SIMPLE FOR SIMON AS THORNTON MAKES IT THREE-WAY TIE AT SAINT OMER GOLF CLUB

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Simon Thornton carded the first hole in one of his professional career on the way to a stunning six under par 65 as the Irishman moved into a three-way tie for the lead going into the final day of the Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open presented by Neuflize OBC.

In very high winds but clear skies at Aa Saint Omer Golf Club, Thornton holed out with a perfect seven iron tee shot at the 206-yard par three 11^th which was greeted with cheers from the spectators and high fives from his playing partners.

That came just two holes after an eagle at the ninth hole as he made an almighty push up the leaderboard, climbing 34 places to the top on four under par alongside South African Tjaart Van der Walt and local favourite Baptiste Chapellan.

Indeed, the former Assistant Pro at Royal County Down Golf Club came agonisingly close to equalling the course record of 64, but his eight foot birdie putt at the last slid just by the left of the hole. Nevertheless, the 36 year old was delighted with how he played as he vies for a maiden European Tour title.

“That was obviously pretty good stuff,” said Thornton, who was six shots off the lead before Round Three. “I just played really well, hit some good shots and in weather like that you just have to keep straight and that’s what I do well.

“I was making greens and giving myself chances and I managed to take them today. The weather suits me, I like playing in a breeze. There were times when you could have hit any one of five clubs because the wind was so unpredictable, but you just have to pick one and trust it.

“I holed about a 30-footer for eagle at the ninth and then the hole in one - I was in between a seven iron and an eight iron and I hit a nice smooth seven and it was all over the flag, one big bounce and it just rolled in. It was really good shot.

“There were a few high fives and shouts, it was my first one in a professional tournament so I was delighted.

“I was happier about the way I played 12 actually, because it’s breezy and the blood can rush to your head a little after the hole in one, but I hit a lovely drive there and hit to a few feet and holed it for birdie so that carried on the momentum.”

Van der Walt looked to be heading into a three shot lead entering championship Sunday in northern France but a double-bogey at the 16^th followed immediately by a bogey at the 17^th meant he had to settle for a level par 71 to remain on four under par for the tournament.

Chapellan, who is making just his sixth appearance on The European Tour, was boosted by a significant following on home soil as he signed for a two under 69, while Englishman Seve Benson was a shot back in fourth place after carding a one under par 70 to move to three under for the tournament.

  THIRD ROUND TOTALS

   Par 213 (3x71)

209 B Chapellan (Fra) 72 68 69, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 67 71 71, S Thornton (Irl) 74 70 65,

210 S Benson (Eng) 75 65 70,

211 M Glauert (Ger) 77 65 69, V Riu  (Fra) 68 71 72, C Lloyd (Eng) 73 68 70,

212 R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 72 66 74, P Edberg (Swe) 74 69 69, J Elson  (Eng) 75 69 68,

213 J Huldahl (Den) 73 67 73, A Domingo (Esp) 74 71 68, B Koepka  (USA) 75 70 68,

214 D Im (USA) 73 72 69, A Pavan (Ita) 74 70 70, M Jonzon (Swe) 74 70 70,

215 S Henry  (Sco) 72 69 74, G Shaw (Nir) 76 69 70, J Walters (RSA) 71 69 75, M Lundberg (Swe) 73 71 71, F Calmels  (Fra) 73 71 71, A Kaleka  (Fra) 73 71 71, D Gaunt (Aus) 70 70 75, D Vancsik (Arg) 73 67 75, R Davies (Wal) 77 67 71,

216 S Wakefield (Eng) 71 68 77, R McEvoy  (Eng) 71 71 74, C Hanson (Eng) 71 68 77, T Hatton (Eng) 75 67 74, E Dubois (Fra) 71 74 71, D Brooks (Eng) 69 71 76,

217 J Lima  (Por) 74 71 72, A Snobeck  (Fra) 76 69 72, S Kim (Kor) 73 71 73, J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 73 72 72,

218 Å Nilsson (Swe) 71 74 73, F Praegant (Aut) 73 70 75, A Marshall (Eng) 74 68 76, G Orr (Sco) 73 71 74, C Brazillier  (Fra) 75 70 73, L Goddard  (Eng) 75 67 76, C Russo (Fra) 73 72 73, M Korhonen (Fin) 74 70 74, T Nørret (Den) 75 69 74, C Suneson (Esp) 72 71 75,

219 B Hebert  (Fra) 74 68 77, G Stal  (Fra) 75 68 76, G Boyd  (Eng) 76 68 75, A Forsyth (Sco) 73 70 76, A Tadini (Ita) 73 71 75, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 73 68 78, J Dantorp (Swe) 73 70 76, D Perrier (Fra) 77 66 76, T Pilkadaris (Aus) 71 72 76, M Decottignies-Lafon (am) (Fra) 75 69 75,

220 G Houston (Wal) 74 70 76, R Kakko  (Fin) 72 71 77, O Floren  (Swe) 72 71 77,

221 T Fournier  (Fra) 71 71 79, R Quiros  (Esp) 75 70 76, P Dwyer (Eng) 73 70 78, J McLeary  (Sco) 75 70 76, T Remkes (Ned) 75 70 76,

222 S Little (Eng) 74 70 78, P Maddy (Eng) 72 72 78,

223 T Murray (Eng) 75 70 78,

225 M Crespi  (Ita) 75 68 82, L Weber (Fra) 75 70 80,

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

WOOSNAM RETAINS WELSH LEAD AFTER PORTHCAWL BARES TEETH

  REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

On a day dominated by the most extreme conditions, Ian Woosman emerged from his battle with the mighty Royal Porthcawl to retain a one stroke lead going into the final round of the Speedy Service Wales Senior Open. 

With winds averaging 30 mph and gusting to 40 mph at their most extreme, the Welshman birdied the par five 18^th to card a three over par 74. That saw him fall back to three under for the tournament but stay one shot clear of his fellow former Ryder Cup Captain Mark James and Irishman Denis O’Sullivan.

So intense were the conditions at Porthcawl that not one of the 72 man field managed to post an under par score, with James producing a joint best of the day level par 71 to join O’Sullivan (72) in a tie for second place on two under. Terry Price of Australia is the only other player in the field under par after a second round 72. 

Thanks to Woosnam’s opening 66 on Friday, the former Masters Champion is in with a great chance to become the first Welshman to put his hands on the Speedy Services Wales Senior Open trophy, and collect his first victory since 2011.

 

“I won’t be thinking about winning just yet,” said Woosnam. “You only have to look at the conditions today to know that anything can happen on a golf course like this. I am just hoping to get some of my rhythm back because I have been playing really nicely over the last few weeks but today the wind just caused havoc with the swing.

“It was so extreme out there today and don’t think you can really enjoy that kind of golf. It was a real battle and I am just delighted to still be in the lead and in with a chance of winning. 

“It would be special to win back here in Wales but as I said before there is a long way to go and almost anything can happen on a course like this so it will be a case of coming back tomorrow and hoping I can get the job done.”

 

Complete second round scores:

Par 142 (2x71)

139 I Woosnam (Wal) 65 74;

140 D O'Sullivan (Irl) 68 72; M James (Eng) 69 71;

141 T Price (Aus) 69 72;

142 D Russell (Eng) 69 73;

143 M Cunning (USA) 71 72; A Oldcorn (Sco) 66 77; A Sherborne (Eng) 70 73;

144 B Lane (Eng) 67 77;

145 M Martin (Esp) 70 75; T Thelen (USA) 70 75; T Johnstone (Zim) 74 71; J Rivero (Esp) 72 73; P Golding (Eng) 66 79; D Smyth (Irl) 74 71;

146 J Harrison (Eng) 71 75; J Quiros (Esp) 70 76; C Mason (Eng) 70 76;

147 G Brand Jnr (Sco) 71 76; P Fowler (Aus) 72 75; M McLean (Eng) 76 71; A Forsbrand (Swe) 71 76;

148 M Farry (Fra) 67 81; S Tinning (Den) 74 74; S Brown (Eng) 69 79; P Linhart (Esp) 73 75; J Carriles (Esp) 73 75; P Jonas (Can) 70 78; M Piñero (Esp) 74 74; A Franco (Par) 70 78; G Norquist (USA) 75 73; W Grant (Eng) 72 76; G Ralph (Eng) 73 75;

149 J Spence (Eng) 75 74; K Spurgeon (Eng) 72 77; P Walton (Irl) 68 81;

150 S Luna (Esp) 76 74; J Bruner (USA) 68 82; L Carbonetti (Arg) 68 82; B Cameron (Eng) 73 77; G Manson (Aut) 71 79;

151 N Job (Eng) 68 83; S Cipa (Eng) 74 77; C Williams (RSA) 72 79; J Gould (Eng) 74 77; G Brand (Eng) 77 74;

152 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 78 74; G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 80; B Longmuir (Sco) 73 79; G Ryall (Eng) 73 79;

153 S Van Vuuren (RSA) 70 83; E Darcy (Irl) 74 79; D James (Sco) 75 78; R Drummond (Sco) 67 86; P Wesselingh (Eng) 75 78; J Laforce (Can) 72 81; T Elliott (Aus) 76 77;

154 R Gibson (Can) 76 78;

155 C O'Connor Jnr (Irl) 75 80; R Thompson (USA) 75 80; S Bennett (Eng) 72 83;

156 P Way (Eng) 72 84; P Mitchell (Eng) 77 79; M Mackenzie (Eng) 78 78; M Bembridge (Eng) 74 82;

158 D Hospital (Esp) 78 80; P Mayo (Wal) 79 79;

161 M Deboub (Alg) 80 81;

162 A Garrido (Esp) 81 81;

165 D Durnian (Eng) 79 86; G Banister (Aus) 83 82;

170 V Garcia (Esp) 88 82;

ENDS

RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE

turnberry.db@gmail.co

STEWART WATT DOES IT AGAIN

The Duncan Trophy is awarded by Renfrewshire Golf Union to the County Youth Match Play Champion.  It is contested by the leading sixteen youths from the Stroke Play Championship and Renfrew Golf Club provides the venue.

The defending champion was Stewart Watt from Old Course Ranfurly and he fought his way to the final where he met Craig Pirie who had the advantage of playing on his home course.  The final was a high quality, closely fought battle and local knowledge seemed to be favouring Craig as he sank a succession of putts to go two up.  Stewart fought back but, with three holes to play, Craig was one up and looking confident.

Stewart was determined to have the trophy on his shelf for another year and won both sixteen and seventeen to go one up with one to play.  A half in par at eighteen was enough to see the cup return to Bridge of Weir.

GREIG HUTCH CELEBRATES PGA CUP SELECTION WITH WIN AT BATHGATE

Banchory's Greig Hutcheon celebrated his Friday selection for the GB and I PGA Cup team to play the United States by winning

the Bathgate pro-am today.

Hutcheon collected £1,265 for a six-under-par round of 65 which saw him finished two shots clear of a big field.

Greig had a bag of eight birdies and two bogeys.

Joint runners-up were Christopher Currie (Caldwell) and Jonathan Lomas (Caprington) who each received £885.

Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) steered the Bathgate Kilt Studio amateur trio of Alan Waddell (handicap 18), David

Nellany (12) and Cameron Watt (9) to victory in the pro-am with a 17-under par net score of 54.

LEADING PRO SCORES

Par 71

65 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) £1,265

67 Christopher Currie (Caldwell), Jonathan Lomas (Caprington) £885 each.

69 Gordon Law (Uphall), Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), James McKinnon (Irvine) £328 each.

70 Craig Gordon (Edinburgh Golf Centre), Craig Ronald (Carluke), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) £215 each.

71 Andrew Munro (Musselburgh), Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Gareth Wright (West Linton), David Patrick (Elie SC) £158 each.

72 Andrew Marshall (Houston GR), Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), raig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) £107 each.

73 Scott Catlin (Greenburn), Chris Russell (RAW golf course design), Mark King (Kingsfield), Lee Vannett (Carnoustie GL), Jonathan Sharp (Carrick on Loch Lomond), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) £13 each.

OTHER SCORES

74 Louis Gaughan (Bathgate), Patrick Walker (Ballumbie Castle), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Stevem Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Scott Herald (Mearns Castle)

75 David Nicoll (Dundonald Links), Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh), Garry Forrester (St Andrews GS), Greg McBain (Gamola Golf).

76 Paul Brookes (Pitreavie)

77 Iain Stoddart (Uphall)

78 Callum Nisbet (Bathgate)

79 Gareth Hardy (Belleisle)

81 Christopher McMster (Panmure).

en ds

BARRIE EDMOND WINS ABERDEEN LINKS FINAL AT THE 19th

Barrie Edmond retained the Aberdeen Links championship at last night when he repeated last year's win over the same opponent, Bon Accord clubmate and close friend Matty Greig.
Barrie won at the 19th after being five up through the first nine holes.
Edmond lost the 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th and 18th.

REPORT FROM THE P AND J

Barrie Edmond retained the Aberdeen Links championship title in a thrilling final against Matty Greig last night. The two Bon-Accord players served up a classic encounter, with Greig mounting an extraordinary comeback to force the match into a sudden-death play-off, despite having been five down at the turn.

However, it was Edmond who held his nerve on the 19th hole with a par enough to win him the championship for the third time in four years after Greig found a bunker with his teeshot and could only muster a bogey 5.

The pair had also met in last year's final with Edmond winning 3 and 2 on that occasion. Edmond stormed into an early lead winning the first, fourth, sixth, sevenths and ninth, going out in five under par. But Greig refused to accept defeat. He won four out of five holes to reduce Edmond's advantage to a single hole. Greig eventually squared the match by winning the 18th with a par but Edmond came out on top by claiming the first extra hole.

 

PAUL LAWRIE AWARDED OBE IN BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

NEWS RELEASE

Paul Lawrie has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

The 44-year-old was part of last year's victorious European Ryder Cup team and has a successful foundation which encourages young people to play golf.
Christian Horner, team principal of the Red Bull Formula One team, has also been awarded an OBE for services to motorsport.
There were also OBEs for sports presenter Clare Balding, president of the Amateur Boxing Association Keith Walters and Brian Annable for services to cycling.
Diana Ellis, the chair of British Rowing since 1989, is made a Dame after overseeing a hugely-successful period in the sport.
Richard Lewis, the former Sport England chair and lately chief executive of the Rugby Football League receives a CBE.
Wasim Khan, the chief executive of the Cricket Foundation and the first British-born Pakistani to play professional cricket in England, receives an MBE for services to cricket and the community.
Northern Ireland footballer Noel Bailie has received an MBE following more than 1,000 appearances for Linfield in a 22-year career from 1989 to 2011.
Penny Briscoe, the performance director and chef de mission for the British Paralympic Association, also receives an MBE for her role in the team's success at last year's London Paralympics.