WHITE STEERS SCOTS INTO THIRD PLACE AT SOTOGRANDE

FROM THE SGU WEBSITE

Lundin’s James White drew on all his powers of courage and energy to steer Scotland into third place after the opening round of The European Nations Cup.

White, a member of the SGU Men’s National Performance Squad, was in hospital for checks yesterday as he was laid low with a sickness bug.

But the Fifer was determined to play in the four-round event at Sotogrande, Malaga, with former European Tour winner Dean Robertson, Performance Golf Coach at the University of Stirling, leading the SGU side.

White was in superb form to fire a one-under-par 71 against the odds, with fellow SGU Men’s Performance Squad members Jack McDonald of Kilmarnock (Barsssie) and Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) posting 75s. Kilmacolm’s Matthew Clark fired a non-counting 78.

The Scots sit third on five-over-par in total, six shots behind early leaders England on one-under. Robertson said of White’s effort: “It was very difficult conditions and James was obviously not feeling that strong, so it was an amazing performance from him. Beware the injured golfer!

“He controlled spin beautifully as the entire field struggled to cope with the conditions. The heavy rain did stop, but it remained very windy.

“James was feeling a bit tired and groggy, but we worked hard to patch him up and fuel him. Fingers crossed he can gain strength as week progresses."

The quartet are aiming to emulate the success of countrymen Scott Henry, Callum Macaulay, Wallace Booth and Keir McNicoll who triumphed in the event in 2008.

>> Click here for scores from the European Nations Cup

In China, 17-year-old Ewan Scott has continued his global form in 2013 after an opening three-under 69 at the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.

The SGU Boys Performance Squad player birdied the first three holes at Mission Hills (Faldo Course) before cancelling out his fast start with three bogeys in his front nine.

However, Scott, a gold medal winner for Team GB in Australia earlier this year, hit back with a trio of birdies in his last nine holes to sit four strokes off the pace.

>> Click here for live scores from the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final

HOTELIERS OFFEN TEN GRAND FOR HOLE IN ONE AT TWO PAUL LAWRIE LADIES' TOUR EVENTS

LEFT TO RIGHT:  Gordon Sinclair (managing partner), Bill Hogg and Gordon Nicoll. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Three sporting hoteliers, two of whom have played golf at international level, are to put up two £10,000 prizes for holes in one at forthcoming Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour competitions.

Bill Hogg, Gordon Nicoll and Gordon Sinclair are partners in ownership of the Atholl Hotel on the Aberdeen's Kings Gate.

Mr Nicoll is also sole owner of the Dutch Mill Hotel in Aberdeen's Queens Road.

Mr Hogg, a member of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, was a Great Britain & Ireland boy international in the Jacques Leglise Trophy match against the Continent of Europe when he was a teenager. He was also playing team captain for Scotland against England in the 1962 boys' international match.

Mr Nicol, a Deeside Golf Club member, was also capped for Scotland at boy international level in 1971.

Between the three of them, however, the sum total of personal holes in one is ONE!

"Gordon Nicoll has had our only hole-in-one - while on a golf holiday some time ago in Florida. I have never accomplished the feat even once despite plenty of near-misses over the near 60 years since I took up the game!" said Mr Hogg.

"I still live in hope that it will happen one day but time is running out!   "Gordon Sinclair is a very occasional player and, less surprisingly, has also never had a hole-in-one."

Paul Lawrie, who has had four holes in one in competition, certainly knows what it feels like to hit the jackpot.

"I got one of my aces in the 2009 Irish Open and it won me 40,000 Euros. Not bad for just one stroke!" said Paul.

The odds against a hole in one being achieved are not as high as one might think. Actuaries at insurance companies who offer prize indemnification services have calculated the chances of an "average golfer" holing his or her tee shot at a par-3 hole at 12,500 to 1. For a tour professional golfer, the odds come down to 2,500 to 1.

The Atholl Hotel will be the name sponsor of the £10,000 ace prize in the PLGC SLOT 18-hole competition at Trump International Links on the Menie Estate, 12 months up the coast from Aberdeen., on Monday, May 6.

The par-3 hole selected by Messrs Hogg, Nicoll and Sinclair is the 16th. The female professionals and amateurs will be playing from the white tees from which the hole measures 157 yards.

Christopher Campbell, head pro at Trump International, says: "We had four holes in one in our short July to October opening season last year. One of them was at the 16th but no lady has had a hole in one on our course yet."

The Trump links re-opens on April 11 after being closed since the end of October. Incidentally, the visitor's green fee for the new season will be £195 per person on a week day and £215 per person at the weekend.

But the Trump management have given the Paul Lawrie Ladies Tour the courtesy of the course, including free use of the practice facilities, so for the £50 entry fee, the girls have got a bargain.

The Dutch Mill Hotel will be the name sponsor of the £10,000 prize for an ace at the Paul Lawrie Tour event on May 7 at Deeside Golf Club.

Both these Aberdeen hotels are are offering discounted room rates for competitors in the Trump International and Deeside PLGC SLOT events - £75 per twin-bedded room, the deal includes bed and breakfast. 
When making their reservation, players must identify themselves as competitors on the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour.

To find out more details - the bookings have to be made no later than 10 days prior to the tournaments in question - log on to www.scottishladiestour.co.uk and click on the heading TOURNAMENT INFORMATION.

"I would say, on average we have from three to five holes in one at Deeside during a year ... but I cannot remember one at the first in competitive play," said Frank Coutts, the Deeside GC Director of Golf.

The competitors will be playing off the Yellow Tees at the Bieldside course and the hole in one prize will be up for grabs at the first hole which measures 177 yards.

"We think the idea of a Paul Lawrie-backed tour for lady professionals and single-figure handicap amateurs is an excellent idea and we are delighted to be able to play a small part in it when two of its events are staged in the North-east," said Mr Hogg.

"The odds are very much against anyone getting a hole in one, especially with the two fields around the 30-player mark but it does add a bit of spice to both days' play.

"With that in mind, if nobody has a hole in one, there will be a nearest-the-pin consolation £100 prize at the Trump International 16th and also at Deeside's first. If an amateur wins either of these awards it will be in the form of a £100 voucher."

Incidentally, amateur competitors, as well as professionals, are now permitted to accept a one-off prize - no limit on its value - for a hole in one. The Rules of Amateur Status, at their last revision, brought this major change into effect.
The Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour - PLGC SLOT for short - is the brainchild of veteran golfwriter Colin Farquharson. His co-organiser is Nicola Melville, the only PGA lady teaching professional at St Andrews. 

OVER £30,000 TO BE WON, APRIL-OCTOBER ON PAUL LAWRIE TOUR
 
Recap of the 2013 inaugural Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour schedule (total prize money in excess of £30,000).
APRIL
18 Marriott Dalmahoy East Course, Edinburgh (£3,000).
19 Ratho Park, Edinburgh (£3,000)
MAY
6 Saltire Energy Classic 1 @ Trump International Links (12 miles north of Aberdeen) (£3,500)
7 Saltire Energy Classic 2 @ Deeside GC, Aberdeen (£3,500)
6-7 Saltire Energy Championship (prizes for leading aggregates from scores at both courses) (£1,250).
JULY
2 Downfield, Dundee, Angus (£2,250)
3 Carnoustie Burnside, Angus (£2,250)
11 Blairgowrie Rosemount, Perthshire (£2,250).
12 Alyth, Perthsire (£2,250)
AUGUST
26 Fairmont St Andrews Torrance Course, Fife (£2,250)
27 The Duke's, St Andrews. Fife (£2,250)
SEPTEMBER
23 Haggs Castle, Glasgow (£2,250)
24 Drumpellier, Glasgow (£2,250)
OCTOBER
7 Craigielaw, East Lothian (£2,250)
9-10 Marriott Dalmahoy East Course Tour Championship (36 holes, two days) (£5,000).

NICOLSON AND STEWART IMPROVE IN MOROCCO

Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) and Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) both improved on their first-round performances on the second day of the MENA Tour's Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Open at Rabat, Morocco today (Wednesday).Nicolson shot a 74 - four shots better than Tuesday - but a 152 tally leaves him in joint 16th position with one round to go.Stewart shaved seven shots off an opening 80 but a 73 for 155 has him in joint 26th position.Welshman Stephen Dodd and Englishman Zane Scotland share the lead on four-under-par 140. Dodd has scored 72-68, Scotland 67-73.

SCOTS BATTLE FOR S AFRICA QUARTER-FINAL PLACES

Two Scots - Fraser McKenna (Balmore) and Glenbervie's Fraser Moore - were involved in tight matches when failing light forced play to be halted for the day in the South African Northern Amateur match-play golf championship at Randpark today (Wednesday).McKenna won his first-round morning match by 2 and 1 over South African Andrew Light and was one up after 15 holes in the round of the last 16 against Thriston Lawrence, recent winner of the South African amateur match-play championship, when play was suspended.Moore was a 2 and 1 winner before lunch over South African Jonathan Dixon but was one down with three to play against another home player, Teaghan Gauche, when the players were called in for the day.The morning opening round saw the demise of Newmachar's Graham Gordon, beaten 2 and 1 by Jaco Mouton, and also the No 2 seed, Jamie Savage (Cawder) who lost by 6 and 5 to Louis Taylor.

AUSSIE MASTERS FOR ROYAL MELBOURNE IN NOVEMBER

IMG, event owner and promoter, today announced that the 2013 Australian Masters will be played over the composite course at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club from November 14 to 17.

This year will mark the 35^th anniversary of the Australian Masters and the first time the event has been staged at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.  
 IMG also reaffirmed its commitment to bring three of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Rankings to play the Australian Masters and the attraction of Royal Melbourne will undoubtedly further enhance the field.

JAMIE SAVAGE RUNNER-UP IN SOUTH AFRICAN NORTHERN OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
South Africa’s No 1 ranked amateur Haydn Porteous was in blistering form at Randpark Golf Club at the weekend, liftting the Northern Amateur title with a massive 14-shot runaway victory.
Porteous blew away the opposition with rounds of 71-63-68-64 for a 72-hole total of 22-under-par 266.
Scotland’s Jamie Savage finished a distant second on eight-under-par 280, with Stephan Cronje claimed third on seven under, while 16-year-old Sanlam SA Amateur champion, Thriston Lawrence, slipped into a share of fourth on six under 282 with Armandt Scholtz.
Porteous underlined his growing stature when he won the season-opening Prince’s Grant Invitational and finished in the KwaZulu-Natal Open in January.
After a runner-up finish in the Gauteng North Open, the 18-year-old represented South Africa at the inaugural Ten Nations Cup at Kingswood in George, where he combined with Louis Taylor, Zander Lombard and Dylan Raubenheimer for seventh place in the international team competition.
A week later, Porteous successfully defended his SA Stroke Play title at Oubaai.
He took that same form to Leopard Creek where he helped the nine-man South African squad to their third victory in four years in the annual Leopard Trophy test against Scotland.
With more than half the season remaining, Porteous intends to play as many events at home and abroad as possible to improve his current 37^th place world ranking.
“One of my goals is to try and make it past the halfway mark at the US Amateur this year and improve my world ranking so I can skip the first stage of European Tour Qualifying School,” he said.
“I will support the circuit here at home, because we have some great tournaments and every bit of experience helps. Hopefully I can get into a few events in Europe, as well, and gain more experience.
“It’s been quite a year so far, but you can never afford to get complacent. You have to work hard to stay ahead.”
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
266 Haydn Porteous 71, 63, 68, 64
280 Jamie Savage (Cawder) 68, 69, 71, 72
281 Stephan Cronje 72, 70, 71, 68
282 Thriston Lawrence 76, 67. 71, 68; Armandt Scholtz 71, 68, 71, 72
284 Graham J Gordon (Newmachar) 76, 69, 71, 68
285 Hendrikus Stoop  69, 74, 73, 69; Teaghan Gauche 70, 76, 71, 69
287 N J Arnoldi 72, 71, 73, 71; Werner Van Niekerk 72, 72, 73, 70; Fraser Moore (Glenbervie)76, 71, 69, 71

JIMMY GUNN EARNED $11,755 FROM 13 ARIZONA EVENTS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com 
Dornoch exile Jimmy Gunn did not have such a good season as in recent years on the All-American Professional Golf Tour which has ended its winter campaign with the Tour Match-play Championship at Alta Mesa Country Club, Mesa in Arizona.
The title and first prize of $30,000 was won by Jesse Mueller who beat Jonathan Krick ($10,000) by one hole in the final.
Beaten semi-finalists were Nathan Tyler and Brian Vranesh, both of whom earned $5,000.
Gunn was beaten in an earlier round.
For the winter season, Gunn earned $11,755 from eight appearances.
Top of the money table was Nathan Tyler with $57,573 from 13 events.
Incidentally, what is is about match-play that seems to confuse Americans in general.
Another example was the All-American Professional Golf Tour's display of results in their match-play tournament - they didn't!
Go through its website from top to bottom and you won't find the information that Mueller beat Krick by one hole in the final.
I had to E-mail one of the Tour's officials to get that information.
You won't even find the earlier match-play results.
Had it been a stroke-play event, no problem, the scores would have been there.
I have seen on other US golf websites, some match-play results listed as "one up after 19 holes" or something like that which demonstrated that the updater really didn't understand match-play which is, after all, the oldest form of golf.