and Richard H Lee were 13 under, all shooting 65. Stiles and Stallings played at La Quinta, and Lee was on the Palmer course. 
Kokrak had a 69 on the Nicklaus course to drop into a tie for sixth at 12 under. 
Phil Mickelson shot a 67 on the Nicklaus course after opening with a 72 at La Quinta. The tournament winner in 2002 and 2004, he was nine strokes behind the leaders and two strokes off Saturday's projected cut.
 "The last two holes were the first time that I actually hit solid shots and my rhythm felt good and I made good swings," Mickelson said. "I've been quick from the top. My rhythm has been off and I've hit a bunch of squirrelly shots. I made a lot of rusty mistakes."
The tournament is his first since tying for second in early November in the HSBC Champions in China, the only event he played after the Ryder Cup. He plans to play five or six straight events, a run that will end at Riviera or the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.
"I really want to build some momentum here on the West Coast," Mickelson said.
Russell Henley, the Sony Open winner Sunday in his first start as a PGA TOUR member, had a 69 at the Palmer course to reach 11 under. He shot a 64 on Thursday at the Nicklaus course, and is 35 under in his first six rounds this year.
Matt Kuchar, paired with Mickelson, had a 64 -- matching the best round of the day -- to get to 10 under. He's playing for the third straight week.
"It certainly helps playing the last couple of weeks," Kuchar said. "My first week out at the (Hyundai)Tournament of Champions there was definitely some rust and lack of scoring. Even if you have been practicing, which I was, tournament play is just a little bit different."
DIVOTS: The Palmer course had the highest scoring average the first two days at 69.596. La Quinta was next at 69.529, and the Nicklaus course the lowest at 67.923. ... Mike Weir, the 2003 champion, followed his opening 67 at La Quinta with a 75 at the Nicklaus course to drop into a tie for 130th in the 156-man field at 2 under. The Canadian has missed 16 consecutive cuts and finished only one tournament -- a tie for 70th in the AT and T National in July 2011 -- in his last 28 events. The top 70 and ties after the third round will play Sunday at the Palmer course. ... FedExCup champion Brandt Snedeker shot a 68 on the Nicklaus course to reach 9 under. He's the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 8. ... Defending champion Mark Wilson was tied for 138th at 1 under after a 66 on the Nicklaus course. He opened with a 77 at La Quinta. 

LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
Players from USA unless stated
130 Roberto Castro 63 67, James Hahn 63 67
131 Darron Stiles 66 65, Scott Stallings 66 65, Richard H Lee 66 65
132 LeeWilliams 67 65, Jason Kokrak 63 69, Zach Johnson 66 66, David Lingmerth (Swe) 68 64, Kevin Stadler 66 66, Charles Howell III 67 65, Charley Hoffman 65 67, Greg Chalmers (Australia) 64 68, Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 64 68.    

SELECTED SCORES
136 Brian Davis (England) 68 68 (T45)
137 Greg Owen (England) 72 65 (T60)
138 Martin Laird (Scotland) 69 68 (T78)
139 Phil Mickelson 72 67, Ross Fisher (England) 74 64 (T91)
140 David Lynn (England) 69 71 (T105)    

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ASIAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL REPORT AND SCORES

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR

Hua Hin, Thailand: A total of 47 players including Rashid Khan of India, Pelle Edberg of Sweden, Australian Darren Tan and Yeh Wei-tze of Chinese Taipei earned berths to the Qualifying School Final Stage presented by Sports Authority of Thailand when they qualified through the First Stage Section B today.

Australians Matthew Stieger and amateur golfer Daniel Bringolf led 25 players at the Imperial Lakeview Golf Club to the all-important Qualifying School Final Stage after shooting a final round 64 and 67 respectively.

Stieger and Bringolf topped the group on 12-under-par 276, four shots ahead of India’s Rashid Khan (69), who is attempting to be third time lucky in his quest for an Asian Tour card.

Bryce Easton of South African shot an even-par 72 at the Springfield Royal Country Club to spearhead 22 players into the all-important Final Stage where the top-40 and ties next week will earn an Asian Tour card for 2013.

Edberg of Sweden was a further three shots back following a 71 while Yeh, the Malaysian Open champion in 2000, finished one shot above the safety line to earn a chance for an Asian Tour card.

Players who play in the Qualifying School are also eligible to play in the Asian Development Tour (ADT) which will be afforded with Official World Golf Ranking points starting this season.

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TEAM GB SURVIVE DISQUALIFICATION MOVE AT AUSSIE YOUTH OLYMPICS

TEGWEN MATTHEWS REPORTS

Australian Youth Olympic Festival - Day 3

“Super Saturday”, as traditionally referred to in the Olympics, very nearly turned into “Shocking Saturday” for TeamGB, on the third day of play at Twin Creeks Golf and Country Club, Sydney.

A group, including TeamGB members Ewan Scott and Bradley Neil, who are two of the four nominated players for the team award, teed off from an incorrect teeing ground at the short sixth hole. The tee had been moved some 30 yards left of its previous position and the group had not been advised of the change of tee or yardage.

Under the R&A rules of golf, the penalty is disqualification.

Following an appeal, the committee reviewed the decison and, following discussion with R&A representatives, the disqualification was waived under “exceptional circumstances”, having found precedent from a simiar incident in an International qualifying event. 

The group of three, which included an Australian player, were asked to replay that hole from the correct tee - the score recorded for the hole, to stand as the correct score for the re-instated players.

Everyone concerned was entirely grateful, most especially TeamGB, and I think we can safely say, that every teeing ground will now be examined with extreme diligence! 

It had been a turbulent day all round for TeamGB performance, as five players still had to complete their second rounds following the suspension of play for the extreme heat on Day 2.

Teeing off at an earlier start of 6.45 am, Lauren Whyte posted a superb 5 under par 67, holing a 15 footer on the last, to loud cheers from her team-mates. 

Ashton Turner finished on 4 under par 68, to continue in pole position for the boys individual event.

Play for the third  round commenced at the later time of 8.45am and in very different conditions to that of Day 2. Temperatures were halved to 23 degrees, accompanied by showers and a challenging breeze. 

Georgia Hall discarded the frustrations of her first two rounds and posted a fine 4 under par 68. Going into the final day, Georgia leads the girls' individual event by three shots from Australia, with TeamGB member,Gabriella Cowley, shooting a 73, placing her in bronze position.

Both Chloe Williams and Lauren Whyte, struggled to repeat their form of round 2, but are well placed to maximise their performance in the final round and rise to medal places.

Amber Ratcliffe fired her tournament best of 70 and will be looking to improve on that again on the final day.

Ashton Turner was disappointed with his 74, which dropped him into bronze position, behind Australia and China, but will no doubt be firing on all cylinders tomorrow and hunting for gold.

Fellow TeamGB team mates Jack Singh Brar and Harry Ellis, shot their first sub par rounds of the tournament, with 67 and 70 respectively.

With Ewan Scott and Bradley Neil, re-instated from disqualification, Team GB lead the team event by four strokes from Australia. Bradley Neil posting another sub par round of 69 and Ewan Scott a level par 72.

TeamGB spirits were revived following the boys' re-instatement and everyone is in exactly the right frame of mind to maximise their performance tomorrow and contribute to the ever growing haul of medals from all the other TeamGB atheletes.

Lets make it “Super Sunday” for TeamGB Golf!