SERGIO GARCIA LEADS TIGER BY ONE AT HALFWAY IN PLAYERS' CHAMPIONSHIP

         Sergio Garcia ... his best ever score at Sawgrass
 

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – THE PLAYERS Championship already provides plenty of theatre because of its thrill-a-minute golf course. Making it even more compelling is the star attraction of Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods, playing in the final pairing on the weekend for the first time in nearly seven years.

Leaderboard Tee times TOUR Report notes
No. 17 statistics Tiger in top gear Sergio's course of joy Palmer: Friend's death Round 2 video

Garcia made seven straight putts -- six of them for birdie -- on his way to a 7-under 65 to match his best score on the TPC Sawgrass.
That gave him a one-shot lead over Woods, who again made short work of the par 5s and posted his second straight 67. Woods broke his own 36-hole record at Sawgrass by six shots and can't find much wrong with his game at the moment.
It's hard to call it a rivalry because it's so one-sided.
Not only does Woods have a 77-8 margin in PGA TOUR victories (and 14-0 in the majors), in the previous five times they were in the final group on the weekend, Woods has gone on to win all five times.
Asked about the possibility of playing with Woods on Saturday, Garcia said he wouldn't see it as anything but another round of golf.
"I don't have to measure myself against anybody," Garcia said. "I know what I want to try to do, and any given day I can shoot a round like this and any other day he can shoot a good round and beat me. Like we always say, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. So there are going to be good days and not so good days, so just got to enjoy the good ones as much as possible."
This was a good day.
Garcia ran off five straight birdies, ending the streak with putts from 20 feet and 25 feet, and then he added a 40-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eighth. Garcia, who won THE PLAYERS in 2008, was at 11-under 133.
Woods looks like he's having a good time on the course that has vexed him more than any other on the PGA TOUR, and he could be the greater threat on the weekend. He now is 8 under on the par 5s this week, including a 20-foot eagle putt on No. 2 that gave him a share of lead. Woods took the outright lead with a short birdie putt on No. 4 until Garcia blazed by him with his string of birdies.
Woods was asked if there was any part of his game that made him unhappy.
"No, I'm pretty pleased with where it's at right now," Woods replied. The reporter looked at him, waiting for more. Woods looked back and finally added with a grin, "Did I answer that?"
Woods and Garcia have played together on big stages -- Bethpage Black, Royal Liverpool -- with a big edge for Woods. They first were linked when the Spaniard was 19 and gave Woods all he could handle at Medinah in the 1999 PGA Championship. They were paired in the final round of the 2002 U.S. Open and 2006 British Open, the year Garcia dressed all in yellow.
But with the tournament only halfway over, this is far more than a duel between Woods and Garcia.
The 18 players within five shots of the lead include three current major champions -- Adam Scott, Webb Simpson and Rory McIlroy -- along with Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson.
Westwood chipped in from 100 feet for eagle on the 11th hole and was atop the leaderboard until making pars on his last eight holes. He had a 66 and was two shots behind, along with Kevin Chappell (66) and Stenson, who had two eagles on the front nine in his round of 67.
Ryan Palmer, who learned Thursday night that one of his best friends died in a car accident in San Antonio, had two eagles in a round of 69 and was three shots behind. Defending champion Matt Kuchar birdied three of his last four holes for a 66 and was at 7-under 137, along with Scott, Mahan and Johnson.
McIlroy was coming off back-to-back bogeys when he chose to go for the green in two at the par-5 ninth -- he had planned to lay up each day. He hit the trees and got into a mess, and McIlroy made his third straight bogey. He rallied on the back for a 72 and was in the group at 6-under 138.
"I've made the cut, which I'm delighted about," said McIlroy, who had missed the weekend his three previous times. "But I am in there with a chance."
Woods won THE PLAYERS in 2001, highlighted by that 60-foot putt on the island green described by NBC Sports analyst Gary Koch as "better than most." But he has only seriously contended twice, and he has failed to crack the top 20 eight times in 15 appearances.
Woods is accentuating only the positive.
"Even though I haven't played well in the past, I've still won here," he said. "Actually, I've won here twice, technically."
He was referring to the U.S. Amateur in 1994, the first of his three straight titles.
"I haven't played my best here, but I've always felt that courses, even though it's been a while I've won on them, I've still won on them," Woods said. "I know how to get around this golf course. This course, more than most, really tests every facet of your game. You have to drive the ball well. You have to hit your irons in the correct spots, and if you don't hit your irons in the correct spots, you're going to have some really funky up-and-downs.
"It's trying to manage the ball in the correct spots, and I've done that the first two days."
Woods twice made bogey, both times missing the fairway to the right on No. 14 and No. 7. He finished with a 20-foot birdie putt.
Garcia, for two hours, looked like he couldn't miss.
His streak began with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 second. He stuffed his tee shot into 6 feet on the third, and hit wedge to 8 feet on the fourth. He followed that with his two long birdie putts, made a putt just inside 15 feet for par on the seventh and ended his big run with the 40-footer on No. 8.
Garcia also is a past champion, winning a playoff in 2008.
"Fortunately for me, I've managed to play quite decent on this golf course," Garcia said. "So any good thing that you can get in your head, it's obviously positive and those kind of things always help. But it's a different year. We'll see if we can manage to do something similar."

"I've given myself a chance going into the weekend."
Scotland's Martin Laird had six birdies in his round of 67 to be in touch on six under.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
Players from USA unless stated
133 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 68 65.
134 Tiger Woods  67 67.
135 Kevin Chappell 69 66, Lee Westwood (England) 69 66, Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 68 67.
136 Ryan Palmer 67 69, Casey Wittenberg 67 68, David Lingmerth 68 68.
137 Matt Kuchar 71 66, Adam Scott (Australia) 69 68, Hunter Mahan 67 70, Zach Johnson 66 71.
138 Charles Howell III 71 67, Marc Leishman (Australia) 72 66, Jason Dufner 71 67, Webb Simpson 67 71, Martin Laird (Scotland) 71 67, Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 66 72, Steve Stricker 67 71.

SELECTED SCORES
140 David Lynn (England) 72 68, Brandt Snedeker 71 69 (T24)
141 Luke Donald (England) 72 69, Roberto Castro 63 68 (T29)
143 Bubba Watson 73 70

144 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 68 76, Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) 69 75, Brian Davis (England) 78 66.

MISSED THE CUT
145 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 75 70, Phil Mickelson 72 73, Vijay Singh (Fiji) 74 71, Jim Furyk 72 73, Rickie Fowler 73 72.
146 Ian Poulter (England) 75 71, Justin Rose (England) 72 74, Nick Watney 76 70, Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 70 76, Ernie Els (S Afica) 73 73.
149 Thorbjorn Olesen (Norway) 73 76
158 Greg Owen (England) 76 82.

TO VIEW ALL THE CLUBHOUSE SCORES
AND THE LIVE SCORING SERVICE

CLICK HERE        

GRAEME ROBERTSON ACE HELPS HIM TO LEAD IN IRELAND

Graeme Robertson took the lead in the first round of the Irish men's open amateur golf championship at Royal Dublin GC with a stroke of luck.

The Glenbervie man achieved a hole in one for the first time in his career at the par-3 12th hole, measure 160yd. He hit a sweet shot with a five-iron.

It helped Robertson record a three-under-par 69 on a day when the tees were moved forward a combined distance of 419yd because of the rough weather (40mph winds).
Graeme was actually four-under-par for three short holes alone as he gained birdie 2s at the short fourth and short ninth.

Robertson was the only man to break 70 in the star-studded field of players chasing places in the GB and I Walker Cup team later this year.

Irishmen Aaron Kearney Robbie Cannon were his nearest rivals on 70.

Generally, the Tartan Army of entries from Scotland were not nearly as succesful as Robertson.

Conor O'Neil and Jack McDonald had 72s, and Adam Dunton and Sam Binning 74s but there were also 77s by James White, Matthew Clark and Gordon Stevenson, a 78 by Scott Borrowman and 80s by Fraser McKenna and Ross Bell.

SCROLL DOWN PAST THE SCORES TO READ
THE REPORT ON THE IRISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE

IRISH MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Royal Dublin GC

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 72

Players from Ireland unless stated

69 G Robertson (Sco)

70 A Kearney, R Cannon.

71 S Healey, J Rutherford (Eng), J Hume, P Murray, G Bohill, N Grant, J Fox.

OTHER SCOTS SCORES

72 C O'Neil, J McDonald (T11).

74 A Dunton, S Binning (T22)

75 J Savage, N Henderson, E Scott (T33).

77 J Hendrick, J White, G Stevenson, M Clark (T55).

78 S Borrowman (T66)

79 A Culverwell (T79)

80 F McKenna, R Bell (T88)

81 J Ross (T100).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

DAY ONE REPORT FROM IRISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE

Scotland’s Graeme Robertson carded an opening round 69 to lead outright on day one of the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal Dublin Golf Club.
In blustery conditions, the 26 year old was three under par after four holes after an eagle three on the par five second, and a birdie two at the fourth. But bogeys at holes six and seven followed before a birdie at the ninth saw the Scot turn for home two under par.
A bogey at the 11th hole was followed by the shot of the day, a five iron into the wind at the 160 yard par three 12th hole found the green and as Robertson turned away the ball ambled its way towards the hole and found the bottom of the cup for an ace.
It was Robertson’s first ever hole in one and it took him back to three under par. A birdie at the long par four 17th took him to four under par, but the round was tainted slightly by a bogey at the last and he signed for a three under par round of 69.
Ulsterman Aaron Kearney of Castlerock is well placed after his first round of 70 to leave him one stroke adrift. A strong start saw Kearney birdie the first two holes before dropping shots at the third and fifth to bring him back to level par. They would be the only two blemishes on his card, as he played the next 13 holes in two-under par.
“My putting was great today and I was happy to hold it together.”
With the GUI Championship Committee shortening the course by 419 yards due to the wind, Kearney was appreciative of the move. “Conditions were pretty brutal when I teed off this morning but fortunately the tees are up a lot which makes it a lot easier, it’s not so much of a grind and you have a chance to play a little bit of golf”.
“My golf’s been up and down so far this year. I’ve tried to play as many tournaments as possible, and I’ve been making cuts in most events and I felt after playing in the Munster Stroke Play last week at Cork that my game wasn’t far away and I just turned up today and wanted to just go out to play golf and enjoy it.”
Former South of Ireland champion Robbie Cannon from Balbriggan missed a six-footer on the last green for birdie which would have given him a share of the lead, but the former Irish international will have to be content with a share of second place, one behind Robertson.
Knock’s Nicky Grant is one shot further back on 71, alongside Lytham Trophy runner-up Jack Hume from Rathsallagh and former Irish Close Champion Pat Murray of Limerick.
On a day when just ten players broke par, there is a lot of work to be done for some of the pre-event favourites, including Reeve Whitson from Mourne. The Spanish Amateur Open champion was two-under par after six, but signed for an 8 over round of 80 after finishing double bogey – quadruple bogey.
Defending champion Gavin Moynihan from The Island shot a four-over par round of 76 while also on that mark is world number 23 Nathan Kimsey of England.
40 players and ties make the cut after Saturday’s round for the 36 hole final day on Sunday.
 

LIBERTON LAD EARDLEY IS LANARK LEADER AT GOLF DATA LAB YOUTHS' CHAMPIONSHIP

Liberton's Daniel Eardley was the surprise leader with a two-under-par 68 at the end of the first round of the Golf Data Lab Scottish youths' golf championship at Lanark Golf Club today (Friday).

Eardley,  good enough to play for the Liberton men's team in Edinburgh Winter League matches, posted his score early and it was still there at the top of the leaderboard at the end of a long day.

He had five birdies - at the fifth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 17th - and bogeys at the fourth, short 12th and 15th.

Only two other players got under the par of 70 - Jordyn Rhind (Kingsfield) and Craig Chalmers (Cawder) with 69s.
Jordyn's older brother Lee won the Scottish boys' stroke-play title at Downfield in 1997.

The younger Rhind covered his last 14 holes in two under par - birdies at the 12th and 17th in an inward 32 - after wiping out the benefit of a birdie at the first with bogeys at the third and fourth.
Chalmers was one over par with three to play, having bogeyed the 14th and 15th, but he finished in style with birdies at the 16th and short 18th.

Paul Lawrie's older son, Craig is one of a bunch of players sharing fifth place on 71. 
Craig parred the last six holes after bogeys at the short 10th and 12th had wiped out the value of birdies at the short seventh and ninth. He had also bogeyed the third.
Lyle McAlpine (Royal Dornoch), the suprise winner of the title two years ago, is in a big group on 72. 

The leading 40 players and ties at the end of Saturday's second round will go forward.

GOLF DATA LAB SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP

Lanark Golf Club

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES

Par 70 (36-34)

68 D Eardley (Liberton).

69 J Rhind (Kingsfield), C Chalmers (Cawder)

70 A Davidson (Charleton).

71 A Lassila (Fin), J Milne (Elgin), J Lamb (Wilpshire), C Syme (Dumfries and Co), C MacNeal (Prestwick), C Lawrie (Deeside), C Ross (Kirkhill), K Kulokorpi (Fin).

72 L McAlpine (Royal Dornoch), M B ullen (Worthing), J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle), R MacIntyre (Glencruitten), D Wilson (Troon Welbeck), K Prentice (Lanark), C Fyfe (Cawder), M Bacigalupo (Longniddry), F Johnston (Longniddry), O Sheeran (Bothwell Castle), S Fairburn(Torwoodlee).

73 M McKenna (Pollok), B Kinsley (St Andrews), J Scott (Duff House Royal), J Jessop (Cottingham Parks), E Holland (Hartley Wintley), O Roberts (Hong Kong), J Harling (Banchory), A Burgess (Nairn), R Tinker (Strathmore), N Colbeck (Cleckheaton), W Kerr (Craigielaw).

74 R Hughan (Newton Stewart), C MacLean (Clydebank and Dist), A McDougall (Elderslie), J Lynch (Falkirk), J Steven (Bothwell Castle), S Blinkhorn (Southport and Ainsdale), J McCluskey (Ayr Belleisle), C Cook (Caird Park), M Hirmer (Ger), G Duncan (Shotts), R Campbell (Falkirk), C Hill (Tantallon), K Baptie (Duff House Royal), C Kirkwood (Bearsden), J Douglas (Aberdour), P Reilly (Lochwinnoch), C Lamb (Newmachar).

75 A Waugh (Cowglen), C Burgess (Musselburgh), D Duncan (Windyhill), L Halliday (Cardross), E Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie), L Tomlinson (West Lancs), A Blaney (Liberton), J Hogg (St Andrews New), G Mottershead (Hampton Court0, G Burns (Williamwood), E Ferguson (Bearsden), A Grant (Dunblane New0, C Edgar (Cochrane Castle), V Novak (Cze).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

BRIAN MAIR, TARTAN TOUR'S NEW MAN AT THE TOP IS FULL OF DRIVE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

The Tartan Tour's new man in the driving seat, Irvine-born Brian Mair, has a list of priorities as long as a broom-handle putter, ranging from expanding the PGA of Scotland circuit to helping the Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies Golfing Association stop the decline in club memberships.

"I consider myself a lucky man to have got this job," said the 49-year-old whose working background has been in sales and marketing with high-profile companies such as Glenmuir and Sunderland of Scotland.

He comes over as an affable man of high enthusiasm for golf and high energy levels. He will need them.

"I am going to work my way round every club professional in Scotland to impress on them all how important they are, not only to their golf clubs but to the game in general. They have a responsibility to help promote golf and they will be the major beneficiaries from it.

"2014 is a big, big year for Scotland with the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles but, in many ways, I think 2015 is the big one for the PGA and its pros. The public interest in the game that the Ryder Cup will engender will give us a platform on which to build and launch new enterprises."

I met Mair this week when he was in the North-east to confirm that Meldrum House, Oldmeldrum will host the Northern Open for a fourth successive year from August 27-29. The format will revert to a three-day event with 36 holes played on the final day.

The Scottish PGA championship is the highlight of the domestic year, to be staged over the Kings Course, Gleneagles from July 28-31.

In total there are nine Order of Merit events on the Tartan Tour 2013 calendar, the two aforementioned 72 holers , the long-standing 36 hole pro-ams at Dumfries and Deer Park and five 36-hole "Challenge Series" events.

The first of those was held at Spey Valley last week, and was won by Hayston's Stephen Gray.

The other venues and dates are:

Cardrona (May 28-29), Duddingston (July 2-3), Rowallan Castle (July 15-16) and Brora/Tain on September 24-25.

Professionals who are not PGA members and low-handicap amateurs will once again be able to enter Challenge Series, provided they pay an affiliation fee to the series.

Order of Merit points will be awarded at each of those events, with the best six scores counting for each player's Order of Merit points total.

Following an extremely successful staging of the inaugural three day pro-am sponsored by Tomatin Single Malt over Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch and Nairn golf courses last year, the event returns to these same three venues in late September/early October.

A full field of 75 teams – 25 per venue, per day – would ensure the biggest ever prize pot available to those who play on the Tartan Tour, approximately £60,000.

The Carnegie Invitational at Skibo Castle will be staged on September 10-11 with the Paul Lawrie Invitational at Deeside Golf Club the following week from September 17 to 19.

Making a welcome return to the scene is the Glencruitten pro-am at Oban. This will be a 36-hole event, with a £16,000 prize-fund. However, it will not count towards the Order of Merit.

The West Lothian Golf Club, Linlithgow, will again stage the Scottish Young Professionals Championship, the most prestigious event open only to those who have yet to complete their PGA training, or to those who were fully qualified but still under the age of 25 on January 1 this year.

There are two other events in the Young Pros' Order of Merit  – the Shotts 54 hole pro-am and the 36-hole Sandy Pipey Masters at Royal Dornoch.

PAUL LAWRIE BECOMES POWER TEE AMBASSADOR AT LARGE

NEWS RELEASE
Power Tee announce that Paul Lawrie has agreed to act as their Ambassador at Large, promoting them internationally.
Paul is a consummate professional whose many European Tour victories, Ryder Cup performances, along with his success in The Open Championship bear testimony to his talent, hard work and dedication to the game.
Paul Lawrie said: “Power Tee is the most productive and enjoyable practice aid a golfer can find in today’s driving range. This is why it is found at the best practice facilities in the world such as St Andrews, The Belfry, Wentworth Club and the superb Dromoland Castle in Ireland.
“In fact, you’ll find them in 98% of the UK’s automated driving ranges as well as in facilities in 15 other countries. For this reason, if you enter a Power Tee driving range you are far more likely to find a quality practice experience than if you use a lesser range. 
"The types of business that invest in your leisure time are more likely to hold quality range balls, a good selection of targets, friendly well managed facility and a comfortable practice and leisure environment. "Why settle for less? If your driving range does not value your custom highly enough to give you the latest and best facilities, why not find a driving range that does.”
Richard Baggarley MD said: “We recognise in Paul the values we share as market leader in automation. He’s a wonderful professional and family man with a passion for the game and its future development. He has demonstrated his commitment through the personal investment of time and money in his various foundations.
“The 5 million balls played worldwide every day from our machines bear witness to the continuing success of our innovative and award winning technology. 
"Our devotion, shared with Paul, for growing the game of golf is clearly demonstrated by the product itself and by the consistent support of our team.
“We have received some impressive accolades: The Queen’s Award for Innovation, EGCOA Supplier of the Year award 2012/13, acknowledgement by the PGA of UK and Europe as being the only form of teeing automation recognised by them. These are wonderful honours, but our greatest pride is in seeing new people coming to the game of golf and enjoying their practice from our Power Tees. That’s what it’s all about.
"For driving range operators our technology and support adds value to their facilities, enabling them to increase revenues throughout, and it’s often the clincher as more golf courses utilise their ranges to retain members. Power Tee leads the charge in introducing new people to the game of golf and helping sites retain them.
"Paul Lawrie and Power Tee have a great synergy, both are professional, both work tirelessly to get to where they want to be and both want to help grow the game we love.”
The Paul Lawrie Golf Centre on the south side of Aberdeen has a fully automated driving range, a great academy course and is the home of the Paul Lawrie Foundation.
Power Tee looks forward to working with their Ambassador for many years to come

Power Tee www.powertee.co.uk

NATIONAL MID-AM CHAMPIONSHIP BACK ON CALENDAR IN 2014

MID AMATEUR GOLF – PRESS RELEASE 

Mid Amateur Golf (www.midamgolf.co.uk) are pleased to announce that they are planning to establish a new championship for 2014 for Mid-Amateur Golfers that will fill the gap created when the R and A discontinued the British Mid-Amateur Championship in 2007.

The new event will be held in the autumn of 2014 at a venue that is yet to be confirmed and will more than likely be a mixture of stroke play and match play. 

“We have been repeatedly asked for a national/international event to take the place of the British Mid-Amateur which was taken off the championship rota in 2007 after the R and A decided that the quality of the entrants was not good enough and the field sizes were diminishing.” 

Said Jason Morris, Director at Mid-Amateur Golf.  “The English Mid-Amateur Championship (The Logan), which is run by England Golf, is the only well-established event in the UK but in recent years we have added the Welsh and Scottish championships and we now feel the time is right to re-introduce a championship for the British Isles.”

The R and A have given their blessing to the venture and the event will more than likely feature on the World Amateur Golf Ranking schedule for 2014.   

The main difference between the new event and the old British Mid-Am will be the qualifying age which will be 35 for the new event and not 25 as in previous years.

Mid-Amateur Golf are currently speaking with a number of venues across the UK but are inviting interested clubs to contact them. 

“Obviously we need a course that is willing to give up 3-5 days for this event but the world-wide media attention that it will attract will more than compensate for the loss of their course for the championship.” 

Added Jason.  “Eventually we would like to see Mid Amateurs profile raised in the UK in the same way that it is in America.  The winner of their national Mid Am even gets an invite to the US Masters as a result of winning their championship.”

Entrants will be expected from all over the world and there are also sponsorship opportunities for organisations - any interested parties should contact the offices of Mid-Amateur Golf at their base in Whitstable in Kent.

Mid-Amateur Golf is an organisation that runs golf events across the UK and also administers the Mid-Amateur Golf Order of Merit and associated web site at www.midamgolf.co.uk

For more information/related press releases and details of Mid-Amateur Golf, contact Jason Morris on 07891 766102 or email midamateurgolf@gmail.com.

SEVENTEEN SCOTS COMPETING IN IRISH MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY

FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE

By ED HODGE, SGU PRESS OFFICER

After the successes of Richie Ramsay, Lloyd Saltman and Gavin Dear in recent years, a number of Scots will seek to emulate their achievements at the Irish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship this weekend.

First played in 1892 and held every year with the exception of the War Years up to 1959, and revived in 1995, the Irish Amateur can boast a strong history of producing great champions. This weekend (Friday to Sunday), a strong field will seek to earn the 2013 prize at The Royal Dublin Golf Club.

Back in 1995, a certain Padraig Harrington took the title before another future Major champion, Louis Oosthuizen, triumphed in 2002. One Rory McIlroy was runner-up 2006.

A trio of Scottish wins have been enjoyed in recent years with Perthshire’s Gavin Dear, a member of Scotland’s victorious 2008 World Amateur Team, winning in 2009, former Open Silver Medallist Saltman taking the spoils in 2007 and two-time European Tour winner Ramsay the victor in 2005.

Kirkhill’s Paul Shields finished inside the top 20 last year, when home player Gavin Moynihan (The Island) triumphed.

This year, a total of 17 Scots have crossed the Irish Sea bidding for glory, with Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), pictured, among them.

The SGU Men’s Performance Squad player posted a top-10 finish at the Lytham Trophy last weekend as he seeks to continue to press his Walker Cup claims.

St Andrews teenager Ewan Scott is also playing, as he bids to further progress on the Men’s stage, while Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) will hope to improve on his missed cut at Lytham.

Fellow Men’s Performance Squad members Fraser McKenna (Balmore), Ross Bell (Downfield), James White (Lundin) and Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) also tee up, as does 2012 SGU Men’s Order of Merit champion Scott Borrowman.

>> Click here for the draw and scoring at the Irish Open Stroke Play Championship