McILROY TO REVISIT HAITI EN ROUTE TO MASTERS

CBSSports.com wire reports

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Rory McIlroy will spend part of his week before the Masters on a humanitarian mission in Haiti.
McIlroy says he will meet with children and their families April 1-2 to see how their lives have changed since the 2010 earthquake that ravaged the country. McIlroy also made a trip to Haiti before going to the U.S. Open in 2011. He won his first major at Congressional with a record score.
McIlroy is an Ireland ambassador to UNICEF and has geared his own charity work toward children.
The 23-year-old from Holywood, near Belfast, Northern Ireland says he is excited to return. He calls Haiti an inspiring and humbling country where children face daily struggles. McIlroy says he hopes his presence can create international awareness of the plight Haitian children are facing.

LANARKSHIRE HAVE 17 BOYS IN FIELD FOR SCOTTISH BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP AT MONIFIETH

Lanarkshire will have 17 boys competing next week^t at Monifieth Links just to the North of Dundee in the SGU first major of the season, the Scottish Under-18 boys' match-play championship. The tournament is being sponsored by former Open  champion, Paul Lawrie whose two sons, Michael and Craig, are competing. 

The format is match-play and goes on all week from Monday until the final on Saturday, April 6^t. 

Lanarkshire’s last winner was Steven O’Hara of Colville Park, in 1998, now playing on the European Challenge Tour.

The 17 Lanarkshire boys are:

David Fair, Jay Hainie, David Cleland (all of Hamilton), Innes Ferguson (Drumpellier), James Walkinshaw, Callum Connacher, Ciaran Farrell (Wishaw), Kieran Stark (Crow Wood), Kieran McVicar, Cameron Boomer, Christopher Miller, Shaun McBride (Playsport), Ricky Livingstone (Colville Park), Christopher Lang (Torrance House), Fraser Kane (Kirkhill), Sam Campbell (Cambuslang) and  Andrew Thomson (Lanark).

Shaun McBride has the daunting task of facing Craig Lawrie in the first round with Paul Lawrie following the match.

   Willie Sharpe

   Lanarkshire GA 

   past president

TIGER WINS ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL AND IS WORLD NO 1 AGAIN

       Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer, No 1s from different eras
                          Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
ORLANDO, Forida -- Tiger Woods is back to No. 1 in the World Rankings and to No 1 in the FedExCup standings with a game that look as good as ever.
Woods tied a US PGA Tour record today by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard for the eighth time, and this one had some extra significance. It returned him to the top of the FedExCup standings, marking the fifth different season in the seven-year history of the competition that he's occupied the top spot.
In addition, he returned to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time since the final week of October 2010, the longest spell of his career.
Woods never let anyone closer than two shots in the final round at Bay Hill that was delayed one day by storms. With a conservative bogey he could afford on the last hole, he closed with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot win over Justin Rose.
Next up is the Masters, where Woods will try to end his five-year drought in the majors.
Woods fell as low as No. 58 in the world as he coped with a crisis in his personal life and injuries to his left leg. One week after he announced he was dating Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn, Woods celebrated his third win of the season, and his sixth going back to Bay Hill a year ago.
"It's a byproduct of hard work, patience and getting back to winning golf tournaments," Woods said.
Vonn tweeted moments after his win, "Number 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Like so many of his other wins, this one was never really close.
Rickie Fowler pulled to within two shots with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, but after he and Woods made bogey on the 15th, Fowler went at the flag on the par-5 16th and came up a few yards short and into the water. Fowler put another ball into the water and made triple bogey.
Woods played it safe on the 18th, and nearly holed a 75-foot par putt that even drew a big smile from the tournament host. He walked off the green waving his putter over his head to acknowledge the fans who had seen this act before.
Woods tied the US PGA Tour record of eight wins in a single tournament. Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times from 1938 to 1965 at two golf courses. Woods tied his record for most wins at a single golf course, having also won eight times at Torrey Pines, including a U.S. Open.
"I don't really see anybody touching it for a long time," Palmer said as Woods was making his way up the 18th fairway. "I had the opportunity to win a tournament five times, and I knew how difficult that was."
Rose, who played the first two rounds with Woods, closed with a 70 to finish alone in second.
Fowler had to settle for a 73 and a tie for third with Mark Wilson (71), Keegan Bradley (71) and Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (72).
Already with three wins this year, Woods is closing in on another Snead record -- 82 career wins. Woods won for the 77th time on the US PGA Tour.


LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
275 Tiger Woods 69 70 66 70
277 Justin Rose (England) 65 70 72 70
280 Mark Wilson 71 68 70 71, Keegan Bradley 74 69 66 71, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 69 71 68 72, Rickie Fowler 73 67 67 73
281 Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 69  73 66 73

SELECTED EUROPEANS
286 Ian Poulter (England) 72 69 70 75 (T21)
288 Martin Laird (Scotland) 74 73 69 73 (T34)
290 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 72 74 75 69 (T45)
291 Greg Owen (England) 74 73 71 73 (T50
293 Lee Westwood (England) 71 75 72 75 (T63)         

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

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BOOK NOW FOR EXPERT ADVICE AT GAMOLA GOLF STORE

NEWS RELEASE

An Aberdeen golf store is to hold the second instalment in a series of expert demonstrations. 

Gamola Golf, the large golf club, equipment, clothing and accessories store based on the city’s Market Street, is set to welcome representatives from leading golf brands, who will be on hand to advise customers on the latest products.

Representatives from Cobra, TaylorMade and Mizuno have been confirmed following the success of similar events in the past few months.

They will be offering expert advice on the latest golf clubs, including custom orders, in order to help Gamola’s customers find the best equipment to suit their game. 

The first event, focusing on Cobra, takes place on Friday, March 29 from 11am-3pm. On Friday, April 12, an expert from TaylorMade will be in store for a fitting day between 12-4pm.

Additionally, there will be a demonstration from Mizuno on Wednesday, June 19, between 12-4pm. This is the second time the Mizuno representative has visited the Gamola store following a well-received event in February. 

To book your place at any of the free events, please contact Gamola Golf on 01224 592900 or ask in store. One-on-one meetings are likely to last 30 minutes.

Graeme Masterton, the driving force behind Gamola Golf, said: “Similar events we held recently received a great response from our customers. I’m delighted that we are able to offer them another chance to seek advice from some of the biggest names in golf.”

Earlier this year, Gamola Golf welcomed representatives from Yonex, Mizuno and Callaway. It expects to secure other leading companies for similar events throughout the year.

The Gamola Golf complex is home to a 4,000 sq ft retail store as well as the company’s thriving online business. Both feature a host of leading brands including Callaway, Mizuno, Nike, TaylorMade, Titleist and Vega. The store is open from 9am to 6pm Monday-Saturday, extended until 8pm on Thursday, and 11am-5pm on Sunday.

It also features the Locker Room, a bar, restaurant and virtual golf venue which can host more than 140 people. Its five large golf simulators offer virtual access to more than 130 of the world’s premier golf courses - including Kingsbarns, The Belfry and Celtic Manor - and can test the limits of even the most talented golfer.

Prices for virtual golf at the Locker Room range from £10-30 per hour per simulator for a maximum of four people, with special packages available for group bookings. The venue is open from 10am-10pm Monday-Wednesday, 10am-midnight Thursday-Saturday and 10am-9pm on Sunday.

Tartan Tour Professional Greg McBain, winner of the 2012 Paul Lawrie Invitational, is on hand to provide golf lessons as well as advice on custom-fit clubs, while the top floor includes training facilities and meeting rooms available for hire.

For further information call 01224 592900, visit www.gamolagolf.co.uk or email lockerroom@gamolagolf.co.uk.

MICHAEL ALLEN WINS US SENIORS' EVENT AT WINDY MISSISSIPPI

FROM THE US CHAMPIONS' TOUR WEBSITE

SAUCIER, Mississippi (AP) -- Michael Allen was stunned for a second, staring at the 4-foot par putt he missed on the 18th hole that dropped him into a tie with Bernhard Langer for the lead at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic.
Then he felt the whipping wind -- gusting to 30 mph at times -- hitting him the face. Maybe he wasn't in such a bad spot after all.

"It was very, very tough to judge the wind out there," Allen said.
Sure enough, the 54-year-old was back on the 18th green celebrating about 45 minutes later.
Allen started the day two shots behind the leaders, but made five birdies on the front nine to vault into the lead and held on for his first victory of the season and fourth on the Champions Tour. He navigated the windy conditions brilliantly at Fallen Oak until the final five holes, where he had three bogeys.
He finished the day with a 5-under 67 and was 11 under for the tournament, but the missed putt on 18 had put a victory in jeopardy.
"That was a very, very empty feeling," Allen said. "A terrible feeling."
Turns out he had already done enough to win.
"It's always nice to get a win," Allen said. "I played great today. I played solid all week and really putted well today. It has its emotional ups and downs -- no question."
Langer was on the 15th hole when Allen finished, and the door was open for him to take the lead or at least force a play-off. But he had to deal with the nasty, unpredictable wind, and his second shot on 16 found the bunker. He eventually settled for bogey to fall a stroke behind Allen.
Langer said he would have hit an 8-iron on that second shot on 16, but moved up to a 5-iron to try and push through the wind. Even that wasn't enough club.
"That was a big blow because I had no shot (out of the bunker)," Langer said. "I was coming out of a plugged lie and the green was away from me."
Langer couldn't make up the stroke on the final two holes -- though his chip-in attempt from the rough on 18 for birdie just missed. He finished with a 70.
Russ Cochran had a 67 tie for third with Gene Sauers and Tom Pernice Jr.
"Wind always changing everything. Doesn't matter what course you play," Langer said. "But this course especially, because the greens are so severe. If you get on the wrong side ... there's no shot. That's what this course can do to you."
Allen and Langer dueled to finish as the rest of the field fell off the pace. There were 14 players within two strokes of the top spot when play started, but the wind caused plenty of havoc.
Langer, Corey Pavin, Roger Chapman and Joe Daley started the day tied for the lead. Pavin started his final round with four straight bogeys one day after starting with six straight birdies and finished with a 78.
Allen was one of the few who didn't seem to mind the wind. His five straight birdies came on holes 3-8.
"I got control of the tournament on the front nine," Allen said. "I felt really in control of my game and I was playing beautifully, hitting shots where I was trying to. We were judging the wind well for the most part."
Allen's finish at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic was reminiscent of last season, when he finished second. He was tied for the lead when he finished his round, but Fred Couples won the tournament with a birdie on 18.
This time, he emerged the winner.
Allen had a pedestrian career before joining the Champions Tour, bouncing between the US PGA Tour, European Tour and Web.com Tour (Nationwide Tour). But he has surged into the elite of the Champions Tour, winning the 2009 Senior PGA Championship and two events in 2012.
He had his first top-10 finish of the year last week in the Toshiba Classic and followed that up with the victory Sunday. 

 LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
Players from USA unless stated
205 Michael Allen 70 68 67.
206 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 71 65 70.
208 Russ Cochran 74 67 67, Gene Sauers 71 66 71, Tom Pernice junior 72 65 71

SELECTED TOTALS
211 Roger Chapman (England) 69 67 75 (T10)
212 Fred Couples 72 66 74 (T12)
218 Mark Mouland (Wales) 73 70 75 (T44)
222 Sandy Lyle (Scotland) 74  73  75 (T61)

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