ROSE CHANGES MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, THEN SHOOTS A 67 AT TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

 FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

CROMWELL, Connecticut -- Charley Hoffman couldn't help but think about last year as he stood on the 17th tee Thursday at the Travelers Championship.

 A year ago, Hoffman (pictured) hit a similar tee shot right and into the water, leading to a double-bogey, bogey slide on the final two holes of the tournament in which he lost a two-stroke lead and eventually the title. This time, his drive stayed on the fairway. He finished with a par and then a birdie to complete a first-round 61, one shot off the course record.

"Believe it or not, I was thinking about it going down 16, 17, 18," he said. "If I could have just gotten those balls in play, I would have been defending champion here. But this year, I got off to a good start and obviously a little more focused on those last two holes. Hopefully I'm there again this year."
His 28 on the back nine was the lowest nine holes on the PGA TOUR this year, and puts him one shot up on Hunter Mahan, who posted an early 62. Bubba Watson was two strokes back.
Hoffman said he thought he might have a chance to go even lower, and was flirting with 59 after making eagle on 10 and 12, and going to 8 under with a birdie on 16.
"I knew I had some chances coming in," he said. "But when it's said and done, as I displayed last year, 16, 17 and 18 aren't an easy test. So I was just trying to make some pars coming in."
Hoffman, Mahan and Watson all have interesting histories in Connecticut.
Mahan is the 2007 champion and has two second-place finishes in his 11 previous starts at TPC River Highlands.
"I think this is the most comfortable course on TOUR for me," he said.
He is also coming off a fourth-place finish after being in the final pairing at the U.S. Open, something he said has him playing with confidence. He opened the day by making the first of eight birdies during a bogey-free round. He was also at 8 under with three holes to play before making par on the final three holes.
"This is a golf course where you can be aggressive off the tee if you want to be, but you can also play it safe," he said. "I choose to be mostly aggressive, and it gives me some short irons. I'm happy to take on pins with my short irons. So it's a combo of things, but all I know is when I step on that tee, I feel like I can hit any shot out here.Watson finds himself in contention again after winning in 2010 and tying Hoffman as the runner-up a year ago. He said there is a reason so many familiar names are at the top of the leaderboard.
"These are guys that love this course, that love this tournament, they love Travelers and how they've treated us here," he said. "And so, you're always going to see pretty much some of the same guys up there because they enjoy this area and this golf course."
Six golfers were four strokes back.
The biggest ovation of the day came when Justin Rose was introduced on the first tee as the U.S. Open champion. Rose went on to shoot a 67, leaving him in good shape heading into Friday.
"Obviously, I'm playing well," he said. "I just knew I had to get through today without too much damage. If you manage to keep it in the mid-60s for most of the week, you should do pretty well."
Rose also announced that he is changing management companies, leaving British-based 4Sports and Entertainment for Excel Sports, the same company that represents Tiger Woods.
"I just felt with me playing so much here in the States and where I felt my game was going, I just felt it was a decision I wanted to make," he said.
The round marked the pro debut of Chris Williams, the top-ranked amateur in the world the past season. The former University of Washington star shot a 1-over 71, with two bogeys and a single birdie.
"The first tee, I was a little nervous," he said. "But then it was the same old, same old. I didn't play very well, so that was pretty frustrating, but I got it out of the way." 

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 70 Players from USA unless stated
61 Charley Hoffman.
62 Hunter Mahan
63 Bubba Watson
65 John Merrick, Webb Simpson, Rod Pampling (Australia), Camilo Villega (Colombia), Graham DeLaet (Canada), Zach Johnson.
66 Chris Stroud, Tommy Gainey, John Huh, Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Richard H Lee, Patrick Reed, Marc Leishman (Australia), Chris Kirk (T10)

SELECTED SCORES
67 Lee Westwood (England), Justin Rose (England) (T18)
69 Russell Knox (Scotland) (T48)
70 Greg Owen (England) (T66)
71 Gonzalo Fernandez Castano (Spain), Gary Christian (England), Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) (T82)
72 Brian Davis (England) (T98)
73 Ian Poulter (England) (T127).

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MANASSERO ADVICE HELPS COMPATRIOT REACH LAST EIGHT

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R and A

Royal Cinque Ports, KENT. Advice from the 2009 Amateur champion Matteo Manassero helped highly rated Italian countryman Renato Paratore to reach the quarter-finals of the 118th Amateur Championship at Royal Cinque Ports today.

Paratore turned to the BMW PGA champion and Silver Medal winner at the 2009 Open Championship for guidance on links golf before travelling to the Kent coast. It paid off for the 16-year-old who is the same age as Manassero when he won at Formby. Paratore won a close match against Iceland’s Haraldur Franklin Magnus at the 19th hole to follow his win over Poland’s Adrian Meronk in the previous round.

Speaking through an interpreter, the 16-year-old said, “I know Matteo from playing on the Italian team with him a few times. He has been a big help. He was good on telling me how to play links golf. He told me how to play in the wind and how to play punch shots. He knows how it works and how to make it happen because he won this tournament.”

Neil Raymond led a home charge with a comfortable 7 and 6 victory over Tim Gornik, from Slovenia, and was joined by fellow English players Garrick Porteous, Max Orrin and Nick Marsh in the last eight.
Raymond took charge from the off against 22-year-old Gornik and was four up after six holes. He turned the screw with three consecutive birdies from the ninth and closed out the match when both players carded bogey 5s on the 12th.
“I have a lot of confidence from last week and I feel happy with my game,” said St Andrews Trophy winner Raymond who defeated Scotland cap Adam Dunton from Ellon, Aberdeenshire earlier in the day. 
“I am just trying to give myself as many chances as I can out there because down the stretch you are not going to have many birdie opportunities. 
"Taking advantage of the first few and the middle few holes when you have got some wedge shots is quite crucial round here. I’m really happy with the way I played. It’s nice to not have to play the full round so I can get a bit more rest.”
Porteous, North-east of England-based winner of the Scottish amateur stroke play championship earlier this month at Southerness, followed Raymond into the quarter-finals with a 3 and 2 win over Ireland’s Aaron Kearney after previously seeing off his compatriot Paul Dunne. 
Porteous, a 23-year-old Bamburgh Castle GC member, said, “I’ve played really well all week.  The key is being strategic on this course and staying on the right side of the fairway. Around the greens you just can’t short side yourself.”
Royal Cinque Ports member Orrin maintained his good form ousting Australia’s Jordan Zunic 3 and 1 to follow an earlier 3 and 2 win against fellow Englishman Paul Kinnear to reach the quarter-finals. 
“I’m overjoyed. At the start of the week I knew I was playing well but I didn’t expect to come all this way or to keep playing so well and keep the game there. I’m just really looking forward to tomorrow now. 
"More and more people have turned up from my club to watch me and family and friends so it’s really nice. I do appreciate all the support.”

Rounding off the English representation in the last eight will be Huddersfield’s Marsh who edged out Callum Shinkwin, from Moor Park, by one hole.

Paul Barjon went one stage further in this year’s championship after being knocked out by the eventual winner Alan Dunbar at the corresponding stage last year. The 20-year-old Frenchman won a close match with Ashley Chesters, from Hawkstone Park, by two holes. Earlier in the day he defeated Edward Richardson, from Rye, at the 19th hole.

American Jim Liu was the scourge of the Danes as he followed his morning win over Mads Soegaard with a two-hole victory over Kasper Estrup.

The quarter-final line-up for The Amateur Championship will see  
Paratore v Liu, 
Raymond v Porteous
Barjon v Hakula
Orrin v Marsh. 
The matches will be played tomorrow morning starting at 8.15am followed by the semi-finals in the afternoon.

For scoring from the championship visit championships.randa.org. Television highlights will be broadcast on Sky Sports. Follow the championship on Twitter at @TheAmateurLive.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ MORE ABOUT THE THIRD-ROUND DEFEATS OF THE LAST TWO SCOTS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, ADAM DUNTON AND GRANT FORREST

YOUNG GUNS SHOOT THE LIGHTS OUT AT AVIEMORE

                  

 

REPORT BY NEIL AHERN
nahern@europeantour.com

Two former amateur stars, Byeong-hun An of South Korea and 

Alan Dunbar (picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c) of Northern 

Ireland, put on a world-class display at the Scottish Hydro 

Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts 

as they both carded stunning nine-under-par rounds of 62 to share 

the lead after day one.

The European Challenge Tour is regarded 

as the best school for fledgling golfers to 

develop from promising amateurs to 

polished professionals and this was 

certainly a case of gifted young stars 

coming of age.

South Korean An, the 2009 US Amateur 

Champion who holds the record as the 

youngest winner of the prestigious event, 

and  2012 Amateur  Champion Dunbar 

have both shown in the non-paid ranks that they have the talent 

to reach the headiest heights of the game.

And in an incredible morning at Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club,

Aviemore in the Cairngorms, they both proved that they can also 

cut it in the professional ranks with superb performances.

Dunbar got off to a poor start after teeing off at the 11^th, bogeying 

his opening two holes, but that did not deter the 23 year old as he 

fired 11 birdies to smash the course record almost exactly a year 

after his biggest win as an amateur.

“I was in just the zone,” said Dunbar, whose Amateur 

Championship win came at Royal Troon. “I’ve been  

playing well all year now, shooting good scores but missing the cut  

by a couple of shots. It’s good to put it all together and have a  

strong round.

“I felt like a round like this was coming. I have been saying to my coach that I am playing well, and most of my rounds could easily have been four or five better. Even after the start I was confident of hitting good shots.”

 

Barely 30 minutes after Dunbar came in with that record-

breaking score, the American-based An also signed for a 62. In 

contrast to Dunbar, An did not card a single bogey as he shot nine 

birdies on the way to his lowest round as a professional.

 

“I really like this course but it’s actually fairly hard,” said the 

21  year old. “There are some hard holes. It is pretty long and 

gets pretty tough if you don’t drive it very well. I missed the cut 

last year but this year I guess it suits me better.

“I was never thinking about 59 to be honest,” he continued. “I 

fired well on the front nine but the back nine is definitely harder. I 

just wanted to make par on the harder holes – 11 and 12 are the 

hardest - and just get through those holes and see what happens.”

Spaniard Sebi Garcia was a shot back after carding an eight under 

par 63 while there were seven players three shots further back on 

six under par, including former Challenge Tour Grand Final winner 

Andrea Pavan and local favourite Duncan Stewart, who lives at 

Grantown on Spey,  just 15 minutes from this week’s venue.

  ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

  Par 71

62 B An (SKor) , A Dunbar (Nir) 

63 S Garcia (Esp) 

65 N Lemke (Swe) , J Dantorp (Swe) , A Pavan (Ita) , D Stewart (Sco) , T Hatton (Eng) , D Frittelli (RSA) , J Watts (Eng) 

66 G Cambis  (Fra) , C Russo (Fra) , E Dubois (Fra) , J McLeary  (Sco) , J Carlsson (Swe) , T Remkes (Ned) , A Velasco (Esp) , J Doherty  (Sco) 

67 K Ferrie (Eng), J Moul  (Eng) , P Doherty (Sco) , J Lima  (Por) , S Tiley (Eng) , T Murray (Eng) , L Kennedy  (Eng) , P McKechnie (Sco) , M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) , B Hebert  (Fra) , S Walker (Eng) 

68 K Borsheim  (Nor) , G Dear (Sco) , T Nørret (Den) , S Parry  (Eng) , J Gibb (Eng) , C Kelly (Sco) , M Trappel  (Aut) , P Maddy (Eng) , G Hutcheon (Sco) , N Fenwick (Sco) , D Dixon (Eng) , J Guerrier  (Fra), S Manley (Wal), R Kellett (Sco), J Huldahl (Den) , J Mommo  (Fin) , G Wright  (Wal) 

69 A Bernadet  (Fra) , P Cutler (Nir) , A Johnston (Eng) , A Forsyth (Sco) , P Edberg (Swe) , R Enoch  (Wal), C Moriarty (Irl) , S Kim (Kor) , F Bergamaschi (Ita) , M Sell  (Eng), R Russell (Sco) , N McCarthy  (Eng) , A Gee  (Eng) , G Murray  (Sco) , G Shaw (Nir) , J Mikkelsen (Nor) , T Pilkadaris (Aus) 

70 L Corfield  (Eng) , A McArthur  (Sco) , T Pieters  (Bel) , J Hepworth (Eng) , B Koepka  (USA) , J Fahrbring (Swe) , M Ford (Eng) , N Kearney (Irl) , J Abbott (Eng) , R Quiros  (Esp) , L Saltman (Sco) , V Riu  (Fra) , L Bond (Wal), L Bjerregaard  (Den) , J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 

71 M Kerr  (Sco) , T Sluiter  (Ned) , E Saltman  (Sco) , B Etchart  (Esp) , N Quintarelli (Ita) , Z Saltman (Sco) , D Geminiani (Ita) , L Goddard  (Eng) , N Ravano (Ita) , P Relecom  (Bel) , D Kemmer (USA) , T Haylock  (Eng) , D Wuensche  (Ger) , A Domingo (Esp) , S Hutsby  (Eng) , S Henderson (Sco) , F McGuirk  (Eng) , F Calmels  (Fra) , L Claverie (Esp) , R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 

72 E Johansen  (Nor) , A Perrino  (Ita) , G Houston (Wal) , O Rozner  (Fra), S Hodgson (Eng), T Fournier  (Fra) , N Elvira  (Esp) , D Law (Sco) , D Griffiths  (Eng) , O Wilson (Eng) , P Archer (Eng) , O Whiteley (Eng) , M Novy  (Cze) , N Dougherty  (Eng) , S Dodd (Wal) , P Oriol (Esp) , B Parker  (Eng) 

73 J Senior (Eng) , F Colombo (Ita) , J Timmis (Eng) , M Haines  (Eng) , C Gane (Eng) , J Ruth  (Eng) , P Dwyer (Eng) , S Whiffin (Eng) , J Glennemo (Swe) , D Vancsik (Arg) 

74 M Stewart (Sco) , P O'Keeffe  (Irl) , B Dredge (Wal) , W Booth  (Sco) , S Davis (Eng) , J Lando Casanova  (Fra) , C Aguilar  (Esp) , B Chapellan (Fra) , D Perrier (Fra)

75 J Maurer  (Aut) , S O'Hara  (Sco) , L Clarke  (Eng) , C Brazillier  (Fra) , S McAllister (Sco) , D Im (USA) , J Howarth (Eng) , M Haremza (Ger) , C Ford (Eng) , M Haastrup  (Den) 

76 Å Nilsson (Swe) , O Bekker (RSA) , C Trahan (Sco) , F Cromarty (Sco) , W Besseling  (Ned) 

77 D Wright (Eng) 

78 S Park (SKor) , F Svanberg  (Sui)

79 R Saxton (Ned) , N Floren (Swe) 

80 D Waite (Eng) 

81 S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp)

 

LINCOLNSHIRE MAN POACHES THREE-STROKE LEAD AT ELIE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Lincolnshire's Richard Latham was one of three men to shoot the day's lowest score of 69 - and the Woodhall Spa man's one-under-par round lifted him three shots clear of the field after 36 holes of the Scottish senior men's open amateur stroke play golf championship at Golf Club House, Elie today.

Latham had opened the tournament with a 70 so he is looking down on the field from one-under-par 139 with 18 holes to play at the Fife venue.

In second place on his own is Richard Partride (Wildernesse) (72-70).

Sharing third place on 143 are defending champion Lindsay Blair (Grangemouth) (71-72), Derek Murphy (Kinross) (74-69), Alan O'Neill (West Lothian) (70-73) and Anthony McLure (Longhirst) (70-73).

Blair birdied the second and fifth but was four over par for his remaining 13 holes.

Murphy was right on the leader's tail after birdies at the first, fifth, seventh, 10th and 12th, but he bogeyed the 15th, 17th and 18th.

Overnight leader Bob Humble (Kilspindie) sagged from a 68 to an 81 for 149 but he beat the cut with four strokes to spare. Humble had back-to-back double bogey 6s at the 12th and 13th. He had only one birdie - at the second - in halves of 38-43.

The third player to have a second-round 69 was Royal Dornoch's David Pearson, a 10-shot improvement on his first round.

QUALFIERS FOR FINAL ROUND

 Par 140 (2x70) CSS 72 72

139 R Latham (Woodhall Spa) 70 69.

142 R Partridge (Wildernesse) 72 70.

143 L Blair (Grangemouth) 71 72, D Murphy (Kinross) 74 69, A O'Neill (West Lothian) 70 73, A McLure (Longhirst) 70 73.

146 S Fawcett (Southport and Ainsdale) 76 70, P Sewell (Castle Royle) 71 75, G Rees (Fleetwood) 72 74.

147 B Stewart (Tulliallan) 76 71, J Willis (Carlisle) 71 76.

148 D Pearson (Royal Dornoch) 79 69, K Bruce (Edzell) 75 73, I Gillan (Bishopbriggs) 74 74, D Taylor (Dunfermline) 73 75, D Lane (Goring and Streatley) 73 75, F McCluskey (Royal Burgess) 74 74.

149 L Gordon (Turnhouse) 73 76, B Edgar (Blackpool NS) 71 78, B Humble (Kilspindie) 68 81.

150 P Jack (Carlisle) 78 72, A Carman (Coventry) 77 73, J Gordon (Parkstone) 75 75, G Patterson (Northern) 72 7, D Gardner (Broomieknowe) 73 77, D Chalmers (Panmure) 74 76, J Fraser (Royal Burgess) 75 75.

151 T Daggett (Ringway) 78 73, T Patterson (Sunningdale) 80 71, J Wrigfht (Wildernesse) 77 74, W Higgins (Tewkesbury) 76 75, J S Macdonald (Dunfermline) 74 77, P slatere (Sandiway) 786 75, I Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 76 75, W Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox) 77 74, D Cameron (Moor Park) 73 78, I Brooker (Littlestone) 76 75.

152 A Donkersley (Gerrards Cross) 79 73, D Martin (Newbiggin) 75 77, B Bingham (Haggs Castle) 74 78, S Pond (Worksop) 75 77, D Donaldson (Glasgow) 74 78, S Bannerman (Glasgow) 74 78, S Whymark (Woodbridge) 76 76, J Johnston (Northumberland) 76 76, D Gillespie (Turnhouse) 77 75, J Jermine (Sunningdale) 72 80, P Adams (Gay Hill) 75 77

153 B Grieve (King James VI) 76 77, C Christy (Kilmacolm) 78 75, D Downie (Kirriemuir) 77 76, M Wigley (Bude and N Cornwall) 77 76, K Miller (Milngavie) 77 76, I MacDonald (Bruntsfield) 78 74, G MacDonald (Glenbervie) 78 75, R Gray (Irvine) 75 78.

NON-QUALIFIERS INCLUDED
154 G Millar (Swanston New) 79 75, D Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) 77 77
155 P Saggers (The Nairn) 74 81.
158 D McCart (Sherwood Forest) 76 79, I Stewart (Turnberry) 79 79.
160 S Ellis (Cowal) 77 83
162 J Kinloch (Cardross) 78 84.

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ERNIE ELS LEADS WITH A 63 AT BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN

REPORT BY EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS 

By PAUL SYMES, European Tour Press Officer

Ernie Els continued his fine form with a sublime nine under par 63 to take a one shot lead at the end of a low scoring first round at the BMW International Open.
The South African, who finished tied for sixth at the BMW PGA Championship last month and in a share of fourth last week at the US Open Championship, fired five birdies in an outward 31 having started at the tenth on a lengthened Golfclub München Eichenried lay-out.
The reigning Open Champion then turned for home with a 40 foot birdie at the short second, before producing one of the shots of the day at the par five sixth.
With water looming large by the side of the green and having found the right rough, Els fired a brilliant fairway wood approach from almost 250 yards to within five feet of the hole to set up a sublime eagle.
Els almost replicated that feat at the ninth, where another eagle would have seen him equal the course record, but a two-putt birdie still proved good enough for a one stroke lead.
“It seems like it’s really a day of (low) scoring today,” said Els. “If you shoot a really low one, it’s nice. It takes the pressure off the rest of the tournament a little bit. 
“Although when you’re leading, it doesn’t really mean much until Sunday, but if you get into the race, so to speak, early on in the tournament, it’s nice to be right in the hunt.
“Guys will be shooting low tomorrow morning, but it’s nice to have got a good round under my belt.
“I've really been working hard at my game. Especially going into the US Open and around the BMW PGA at Wentworth, I could feel things were coming around a bit. I had a bit of an iffy year up to now, but I really feel that my swing feels good and my body feels good, touch wood. So I can swing the club properly.” 

In a tie for second at eight under par is home favourite Martin Kaymer, who took one of the biggest crowds of the afternoon, and he duly rewarded those watching with nine birdies and just a single dropped shot en route to a round of 64.

The former World Number One has tasted success at this event back in 2008, and having adjusted his schedule in the build-up to the first round, he feels confident of more success in front of his home fans. 

“The expectations were very high and I put a lot of pressure on myself,” admitted Kaymer.
“Obviously it’s the only tournament we play in Germany, so I'm very pleased. 

“I just want to put myself in position, as it’s not so much about really trying to win. I try to put myself in position on Sunday, and then we will see as I think I will have an advantage with the people here and very good support.”

Kaymer is in a tie for second alongside England’s Matthew Baldwin, Sweden’s Alex Noren and fellow afternoon starter Robert-Jan Derksen, who all signed for opening rounds of 64, while Alexander Levy, Tom Lewis and Matthew Nixon are all a shot further back on seven under par.

Bernd Wiesberger had looked like challenging Els’ lead on the back nine during the afternoon, but a couple of dropped shots coming home saw him finish at six under par alongside America’s Dustin Johnson and South Africa’s Brandon Stone, who is making his professional debut in Munich this week.

 

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72 

63 E Els (RSA) 

64 A Noren  (Swe) , R Derksen (Ned) , M Kaymer (Ger) , M Baldwin (Eng) 

65 M Nixon (Eng) , A Levy (Fra) , T Lewis (Eng) 

66 T Fleetwood  (Eng) , T Jaidee (Tha) , B Stone (RSA) , D Johnson (USA) , A Sullivan (Eng) , P Waring  (Eng) , J Lagergren (Swe) , E Goya (Arg) , B Wiesberger  (Aut) , J Campillo (Esp) ,

67 D Higgins (Irl) , P Lawrie (Irl) , M Siem  (Ger) , P Fowler (Aus) , R Wattel  (Fra) , T Levet (Fra) , J Parry (Eng) , J Walters (RSA) , R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) , G Havret (Fra) 

68 H Stenson (Swe) , A Hartø  (Den) , J Kingston (RSA) , V Dubuisson  (Fra) , M Delpodio  (Ita) , S Jamieson  (Sco) , M Manassero (Ita) , M Kieffer (Ger), R Fisher (Eng) , T Björn (Den) , C Günther (Ger) , G Bourdy (Fra), M Tullo (Chi) , O Floren  (Swe) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , D Drysdale (Sco), J Morrison  (Eng) , M Jiménez (Esp) , D Horsey (Eng) , G Stal  (Fra) , R McEvoy  (Eng) ,

69 N Fasth (Swe) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , S Lowry  (Irl) , D Willett  (Eng) , J Luiten (Ned) , S Kapur (Ind) , P Price (Wal) , C Macaulay  (Sco) , M Crespi  (Ita) , M Carlsson  (Swe) , O Fisher  (Eng) , B Åkesson (Swe) , L Gagli  (Ita) , M Wiegele  (Aut) , C Paisley  (Eng)

70 A Hansen (Den) , D Gaunt (Aus) , R Santos  (Por) , D Van Der Walt (RSA) , L Jensen (Den) , D Fichardt (RSA), P Uihlein  (USA) , P Erofejeff (Fin) , J Hansen  (Den) , C Lloyd (Eng) , E De La Riva  (Esp) , K Broberg (Swe) , A Snobeck  (Fra) , M Lampert (Ger) , M Lafeber (Ned) , T Aiken (RSA) , M Lundberg (Swe) , F Aguilar (Chi) , T Olesen (Den) , B Rumford (Aus) , T Van Der Walt (RSA) 

71 R Bland (Eng), P Casey  (Eng), E Grillo (Arg) , A Quiros  (Esp) , A Cañizares  (Esp) , A Cejka (Ger) , P Widegren  (Swe) , S Garcia  (Esp) , R Green (Aus) , H Wen-Yi (Chn) , H Otto (RSA) , M Korhonen (Fin) , S Benson (Eng) , C Montgomerie  (Sco) 

72 R Gonzalez (Arg) , G Lockerbie  (Eng) , C Lee (Sco) , R Finch  (Eng) , G Maybin (Nir) , M Southgate  (Eng) , I Garrido (Esp) , M Warren (Sco), A Kaleka  (Fra), L Slattery (Eng), D Küpper (Ger) , C Doak (Sco) , P Larrazábal (Esp) , M Brier (Aut) , P Whiteford (Sco) , A Tadini (Ita) , M Röhrig (am) (Ger) 

 73 R Jacquelin (Fra) , C Del Moral (Esp) , J Lara (Esp) , M Jonzon (Swe) , R Rock (Eng), M Foster (Eng), J Singh (Ind) , G Orr (Sco) , D Lynn (Eng) 

74 G Storm  (Eng) , D Howell (Eng) , M Madsen  (Den) , S Little (Eng) , F Zanotti (Par) , D Brooks (Eng) , S Arnold  (Aus) , S Heisele (Ger) , J Edfors (Swe) , S Hansen (Den) , J Quesne  (Fra) , A Dodt (Aus) , S Wakefield (Eng) 

75 F Fritsch  (Ger) , S Henry  (Sco) , C Cévaër (Fra) , J Sjöholm (Swe) , R Coles (Eng) , J Olazábal (Esp) , K Horne (RSA) , J Van Zyl (RSA) , J Elson  (Eng) , J Kruger (RSA) 

76 S Dyson  (Eng) , E Kofstad (Nor) 

77 G Boyd  (Eng) 

78 A Marshall (Eng) , D Foos (am) (Ger) 

79 R Davies (Wal) 

80 N Meitinger  (Ger)

85 C Schwierz  (Ger)

 

Paul Symes

Press Officer

European Tour

Email : media@europeantour.com

Twitter: @European_Tour

ISAACS AND SHIELDS ONLY SCOTS TO MAKE THE CUT ON EUROPRO TOUR

Only two Scots - Aberdeen's Malcolm Isaacs and Paul Shields from Glasgow - survived the 36-hole cut in the PGA EuroPro Tour's PDC and World Snooker Open at Collingtree Park Golf Club today (Thursday).
Isaacs (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) had three birdies and an eagle at the 18th in his last eight holes for 32 home and  a three-under 69 to add to his opening 71.
On 140 he is five shots behind leader Alex Belt (Sainton) (70-65) and in joint 10th position.
Shields shot 72-70 for 142 and is joint 18th.
Only those with two-round totals of 145 and better qualified for the final 18 holes.
John Gallagher (Duddingston) missed out by one with scores of 72-74.
Mark Rae (Pitlochry) totalled 147 (76-71) while Jordan Findlay (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) and Paul Drake (Pumpherston) both scored 151, Findlay with scores of 74-77 and Drake 75-76.
Andrew Rollo (Moray) had rounds of 84-78 for 162.

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BELT BUCKLES UP A TWO-SHOT LEAD 
FOR FINAL ROUND AT COLLINGTREE

  NEWS RELEASE

Alex Belt shot a second-round 65 to lead the PDC and World Snooker Open by two strokes to James Heath ahead of the final day of the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event at Collingtree Park in Northampton.

Belt (De Vere) is nine under going into Friday’s final 18 after signing for a seven-under round today.
Heath (Robert Heath Heating), who won his Challenge Tour card by finishing fourth on EuroPro Order of Merit in 2010, added a 69 to Wednesday’s 68 to put himself into contention on seven under. Ben Herbert and George Woolgar (Capitalservices) share third place on six under.

Leader Belt had missed the cut at each of the first three 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour events this season, but says getting back to basics has paid off.

“I haven’t been playing overly well this week,” admitted Belt. “I have been overthinking things so the key has been trying to keep everything basic and try and enjoy myself, which I haven’t been doing recently.

“I had been putting a bit of pressure on myself and I think it was taking a little bit of time to get into a groove at the start of the season.

“I have had the lead a few times now and each time I have made a few mistakes early on. I am going to stick to the same thinking I have had over the last two days.”

Belt’s second round was unblemished. He got off to a fantastic start with five birdies on the front nine and also broke par at 14 and 17.

He’ll tee off alongside James Heath in the final group on Friday (June 21). The 2010 EuroPro Tour Championship winner made bogey twice on the second day, denying himself a share of the lead.

This is the first time third-placed Ben Herbert has made the cut in five 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour events and rounds of 70 and 68 have left him just three off the top after 36 holes. He made five birdies on day two at Collingtree Park, with a solitary bogey on the seventh.

Also three off the lead is George Woolgar, who won the Buildbase Open at Frilford Heath on the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour in 2012 but has since missed nine months through injury before his return at Burhill two weeks ago. The Chesterfield man has shot 69 twice so far this week and is six under.

Paul Reed, David Walker, Mark Laskey, Simon Lilly and Graeme Clarke will know a good final round could see them claim the £10,000 winner’s prize. The quintet are five under par, four strokes behind leader Belt.

A cut to the leading 50 players plus ties has now been made, with all golfers one over par or better playing Friday’s last round in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Spectator entry to Collingtree Park is free and a two-hour highlights package of the event will be broadcast five times on Sky Sports HD on Wednesday, July 3.

NICOL IN TOP 20 AFTER A PAR 71 AT ALPS TOUR'S FRENCH VENUE

Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) shot a par-matching 71 to be joint 17th at the end of the first round in this week's Alps Tour event, the Open International de la Mirabel d'Or at Golf de la Grange aux Ormes.
Nicol birdied the long 10th and par-4 11th and bogeyed the second and 18th.
Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) from Ellon, the only other Scot in the field, had only one birdie, at the short 16th, in compiling a 78 to lie joint 84th.
Italy's Alessio Bruschi leads with a seven-under 64, two ahead of Richard Kilpatrick (Northern Ireland).

MONTROSE LINKS FIVE-DAY MEN'S OPEN TOURNAMENT

MONDAY JULY 22 TO FRIDAY JULY 26

SPACES AVAILABLE!

MEDAL COURSE MEN’S 5 DAY:                 

Non-Season Ticket Holders £80.00

Season Ticket Holder £35.00

Practice round available on Sunday 21st July

 QUALIFYING SECTIONS CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL 

COURSE (After playing two qualifying rounds)

1 MEN’S SCRATCH (SECTION 1)                                        

Top 32 Scratch qualifiers in matchplay

2 MEN’S HANDICAP (SECTION A)                      

Top 32 players of handicaps up to 11 who did not qualify for 

Section 1

3 MEN’S HANDICAP (SECTION B)                       

Top 32 players of handicaps 12-24 who did not qualify for 

Section 1

4 MEN’S CONSOLATION COMPETITIONS        

Consolation strokeplay rounds on Wednesday and Thursday for 

any non-qualifiers or first round knockout losers

Claire Penman
Company Secretary
Montrose Golf Links Limited
T: 44 (0) 1674 672932
F: 44 (0) 1674 671800
E: secretary@montroselinks.co.uk
W: www.montroselinks.co.uk
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https://twitter.com/Montrosegolflin


DRAW FOR MONTROSE OPEN WEEK
 QUALIFYING ROUNDS

MONDAY 22 JULY AND TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013

            0700                           

            0710    A Cole (BH)

            0720               

            0730               

            0740    C Penny (New); G Hemsley (MM)    

0750    J King (MM); N Paton (RM); W E Callander (F)

0800    B Mitchell (RM); S McGurk (YL); N Dyce (St)

0810    R Wishart (MM); J Young (RM); B McKay (MM)

0820    C Frew (RM); J Adams (Ed); K McGinley (RB)

0830    J Storey (Dh); H Nissen (Ed); V Stewart (MM)

0840    R Coull (RM); G Johnston (RM); A McHardy (Pf)

0850    G Protano (RM); C De Lorenzo (Z); D Massaro (LR)

0900    L Taylor (Kir); L Geddes (MM); G Barber (RM)

0910    D De Lorenzo (Z); A Shepherd (MM); G De Lorenzo (Z)

0920    G Marr (MM); D McHardy (MM)

0930    D Muir (MM); P Campsie (Buz); B Church (RM)

0940    G Murray (MM); T Davidson (Dw); A Cole (Dp)

0950    I Kay (MM); A Mitchell (RM); A McNab (MM)

1000    M Maguire (RM); C Sandeman (AA); D Reid (RCC)

1010    A Fotheringham (MM); A MacDonald (RM); G Strachan (RM)

1020    I Brown (MM); R Valentine (RM); D Morris (MM)

1030    S Brand (MM); R Hampton (MM); A Taylor (MM)

1040    J O’Hara (MM); A McDonald (LG); C Boyle (BC)

1050    A Reoch (MM);

1100    J McGill (MM); C Dawson (WS); K Milne (MM)

1110    J Robinson (H); J Beedie (MM); R LeClair (RM)

1120    S Graham (M); B Coull (MM); D Pirie (MM)

1130    C Dobson (B); S McGill (MM); R Blackwood (CC)

1140    G Sadler (CC); K Kane (SL); S Gordon (MM)

1150    W Pearson (SL); B Leask (Ed); W Haddick (MM)

1200    S Benson (Caw); D Begg (MM); P Stewart (F)

1210    M Penches (SL); F Harcus (MC); D McLean (RM)

1220    M McGuiness (SL); G Alexander (Bal)

1230   

1240   

1250   

1300    L Clark (Ed); K Jolly (Muc)

1310   

1320   

1330    I Buist (MM); J Hebenton (RM)

1340    F Burns (Ch); A Law (Cal); R Hogg (Lb)

1350   

1400    J Spark (MM)

1410    G McMillan (Ed); A Robb (MM); J Spark (MM)

1420    S McMillan (Ed); F Auld (MC)

1430    J Laing (RM); GN Hemsley (RM); J Richardson (RM)

1440    R Dally (S)

1450    H Riddell (Kem); I Lambie (Mur); S Smith (Kem)

1500    A Maiden (MM); G Tough (Ed)        

1510    K Watt (MM)

1520   

1530

1540   

1550    P McLaughlin (Br); A Mann (Br); A Benton (Br)

1600    M Taylor (MM); A Paton (RM); A Forsyth (RM)

Abbreviations

AA – Arbroath Artisans; B – Brough; Bal – Balmore; BC – Bothwell Castle; BH – Breakfast Hill;

Br – Brechin; Buz – Buzios; Cal – Callander; Caw – Cawder; CC – Cochrane Castle; Ch – Crookhill; Dunnerholme; Dp – Drumpellier; Dw – Dunwhinny; Ed – Edzell; F – Forfar; H – Hornsea;

Kem – Kemnay; Kir – Kirriemuir; Lb – Ladybank; LG – Letham Grange; LR – Le Robine;

M – Milngavie; MC – Montrose Caledonia; MM – Montrose Mercantile; Muc – Muckhart;

Mur- Murcar;  New – Newbiggin; Pf – Prestonfield; RB – Royal Burgess;

RCC – Raintree Country Club; RM – Royal Montrose; S – Sokhna; SL – Sheddens Lethamhill;

St – Strathmore; WS – Woodhall Spa; YL –Yaz Links; Z - Zoate