LIVE SCORING FROM THE GREENBRIER CLASSIC ON THE US PGA TOUR

This week's US PGA Tour event is the Greenbrier Classic at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

To view the first-round scores on the US PGA Tour website

CLICK HERE

ABERDEEN PENNANT LEAGUE SCOREBOARD

Murcar Links scored a convincing 5-0 home win over Banchory in an Aberdeen Pennant League match this evening.

The tournament is sponsored by The Cults Hotel. 

Details:

MURCAR LINKS 5, BANCHORY 0

At Murcar Links

B Innes, A Styles bt R Black, C Lindsay 6 and 4.
A Bews , C Stewart bt D Brand, S Strachan 4 and 3.
I Powell, D Raitt bt A Lindsay , J Harling 3 and 2.
L Vettesse, K Gunnyeon bt F Bissett, G Nelson 4 and 3.
R Brechin, G Stewart bt D Read, S Birse 9 and 8.

DUNCAN STEWART (69) TOP SCOT ON DAY OF LOW SCORING IN GERMANY

CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Victor Riu fired a course record 63 to lead by two strokes at nine under par at the end of a low scoring first round at the Bad Griesbach Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort in Germany.

The Frenchman leads by two from Germany’s Nicolas Meitinger, England’s Chris Hanson and Belgium’s Pierre Relecom, who all posted seven under par on the Beckenbauer Course.

Riu got his round off to the ideal start with four birdies in his first nine holes, picking up shots at the third, sixth, eighth, and ninth, before an eagle at the par five tenth really kicked his round into top gear.

Further birdies at the 11th and 14th saw the Frenchman go eight under par for his round, before a dropped shot at the 16th had looked like halting his progress, but Riu bounced back from that with birdies at the 17th and 18th to finish off a fine opening round.

“I played very well, I’m very happy, everything was very good,” admitted a satisfied Riu. “The course is nice, it is playing long but the greens are good. I’m 23rd on the Challenge Tour Ranking at the moment and have played pretty solid so far this season, so I’m very happy.

“I have never won as a professional so it would be great after six years to win here this week.”

In a tie for second place, two strokes adrift, is Meitinger who took advantage of being on home soil to card seven birdies and no dropped shots on Thursday.

On the same mark is Hanson who shot the joint lowest round of the afternoon thanks to a couple of long range birdies, while the last to join the trio at seven under par after 18 holes was Relecom, who based his 65 on solid irons into the greens and playing smart from the tees.

Jerome Lando Casanova played alongside the leading Riu in the opening round, and he too was in top form, finishing in a tie for third alongside the Dutch duo of Daan Huizing and Robin Kind, the latter of which is making his Challenge Tour debut this week.

England’s Adam Gee got off to a fast start first thing on Thursday, carding seven birdies in his first ten holes, but a costly double at 11 and a bogey at 15 saw him finish with a 67.  That was a score matched by Norway’s Knut Borsheim and two time European Tour winner Kenneth Ferrie, amongst others.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD

Par 72

63 V Riu  (Fra) 

65 C Hanson (Eng) , P Relecom  (Bel) , N Meitinger  (Ger) 

66 J Lando Casanova  (Fra) , R Kind (Ned) , D Huizing (Ned) 

67 S Kannler (Ger) , J Abbott (Eng) , M Laskey  (Wal) , R Harris  (Eng) , D Palm (Swe) , K Borsheim  (Nor) , D Wuensche  (Ger) , K Ferrie (Eng) , J Guerrier  (Fra) , A Gee  (Eng) 

68 S Heisele (Ger) , C Mivis  (Bel), F De Vries  (Ned), L Weber (Fra) , P Edberg (Swe) , G Watremez (Bel) , N Kearney (Irl) , E Johansen  (Nor) , L Bjerregaard  (Den) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , B An (Kor) , A Pavan (Ita) , T Pilkadaris (Aus) , J Huldahl (Den)

69 J Dantorp (Swe) , M Trappel  (Aut) , M Crespi  (Ita) , S Manley (Wal) , A Johnston (Eng) , N Henriques  (Por) , D Stewart (Sco) , M Rominger  (Sui) , B Parker  (Eng) , G Snow  (Ken) , E Dubois (Fra) , L Claverie (Esp) , N Quintarelli (Ita) , C Aguilar  (Esp) 

70 B Hemstock (Eng) , J Moul  (Eng) , S O'Hara  (Sco) , J Carlsson (Swe) , R Kakko  (Fin) , J Senior (Eng) , S Grant  (Irl) , G Murray  (Sco) , M Glauert (Ger) , L Goddard  (Eng) , T Fournier  (Fra) , O Farr (Wal) , Å Nilsson (Swe) , P Oriol (Esp) , J Mommo  (Fin) , P Archer (Eng) , L Kennedy  (Eng) , J Glennemo (Swe) , D Perrier (Fra) , S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) ,

71 J Barnes (Eng) , W Booth  (Sco), J Gibb (Eng) , S Hutsby  (Eng) , F Bergamaschi (Ita) , C Kim (USA), J Fahrbring (Swe), C Ford (Eng) , B Hebert  (Fra) , F Praegant (Aut) , M Brier (Aut) , J Doherty  (Sco) , T Murray (Eng) , P Maddy (Eng) , J Elson  (Eng) , A Bossert (Sui) , M Haastrup  (Den) , N Elvira  (Esp) 

72 F Svanberg  (Sui) , N Lemke (Swe) , A Bernadet  (Fra) , S Kim (SKor) , M Schneider (Ger), J Garcia Pinto (Esp), J Lerchedahl (Den) , R Steiner (Aut) , N Ravano (Ita) , L Tintera  (Cze) , T Nørret (Den) , W Besseling  (Ned) , F Colombo (Ita) , P O'Keeffe  (Irl) , D Geminiani (Ita) , T Pulkkanen  (Fin) 

73 G Piris Mateu (Esp) , G Houston (Wal) , R Russell (Sco) , A Perrino  (Ita) , J Pastor Lopez (Esp) , N Floren (Swe) , I Pyman (Eng) , N Dougherty  (Eng) , P Kaensche  (Nor) , A Rota (Ita) , C Suneson (Esp) , S Piaget  (Mon) ,

74 C Del Moral (Esp) , K Nicol (Sco) , T Sluiter  (Ned) , J Timmis (Eng) , H Bacher (Aut) , R Kellett (Sco) , A Velasco (Esp) , O Whiteley (Eng) , R Saxton (Ned) 

75 F McGuirk  (Eng) , L Saltman (Sco) , A Otaegui  (Esp) , P Dwyer (Eng) , D Kemmer (USA) , N Dahlgren (Fin) , D Vancsik (Arg) , D Im (USA) , J Legarrea (Esp) , P Westermann (am) (Ger) 

76 A McArthur  (Sco) , M Novy  (Cze) , J Howarth (Eng) , B Chapellan (Fra) , O Lieser (Cze) 

77 D Griffiths  (Eng) , M Haremza (Ger) , S Davis (Eng) , E Bertheussen (Nor) , P Erofejeff (Fin) , C Günther (Ger) , M Kramer  (Ger) , N Bertasio (Ita) , P Gal  (Cze) , B Hafthorsson (Isl) , R Mattila (Fin) , T Haylock  (Eng) 

78 D Wright (Eng) , Y Kafelnikov (Rus) 

79 S Matus  (Cze) , M Nichols (Eng) , O Rozner  (Fra) 

80 J Maurer  (Aut)

81 J Ruth  (Eng) 

83 M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 

86 D Suchan (am) (Cze)

 

GALLACHER TWO SHOTS OFF THE PACE WITH A 68 IN FRANCE

 

Cool-hand Hansen leads Alstom Open de France

 

He may be set to undergo surgery on his left hand next Tuesday, but Anders Hansen was the coolest man at the Alstom Open de France as he constructed a fine opening score of five under par 66 at the testing Golf National to take the first round lead.

 

The Dane put on a superb ball-striking display to lead a jam-packed leaderboard, his closest challenger being Frenchman Romain Wattel just one shot back with a further nine players tied for third place on three under.

 

Among that number are in-form Thomas Björn and Martin Kaymer, the winner here in 2009 and another Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, while Graeme McDowell and Miguel Angel Jiménez are among the 13 men tied together on two under.

 

American Matt Kuchar marked his first trip to France with a one under 70, while Luke Donald and Ian Poulter recovered well from poor starts to their opening rounds to respectively salvage a level par 71 and a two over 73.

 

But the day belonged to Hansen, who after his round revealed that he will undergo surgery on his left hand next Tuesday.

 

“I played actually really solid from tee to green and putted quite well so it just sort of all came together,” said Hansen. “At some stage it seemed a bit easy, but this course gets your attention and next thing you know, you're making bogeys.

 

“This course seems to treat me very well and I'm playing well, so I do like this place and I do like this golf course. A lot of the new designers could learn a lot from this.  I was speaking to Alex (Noren) about it going down the last hole; these new courses, they build them, 500 yard par fours and wide open.  Why not put us out on a course like this, which tests ever element of the game.

 

“My hand feel fine but I'm having my operation on Tuesday, so I'm looking forward to get that out of the way and hopefully be ready for the end of the season.  It's not far away, so I'm looking forward to get that done. It’s a problem I have had for years and years and years that I have managed with cortisone injections before.

 

“There’s basically no meniscus in this part of the hand so it goes straight, bone on bone, so no cartilage.  They are going in three different places and they are going to remove a cyst I have here and clean this up and there's a 50/50 chance it's going to be okay.  The other thing is to take the whole bone out and cut it a bit, but that's a big operation and I would be out for six months.  So we are hoping to do that and it's going to be good enough.”

 

Complete Round One Scores:

 

66 A Hansen (Den)

67 R Wattel  (Fra)

68 M Kaymer (Ger); F Aguilar (Chi); E Goya (Arg); F Zanotti (Par); V Dubuisson  (Fra); T Björn (Den); R Sterne  (RSA); S Gallacher (Sco); M Nixon (Eng)

69 G Bourdy (Fra); S Jamieson  (Sco); A Levy (Fra); G McDowell  (Nir); M Jiménez (Esp); M Warren (Sco); M Hoey  (Nir); D Howell (Eng); S Kjeldsen (Den); R Ramsay  (Sco); R Green (Aus); J Morrison  (Eng)

70 S Dyson  (Eng); B Wiesberger  (Aut); T Pieters  (Bel); M Kuchar  (USA); A Dunbar (Nir); J Van Zyl (RSA); J Donaldson (Wal); D McGrane (Irl); R Cabrera-Bello (Esp); C Lloyd (Eng); R Fisher (Eng); G Mulroy (RSA); A Noren  (Swe); D Drysdale (Sco); R Jacquelin (Fra); M Tullo (Chi); M Campbell (Nzl); G Storm  (Eng)

71 P Widegren  (Swe); C Doak (Sco); M Foster (Eng); L Slattery (Eng); S Khan (Eng); R Rock (Eng); L Donald  (Eng); S Benson (Eng); J Luiten (Ned); G Maybin (Nir); T Jaidee (Tha); M Southgate  (Eng); H Otto (RSA); F Molinari (Ita); M Madsen  (Den); A Tadini (Ita); M Baldwin (Eng); J Lara (Esp); T Aiken (RSA); A Cañizares  (Esp); M Lundberg (Swe); A Dodt (Aus)

72 G Lockerbie  (Eng); E Molinari  (Ita); E De La Riva  (Esp); R Derksen (Ned); S Wakefield (Eng); H Mu (Chn); T Lewis (Eng); E Grillo (Arg); C Brazillier  (Fra); J Walters (RSA); K Broberg (Swe); G Shaw (Nir); B Stone (RSA)

73 L Gagli  (Ita); M Manassero (Ita); I Poulter (Eng); O Fisher  (Eng); R Gonzalez (Arg); F Calmels  (Fra); T Fleetwood  (Eng); S Henry  (Sco); E Kofstad (Nor); P Price (Wal); D Lynn (Eng); J Edfors (Swe); G Havret  (Fra)

74 S Webster (Eng); J Campillo (Esp); M Ford (Eng); M Wiegele  (Aut); B Åkesson (Swe); M Carlsson  (Swe); G Fdez-Castaño  (Esp); F Fritsch  (Ger); R Bland (Eng); P McGinley (Irl); M Kieffer (Ger); P Lawrie (Irl); C Paisley  (Eng); J Remesy (Fra); A Quiros  (Esp); J Parry (Eng)

75 E Pepperell (Eng); G Cambis  (Fra); Z Scotland  (Eng); J Kruger (RSA); R Finch  (Eng); I Garrido (Esp); S Hansen (Den); J Quesne  (Fra); S Thornton (Irl); N Fasth (Swe); P Uihlein  (USA); C Lee (Sco); R Coles (Eng); R Santos  (Por)

76 A Hartø  (Den); S Chowrasia (Ind); M Delpodio  (Ita); C Wood  (Eng); M Ilonen  (Fin); M Lafeber (Ned); A Snobeck  (Fra); K Aphibarnrat (Tha); T Levet (Fra); J Singh (Ind); J Lucquin (Fra)

77 M Fraser (Aus); D Horsey (Eng); P Waring  (Eng); N Tacher (Fra); J Olazábal (Esp); J Brun (am) (Fra)

78 P Whiteford (Sco); B Rumford (Aus); D Fichardt (RSA); J Gonnet  (Fra); T Olesen (Den); M Siem  (Ger); A Kaleka  (Fra); C Cévaër (Fra)

79 K Horne (RSA); G Stal  (Fra); J Sjöholm (Swe); F Andersson Hed (Swe)

80 A Sullivan (Eng); J Hansen  (Den); L Jensen (Den); P Larrazábal (Esp)

81 J Verselin (Fra); G Boyd  (Eng)

82 A Schwartz (Fra)

84 G Hazelby (Eng)

 

FRENCH BOYS LEAD IN SCOTTISH UNDER 16s OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT PORTLETHEN

It's "Vive La France" at the top of the halfway scoreboard in the Scottish Under-16 boys' open amateur championship at Portlethen Golf Club, near Aberdeen.
Antoine Kuoch, one of the youngest at under 14 years in the big field, leads at five-under-par 139 after rounds of 69 and 70.
His nearest challenger going into the final day's 36 holes is a slightly older compatriot, Matthieu Caron on 140 with rounds of 68 and 72.
If there is going to be a home win then it will take a big effort from either Niall McMullen (Lundin) or Duncan McNeill (Powfoot), the leading Scots in joint third and fifth positios respectively.
McMullen has had a pair of one-under-par 71s for 142 while McNeill could be running into form at the right time. He improved form 74 to 69 over the first two days of the championship.
Other Scots in the top 10 are overnight leader Callum Fyfe (Cawder) and Robbie Kemsley (Balmore), both on level par 144.
Fyfe, who had no bogeys in his pacesetting 67 on the first day, took 10 shots more for the second circuit.
He had a double bogey 6 at the nith and bogeys at the third, seventh, eighth, 12th, 14th and 16th. Birdies at the second, fifth and 10th saw him salvage a 77 from the wreckage.
Kemsley also went backwards - from a 69 to a 75.
Players with 36-hole aggregates of 151 qualified for the final two rounds.

SCOTTISH UNDER-16 BOYS OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Portlethen GC, nr Aberdeen
QUALIFIERS FOR LAST TWO ROUNDS
Par 144 (2x72)
139 Antoine Kuoch (Fra) 69 70
140 Matthieu Caron (Fra) 68 72
142 Niall McMullen (Lundin) 71 71, Daniel Hebenstrett (Aut) 73 69
143 Duncan McNeill (Powfoot) 74 69
144 Robbie Kemsley (Balmore) 69 75, Nathan Longley (Worthing) 68 76, Guido Migliozzi (Ita) 75 69, Callum Fyfe (Cawder) 67 77
146 Sam Locke (Banchory) 74 72, Giovanni Tadiotto (Bel) 73 73, Leo Mathard (Fra) 75 71.
147 Murray Naysmith (Marriott Dalmahoy) 74 73, Thomas Murray (Moor Allerton) 73 74, Chris Hurrell (Notts) 70 77, Cameron Black (Cardross) 72 75, Alex Chalk (Dumfries and Galloway) 73 74
148 Robert Watson (Muckhart) 77 71, Diego Manzoni (It) 76 72, Chris Curran (Harb urn) 74 74, Aran Sinclair (B earsden) 76 72, Romain Vallaeys (Fra) 75 73, Glen Burrett (Haggs Castl4e) 74 74, Sam Britton (North Foreland) 74 74, Alberto Castagnara (Ita) 75 73.
149 Victor Courderc (Fra) 77 72, Thomas Thurloway (Mannings Heath) 75 74, Sandy Scott (Nairn) 75 74, Nikolay Dahl (Den) 74 75, Edgar Catherine (Fra) 74 75, Patrick Brennan (B elvoir Park) 74 75, Thomas Jordan (Langley Park) 74 75, Jeong-weon Ko (Fra) 71 78
150 Nino Claycot (Swi) 75 74, Theophile Perrod (Fra) 76 74, Chris Finnie (Lockerbie) 74 76, Lewis Reid (Tantallon) 74 76, Adonis Asikian (Fra) 75 75
151 Andrew Thomson (Lanark) 77 74, John-Paul Ralph (Royal Liverpool) 79 72, Joseph Bryce (Bathgate) 74 77, Brad Bannerman (Strathmore) 78 73, David Ravetto (Fra) 76 75, Julien Hausweiler (Ger) 77 74, Marc Boucher (Carton House) 75 76, Peter Kerr (Royal Portrush) 73 78, Conor Toal (Old Course Ranfurly) 75 76, Valentine Darthout (Fra) 76 75.
SELECTED NON-QUALIFIERS
152 Rory Franssen (Inverness) 76 76, Jack Rogan (Longniddry) 78 74, Fraser Kane (Kirkhill) 75 77, Ryan Brown (Dunfermline) 73 79
153 Marcus Rickard (Dunfermline) 80 73, Gavin Petrie (Forfar) 78 75, Cameron Bryant (Dundas Park) 74 79, Dylan Smith (Deeside) 69 74, Conor MacCallum (Golf House Club, Elie) 77  76.
154 Benjamin Henderson (Deeside) 76 78, Matthew McCulloch (Portpatrick) 75 79, Matthew Dalrymple (Lochwinnoch) 77 77. 
161 Michael Lawrie (Deeside) 85 76.

SCRATCH OF BETTER AMATEURS CAN ENTER NORTHERN OPEN PRE-QUALIFYING

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE PGA IN SCOTLAND

 

Northern Open 2013

Meldrum House Golf Club, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire

AUGUST 27 to 29

PRE-QUALIFYING AT CRAIGELAW GC - AUGUST 5

 

The PGA in Scotland are pleased to announce that entries for the 2013 Northern Open at Meldrum House will be accepted from amateur golfers with a handicap of scratch or below.

Any amateur who wishes to play in the tournament will be required to pre-qualify. The Qualification round for the tournament will take place at Craigielaw Golf Club in East Lothian on Monday,  August 5. The entry fee for the qualifying Round will be £35, with those who are successful in gaining entry to the tournament required to pay a further £65.

The tournament is a 72 hole stroke-play event, with 18 holes being played on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 August, before a cut is made, with the leading players playing a further 36 holes on Thursday 29 August.

Any amateur wishing to enter may do so by telephoning the PGA in Scotland office on 01764 661840, or by e-mail pgainscotland@pga.org.uk   Proof of handicap must be sent before any entry is accepted.

MONTROSE OPEN WEEK DRAW FOR QUALIFYING ROUNDS

FROM CLAIRE PENMAN
COMPANY SECRETARY
MONTROSE GOLF LINKS LIMITED

Spaces are still available in the Montrose Open Week . Cost for non- season ticket holders is £80 and for season ticket holders it is £35.00.

Practice round available on Sunday, July 21.

For more information please visit http://montroselinks.co.uk/public/mainmenu/Tournaments/Open2013.jsp

 

DRAW FOR QUALIFYING ROUNDS
MONDAY-TUESDAY, JULY 22-23
0700
0710 A Cole (BH); K Dickson (MM); I Sanderson (Ed)
0720
0730 J Douglas (P);
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); G Barber (RM); G McCallum (MM)
0910 D De Lorenzo (Z); A Shepherd (MM); G De Lorenzo (Z)
0920 G Marr (MM); D McHardy (MM); W Bremner snr (Ed)
 
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); J Robertson (MM); L Geddes (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); Darren McLean (RM)
1220 M McGuiness (SL); G Alexander (Bal); J Hurst (MM)
 
1230 N Stirling (MC); T McBrearty (VOL)
1240 A Littlewood (MC)
1250
 
1300 L Clark (Ed); K Jolly (Muc); W Bremner jnr (Ed)
1310
1320 Deryk McLean (RM);
 
1330 I Buist (MM); J Hebenton (RM)
1340 F Burns (Ch); A Law (Cal); R Hogg (Lb)
1350
 
1400 A Paton (RM);
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); M Wood (AA);
1520 E Miln (C); C Bolland (C);
 
1530
1540
1550 P McLaughlin (Br); A Mann (Br); A Benton (Br)
 
1600 M Taylor (MM); A Forsyth (RM)

Abbreviations
AA – Arbroath Artisans; B – Brough; Bal – Balmore; BC – Bothwell Castle; BH – Breakfast Hill;
Br – Brechin; Buz – Buzios; C – Craigie Hill; Cal – Callander; Caw – Cawder; CC – Cochrane Castle; Ch – Crookhill; Dh - 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; P – Portlethen; Pf – Prestonfield;
RB – Royal Burgess; RCC – Raintree Country Club; RM – Royal Montrose; S – Sokhna;
SL – Sheddens Lethamhill; St – Strathmore; VOL – Vale of Leven; WS – Woodhall Spa;
YL –Yaz Links; Z - Zoate

TOM WATSON HEADS NORTH FOR A VICE-CAPTAIN AT GLENEAGLES

United States Ryder Cup team captain Tom Watson has picked television commentator and two-time US Open winner Andy North as one of his 2014 Ryder Cup vice-captains for the match at Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire next autumn..
North, 63, who has worked as an analyst for ESPN since 1993, will assist Watson as the US bid to beat Europe for the first time since 2008.
North lost all three matches when he played for the US in the 1985 edition.
"I'm happy to have him on my side and in my ear and helping me bring the cup back from Europe," said Watson.
"It's been way too long. We have lost seven of the last nine Ryder Cups and I don't like that. It's time to change the tide."
The US face Europe at Gleneagles in a three-day match from September 26 to 28.
North won his US Open titles in 1978 and 1985.

JOHN FRASER APPOINTED CAPTAIN OF SCOTTISH SENIORS

FROM THE SGU WEBSITE

John Fraser has expressed his delight after being appointed Scottish Seniors Captain for the next two years, succeeding Gordon McDonald.

The respected Royal Burgess member, former Non-Executive Performance Director at the Scottish Golf Union, is relishing the chance to combine his playing duties with leading his country for the first time.

Fraser, who is currently second on the SGU Seniors Order of Merit having finished sixth in 2012, will lead Scotland at the European Seniors Team Championship in Hungary from 3 – 7 September, as well as the Home Internationals at Royal County Down from 24 – 26 September.

“I’m honoured, privileged and very proud to be invited to take over the captaincy for the next two years,” said John, a regular Scotland international who continues to play off a scratch handicap.

“I’ve played for the Scottish Seniors for the past six years under the captaincy of Ian Hutcheon and then Gordon McDonald. My aim is to build on what they have both put in place and to look at ways in which things may be improved.

“There is such a fine line between winning and finishing further down the leaderboard and we must find ways in which narrow defeats may be turned into victories.  

“The commitment, dedication and enthusiasm of those fortunate to be selected to represent Scotland is always excellent and we look forward to the European Championships and the Home Internationals this year – we will do everything possible to win. We’re not playing in these competitions to do well, our aim is to win.”

The next event on the SGU Seniors Order of Merit continues with the West of Scotland Seniors Championship at Cardross later this week (4 – 5 July).