ENGLAND PAIR BEATEN IN NSW QUARTER-FINALS

FROM THE NSW GOLF WEBSITE
Bonnie Doon's Troy Moses will play Victoria's Ben Eccles in tomorrow's NSW Amateur Final, over 36 holes at the Royal Sydney Golf Club.
Moses won a thrilling semi-final against Stonecutters Ridge member Adam Downton. 
 Moses took an early lead, being three up after three holes, and was still three up after 12 holes.
But Downton kept plugging away to get to one down on the 18th tee.  A great birdie 3 at the last pushed the semi-final into extra holes, but a birdie at the first extra hole saw Moses win the match and be the first player into the final.
In the second semi-final, Victoria's Ben Eccles held a narrow lead all the way through the match against Canadian David Rose. The result was sealed at the last with a tap in birdie.
RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS
Adam Downton bt Garrick Porteous (England) 5 and 4.
Troy Moses bt Ruben Sondjaja 3 and 1.
Ben Eccles bt Brett Drewitt 4 and 2.
David Rose bt Neil Raymond (England) 1 hole.
SEMI-FINALS
Moses bt Downton at 19th
Eccles bt Rose 2 holes.

STEPHEN GALLACHER BIGGEST RANKINGS MOVER - UP TO No 60

Stephen Gallacher, who won the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, made the biggest move of the week in the revised World Pro Rankings. The Scot has risen from No 111 to No 60., rising from No. 111 to 60^th. 
Phil Mickelson's first title in nearly a year rocketed him up to 10^th – his highest position since last May. He had been No 22 in the world going into the Phoenix Open.
Also moving up this week is Brandt Snedeker, on the stretch of his second runner-up finish in as many weeks. He jumped from No. 7 to No. 6, flipping spots with Adam Scott. The rest of the top 10: world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen, Snedeker, Scott, Lee Westwood, Bubba Watson and Mickelson.
 The top 64 as of next Monday make the field for the first World Golf Championships event of the season, the Accenture Match Play in Arizona. 

JACK McDONALD WINS YAS LINKS OPEN IN ABU DHABI

NEWS RELEASE FROM UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING

Leading amateur golfer Jack McDonald capitalised on some unseasonably Scottish weather in Abu Dhabi to win the Yas Links Open.

A final round 71 in windy and rainy conditions at the desert links course designed by Scot Kyle Phillips, was enough for McDonald (pictured) to edge out his University of Stirling team-mate Mathias Eggenberger.

Swiss senior international Eggenberger was in pole position on the final day after a scintillating first round 64, but McDonald emerged victorious by two shots, with a 6-under par total of 138.

It was a proud moment for the Applied Mathematics student, having lucked out in a play-off to Stirling graduate David Booth at the same event last year.

McDonald, from Kilmarnock, said: “It’s a nice way to start the season and especially to go one better than in 2012. I played some decent stuff at a high quality championship venue and coped well with the conditions, which were somewhat unexpected.”

He is one of 13 Stirling scholarship golfers at a two-week training camp in the Middle East, led by former European Tour professional Dean Robertson, the University’s men’s High Performance Golf Coach and supported by golf psychologist, Dr John Mathers.

Post-event, the players attended the final day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic where they watched fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher collect his second European Tour title.

Robertson said: “The trip has been amazing so far - arguably the best ever. It is an excellent opportunity for our scholars to put in quality practice and prepare for the season proper whilst also competing at a high level. Jack’s victory was impressive and for our players to see Stephen [Gallagher] winning a European Tour event will inspire them to work hard with the goal to follow in his footsteps.”

Today, Stirling compete in a challenge match against a United Arab Emirates professional select before the Al Ain Championship this weekend.

McDonald also receives support from national student sports scholarships Winning Students.

JACK HILUTA, BEN STOW MAKE TOP TEN IN JONES CUP

Liam Johnston from Dumfries, a student at East Tennessee State University, finished joint 37th in a field of 90 for the Jones Cup, which has become one of the leading amateur tournaments in America, at Ocean Forest Golf Club, Sea Island, Georgia on Sunday.
Johnston shot 75-77-78 for a total of 14-over-par 230 - 17 shots behind the winner, North Florida University senior year student Sean Dale, one of only three players to finish under par after 54 holes of a tough course.
Dale had rounds of 71, 73 and 69 to win by two from Alex Carpenter (72-72-71) and second-round leader Cory Whitsett (68-72-75).
England's Jack Hiluta (pictured right), a winner on the US college circuit in 2011, claimed a creditable joint sixth place on 220 with rounds of 74, 71 and 75.
There were two England players in the final top 10 as Ben Stow, despite a final round of 78 after scores of 73 and 70 had him in contention, was placed joint ninth 221.
Ireland's Kevin Phelan, a contender for a place in the GB and I Walker Cup team of 2011, finished T29 on 228 with scores of 73, 76 and 79.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72) Yardage 7,321
Players from USA unless stated
213 Sean Dale 71 73 69
215 Alex Carpenter 72 72 71, Cory Whitsett 68 72 75
217 Rowin Caron (Netherlands) 68 75 74, Matthew NeSmith 74 72 71

SELECTED SCORES
220 Jack Hiluta (England) 74 71 75 (T6)
221 Ben Stow (England) 73 70 768 (T8)
228 Kevin Phelan (Ireland) 73 76 79 (T29)
229 Seb Crookall-Nixon (England) 76 74 79 (T34)
230 Gregory Eason (England) 78 75 77, Liam Johnson (Scotland) 75 77 78, Jason Shufflebotham (Wales) 76 72 82 (T37).  
238 Ben Westgate (Wales) 75 78 80 (T60)
235 Richard James (Wales) 81 75 79 (T69).
2241 Jonathan Bale (Wales) 79 75 87 (T83)
Withdrew: Ben Taylor (England) 79 wd