AMERICANS JUMP INTO EARLY FOUR-POINT LEAD IN PALMER CUP

FROM THE PALMER CUP WEBSITE

WILMINGTON, Delaware – The United States won four of the five first-round four-ball matches to take a 4.5-0.5 lead at the Palmer Cup students' international match at Wilmington Country Club.
Team USA’s Sean Dale and Bobby Wyatt clinched the first point of the Palmer Cup with a 5 and 4 victory against Sebastian Cappelen and Pontus Widegren. 
Europe took an early lead with a birdie on the third hole but the Americans ran out to a 3-up lead after four-straight birdies on Nos. 5-8. Europe cut into the lead with a Widegren birdie on the ninth before another American birdie barrage on Nos. 10, 12 and 13 pushed the U.S. to 5-up.
The United States jumped out to a 2-0 lead with Patrick Rodgers’ and Justin Thomas’ 5 and 3 win over Greg Eason and Ben Taylor. The Americans won holes two through four with birdies to take a 3-up lead. 
Europe responded with a birdie of its own on No. 5 but Team USA pushed its lead to 4-up by the turn. A birdie on No. 12 cut the lead back to 3-up before the Americans closed out the mach with back-to-back birdies by Thomas on Nos. 14 and 15.
Daniel Berger and James Erkenbeck continued Team USA’s hot streak with a 4 and 3 route of Scott Fernandez and Pedro Figueiredo. The Americans birdied Nos. 3 and 4 to take a 2-up lead and pushed their advantage to 5-up with three-straight birdies from Nos. 9-11. 
Alex Carpenter and Cory Whitsett downed the French duo of Julien Brun and Joel Stalter, 3 and 2. The US won the first hole and never trailed. The Americans also claimed Nos. 8, 14 and 16. The only hole Team USA dropped came at No. 15 after a Team Europe birdie.
The two sides halved the last match of the morning. Both Michael Kim and Michael Weaver recorded birdies on the second hole to give America the lead. The US pushed its lead to 2-up after four but Gary Hurley and Kevin Phelan won the next hole with birdie. Team USA moved to 2-up on four more occasion but each time Europe responded by winning the next hole, including back-to-back on Nos. 15 and 16 to even the match.
Second round singles matches are currently underway. 
FIRST MORNING RESULTS
Four-Ball Matches 
Game 1: Sean Dale/Bobby Wyatt, USA bt Sebastian Cappelen/Pontus Widegren, Europe, 5 and 4
Game 2: Patrick Rodgers/Justin Thomas, USA bt Greg Eason/Ben Taylor, Europe, 5 and 3
Game 3: Alex Carpenter/Cory Whitsett, USA bt Julien Brun/Joel Stalter, Europe, 3 and 2
Game 4: Daniel Berger/James Erkenbeck, USA bt Scott Fernandez/Pedro Figueiredo, Europe, 4 and 3
Game 5: Michael Kim/Michael Weaver, USA halved Gary Hurley/Kevin Phelan, Europe
Second Round Singles Pairings 
Game 6: Bobby Wyatt, USA vs. Sebastian Cappelen, Europe
Game 7: Justin Thomas, USA vs. Greg Eason, Europe
Game 7: Patrick Rodgers, USA vs. Julien Brun, Europe
Game 9: Sean Dale, USA vs. Pontus Widegren, Europe
Game 10: Daniel Berger, USA vs. Ben Taylor, Europe
Game 11: Cory Whitsett, USA vs. Scott Fernandez, Europe
Game 12: Alex Carpenter, USA vs. Gary Hurley, Europe
Game 13: James Erkenbeck, USA vs. Joel Stalter, Europe
Game 14: Michael Weaver, USA vs. Kevin Phelan, Europe
Game 15: Michael Kim, USA vs. Pedro Figueiredo, Europe

ROOKIE STEFANI OVERCOMES QUADRUPLE BOGEY TO TAKE LEAD

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) -- Rookie Shawn Stefani has been through enough scrambling around the mini-tours trying to make it to the US PGA Tour that a quadruple bogey wasn't going to shake his confidence or his concentration. Even if it cost him the lead.

Stefani overcame the bad hole that dropped him down Saturday and shot a 4-under 66 to take the third-round lead in the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
"I feel like I hit one bad shot on 11, and that was the putt that I missed for a triple," Stefani said showing off his sense of humor. "I know that sounds crazy, but you know I hit the club that I wanted to hit. Unfortunately, was the wrong club at the wrong time."
The 31-year-old Texan rebounded with four birdies over his final five holes to move back atop the leaderboard. He finished with eight birdies to go with that quadruple bogey to reach 12-under 198 at TPC Southwind.
"It's who gets over it fastest and who moves on the fastest," Stefani said. "And to finish the way I did with three birdies on the last three was great. But I was just out there just playing the game and having fun. That's what I'm here for is to play the best I can and have fun with it, and I did that today."
Harris English was a stroke back after a 69, finishing out of the lead for the first time this week. He sounded happy it wasn't worse after playing with Stefani.
"Shawn played so good on the front side, he birdied 10 I thought this guy's going to shoot 60," English said.
Thirteen players shot at least 4 under on a day with easier pins on the small, firm greens and very little wind.
Scott Stallings, Patrick Reed and Nicholas Thompson were 8 under. Stallings had a 67, Reed shot 64, and Thompson had a 66.
Phil Mickelson was another stroke back after a 65 with his best round yet after not playing the previous three weeks. His day could have been even better if not for three bogeys along with six birdies and an eagle. Mickelson said he needs to be a little bit sharper with each swing.
"There were a couple of tee shots that didn't catch the fairway," he said. "I've got to get that ball in the fairway. And I did a better job of it today and consequently I was able to make a lot of birdies because I could be aggressive from there. I also just have to miss it in the proper spot too."
Pins will be in tougher locations Sunday, and Mickelson said any wind could create the potential for the leaders to shoot over par. Only Stallings has won on tour among the players ahead of Mickelson, who has 41 career wins with four majors as he tunes up his game for the U.S. Open next week at Merion.
"I feel like I'm playing well enough where I can go out and shoot a low round tomorrow," Mickelson said. "I expect the course to play different tomorrow than it did today. Today was set up for moving day. The tees were up, the pins were in easy spots, no wind. ... I'm looking forward to tomorrow's final round." This is just the 17th career PGA TOUR event for Stefani, who earned his way onto the PGA TOUR by finishing sixth on the Web.com Tour money list in 2012 in a two-time win season. He played the U.S. Open in 2009 at Bethpage, missing the cut. In March, he had the lead after the first and second rounds at the Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank before tying for seventh in his best finish yet.

"I'm much more prepared with my game than I was then, and I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with it," Stefani said. "It's been a tough year for me. I've stayed patient with it and tried to keep going and focusing on all the things I usually do. But it's tough."
Stefani went off in the final group with English, who had a share of the lead after 18 and had the lead to himself after 36 holes.
English opened strong with two birdies in his first three holes to become the first to get to 12 under here this week. But the 23-year-old English bogeyed Nos. 5 and 8 with his playing partner getting his third birdie on No. 9 to take the lead to himself.
Stefani hit his approach on the par 4 to 7 feet to set up the birdie, helping him make the turn at 11 under. He then birdied No. 10 rolling in a 12-footer to go to 12 under with a two-stroke lead over English.
Then the rookie ran into trouble on the island green of the par-3 No. 11.
Stefani went with a wedge and said a gust of wind caught it in the air, sending it into the water short of the island green. He took his drop and then hit into the back bunker where he had a buried lie. He got the ball out but didn't clear the slope, so the ball rolled back into the bunker. He pushed an 8-footer past the hole 4 feet before finally salvaging a quadruple bogey.
But Stefani birdied No. 14 and got a big par save on No. 15 after his tee shot rolled into the water near the green. He took a drop, then chipped in from 49 feet to avoid dropping another stroke and stay within a shot of English with a big smile of relief.
Stefani finished with a 3-footer for birdie on No. 16, a 17-footer for birdie on No. 17 and capped his round with an 8-footer on No. 18 just after English made a 14-footer to move back into the lead for a few moments
English had plenty of luck himself.
On the par-4 12th, his approach to the green went left and bounced off the top of a grandstand and hit off a woman before rolling into a greenside bunker. English saved par by hitting his shot within a foot of the hole to stay at 10 under.
Notes: Eric Meierdierks aced the 167-yard eighth with an 8-iron on his way to a 66 and is tied sixth with Phil Mickelson on 203.

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 210 (3x70)
Players from USA unless stated
198 Shawn Stefani 67 65 66
199 Harris English 66 64 69
202 Patrick Reed 69 69 64, Nicholas Thompson 67 69 66, Scott Stallings 67 68 67
203 Phil Mickelson 71 67 65, Eric Meierdierks 68 69 66

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
204 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69 70 65 (T8)
205 Ian Poulter (England) 69 68 68 (T11)
206 Peter Hanson (Sweden) 67 71 68 (T18)
208 Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 69 69 70 (T41)
209 Brian Davis (England) 69 71 69 (T49)
214 Russell Knox (Scotland) 70 68 76 (T73)


TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

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US OPEN COURSE CATCHES TAIL END OF TROPICAL STORM ANDREA

FROM THE ESPN WEBSITE
Officials from Merion Golf Club and the United States Golf Association were scrambling Saturday to get the site of next week's U.S. Open in shape after remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea pummeled the course with 3½ inches of rain.
Part of the East Course, where the 113th U.S. Open begins Thursday in suburban Philadelphia, were already susceptible to flooding, particularly the par-4 11th hole, which sits in an area vulnerable enough that USGA executive director Mike Davis long ago put in place a plan to use two holes from the nearby West course in case the 11th and parts of the 12th were deemed unplayable.
But USGA officials said the hole and the green had withstood the water from the most-recent storm.
"The work that Merion Golf Club had done on the banks of the nearby creek to minimize potential flooding worked well, and underscores how this area of the course could survive the worst of storms,'' said Joe Goode, the USGA's managing director of communications.
As of Saturday morning, Goode said "The green was fine, and the fairway had a couple of very small areas of debris, but otherwise very playable.''
Late Friday night, Merion golf course superintendent Arron McCurdy was less optimistic about the situation. He told the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America's website that he couldn't bear to look at the 11th green.
"It was 6 inches from flooding over the top of the green,'' McCurdy told Golf Course Management's blog. "We ordered six emergency loads of bunker sand and will get after it in the morning.''
The forecast for the Ardmore, Pennsylvania area called for the potential of thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday through the tournament's first two rounds.
McCurdy said that predicted humidity is also not helpful, as moisture remains in the ground, making it more difficult for the course to dry and become the desired firm and fast test that the USGA seeks for the U.S. Open.
The Open is returning to the historic Merion site for the first time since 1981, when David Graham won at a venue that measured just 6,500 yards. It has been stretched to 6,996, still short by modern standards and considered vulnerable to low scoring if conditions are soft.
Merion is also where Lee Trevino defeated Jack Nicklaus in an 18-hole playoff in 1971, where Ben Hogan won in 1950 and where Bobby Jones captured the Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Amateur in 1930.
"You get kind of disappointed after all of the hard work you put into this,'' said McCurdy, who also noted that he is not worried that a contingency plan will be needed to use holes on the West Course and that after a lot of work, "We'll be fine.'' 
In its June issue, Golf Digest reported that a plan is in place to use holes from the West Course -- about a mile away -- if the 11th and 12th holes are damaged by flood water.
"We know the 11th hole floods,'' Davis, the USGA director, told the magazine. "Hardly goes a year where the stream isn't up and over the green at some point. Apparently they've done some work downstream that causes backups. So, historically, it floods and it drains.
"Having said that, you have to ask, 'What if all hell breaks loose? What if it stays flooded for two days?' That's why we're going to take some precautionary measures on the West Course.''
Due to logistical issues, the West is already being used for several aspects of the Open. It is where the players' locker room will be located and will host dining facilities and a practice area. Competitors will be shuttled to the East Course for the tournament.
Davis had a plan in which two par-4 holes on the West Course would be used to start a player's round before being shuttled to the East Course to play the remaining 16 holes.
"I'm giving you the doomsday of all doomsday scenarios,'' Davis said. "We wouldn't use a hole from the West Course unless we absolutely otherwise couldn't get this championship in -- if we had a stream that wouldn't recede for several days.''

ORRIN (19) IS POISED FOR LAST-DAY CHALLENGE IN ST ANDREWS LINKS TROPHY

• FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
• By Alistair Tait
• Follow Me: Twitter @GolfweekTait

ST. ANDREWS -- Max Orrin has given the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup selectors something to think about recently with two wins. He could make them think just a little bit harder by winning the St. Andrews Links Trophy.
Winning over the Old Course could get him into the GB and I team two years ahead of schedule. Not many would be surprised if he were to emerge on top of the field after the final 36 holes on the Old Course.
The English amateur returned a second-round, 2-under 70 over the Old Course to go with his opening 73 over the Jubilee. The 19-year-old’s 1-under total of 143 is just four shots off the 5-under lead held be compatriot Ryan Evans.
France’s Gregoire Schoeb and England’s Jordan Smith are one shot behind Evans at 4 under.
Orrin arrived in St. Andrews after winning the South of England Links Championship and Lagonda Trophy. A bad performance in the Lytham Trophy was just what he needed to win both tournaments.
“I missed the cut at Lytham and it kind of gave me a little kick,” Orrin said. “I knew I needed to pick myself up and I worked with my coach (Darren Parris) and it’s paid off. My confidence is massive right now, especially with the putter.”
Orrin made history last year when he became the first English player to win the AJGA’s Thunderbird Invitational. That victory drew a lot of attention from college coaches, but Orrin spurned interest from Arizona State, Florida State, Oklahoma State and Tennessee, among other schools.
“Some of my friends played college golf and I did think about it, but I didn’t want to do the studying so thought I’d stay here and play.”
Orrin is a plus-3.8 handicap member of North Foreland Golf Club in the South of England. He’s come through the England coaching setup, playing on the boys’ team before graduating to the England elite squad.
At 19, Orrin had his sights set on the Walker Cup, but more realistically two years from now than this year. Although he doesn’t mind re-scheduling.
“I started the year thinking about the Walker Cup, but to be honest I was thinking if I didn’t make it I’d be happy to wait a couple of years. But I’d love to play this year.”
Evans name at the top of the leaderboard is a bit of surprise given that he is one of very few true amateurs in the field. He actually works for a living. The 26-year-old works in the IT department of Avon Cosmetics and plays golf part-time.
The member of Wellingborough Golf Club near Northampton is a member of the England A squad, and is hoping to play well this week to try to graduate to the elite squad. He would then have an outside chance of making the Walker Cup team. Two more rounds like his opening 66 and 73 might make England and Walker Cup selectors sit up and take notice.
Toby Tree is best placed among the GB&I Walker hopefuls. The highly-rated Englishman has compiled back-to-back rounds of 71 for a 2-under total of 142, three off the lead.
Scotland’s Graeme Robertson is one shot behind Tree at 1 under, but should be further up the leaderboard. Three putts on Nos. 15, 17 and 18 at the Old Course cost him dearly. However, he is still well-placed to make an impact.
“I know I can do it on this course because I had a 64 in the last round last year to finish third,” Robertson said.
England’s Neil Raymond, winner of the last two English Stroke Play Championships, is at 1 over. Reeve Whitson of Ireland, the recent Spanish Amateur champion, is 2 over, while England’s Ben Stow, a University of Kentucky player, is 3 over.
The cut fell at 4-over 148. Rhys Pugh, a member of the victorious 2011 GB and I Walker Cup team at Royal Aberdeen missed when he compiled a 149 total. 
England’s Garrick Porteous was the most notable GB and I hopeful to miss the last 36 holes. The former Tennessee player returned an 81 to go with his opening 76.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE ST ANDREWS TROPHY 
SCOREBOARD

AVON MAN EVANS LEADS ST ANDREWS LINKS TROPHY AT HALFWAY

Two weeks ago Meghan MacLaren from Northamptonshire, daughter of European Tour director David MacLaren, led from start to finish to win the Irish women's open amateur stroke-play championship.
Now her Wellingborough clubmate Ryan Evans (26) is trying to do the same in the St Andrews Links Trophy where he leads at the halfway stage on 139 after a 66 over the Jubilee Course followed today by 73 over the Old Course.
Evans is not a full-time amateur, unlike most of the GB and I players chasing selection for the Walker Cup match in America in the autumn.
He is not really the male equivalent of the "Avon Lady," but we might loosely describe him as the "Avon Man" - he  works in the IT department of Avon Cosmetics.
Evans leads by a shot from compatriot Jordan Smith (Bowood) (71-69) and France's Gregoire Schoeb (71-69) on 140.
Scotland's No 1 challenger is now former US college circuit player James Ross from the Royal Burgess club, Edinburgh. Ross shot a 69, four better than his Jubilee effort, to be in joint sixth place with two rounds over the Old Course to come on Sunday. 
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), rated Scotland's best hope of a representative in the Walker Cup team, is joint eighth on 143 after rounds of 69 and 74. 
The cut fell at four-over-par 148 and Scottish boys champion Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) made it by the skin of his teet with a pair of 74s. Another past Under-18 national champion, Craig Howie (Peebles) also beat the cut with nothing to spare after ronds of 75 and 73. 
It was a case of sic transit gloria for Garrick Porteous (Bamburgh Castle) from the North-east of England. Recent winner of the Scottish open amateur stroke-play title at Southerness, he bowed out with rounds of 76 and 81 for 157 - nine over the limit. 
LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS
Par 144 (72 on Jubilee Course, 72 on Old Course; CSS 75-75)
139 Ryan Evans (Wellingborough) 66 73
140 Jordan Smith (Bowood) 71 69, Gregoire Schoeb (France) 71 69.
141 Thomas Detry (Belgium) 69 72, Simon Christensen (Denmark) 72 69.
142 James Ross (Royal Burgess) 73 69, Toby Tree (Worthing) 71 71.
143 Jordan Zunic (Australia) 72 73, Max Orrin (North Foreland) 73 70, Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 69 74.
144 Nathan Kimsey (Woodhall Spa) 68 76, Paul Howard (Southport and Ainsdale) 71 73, Daniel Hendry (Emirates) 69 75, Zander Lombard (South Africa) 71 73, Axel Boasson (Icfeland) 72 72.

SELECTED QUALIFIERS
145 Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 76 69, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 72 73, Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 72 73 (T16).
147 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 71 76 (T30)
148 Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 74 74, Craig Howie (Peebles) 75 73 (T35)

MISSED THE CUT (148 and better qualified)
149 James Bunch (Prestwick) 77 72, Scott Mann (Carnoustie) 78 71
150 Ross Bell (Downfield) 78 72, Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) 74 76, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 76 74.
151 Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 72 79, Neil Henderson (Renaissance) 72 79.
153 Jamie Savage (Cawder) 75 78, Brian Soutar (Leven GS) 71 82, Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon) 78 75.
154 Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Co) 76 78, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 79 75.
155 James White (Lundin) 75 80, Chris Robb (Meldrum House) 79 767
157 Garrick Porteous (Bamburgh Castle) 76 81, Daniel Elder (Carnoustie) 79 78.
160 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 81 79.
162 Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's) 79 83
163 Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) 81 82.

WHEN TO SEE THE LEADERS ON SUNDAY
OLD COURSE
9.40 and 2.40 Graeme Robertson and James Ross
9.48 and 2.58 Toby Tree and Simon Christensen.
9.56 and 2.56 Thomas Detry and Jordan Smith.
10.04 and 3.04 Gregoire Schoeb and Ryan Evans.

ADAM GEES HIMSELF UP TO LEAD BY TWO IN CZECH CHALLENGE

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR

COMMUNICATIONS 

A third consecutive round of 66 sent Englishman Adam Gee two clear heading into the final day of the 2013 D+D Real Czech Challenge Open.

Gee fired eight birdies en route to his six under par total for a 54-hole aggregate score of 18 under par, bettering by two shots the Moving Day efforts of Spain’s Adrian Otaegui and Italian Andrea Pavan – with whom the Londoner had previously shared the lead overnight.

 Francois Calmels is one shot further back after a seven under par 65, while England’s Matt Ford is part of a three-man tie for fifth place with 18 holes to play after equalling the course record with a stunning nine under par 63 on Saturday. 

Gee came flying out of the blocks as two pin-point wedges to six feet handed the 32 year old a pair of birdies on the opening two holes at Golf and Spa Kuneticka Hora.

Two good birdie putts at the seventh and ninth sent Gee clear after turning in 32, before a bogey at the 11^th was sandwiched between two further gains at the tenth and 12^th as Gee’s fine iron-play came to the fore once again.

The putting was solid throughout, too, as Gee negated a second drop of the day at the 14^th with two 12-foot birdies at the 15^th and long 16^th and despite missing a makeable opportunity at the last he was well-pleased with his Saturday efforts.

“It was obviously really nice playing with Rob (Dinwiddie), I know him very well and he’s a good friend of mine so we were both fairly relaxed early doors and I managed to get off to a good start,” said Gee, whose best finishes on the Challenge Tour previously are two third places in 2010 and 2007. 

“I chucked a couple of mistakes at it on the back nine but finished quite well so you can’t complain really.

“It was important to start fast. You know there are plenty of birdies out there and tomorrow will be similar. If you’re not making any birdies then you’re standing still so it was nice to get running straight away.”

With such prodigiously low scoring at Kuneticka Hora over the opening three days, Gee knows he will need to go out with aggression and purpose on Sunday. 

“It sounds boring but I just want to keep doing what I’m doing,” he reflected. “I can’t expect to shoot level par tomorrow and still be up there so I know I need to go and get at the course again. A 69 would probably be a minimum.

“It’s great to be right up there in contention again; I’ve been more used to spending my weekends at home recently so I’m going to go out there any enjoy it.”

Scot Raymond Russell is just outside the top 10 on 205. Compatriots Andrew McArthur and Jack Doherty are on 209 and 213 respectively.

  THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

  Par 216 (3x72)

198 A Gee  (Eng) 66 66 66

200 A Pavan (Ita) 68 64 68, A Otaegui  (Esp) 64 68 68

201 F Calmels  (Fra) 67 69 65

202 L Kennedy  (Eng) 69 65 68, M Ford (Eng) 66 73 63, C Aguilar  (Esp) 65 67 70

203 A Domingo (Esp) 66 67 70, C Hanson (Eng) 71 68 64, S Walker (Eng) 71 65 67

204 R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 68 64 72, J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 68 67 69

205 R Russell (Sco) 67 67 71, B Hafthorsson (Isl) 69 65 71,

206 B Parker  (Eng) 67 72 67, J Heath  (Eng) 70 69 67, M Crespi  (Ita) 70 68 68, F McGuirk  (Eng) 64 69 73,

207 J Guerrier  (Fra) 67 69 71, N Ravano (Ita) 66 70 71, O Rozner  (Fra) 69 70 68, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 73 66 68, L Claverie (Esp) 71 70 66, B Hebert  (Fra) 68 67 72, O Farr (Wal) 67 70 70, G Shaw (Nir) 69 69 69,

208 D Frittelli (RSA) 67 69 72, C Brazillier  (Fra) 71 69 68, B An (SKor) 68 72 68, L Corfield  (Eng) 69 68 71, D Ulrich (Sui) 68 68 72, J Lima  (Por) 69 72 67

209 J Fahrbring (Swe) 68 68 73, B Ritthammer (Ger) 69 70 70, A McArthur  (Sco) 67 71 71, W Besseling  (Ned) 71 70 68, K Borsheim  (Nor) 72 68 69, T Fournier  (Fra) 70 69 70, M Sell  (Eng) 71 68 70, G Houston (Wal) 67 71 71, P Oriol (Esp) 67 69 73, F Bergamaschi (Ita) 72 68 69

210 O Lieser (Cze) 69 70 71, S Matus  (Cze) 70 68 72, A Bossert (Sui) 70 71 69, L Bjerregaard  (Den) 66 75 69, C Russo (Fra) 67 71 72, B Koepka  (USA) 70 71 69, S Davis (Eng) 71 69 70, C Suneson (Esp) 72 68 70

211 N Meitinger  (Ger) 71 69 71

212 S Manley (Wal) 72 67 73, L Richard (Bel) 70 70 72, S Tiley (Eng) 70 71 71, J Huldahl (Den) 77 64 71, B Hemstock (Eng) 73 67 72, M Trappel  (Aut) 72 67 73, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 69 72 71,

213 G Cambis  (Fra) 71 69 73, J Doherty  (Sco) 67 73 73, D Geminiani (Ita) 73 68 72

214 S Fallon (Eng) 70 70 74, J Watts (Eng) 68 73 73, J Mommo  (Fin) 72 69 73, N Elvira  (Esp) 68 70 76, C Devlin (Nir) 69 72 73

215 C Gane (Eng) 66 74 75

216 N Quintarelli (Ita) 70 71 75

219 M Haines  (Eng) 67 73 79

233 L Tintera  (Cze) 71 70 92

 ** S Kim (Kor) 65 72 RT

TITLE-HOLDER WESSELINGH LEADS PGA SENIORS FIELD INTO LAST ROUND

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Paul Wesselingh is ideally placed to retain his ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship title after a three under par 70 on day three gave the defending champion an 11 under par aggregate total and a one-shot lead over a trio of pursuers.

Wesselingh is clearly comfortable on De Vere Mottram Hall’s testing par 73 layout in Cheshire, having won the PGA North Region Championship there in 1994, and he braved a swirling wind today to lead by the slenderest of margins.

“The course is very tricky, it is very bouncy and I suppose that suits my style of play as I can be a bit of a plodder,” explained the Englishman.

“It is just a case of not trying to make any stupid mistakes, make a few birdies and hang on over that back nine.

“Overall I’m delighted with how I’m defending the title but I’m not really even thinking about it, I’m just going out and playing. I’m amazed I’m leading now, but I just plod my way around, get into my own little world and just get on with it.”

American Mike Cunning (70), England’s DJ Russell (71) and Ireland’s Des Smyth (73) currently share second place on 11 under par.

Arizona native Cunning will look to end a three-year victory drought on Sunday, and add to the two previous titles he has won on the European Senior Tour.

After four birdies in the first 13 holes, Cunning had led on 12 under par but a couple of dropped shots coming in, at the 16^th and 17^th holes, proved costly as he fell a shot behind Wesselingh.

He said: “Overall I’m very pleased, as the last few holes are kind of tricky and the way the wind’s blowing, the 16^th and 17^th are pretty hard holes, so overall it’s still a very good day.

“The wind swirls around, although there’s not a lot of it, but what’s there makes a big difference on some of those holes, especially coming in.

“I didn’t know what to expect as this is my first event since December, and I had some health issues [severe neck injury] over the winter so I didn’t do anything for three months. I’m just happy to be playing again.”

Overnight leader Smyth had looked strong on the front nine, and spent much of the day either tied for the lead or out in front on his own.

However, another rollercoaster back side saw the Irishman counter two birdies with twice as many bogeys to finish one shot adrift with 18 holes remaining.

He said: “It was a real game of two halves for me today, I played beautifully on the front nine and was a bit unhappy and unlucky to be only two under par. But then on the back nine I played some scrappy stuff, to be honest, but at least I ended well with a birdie on the last.

“The back nine hasn’t been very kind to me so far this week, but tomorrow would definitely be a very good time to change that, so we’ll just give it our best shot and hope it’s good enough.”

Russell, continuing his recovery from a trapped nerve in his neck, joined Smyth and Cunning in a tie for third place on ten under par, whilst Senior Tour debutant José Manuel Carilles of Spain (72), Paraguay’s Angel Franco (70) and Dane Steen Tinning (67) are all one shot further back on nine under par.

Ian Woosnam will start the final round in a tie for eighth place on seven under par after a third round of 71, and the Welshman is determined to finish with a flourish.

He said: “I’m swinging really well on the practice ground, I just can’t seem to let it go on the golf course for some reason, but we’ll see what happens tomorrow. I just need to go flat out.”

  

THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD

De Vere Mottram Hall,

Cheshire

Par 219 (3x73)

208 P Wesselingh (Eng) 68 70 70,

 209 D Smyth (Irl) 67 69 73, M Cunning (USA) 71 68 70, D Russell (Eng) 71 67 71,

 210 S Tinning (Den) 71 72 67, A Franco (Par) 70 70 70, J Carriles (Esp) 71 67 72,

 212 P Golding (Eng) 70 72 70, I Woosnam (Wal) 72 69 71, P Linhart (Esp) 71 74 67,

 214 G Brand (Eng) 67 78 69,

 215 J Woodward (USA) 74 70 71, P Walton (Irl) 70 70 75, S Luna (Esp) 72 73 70, S Torrance (Sco) 69 73 73, A Oldcorn (Sco) 72 70 73,

 216 P Mitchell (Eng) 72 71 73, P Gresswell (Eng) 76 72 68, S Brown (Eng) 71 71 74, C Mason (Eng) 72 73 71, L Carbonetti (Arg) 73 71 72, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 71 73 72, G Bell (Eng) 70 74 72,

 217 K Spurgeon (Eng) 75 73 69, S Bennett (Eng) 74 69 74, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 74 71 72, M James (Eng) 69 71 77, R Gibson (Can) 74 74 69, B Longmuir (Sco) 69 76 72,

 218 M McLean (Eng) 71 73 74, A Forsbrand (Swe) 73 73 72, M Wharton (Eng) 76 72 70, J Gould (Eng) 71 74 73,

 219 J Quiros (Esp) 77 72 70, T Price (Aus) 71 74 74, M Martin (Esp) 72 72 75, J Bruner (USA) 73 74 72,

 220 A Fernandez (Chi) 75 74 71, J Murphy (Eng) 76 73 71, L Fickling (Eng) 75 73 72, N Job (Eng) 72 75 73, G Manson (Aut) 71 74 75, R Green (Eng) 71 76 73, R Thompson (USA) 76 72 72,

 221 J Hall (Eng) 77 72 72, T Elliott (Aus) 75 73 73, R Roper (Eng) 73 76 72, A Sherborne (Eng) 74 74 73, J Harrison (Eng) 72 72 77,

 222 R Sabarros (Fra) 71 77 74, S McNally (Eng) 75 72 75, B Cameron (Eng) 73 75 74, A Murray (Eng) 75 72 75, M Piñero (Esp) 74 74 74, M Farry (Fra) 75 74 73, G Banister (Aus) 72 74 76, G Ryall (Eng) 74 75 73,

 223 W Grant (Eng) 74 75 74,

 224 J Anderson (USA) 76 73 75, S Rastall (Eng) 71 77 76, M Mackenzie (Eng) 71 76 77, T Thelen (USA) 76 72 76,

 226 G Stubbington (Eng) 75 74 77, D James (Sco) 72 76 78, R Drummond (Sco) 71 78 77,

 227 J Hawksworth (Eng) 73 76 78,

 230 S Cipa (Eng) 77 72 81

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

DUTCHMAN LUITEN CRUISES INTO THREE-SHOT LEAD IN AUSTRIA

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Joost Luiten will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity after a majestic back nine led to a five under par 67.

The 27 year old Dutchman was two over after five holes, but battled back to level par by the turn before racking up five birdies on the way home to reach 16 under for the tournament at Diamond Country Club in Austria. 

Spaniards Jorge Campillo and Eduardo De La Riva are Luiten’s closest challengers, the former signing for a 66 and the latter birdieing the last for a 69, while Dane Thomas Björn had a sizzling 64 to move to 11 under alongside Frenchman Romain Wattel (69).

“It’s easy if you play like I did on the back nine, but the first fives holes were tough,” said Luiten, whose sole European Tour title came at the 2011 Iskandar Johor Open.

 “Once I settled down a bit I started to play better, hit some good shots and make some putts.

“It was good to get some birdies back after that start. There are some tricky holes out there, but my irons felt good so I went at some pins. 

“It’s always good to have a lead in the last round, but tomorrow is a new day and I’ll have to try to play good golf again.

“I’d prefer to be leading than to be behind. I don’t mind playing with the lead. You still have to focus on your own game and play some good shots, without worrying what the other guys are doing.”

 

THIRD ROUND SCORES

Par 216 (3x72)

200 J Luiten (Ned) 65 68 67

203 E De La Riva  (Esp) 69 65 69, J Campillo (Esp) 70 67 66

205 T Björn (Den) 71 70 64, R Wattel  (Fra) 68 68 69

206 P Waring  (Eng) 67 67 72, M Jiménez (Esp) 67 70 69

207 L Gagli  (Ita) 72 67 68, H Otto (RSA) 71 65 71

208 S Little (Eng) 69 73 66, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 66 70, A Forsyth (Sco) 70 68 70, L Wen-Chong (Chn) 67 72 69, T Lewis (Eng) 63 74 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 71 66 71, G Bourdy (Fra) 70 68 70

209 D Drysdale (Sco) 71 66 72, T Hatton (Eng) 74 69 66, S Dyson  (Eng) 66 74 69, C Macaulay  (Sco) 68 66 75, L Slattery (Eng) 71 68 70, A Levy (Fra) 66 75 68, A Sullivan (Eng) 67 71 71,

210 S Webster (Eng) 68 71 71, S Hansen (Den) 70 72 68, M Lampert (Ger) 69 72 69, E Grillo (Arg) 72 67 71, S Wakefield (Eng) 75 65 70,

211 S Kapur (Ind) 68 72 71, P Gustafsson (Swe) 71 73 67, M Carlsson  (Swe) 69 72 70, G Storm  (Eng) 66 74 71, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 68 71 72, M Wiegele  (Aut) 73 71 67, C Lee (Sco) 70 73 68, D McGrane (Irl) 69 72 70, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 74 67 70, C Paisley  (Eng) 69 72 70, G Bhullar (Ind) 72 67 72, M Schwab (am) (Aut) 67 74 70

212 B Dredge (Wal) 71 69 72, M Southgate  (Eng) 73 70 69, M Tullo (Chi) 69 70 73

213 A Snobeck  (Fra) 70 71 72, J Kingston (RSA) 72 69 72, T Levet (Fra) 73 70 70, R McEvoy  (Eng) 66 74 73

214 G Maybin (Nir) 72 68 74, M Nixon (Eng) 69 71 74, O Floren  (Swe) 71 69 74, L Astl (Aut) 71 71 72

215 R Bland (Eng) 72 70 73, M Korhonen (Fin) 72 72 71, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 72 70 73, G Stal  (Fra) 73 71 71, J Glennemo (Swe) 70 68 77, D Gaunt (Aus) 70 74 71

216 J Barnes (Eng) 68 72 76, R Derksen (Ned) 74 70 72, L Nemecz (Aut) 71 69 76, P Hedblom (Swe) 70 72 74,

217 M Lundberg (Swe) 71 73 73, D Higgins (Irl) 71 72 74, N Fasth (Swe) 75 68 74, R Santos  (Por) 72 71 74, J Hansen  (Den) 69 73 75

218 S Dodd (Wal) 72 71 75, S Henry  (Sco) 75 66 77

219 A Hartø  (Den) 73 71 75

220 I Garrido (Esp) 69 74 77

221 C Cévaër (Fra) 74 68 79

 

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HUTCHEON BACK IN THE GROOVE TO WIN KEMNAY PRO-AM

Banchory tour pro Greig Hutcheon bounced back from the embarrassment of running up two 8s in the space of three holes to finish among the also-rans in Friday's Cawder pro-am by shooting a six-under-par 65 to win today's Kemnay pro-am top pro prize of £900.
The score will stand as a professional record for the course which has a new 18th hole since the last pro-am was played at the woodland venue.
Back in his native Aberdeenshire, Greig had a bogey-free card highlighted by six birdies, at the first, long second, fifth, short sixth, long 15th and 17th.
And it was a 1-2-3 triumph for the North-east locals with Scott Henderson (Kings Links) and Aberdeen-based Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) sharing second place on 67 and picking up £600 apiece.
Like the winner, Henderson had no bogeys and birdied the fourth, fifth, ninth and 15th.
McBain had as many birdies as Hutcheon but bogeys at two short holes, the sixth and the 18th dragged him down. 
Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) led the "Barry's Boys" team of Barry McLean (3), Scott Cameron (8) and Dale Singer (18) to victory in the pro-am event with a net total of 54. This trio have won the team event several times in recent years.


KEMNAY PRO-AM
Kemnay Golf Club, Aberdeenshire
PRO SCORES
Par 71
65 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), £900.
67 Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Greg McBain (Gamola Golf), £600 each.
68 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Jonathan Lomas (Caprington), Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy), £266 each.
70 Chris Kelly (Cawder), Christopher Currie (Caldwell), Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf), Graeme Brown (Montrose Links), Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy), £130 each.
73 Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), £100.
75 David Brown (Kemnay), Chris Brown (Carrick on Loch Lomond), James McGhee (unatt), £83 each.
77 Joel Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen), £67.

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DUFFY WALDORF LEADS US SENIOR TOUR'S REGIONS TRADITIONS

FROM THE US CHAMPIONS TOUR WEBSITE
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama(AP) -- Duffy Waldorf is hoping this early lead will culminate with a Sunday night celebration.
Waldorf shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Jeff Sluman after the soggy, weather-delayed second round of the Regions Tradition, the second of five Champions Tour majors.
Waldorf had three birdies and a bogey on both the first nine holes and the last nine to top the Shoal Creek leaderboard at 9-under 135. The Champions Tour rookie led after two rounds last week in Iowa in the Principal Charity Classic, but closed with a 1-under 71 to tie for third.
Waldorf also led shared the first-round lead with Jay Haas two weeks ago at the Senior PGA Championship, but is hoping to finish in the top position this time.
"My friend was telling me, 'I don't really care if you're leading after the first or second round or even the third. Just lead after the fourth,'" he said. "It's not NASCAR, so I don't get extra points for how many laps I lead. But you've got to be near the top to have a chance and I'm really happy to be near the top."
Sluman, the first-round leader, had a 71.
Fred Couples, Mark Calcavecchia, Michael Allen and Canadian Rod Spittle were three strokes back. Couples had a 71, Calcavecchia and Allen shot 69, and Spittle had a 66.
Two-time defending champion Tom Lehman was 4 under after a 71. He made a double bogey on 17 and a bogey on 18 in fading light.
A four-time PGA TOUR winner, Waldorf's only lead at the mid-point of a major came in the 2002 British Open. Waldorf, who was on No. 3 when play was halted Friday, tied for 18th that time.
Waldorf followed a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 5 with an 18-footer on the next hole. His highlight might have been the 30-plus footer on No. 12.
The Champions Tour major at Shoal Creek was delayed 3 hours, 13 minutes with lightning in the area, and there was a steady rain for much of that time. The players finished late in the evening with darkness approaching at 8:01 p.m.
"I thought it would be a longer delay," Waldorf said. "It really poured there for a while. We were looking outside and we were going, `My gosh, it's going to take hours for the course to drain.' But we got back out pretty quick."
Sluman had an eagle on the par-5 third hole, two birdies and three bogeys after matching his best opening round score on the Champions Tour with a 65.
Given the conditions and his spot near the top of the leaderboard, Sluman wasn't fretting too much about a more mundane follow-up round to his opening score.
"I feel all right where I'm at," said Sluman, who won the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with Brad Faxon in April. "It's the best I can do. I signed my card correctly, I hope, at the end of the day. And I didn't shoot myself out of it, certainly. It's days like this that win you the tournaments as much as shooting a really low score.
"When you're just struggling a little bit, you're in between clubs, you're not making anything really happening and you don't go out and shoot 75 or 76, so I'm happy with that."
Couples managed all three of his birdies on the final eight holes but had two bogeys. He had near-misses on a couple of makeable birdie putts early.
"I hit way too many balls," Couples said. "I came out and practiced a little longer, and then we went out and hung out in the van and left the grounds to have lunch. I'm tired now, but I felt pretty good out there. I just couldn't hit the ball close enough, and when I did, I had some pretty good putts and I felt like I putted well but nothing went in."
Spittle, who is conditionally exempt this year, had five birdies and a bogey during a seven-hole stretch on the back nine. He won the 2010 AT and T Championship.
Brad Bryant, who has been bothered by foot problems, withdrew after the round ended. 

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
Players from the US unless stated
135 Duffy Waldorf 67 68
136 Jeff Sluman 65 71
137 Rod Spittle 71 66, Michael Allen 68 69, Mark Calcavecchia 68 69, Fred Couples 66 71

SELECTED TOTALS
138 Peter Senior (Australia) 67 71
141 Barry Lane (England) 70 71 (T22)
143 Mark Mouland (Wales) 70 73 (T35)
144 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 71 73 (T46)
146 Roger Chapman (England) 70 76 (T58)
150 Sandy Lyle (Scotland) 78 72 (T72)

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HARRIS ENGLISH LEADS BY TWO IN ST JUDE CLASSIC

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) -- Harris English is becoming more comfortable on the US PGA Tour every week, and feels right at home on TPC Southwind's Bermuda grass greens.

English shot a 6-under 64 on Friday to open a two-stroke lead in the FedEx St. Jude Classic. The 23-year-old former Georgia star had never even had a piece of a lead on the PGA TOUR until Thursday when he found himself tied with five others, including Davis Love III, after 18 holes.
He used a hot putter to roll in five birdie putts, holed out from 181 yards for eagle on the par-4 fifth and had only one bogey to finish the second round at 10-under 130.
"It's awesome to be in this position," English said. "I've worked very hard the last couple weeks and couple months to get in this position, and I feel like I'm ready and I feel like I got a lot of good people around me to help me."
Shawn Stefani was second after a 65. Paul Haley II and Scott Stallings each shot 68 to reach 5 under. Love was tied with four others at 4 under after a 70, and defending champion Dustin Johnson also had a 70 to finish at 3 under. Phil Mickelson was at 2 under after a 67 on Friday.
Only four players had rounds of 4 under or better on a near perfect day at TPC Southwind. Doug Labelle II and Scott Verplank were the only other players to go at least 4 under with a 66 apiece.
But English turned in the best round on a course playing very tough despite a temperature around 80 degrees -- very rare at this time of year in Memphis. Any wind came out of the north instead of the south. Combined with the small and firm greens, hitting the greens required precise shots. Hitting the fairways also is a must to control shots to the greens.
"Obviously, if he has another two days like the first two, it will be tough to catch him," Johnson said about English. "But I would say I look forward to being bunched throughout on Sunday coming down the stretch."
This is English's second year on tour after finishing up his college career at Georgia in 2011.
The 6-foot-3 English was still an amateur when he won on the Web.com Tour at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational in July 2011, and he moved to the PGA Tour in 2012 and finished 79th on the money list. This year, he already has three top 10s, including his best finish yet with a tie for sixth at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans.

Love has kept track of English for years. English lives in Sea Island, and Love isn't surprised by how well he is playing.
"His game has really improved, and he's playing well and he's not afraid to shoot low scores," Love said.
English opened with a 66 putting himself into the knot of players tied at 4 under atop the leaderboard after the first 18 holes. Teeing off Friday morning, English used his putter to start with three birdies in three holes, rolling in putts from 9, 10 and 17 feet.
Then English had possibly the shot of the day on the par-4 No. 5 playing at 482 yards. After a 3-wood off the tee, he hit an 8-iron 181 yards from the fairway and watched the ball roll at least 10 feet before falling into the cup for eagle.
"I haven't holed out in a while," English said. "To make it on 2, probably the hardest hole on the golf course, is kind of unbelievable."
English dropped a 15-footer on the par-4 15th to become the first player here to reach double-digits under par, and he added a 10-footer on the par-5 16th after hitting his shot from the rough just in front of the green. That birdie put him 11 under.
"I grew up on greens like this down in south Georgia, fast Bermuda greens," English said. "I'm very comfortable on these type of greens. I know when it's going to be fast, and it's really fast. And when into the green, it's really slow. I have a good handle on the speed. That's really what helped me today. When you get the speed down on the greens, you can start making some putts."
English also is very familiar with Tennessee. He played at The Baylor School in Chattanooga, helping win four state titles including an individual high school championship for himself. He even won one of those titles at a course approximately an hour away. He also has friends currently in medical school here in Memphis that he has been visiting with the past couple days.
"It does feel like home," English said.
The only hiccup in English's round came on No. 18. He hit driver only twice Friday and stuck with his 3-wood off the tee only to hit what he called his only bad shot of the day. The ball stopped near a drain. He wound up with a 30-footer and two-putted for his lone bogey.
"I'm still looking for my first win and still hungry to be the best and to try to get my first win," English said.
Notes: Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old amateur from China who made the cut at the Masters, missed the cut. The cut came at 1-over 141, and he went 73-71-144. ... Brandt Snedeker (143) and D.A. Points (148) also missed the cut. Paul Goydos did too, but he did play Friday and shot a 72-145 after fearing he had re-injured his left wrist in the opening round. ... Ian Poulter took off his right sock and rolled his pant leg up to his knee with his ball resting just in the water fronting the par-4 12th green. He pitched the ball onto the green and then pointed at his white shirt, happy that none of the mud that went flying with his stroke hit him. He bogeyed the hole but was at 137.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 140 (2x70)
Players from USA unless stated otherwise
130 Harris English 66 64.
132 Shawn Steffani 67 65
135 Paul Haley II 67 68, Scott Stallings 67 68
136 Davis Love III 66 70, Glen Day 66 70, Justin Hicks 67 69, Doug LaBelle II 70 66, Jason Bohn 67 70

SELECTED SCORES
138 Peter Hanson (Sweden) 67 71, Russell Knox (Scotland) 70 658, Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 69 69 (T22)
139 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69 70 (T38)
140 Brian Davis (England) 69 71 (T50)

MISSED THE CUT (141 and better qualified)
142 Ross Fisher (England) 70 72
143 Greg Owen (England) 69 74
145 Gary Christian 73 72