BILL HOGG RECALLS BALGOWNIE MATCH AGAINST BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

FROM BILL HOGG

I happened to note the recent posting in your Scottish Golf View website of the sad death of Mike Brannan, the former US Walker Cup player and tour pro.  

 I can offer a personal reminiscence of Mike Brannan from I think 1975 when he was a member of the Brigham Young University team which toured the UK which included a match at Balgownie against Royal Aberdeen GC.   

I played Mike in the top singles match and managed to scramble a square game after having been dormie 3 down so you can understand why the occasion has stuck in my memory!     I recall he was a delightful chap to play against, as were all the members of his team, all being impeccably mannered through their Mormon upbringing.      

While Brannan was deemed the star of that team, I recall that the late Joe Little came up against an even better player in John Fought who trounced Joe, which was no easy feat over his home course!    

Fought later broke the Balgownie course record with a 64 in a subsequent University Championship event which stood as an amateur record for many years until alterations to the course.     Fought then went on to have a very successful career on the US tour and also became a highly regarded golf course architect.

 

The above match was the second such match between RAGC and BYU as 10 years earlier, there was a match which was notable for the inclusion in the BYU team of a certain Johnny Miller who went on to have a stellar pro career including, of course, winning both the Open and the US Open.    

The late J P Grant had the privilege of playing Miller on that occasion and I recall John predicting at the time that he had witnessed a future star in the making.

Enough such tales from me but just thought you would be interested to hear about Mike Brannan’s Aberdeen connection!

 

With kind regards,

Bill Hogg

 

NEW LADY PROS TOUR DEBUTS AT DALMAHOY ON APRIL 18

The new Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour will be launched at Marriott Dalmahoy's East Course on Thursday, April 18. 

The 14-event tour, modelled on 18-hole, one-day Alliance lines, will be open to women professionals and female amateurs with a single-figure handicap. 
The fledgling tour is also being
supported by the RandA. 
To save accommodation costs for players coming up from England and Wales or over from Ireland - and possibly the Continent - the events have been divided into neighbouring pairs and will be played back-to-back with no day between. 
Ratho Park Golf Club will stage the Edinburgh double-header on Friday, April 19, the day after Dalmahoy. As another gesture to entrants from distant parts, the Dalmahoy event will tee off just before 2pm and Ratho Park at 2pm.
The only 36-hole event on the PLGC SLOT will be the Tour Championship over two days at Dalmahoy in October. 

The objective of the Tour, which is being co-organised by Nicola Melville, pictured,  a PGA teaching professional at St Andrews, and golf writer Colin Farquharson, is to provide a competitive platform for female players, professional and amateurs, to improve their game sufficiently to enable them gain pass marks at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School.
 No Scots survived the recent Q School.
Entries - £50 per tournament for both professionals and amateurs - can be made already through the PLGC SLOT website:
 http://www.scottishladiestour.co.uk/home

ENGLAND PIPPED BY SPAIN FOR QUADRANGULAR TITLE

England surprisingly lost 5-4 to Finland on the final day of the quadrangular international at Costa Ballena - and hosts Spain
won the title on a countback.
Spain's massive 8-1 win over Germany on Day 3, coupled with England's defeat, made it a joy day for the Spaniards.
Spain, England and Finland finished tied at the top of the table, each having won twice and lost one.
Spain's "goals for and against" was 18-9
England finished 17 1/2-9 1/2
Finland finished 14 1/2-12 1/2
So Spain pipped England for the title by half a point.

COLLATED RESULTS

Day 1
Germany 2, Finland 7
England 5 1/2, Spain 3 1/2
Day 2
Germany 1, England 8
Finland 2 1/2, Spain 6 1/2
Day 3
England 4, Finland 5
Foursomes: 0-3
Singles: 4-2
Germany 1, Spain 8
Foursomes: 1-2
Singles: 0-6

TO VIEW ALL THE DETAILED  RESULTS

CLICK HERE              

FIVE SCOTS REACH FINAL SENIOR TOUR Q SCHOOL

Scots David James, Robert Arnott, Albert Mackenzie, Terry Burgoyne and Alan Saddington made it through Stage 1 of the European Senior Tour Qualifying School on the Algarve, Portugal today.But Campbell Elliott, Kenny Hutton, George Crawford, Ian Dougan and Mike Lang failed to figure among the leading 29 qualifiers from each of the two venues, Silves and Gramacho.James finished tied third at Silves with scores of 67 and 71 for 138, three shots behind venue winner Mark Wharton (67-68) from England.Dougan shot 75-74 for 149 to finished joint 46th and Lang 81-74 for 155 and 60th place.Arnott and Mackenzie qualified in joint 12th place at the Lagos venue of Gramacho where they both totalled 150, Arnott 78-72, Mackenzie 72-78. They finished seven shots behind venue winner John Lindberg, a Swedish amateur, who scored 74-69 for 143.Burgoyne made it through in joint 14th place on 151 (71-80) and Saddington in a share of 19th place with scores of 78-74 for 152.Elliott failed on 155 (80-75), Hutton on 158 (81-77) and amateur Crawford on 165 (82-83).The European Senior Tour Q School Final Stage will be played at Vale da Pinta, Carvoeiro next week.  FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE Mark Wharton emerged triumphant in Stage One of the European Senior Tour Qualifying School at Silves Golf Course. Wharton, who turns 50 on May 2 this year and joined the professional ranks in October 2012, led 29 successful qualifiers from Silves Golf Course at the Pestana Golf Resorts, in Portugal’s Algarve region. The Englishman added a round of 68 to his opening effort of 67 to finish the two-day qualifier on five under par, two strokes ahead of his nearest challenger Miguel Guzman of Argentina, who signed for a best-of-the-day 67.  Wharton, who mixed four birdies with two bogeys in wet and windy playing conditions, hit 15 greens in regulation and would have finished further clear were it not for a number of missed chances late in his round. Meanwhile, over at Gramacho Golf Course, it was Swedish amateur John Lindberg who finished top of the pile after signing for a superb round of 69 which was the lowest of the day by three shots. Lindberg was the only player in the 80-man field to finish under par, with Brazilian Luiz Martins and American John Ross finishing in a share of second place two shots back on one over par. A total of 29 players also progressed from Gramacho Golf Course to next week’s Final Stage at the Vale da Pinta Course, at Pestana Carvoeiro Golf Resort, where the 58 qualifiers will be joined by 17 exempt players in a battle for the 14 cards on offer for the 2013 Senior Tour Schedule.

EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR Q SCHOOL STAGE 1 REPORT

 FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Mark Wharton emerged triumphant in Stage One of the European Senior Tour Qualifying School at Silves Golf Course.

Wharton, who turns 50 on May 2 this year and joined the professional ranks in October 2012, led 29 successful qualifiers from Silves Golf Course at the Pestana Golf Resorts, in Portugal’s Algarve region.

The Englishman added a round of 68 to his opening effort of 67 to finish the two-day qualifier on five under par, two strokes ahead of his nearest challenger Miguel Guzman of Argentina, who signed for a best-of-the-day 67. 

Wharton, who mixed four birdies with two bogeys in wet and windy playing conditions, hit 15 greens in regulation and would have finished further clear were it not for a number of missed chances late in his round.

Meanwhile, over at Gramacho Golf Course, it was Swedish amateur John Lindberg who finished top of the pile after signing for a superb round of 69 which was the lowest of the day by three shots.

Lindberg was the only player in the 80-man field to finish under par, with Brazilian Luiz Martins and American John Ross finishing in a share of second place two shots back on one over par.

A total of 29 players also progressed from Gramacho Golf Course to next week’s Final Stage at the Vale da Pinta Course, at Pestana Carvoeiro Golf Resort, where the 58 qualifiers will be joined by 17 exempt players in a battle for the 14 cards on offer for the 2013 Senior Tour Schedule.
 

DAILY NOW LEADING SCOT IN SOUTH AMERICA

Newmachar's Graham Gordon fell back to joint 48th place with a second-round 83 for a halfway total of 161 in the South Americanmen's amateur golf championship at El Rincon Golf Club, Bogotain Colombia. Best placed Scot is now Michael Daily (Erksine) but he is 10 shots behind the new leader, England's Callum Shinkwin who is on one-over-par 145 after rounds of 75-70.Daily has scored 79-76 for 155 and a share of 23rd place.Jamie Savage (Cawder) is lying joint 37th on 158 with a pair of 79s.Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) has shot 80-83 for 163 and joint 54th place.LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALSPar 144 (2x72)145 Callum Shinkwin (Eng) 75 70.147 Omar Tejeira (Pan) 75 72148 Erik Myilymaki (Fin) 75 73, Geoff Lenehan (Ire) 73 75 SELECTED SCORES150 Jordan Smith (Eng) 75 75 (11th)153 Brian Casey (Ire) 76 77 (T13)154 Jason Shufflebotham (Wal) 77 77 (T17)155 Michael Daily (Sco) 79 76 (T23)158 Jamie Savage (Sco) 79 79 (T37) 161 Graham Gordon (Sco) 78 83 (T48)163 Fraser Moore (Sco) 80 83. ends

CHRIS WOOD GOES THREE SHOTS CLEAR WITH SIZZLING 64

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

A quite brilliant third round of eight under par enabled Chris Wood to stride into a three stroke lead heading into the final round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

 

The 6ft 5in Englishman’s towering performance included an eagle, seven birdies and just one dropped shot as he compiled a sizzling 64 at the Doha Golf Club to move to 15 under and establish a three shot advantage over former US Open winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand (68), Sweden’s Alex Noren (66) and countryman Simon Khan, who matched Wood’s outstanding third round score.

 

“I played pretty nicely,” said a modest Wood. “I wouldn't say it's one of my best – it was one of my better ones but not my best.

 

“I am very excited about tomorrow now. Going out today I thought as long as I kept myself in the mix then I was going to be really looking forward to the final round. To be leading by three gives me a bit of a cushion.”

 

Wood has yet to win on The European Tour but he tasted victory in the Thailand Open at the end of last year, an achievement that he will certainly draw inspiration from going into the last round.

 

“I took a lot of confidence from the win in Thailand and I hope that can help me tomorrow,” he added.

 

While Campbell, Noren and Khan will be Wood’s closest challengers, Wood will be wary of the serious threat posed by fifth placed Sergio Garcia and Branden Grace.

 

Garcia’s third round 70 leaves him four shots behind the leader, while Grace – The European Tour’s most prolific winner last year after his four victories – carded a five under 67 to haul himself into the mix.

 THIRD ROUND TOTALS

  Par 216 (3x72)  

201 C Wood (Eng) 67 70 64;

204 A Noren (Swe) 71 67 66; S Khan (Eng) 67 73 64; M Campbell (Nzl) 68 68 68;

205 S Garcia (Esp) 69 66 70; B Grace (RSA) 70 68 67;

206 G Coetzee (RSA) 69 67 70; M Fraser (Aus) 68 67 71; J Kruger (RSA) 70 68 68; T Olesen (Den) 68 68 70;

207 G Lockerbie (Eng) 67 69 71; A Wall (Eng) 66 71 70; M Kaymer (Ger) 68 67 72; S Webster (Eng) 69 71 67;

208 L Oosthuizen  (RSA) 71 69 68; H Stenson (Swe) 70 69 69; J Dufner (USA) 71 70 67; G Mulroy (RSA) 69 68 71; V Dubuisson  (Fra) 68 72 68; A Hartø  (Den) 68 69 71; L Gagli  (Ita) 68 71 69; M Ilonen  (Fin) 71 69 68;

209 F Aguilar (Chi) 69 67 73; P Hanson (Swe) 68 73 68; G Fdez-Castaño  (Esp) 69 70 70; T Jaidee (Tha) 70 69 70; R Jacquelin (Fra) 73 67 69; R Green (Aus) 68 73 68; A Hansen (Den) 68 71 70; B Rumford (Aus) 67 73 69;

210 A Kaleka  (Fra) 66 71 73; J Rose (Eng) 68 71 71; D Howell (Eng) 69 73 68; P Casey  (Eng) 70 68 72; D McGrane (Irl) 68 72 70; P Meesawat  (Tha) 71 71 68; T Aiken (RSA) 71 68 71;

211 R Wattel  (Fra) 72 70 69; J Sjöholm (Swe) 69 72 70; P Whiteford (Sco) 66 73 72; T Björn (Den) 72 69 70; M Lundberg (Swe) 72 67 72; T Fleetwood  (Eng) 72 71 68; R Santos  (Por) 65 70 76;

212 S Gallacher (Sco) 72 71 69; S Chowrasia (Ind) 70 73 69; D Horsey (Eng) 68 72 72; T Hamilton (USA) 73 69 70; M Manassero (Ita) 69 72 71; R Bland (Eng) 71 69 72; A Sullivan (Eng) 67 71 74;

213 E Goya (Arg) 71 72 70; R Derksen (Ned) 71 69 73; G Havret  (Fra) 70 69 74; B Wiesberger  (Aut) 70 72 71; M Hoey  (Nir) 70 69 74;

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

LINK TO SOUTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP SCOREBOARD

FOR THE SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD IN THE
SOUTH AMERICAN MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP AT
EL RINCON GOLF CLUB, BOGOTA IN COLOMBIA

CLICK HERE  

BYRNE CLOSES IN ON ASIAN TOUR SCHOOL GRADUATION

James Byrne took a big step closer to winning playing rights on the 2013 Asian Tour by scoring in the low 60s for the second day in a row at the Asian Tour Final Qualifying School over the Springfield Royal Country Club course at Hua Hin, Thailand
The Northern Open champion from Banchory has shot rounds of 74, 65 and 64 for an 11-under-par tally of 203 and is in joint third place, four shots behind the leader, Canadian Richard Lee (65-68-66 for 199).
Byrne's 64 was the lowest of the third-round returns and matched the tournament low mark.
After Saturday's fourth and final round, the top 40 and ties in a field cut to 112 players at halfway will gain membership of the Asian Tour.  
Byrne recently gained pass marks at the South African Sunshine Tour.

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 216 (3x72)

199 Richard Lee (Can) 65 68 66

202 Donlaphatchai Niyomchon (Thai) 64 66 72

203 James Byrne (Sco) 74 65 64, Kodai Ichihara (Jap) 67 69 67.

SELECTED TOTALS

204 Steve Lewt0on (Eng) 68 65 71 (T5)

206 Miles Tunnicliffe (Eng) 66 68 72 (T11)

208 Simon Griffiths (Eng) 70 72 66 (T24)

211 Gary G King (Eng) 68 70 73, Zane Scotland (Eng) 69 69 73 (T48).

212 Chris Rodgers (Eng) 71 70 71 (T61)

213 Grant Jackson (Eng) 69 70 74, Niall Kearney (Ire) 74 66 73 (T75)

217 Yasin Ali (Eng) 71 69 77 (T107).

NORTH ALLIANCE AT REAY SNOWED OFF

The North Alliance fixture scheduled for Reay on Sunday has been cancelled because of snow on the course.

TIGER MISSES CHANCE TO JOIN SNEDEKER, CHOI IN TORREY PINES LEAD

 FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
By Wire reports, PGATOUR.COM

SAN DIEGO -- One week after he began his year by missing the cut, Tiger Woods didn't notice a big difference in his game.
It was everything else about the opening round at Torrey Pines that changed. Relatively calm conditions. Rough that didn't cover the top of his shoes. A California course that has been good to him since he was a teenager. And despite his putter not cooperating at the end of his round, a 4-under 68 on his scorecard.

Leaderboard

Woods was on the verge of joining defending champion Brandt Snedeker and K.J. Choi atop the leaderboard Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open until missing three straight putts inside 12 feet late in his round.
Snedeker was bogey-free on the North Course for a 65. Choi birdied three of his last four holes on the tougher South Course for his 65.
Woods, a seven-time champion at Torrey Pines, at least got off the South Course without further damage when he had to lay up on the par-5 18th hole, hit wedge over the green and into a bunker and made a 6-foot putt for par.
"Last week's conditions were a lot more difficult and the fairways were narrow and the wind was howling," Woods said. "I felt like I was doing a lot of good things right last week -- unfortunately, only for a few days, but I doing a lot of good things right. And I came out here today and basically did the same thing."
Woods three-putted for double bogey on the fourth hole, though he knew he had a pair of par 5s to make up ground. He did that, and more. He made a 12-footer for birdie, an eagle by holing a bunker shot on the par-5 sixth, and birdie putts on the eighth and ninth holes to get back into the game.
"I made a few mistakes out there, but I made some nice plays as well," Woods said.
Phil Mickelson had quite the taxing day with a 72 on the North, which played about 1 stroke easier than the course that hosted the U.S. Open in 2008. Snedeker already is developing quite the love affair with this municipal course along the Pacific Bluffs. As a rookie, he was 10 under through 10 holes and had to settle for a 61 on the North Course. He finished third that year. 
Then, he rallied from seven shots behind in the final round, got into a playoff when Kyle Stanley made triple bogey on the 18th and won on the second playoff hole. One year later, he was right back at it. "It's funny, you look at all the golf courses I should play well on, this should not be one of them," Snedeker said. "This is a long, difficult golf course with lots of rough and hitting a lot of iron shots. My strength is driving and putting, so it doesn't really add up well around here.
But for some reason, it's been good to me." It was even more of a mystery for Choi.
He is not a regular at Torrey Pines and decided not to come last year until he heard from his host family in San Diego that the South Korean community wanted to see him play. Choi put on quite a show. He finally got some height and spin into shots while warming up on the range, and he converted that into the best round on the South.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72. Players from USA unless stated
65 Brandt Snedeker, K J Choi (South Korea).
66 Josh Teater, Adam Hadwin (Canada), Ross Fisher (England), Luke List, Billy Horschel, Charles Howell III, Mike Weir (Canada), Scott Stallings. 

SELECTED SCORES
67 David Lynn (England) (T11)
72 Martin Laird (Scotland), Phil Mickelson(T90)
74 Greg Owen (England) (T123). 
To view the US PGA Tour Scoreboard

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