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KUCHAR LEADS FROM GARCIA IN NORTHERN TRUST OPEN

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
LOS ANGELES -- Matt Kuchar finished just as strongly as he started at the Northern Trust Open on Thursday, taking a one-shot lead over Sergio Garcia after the first round.

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Kuchar interview Couples interview Westwood interview Mickelson interview Jobe interview Garcia interview

Kuchar opened with three straight birdies, all of them putts inside 3 feet, and finished with back-to-back birdies at Riviera Country Club for a 7-under 64.
Garcia, making his first PGA TOUR appearance of the year, finished with two birdies over the last three holes even though he could barely see. Fog dropped in at Riviera over the final two hours after a day of warm sunshine, and Garcia could barely see the landing area in the fairway or the flags on the green.
It didn't matter, as he closed with an 8-iron to 6 feet on an elevated green at No. 9 for his seventh birdie.
Brandt Jobe, returning from a serious neck injury last year, put his experience to use. Jobe played college golf at UCLA and has lost track of the times he has played Riviera. He ran off four straight birdies late in his round before a bogey on the 18th forced him to settle for a 66.
Fred Couples, the 53-year-old who feels rejuvenated on this golf course, had a 68. Coming off a week-long Hawaii vacation, Kuchar did some work with his swing coach and picked up right where he left off, having started the year with a couple of top-10 finishes. "I was excited about the things we were working on and excited how I was hitting the ball. ... the hot start was certainly a great way to get the round going," Kuchar said. James Hahn, the 31-year-old rookie who shared the 54-hole lead last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and David Lynn of England were at 67. The group at 68 included Lee Westwood and Couples, a two-time winner of this event. Couples played the final Champions Tour event last year and the season opener this year, along with a two-day exhibition. He hasn't practised much in between."It's surprising, but I can figure my way out around this course," Couples said.
He made clean, powerful contact for so much of the day, even producing the longest drive of his group on the par-5 17th over Westwood and Bubba Watson. Couples was pin-high on the hole for a simple up-and-down, the start of three straight birdies.
Watson wasn't so fortunate.
For the first time in nearly three years, the Masters champion failed to make a single birdie. He had a 77.
Phil Mickelson also is trying to regain some form just two weeks after his record performance to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He had said it was imperative to be in the fairway to approach the small greens of Riviera, and three fairways was not the blueprint he had in mind.
Mickelson didn't hit a fairway until his 11th hole. Even so, he scratched out a 71 and felt he was only a round away from getting back into the mix.
"A mini-victory," he said of his round at even par.
The surprise might have been Jobe, who discovered nerve blockage in his neck that became so bad he couldn't close his hands around the club after playing the AT and T National last summer at Congressional. What followed was six months of rest and therapy, and after missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, Jobe ran off six birdies at Riviera.
Jobe is on a Major Medical Exemption, and he has to earn $303,178 in 10 events to keep full status the rest of the year.
"I've still got a lot of work to do to get to where I want to be, but my situation, every round counts," he said. "So this is a good start to the week."
Martin Laird from Scotland had a disappointing start with a 74 to be T100 going into Day 2.
Padraig Harrington is alongside Bubba Watson on the 77 mark. 
Four players withdrew, including Sean O'Hair, who had an 83, and Cameron Beckman, who had an 80. Steve Marino was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. He had a 78. Ben Crane checked in with an 80. Geoff Ogilvy, who ended last year at No. 51 in the world, had a 76 for his eighth straight round without breaking par.

 
LEADERBOARDPar 71
Players from USA unless stated
64 Matt Kuchar
65 Sergio Garcia (Spain)
66 Brandt Jobe
67 David Lynn (England), James Hahn, Charlie Beljan
68 Pat Perez, Jim Furyk, Lee Westwood (England), Fred Couples, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden), Tim Herron, Robert Streb, John Merrick, Sang-Moon Bae (South Korea), Bob Estes, Ben Curtis.

SELECTED SCORES
69 Greg Owen (England), Luke Donald (England) (T18)
70 Brian Davis (England), Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium), Ernie Els (South Africa) (T28).
71 Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley (T48)
72 Ross Fisher (England) (T68)
73 Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) (T83).
74 Martin Laird (Scotland) (T100) 
77 Bubba Watson, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) (T125).
78 Aaron Baddeley (Australia) (T135)
83 Sean O'Hair - later withdrew  

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HIGHLAND GOLF ESCAPES (SCOTLAND)

NEWS RELEASE

With the Ryder Cup coming to Gleneagles next year, more and more golfers are realising that golf in Scotland is not just about St Andrews, Turnberry and Muirfield, but that some of the best and the most scenic golfing experiences can be found North of the Highland Line.

The Moray Firth and Dornoch Firth courses have for over 100 years been recognised by the golfing purists like Peter Thomson and Bob Charles amongst others as some of the best in the world and both have endorsed this offer.

Sir Bob Charles:

“Having played Tain and Brora , I cannot wait to visit Nairn Dunbar, Golpsie and Boat of Garden, all of which are high on my list of MUST play courses

Now my days of competitive golf are behind me, I really look forward to annual visits to the Highlands and enjoy that which Scotland has to offer on and off the golf course.

Anyone with golf in their veins must visit this special region, but I hope to get there “before ye on the high road”

Peter Thomson:

“Golf in the Highlands is the highlight of my visits to Scotland, and my wife and I make our bookings long before we depart Australia.

We have been recommending Brora, Golspie, Tain, Nairn Dunbar and Boat of Garten to our friends ever since we discovered them, and they always come back with glowing reports.

Another highlight has been the Highland Hospitality and the comfort of the hotels. We are always impressed with the care we’ve received from the staff, and have been there so often we think of them all as friends.”

The good news is that five of Scotland’s best courses have joined together with three great hotels to offer a golfing experience that can only make every golfer anticipate the new season with a spring in their step.

James Braid's wonderful Brora, Golspie and Boat of Garten courses, along with the delightful Tom Morris-designed Tain course and the excellent Nairn Dunbar are in partnership with the Royal Marine Hotel in Brora and the Morangie House and Mansfield Castle Hotels in Tain to offer superb value golfing holidays through their “Highland Golf Escapes.”

More information can be found on the special web site www.highlandgolfescapes.co.uk

During April and October £195 buys you three rounds of golf, two nights B and B and one dinner. 
May to September - £240 for 3 rounds of golf, 2 nights B and B and 1 dinner.

Contact the Royal Marine Hotel 01408 621252, Morangie House Hotel 01862 892281 or Mansfield Castle Hotel 01862 892052 to book. They will also arrange tee times.

JOHN HENRY SAYS THANKS TO SCOTTISHGOLFVIEW.COM

 E-mail from John Henry, Scottish
Alliance champion

After the article Scottishgolfview.com posted for me regarding selling spaces on my clothing for this year, I have had a successful interest from a company called ESI Scotland Ltd http://www.esiscotland.co.uk/ are a local company to me who specialise in cavity wall insulation and solar panels. I am absolutely delighted to have ESI on board with me this year as they are also going to sponsor me. 
A massive thanks go to Gerry at ESI for giving me this opportunity. This is a great stroke of fortune for me and will be a massive help for my season ahead where I plan to play mainly on Alps Tour and when not playing Alps, I will play events on the EuroPro Tour.
This help will take a lot of pressure of me this year but I will not be taken my foot off the gas as I want to do as well as I can.
I will be keeping up my strenuous work-outs at the gym every Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Dynamic Core Studios in Clydebank with my strength and condition coach Kenny McKenzie and keeping up my flexibility and psychology work with Molly Cameron from Nexus coaching and technical practice with my coach Gregor Monks. 
I go away on February 23 to Egypt for the first two events on the Alps Tour and I am really excited to get going! 
Thanks very much again to Scottishgolfview.com

 John Henry

EWAN SCOTT THREE SHOTS OFF THE PACE IN SOUTH AFRICA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
One brilliant final round on Friday would make Scottish youths champion Ewan Scott the new South African men's open amateur stroke-play title winner at Oubaai Golf Club.
Scott has a three-shot leeway to make up if he is to score the biggest win of his fledgling career which is so full or promise.
The 17-year-old from St Andrews is lying fifth on seven-under-par 209 after rounds of 71, 67 and 71. He had an eagle 3 at the par-5 12th and birdies at the long ninth and par-4 15th in his third round which also included bogeys at the third, 11th and 16th.
Scott is three shots behind South African leader Haydn Porteous who has had rounds of 69, 67 and 70 for 10-under 206.
Sharing second place on 208 after Brady Watt (Australia) (71-67-70), South African Wayne Ferreira (66-69-73) and Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) (67-73-68).
Ellon's Adam Dunton had an albatross 2 at the par-5 12th and a birdie at the fourth on his way to a one-under-par 71 to be in joint 33rd position on 219. His earlier rounds were 76 and 72.

The only other Scot to survive the halfway cut, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) had a nightmare 79 which included a quadruple bogey 8 at the fourth, a triple bogey 7 at the 16th and a double bogey 7 at the ninth. He repaired some of the damage with three birdies. After earlier rounds of 78 and 67, McKenna is sharing 55th place on 224.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES
Par 216 (3x72)
Players from South Africa unless stated
206 Haydn Porteous 69 67 70
208 Alejandro Tosti (Arg) 67 73 68, Brady Watt (Aus) 71 67 70, Wayne Ferreira 66 69 73
209 Ewan Scott (Sco) 71 67 71

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
219 Adam Dunton 76 72 71 (T33)
224 Fraser McKenna 78 67 79 (T55).

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JACO VAN ZYL SETS PACE IN WEATHER-HIT AFRICA OPEN

NEWS RELEASE

South African Jaco Van Zyl overcame blustery conditions and a suspension in play at East London Golf Club to set the clubhouse lead of six under par 66 in the weather disrupted first round of the Africa Open.

The winds reached such speeds that play had to be halted for nearly three hours as balls started moving on the greens, particularly at the exposed third hole, meaning that only the morning groups completed their rounds.

It was Van Zyl, still searching for his maiden European Tour title, who adapted best to the difficult conditions, carding five birdies and an eagle three on the par five 15th, after starting his round on the ninth hole

His only dropped shot was a bogey on the second hole, as the 33 year old opened up a two shot clubhouse lead over Englishman John Parry.

“All I could think about over those last three holes was how much I wanted to get off the golf course,” Van Zyl said. “The wind was really, really brutal out there, especially over the front nine. It was a struggle to stand and keep your balance over your putts, so the suspension was a good call.”

Parry won during his rookie campaign in 2010, but lost his card a year later before romping to victory at Qualifying School to ensure a return to The European Tour. He had five birdies and a bogey in his first 11 holes to join Van Zyl at the top of the leaderboard, but went in the wrong direction after the break with bogeys at the second and fourth dropping him to two under with four to play. However he responded with birdies at the fifth and seventh to return to four under, and as a result took second in the clubhouse after signing for a 68, with Van Zyl’s compatriot Oliver Bekker one shot further back following a 69. Playing in one of the last groups of the day Brazil’s Adilson Da Silva made a remarkable start to his round. The 41 year old had four birdies in his first five holes to sit one shot behind Parry on five under par through eight holes.

He and the remainder of the afternoon groups will resume play on Friday at 07.00hrs after fading light forced the players off the course at 18.55hrs local time.

 

Leading completed scores (afternoon players to finish first round on Friday at 07.00hrs)

Par 72
66 J Van Zyl (RSA)

68 J Parry (ENG)

69 O Bekker (RSA)

70 B Åkesson (SWE), D Greene (RSA), G Bourdy (FRA), A Sullivan (ENG), T Van de Walt (RSA)

71 A Georgiou (RSA), T Mordt (RSA), U Van Den Berg (RSA)

72  G Mulroy (RSA), M Delpodio (ITA), C Basson (RSA), A Kaleka (FRA), L De Jager (RSA)

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RAYMOND RUSSELL LEADS TARTAN ARMY CHARGE AT KENYA OPEN

NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

A host of Scots made positive starts to the Barclays Kenya Open and Raymond Russell led the charge as he finished the opening day one shot off the lead thanks to a four under par round of 67.

The Edinburgh-born man carded a bogey-free round at the sun-kissed Karen Country Club, in Nairobi, to share second place with two others, one shot back from outright leader and his playing partner HP Bacher.

It was plain sailing for the former European Tour winner as his birdies at the fourth and tenth holes came courtesy of putts within six feet before another precise wedge to the 13^th gave him an eight foot birdie putt, which he duly converted.

A two-putt for birdie at the par five 15^th put the icing on the cake for Russell as he chases a second European Challenge Tour title, having won his first at the Challenge Provincia di Varese last year.

“It was pretty stress-free really,” said the 40 year old. “I didn’t really have to scramble or struggle to any pars, I just hit the fairways and greens and kept it steady.

“I’m playing solid enough and I’ve been practicing hard so it’s a nice start to the week. I didn’t play well in India two weeks ago but it feels much better this week.

“I just need to try to get off to a quick start to the season because there’ll be plenty of time to get work done over the next couple of months. Every week is important though. I just need to keep trying to play the way I’m playing.”

David Law, Andrew McArthur and George Murray were all a shot further back in tied fifth place after they signed for three under par rounds of 68 while Steven O’Hara’s two under par 69 left him in tied 11^th.

Bacher, meanwhile, made a flying start as an eagle and a birdie in the opening three holes helped him to a five under par 66 and the first round lead.

The Austrian almost negotiated the opening three holes in four under par as a birdie putt at the first hole just slid past the cup before he chipped in from 35 feet for an eagle at the second and carded a birdie at the third.

A bogey at the ninth hole meant he reached the turn in two under but a gained shot at the par four 11^th followed by birdies at the back nine’s two par fives, the 15^th and 18^th, elevated him to the top of the leaderboard.

  FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

   Par 71

66 H Bacher (Aut) 

67 T Murray (Eng) , A Otaegui  (Esp) , R Russell (Sco) 

68 A McArthur  (Sco) , M Ford (Eng) , G Snow  (Ken) , D Law (Sco) , S Hutsby  (Eng) , G Murray  (Sco) 

69 P Uihlein  (USA), B An (Kor) , T Hatton (Eng) , S O'Hara  (Sco) , T Sluiter  (Ned) ,  Besseling  (Ned) , D Indiza  (Ken) , C Brazillier  (Fra) , J Garcia Pinto (Esp) , P Archer (Eng) 

70 D Kemmer (USA) , J Lima  (Por) , B Koepka  (USA) , J Gibb (Eng) , N Ngugi (Ken) , J Fahrbring (Swe) , P Oriol (Esp) , B Hebert  (Fra) , L Bjerregaard  (Den) , G Stal  (Fra) , A Pavan (Ita) 

71 D Im (USA) , J Van Tonder (RSA) , F Bergamaschi (Ita) , D Odhiambo  (Ken), P Edberg (Swe), M Crespi  (Ita), T Nørret (Den) , D Frittelli (RSA) , E Dubois (Fra) , M Mandhu (Zim) , D Denison  (Eng) , A Shah (Ken) , V Riu  (Fra) , N Mudanyi (Ken) , J Ruth  (Eng) , P Relecom  (Bel) , J Moul  (Eng) , C Aguilar  (Esp) , J Huldahl (Den) , J Barnes (Eng) , M Glauert (Ger)

72 S Walker (Eng) , S Jeppesen  (Swe) , A Velasco (Esp) , S Manley (Wal) , J Senior (Eng) , K Timbe  (Ken) , N Kearney (Irl) , T Fournier  (Fra) , S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) , J Legarrea (Esp) , M Muthiya  (Zam) , G Shaw (Nir) 

73 F Colombo (Ita) , B Parker  (Eng) , N Ravano (Ita) , J Timmis (Eng) , M Sell  (Eng) , N Floren (Swe) , S Brown (Eng) , D Vancsik (Arg) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , R Hjelm (Den) , D Wuensche  (Ger) , R Davies (Wal) , B Njoroge  (Ken) , S Engell Andersen  (Ken) , J Howarth (Eng) , A Bernadet  (Fra) 

74 M Haastrup  (Den) , P Dwyer (Eng) , J Dantorp (Swe) , J McLeary  (Sco) , N Elvira  (Esp) , J Lando Casanova  (Fra) , S Tiley (Eng) , L Kennedy  (Eng) , C Ford (Eng) , D Akope  (Uga) , G Giddie  (Ken) , C Suneson (Esp) , N Simwa (am) (Ken) 

75 D Stewart (Sco) , C Gane (Eng) , L Claverie (Esp) , R Enoch  (Wal) , A Rota (Ita) , L Goddard  (Eng) , J Van Der Walt (RSA) , J Muigai (Ken) , S Ngige (Ken) , D Griffiths  (Eng) , C Hanson (Eng) , C Russo (Fra) , W Booth  (Sco) , M Zions (Aus) , D Perrier (Fra) , A Horne (Swz) , F Kimani (am) (Ken) 

76 K Borsheim  (Nor) , J Maurer  (Aut) , R Charania (Ken) , L Saltman (Sco) , N Quintarelli (Ita) , A Domingo (Esp) , B Simwa (Ken) , J Wahlqvist (Swe) , S Muthugia (Ken) , M Kramer  (Ger) , C Wangai (Ken) , G Houston (Wal) , P Thuo (Ken) 

77 K Abuto  (Ken) , F Laporta (Ita) , F De Vries  (Ned) , H Kadio (Tan) , R Ainley (Ken) , D Wakhu  (Ken) , O Rozner  (Fra) , F Calmels  (Fra) , D Opati (Ken) , N Meitinger  (Ger) 

78 A Kimani  (Ken) , G Cambis  (Fra) , J Kagiri  (Ken) , J Abbott (Eng) , R Kellett (Sco) , M Novy  (Cze) , D Palm (Swe)

79 M Haremza (Ger) , J Watts (Eng) , M Omondi (am) (Ken) , T Omuli (am) (Ken) 

80 H Kutwa (Ken) , J Glennemo (Swe) , J Okello (Ken) , A Perrino  (Ita) , J Sandhu (am) (Ken) , J Madoya (am) (Ken) 

81 A Shah  (Ken) 

83 H Mutawe (Uga) 

84 E Ruterena (Rwa) , Å Nilsson (Swe) 

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