DOMINIC IS OVER THE MOON WITH QUARTER-FINAL PLACE

The Moon was shining over Frilford Heath in round three of the English Amateur Championship supported by abacus. But it wasn’t from up above, it was Dominic Moon, who reached the quarter finals with an astonishing victory when all seemed lost.  The 21 year old from Rotherham found himself 4-down after seven holes to Andrew Devonport and 2-down with three to play. But he came roaring back to take the closing three holes and win on the final green. “I played shocking over the front nine,” said Moon. “But I birdied the 16th from four feet, had a good up-and-down to win the 17th and parred 18 which was enough as Andrew three-putted. “This feels good as Yorkshire dropped me for this weekend’s match but getting this far means I haven’t packed enough shirts. Some of the family will have to bring some down for me.” Nathan Kimsey, a semi-finalist last year at Silloth-on-Solway, needed an extra hole to get through in the afternoon after a completely different victory before lunch. After a 5 and 4 win over Tom Ibbertson, the Lincolnshire lad was made to battle by Nick Marsh before edging through with a birdie on the 19th. “I was never up against Nick and the way he played on the front nine, I couldn’t see how I could win,” said Kimsey. “Apart from the eighth hole, he didn’t miss a shot. I was 1 down at the turn, got level at ten then the lead changed hands several times on the back nine.” A Marsh bogey at 17 left the pair all square again then Kimsey had the chance to win on the final green but his 15-foot birdie putt edged past. Then on the 19th, Marsh’s approach spun back down a slope and his putt burned the hole which left the door open for Kimsey to hole his winning putt from 18 feet. Modestly, Marsh commented: “I lost to the better player,” but the truth was there was little to choose between the two internationals. Kimsey now faces Matthew Fitzpatrick, who didn’t go past the 14th hole in either of his contests to reach the last eight. He beat Richard Mansell 5 and 4 then demolished fellow Yorkshireman Jamie Bower 7 and 5. “I’ve had a nice day and I played much better than yesterday,” he said, which was a bit of an understatement. After his second victory, Fitzpatrick has another bonus when he learned that his younger brother Alex had fired 66 in the Douglas Johns Trophy at Harewood Downs. Josh Carpenter also reached the quarter finals with a 5 and 4 win over Paul Lockwood which followed a 3 and 1 success over Ashley Watkins. For Carpenter, the victory over Lockwood was one of his best victories. The 20 year old from Worcestershire was 2-up at the turn and increased that on the 11th when Lockwood three-putted. Then birdies at 12 and 14 sealed his success. “I lost in the first round at Silloth last year but my aim this time is not to give anyone holes,” he said. Tomasz Anderson is a name unfamiliar to many who study the amateur game. He is probably better known across the Atlantic as a student at Jacksonville State where he is No.1 on their team. After a morning 6 and 5 success over Martin Young from Hampshire, Anderson also needed an extra hole to get past Ryan Evans, winner of two significant titles in the past month. Anderson was 2-up at the turn but Evans eagled the tenth and a par at 11 was enough to see the Wellingborough man on level terms. Evans edged in front when Anderson took three putts on 13 but again Anderson levelled and should have won it on the last. But he left his putt short from the back of the green. Down the 19th, Evans hit his drive behind a tree, could only chip out and eventually took bogey while a solid par was enough to see Anderson through. “I have been at Jacksonville for two years and have won three times over there,” said Anderson, whose Christian name comes from his Polish mother. The 21 year old, who lives in Welwyn Garden City and plays out of Brocket Hall, is looking to the PGA Tour after he graduates. For full scores and more information visit the championship website. Press Office England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 01526 354500

KIM'S HOT STREAK CONTINUES IN FINLAND CHALLENGE

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Sihwan Kim’s incredible run of form on the European Challenge 

Tour continued at the Finnish Challenge as the Korean carded an 

eight under par opening round of 64 to move into a share of the 

lead, alongside Sweden’s Niklas Lemke.

Kim’s runner-up finish at the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge last 

week, where he was leading after the second and third rounds, 

rounded off a stunning July for the 24 year old as he recorded a 

third top five in four tournaments, finishing top 20 in the other.

And the Orlando-based player’s purple patch showed no signs of 

slowing in August as he carded two eagles - including one at the 

par four sixth, where he holed out from 150 yards - and six birdies 

en route to the top at Kytäjä Golf, in Hyvinkää near Helsinki.

“I had a great month last month and I just want to keep it going,” 

he said. “I’ve been playing a lot so I'm getting used to the courses 

out here and getting used to playing regularly, not worrying too 

much about how my swing looks and just trying to find something.

“I didn’t hit it too well today but I kept it near the hole and made 

some putts. Then I had the two at the sixth, with an eight iron, and 

that helped me out quite a bit. I'm getting used to seeing the ball 

dropping in the hole and that helps me visualise my putts so that’s a big bonus.”

Kim is one of many young stars to have come from the collegiate 

circuit in the USA to begin professional life on the Challenge Tour. 

Having watched the likes of Brooks Koepka and Peter Uihlein 

make the breakthrough onto The European Tour this year, the 

former Stanford University man is even more determined to make 

his mark in 2013.

“I see those guys with their names pretty high up on the 

leaderboard on The European Tour and it definitely motivates me to push a little harder,” said Kim.

Lemke joined Kim at the summit much later in the day as he also signed for an eight under par round. The 29 year old racked up eight birdies without dropping a single shot, but he admitted afterwards that he had not even played to the best of his ability.

“I played pretty good from the start but to be honest I never really hit it great,” said the Gothenburg man, who claimed his first top ten of the Challenge Tour season at the Mugello Tuscany Open two weeks ago. “I just putted well and everything just seemed to work out for me.”

On a day of low scoring in benign and soft conditions at the beautiful Kytäjä Golf, Challenge Tour debutant Brandon Stone was among the five players just a shot off the lead on seven under par.

The South African, who is widely tipped for big things after an impressive college career in the USA, got his first appearance on the tour off to a perfect start as he opened with three birdies on the trot.

The 20 year old carded four more birdies in a bogey-free round of 65 to move into tied second place, alongside Englishman Tyrrell Hatton - who also signed for a flawless seven under par round - Welshman Stuart Manley, Scotland’s Duncan Stewart and Jens Fahrbring of Sweden.

  FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

   Par 72

64 N Lemke (Swe) , S Kim (Kor) ,

65 S Manley (Wal) , D Stewart (Sco) , B Stone (RSA) , J Fahrbring (Swe) , T Hatton (Eng) 

66 R Kakko  (Fin) , C Kim (USA) , J Guerrier  (Fra) , W Besseling  (Ned) , M Tullo (Chi) , E Myllymaki (am) (Fin) 

67 L Kennedy  (Eng) , K Borsheim (Nor), D Huizing (Ned) , L Goddard  (Eng) , P Erofejeff (Fin), A Velasco (Esp), J Elson (Eng), T Bakker (am) (Fin)

68 D Brooks (Eng) , A Johnston (Eng) , D Geminiani (Ita) , P Maddy (Eng) , R Dinwiddie  (Eng) , R Saxton (Ned) , G Shaw (Nir) , A Engell  (Nor) , A Hortal  (Esp) , J Lima  (Por) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , A Ahokas (Fin) , F Calmels  (Fra) , H Joannes  (Bel) , N Elvira  (Esp) , R Steiner (Aut) , S Little (Eng) 

69 J Granberg  (Fin) , C Aguilar  (Esp) , G Cambis  (Fra) , S Hutsby  (Eng), J Huldahl (Den) , A Pavan (Ita), J McLeary  (Sco) , L Bjerregaard  (Den) , O Bekker (RSA) , B Chapellan (Fra) , B Etchart  (Esp) , J Barnes (Eng) , T Pieters  (Bel) , E Bertheussen (Nor) , R Davies (Wal) , M Kuronen (am) (Fin) 

70 J Gibb (Eng) , C Pigem (Esp) , M Trappel  (Aut) , G Stal  (Fra) , P Figueiredo  (Por) , M Crespi  (Ita) , R Mattila (Fin) , J Lando Casanova  (Fra) , R Kellett (Sco) , E Espana (Fra) , D Im (USA) , O Wilson (Eng) , N Meitinger  (Ger) , D Perrier (Fra) , M Ford (Eng) , D Ulrich (Sui) , P Archer (Eng) , H Satama (Fin) , S Kapur (Ind) , G Boyd  (Eng) , A Bernadet  (Fra) , P Widegren  (Swe) , D Frittelli (RSA) , N Dougherty  (Eng) , A McArthur  (Sco) 

71 C Brazillier  (Fra) , F Praegant (Aut) , A Domingo (Esp) , S Benson (Eng), R Russell (Sco) , P Oriol (Esp) , H Porteous (RSA) , J Glennemo (Swe) , J Howarth (Eng) , R Prophet (Eng) , N Ravano (Ita) , J Dantorp (Swe) , J Kaske (Fin) , A Forsyth (Sco) , T Murray (Eng), S Walker (Eng), D Palm (Swe) , M Korhonen (Fin) , S Piaget  (Mon) , M Salminen (Fin) , V Riu  (Fra) , J Makitalo  (Fin) , L Saltman (Sco) , A Otaegui  (Esp) ,

72 M Haastrup  (Den) , P Dwyer (Eng) , T Remkes (Ned) , D Wuensche  (Ger) , C Macaulay  (Sco) , T Tuovinen  (Fin) , M Novy  (Cze) , J Mikkelsen (Nor) , K Samooja (Fin) , B Parker  (Eng) , B Hebert  (Fra) , J Carlsson (Swe) , Å Nilsson (Swe) , A Eckhardt (am) (Fin) , J Kahlos (am) (Fin) ,

73 F Bergamaschi (Ita) , N Dahlgren (Fin) , E Dubois (Fra) , P O'Keeffe  (Irl) , F De Vries  (Ned) , R Quiros  (Esp) , J Mommo  (Fin) , M Zions (Aus) , F Colombo (Ita) , J Sandelin (Swe) , C Ford (Eng) , W Booth  (Sco) ,

74 O Jarvi (Fin) , J Senior (Eng) , A Perrino  (Ita) , J Garcia Pinto (Esp) , M Lampert (Ger) ,

75 J Timmis (Eng) , A Bossert (Sui) , T Nørret (Den) , S Matus  (Cze) , J Abbott (Eng) , T Pulkkanen  (Fin) , I Korvenmaa (Fin) , T Pilkadaris (Aus) , G Murray  (Sco) , D Vancsik (Arg) , A Rota (Ita) , J Heath  (Eng) 

76 A Gee  (Eng) , G Houston (Wal) , M Nichols (Eng) , D Griffiths  (Eng) , R McGowan  (Eng) , T Toivonen (am) (Fin) ,

77 S Grant  (Irl) 

80 F Svanberg  (Sui) 

85 Y Kafelnikov (Rus) 

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Facebook: European Tour

Web: www.europeantour.com

THE EUROPEAN TOUR - CELEBRATING GOLF. WORLDWIDE.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

.

  ­­  

HARLING WINS NE BOYS GOLF STROKE TITLE

Banchory's Jack Harling won the North-east District boys' golf championship over the Hawkshill course at Newmachar Golf Club. The tournament was restricted to one round because of flooding.

Harling shot a one-under-par 71 - five under the CSS - to win the title by three strokes from Callum Coutts (Alford) and Ben Murray

(Portlethen).

Calvin Cheyne (Newmachar) won the Under-16s championship with a score of 79.

The top four scorers in the Under-18s' championship go forward to the North-east District match-play tournament over the same course today (Friday). The semi-finals are:

Jack Harling (Banchory) v Ray Gordon (Alford)

Ben Murray (Portlethen) v Callum Coutts (Alford).

LEADING SCORES

Par 72 CSS 76

71 Jack Harling (Banchory)

74 Ben Murray (Portlethen), Callum Coutts (Alford)

76 Ray Gordon (Alford), Craig Lawrie (Deeside(

78 Niall Young (Insch), Lewys Anderson (Deeside).

79 Craig Stepyen (Aboyne), Calvin Cheyne (Newmachar), Stephen Rogers (Cruden Bay), Ryan McKinnon (Peterculter), Kieran Spence (Portlethen)

80 Benjamin Henderson (Deeside)

81 Daniel Sim (Royal Aberdeen), Patrick McKenna (Royal Aberdeen), Christopher Somers (Murcar Links).

82 Jay Hutton (Murcar Links), Marc Watt (Inverallochy)

84 Andrew McLaughlin (Peterculter), Curtis Stephen (Cruden Bay), George Colleran (Peterculter).

87 Gavin Elrick (Royal Aberdeen), Kiran Nolan (Kemnay).

89 Finley Symon (Deeside), Henri Charles (Deeside).
90 Thomas Cameron (Fraserburgh)
91 Cameron Cobban (Alford), Euan Alexander (Murcar Links).
92 Calvin Duffton (Torphins), 
94 Craig Leith (Royal Aberdeen).
95 Cameron Giblin (Torphins).
96 Cameron Fraser (Oldmeldrum).
97 Jonathan Bell (Royal Aberdeen), Craig Giblin (Torphins), Fintan McKenna (Royal Aberdeen), A McKinnon (Craibstone).
97 Connor Forbes (Deeside).

TOP SEED FORREST STILL THERE IN LAST EIGHT AT FAIRSTONE SCOTTISH AMATEUR

FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE 
By ED HODGE, SGU PR AND MEDIA EXECUTIVE

Grant Forrest stayed on course to become the first player in 30 years to defend the Fairstone Scottish Amateur Championship, after two nail-biting victories to reach the quarter-finals.

If the Craigielaw man had enjoyed comfortable progress to round four at Blairgowrie, the 20-year-old’s mettle was tested to the limit today.

Forrest, the top seed who arrived in Perthshire fresh from a debut appearance at The Open, first showed great resolve to end the challenge of Royal Wimbledon’s Ryan Lumsden.

Remarkably playing extra holes for the first time competitively, Forrest holed a testing five-footer at the 19th before finally shrugging off the Anglo-Scot’s challenge with a 15-foot birdie at the 21st.

“I really got quite nervous, knowing you can’t make a mistake,” admitted the Craigielaw player, who had been three down to Lumsden after nine.
“But going down the stretch gives you more experience and makes you a better player.”

It was the putter that again proved Forrest’s hero against Jamie Savage, a fellow SGU National Squad player in their last-16 tie. Having fluffed his chip at the 18th, he rolled in a 15-footer to avoid more extra holes. “I had a funny lie for the chip, with the grass growing against the ball, so it was nice to make the putt,” he added.

Forrest is seeking to emulate the late Cardross great Charlie Green, who last successfully defended the Scottish Amateur in 1983.

Intriguingly, Forrest’s next opponent is from Cardross, the three-time club champion Liam Halliday.

The 19-year-old outsider has reached the last-eight at Blairgowrie’s Lansdowne layout after ousting Scotland Boys cap Connor Syme by two holes.
Halliday said: “I’m really chuffed as my previous best in this event was the first round.

“I won the Cardross club championship for the third time in a row at the weekend and I’m playing well. If the putts drop against Grant, I don’t see why I can’t win. It’s a tough task, but I’m up for it.”

Third seed Jack McDonald – he and Forrest are the only seeds left – meets Kirkhill’s Craig Ross in the quarter-finals, while Dunbar’s Alexander Culverwell faces Kyle McClung of Wigtownshire County in the last-eight.

McDonald, into the quarter-finals for the first time after seeing off another Craigielaw player, Greg Smail, by 3 and 2 said: “I’m playing really well and feel like I’m getting better as the week has gone on. I was four-under-par against Greg and the putts are starting to drop.”

Late in the day, Lundin’s James White emulated his quarter-final appearance of 2011 after a fine 4 and 3 success against Kingsknowe’s Allyn Dick.

The 25-year-old struggled at the start of the season after a wrist injury but has been finding his form in recent weeks to suggest a fifth Home Internationals appearance could be in the offing.

White and Dick traded 10 birdies between them in a superb match, before White made a 50-footer at the 15th for glory.

With wee brother Robbie on the bag, White has experienced a rollercoaster week, which featured 42 holes on Wednesday before two triumphs today.

Indeed, he took the scalp of one of Scotland’s Walker Cup hopefuls and fellow SGU Men’s Performance player Graeme Robertson in the morning by 2 and 1.

“I really like this course and have scored well here in the past,” admitted White, who faces Scotland Boys’ cap Ewen Ferguson of Bearsden in the last-eight after his win over David Mitchell (Leven Thistle).

“Over the last five or six weeks I’ve been happy with my form so I hope I can keep it going.”

A rain delay of some 100 minutes delayed proceedings today, but the weather improved in the afternoon. Let's hope it stays fair tomorrow!

Quarter-final draw: 

Forrest v Halliday

Culverwell v McClung

Ross v McDonald

Ferguson v White.

Click here for scores from the Fairstone Scottish Amateur Championship

>> Click here for photos and videos from the Championship on SGU Facebook
ALL THURSDAY'S RESULTS
FOURTH ROUND
Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) (1) bt Ryan Lumsden (Royal Wimbledon) at 21st.
Jamie Savage (Cawder) bt Daniel Flannery (Peebles) 7 and 6
Connor Syme (Dumfries and Co) bt Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 3 and 2.
Liam Halliday (Cardross) bt Cameron Kirkwood (Bearsden) 2 holes
Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Co) bt Greg Forrester (Lundin) 1 hole.
Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) bt Adam Fisher (Newmachar) 1 hole.
Kyle McClung (Wigtown Co) bt Stuart McLaren (Bruntsfield Links) 3 and 2.
Christopher Lamb (Newmachar) bt Mark Riddell (Baberton) 3 and 2.
Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) bt Nick Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 2 holes..
Craig Ross (Kirkhill) bt Paul Reilly (Kilmacolm) 5 and 4.
Greig Smail (Craigielaw) bt Martin Anderson (Kibworth) 1 hol3
Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) (3) bt Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 3 and 2.
David Mitchell (Leven Th) bt Alan Kelly (Cochrane Castle) 5 and 3.
Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) bt Charlie Macneal (Prestwick) at 21st
James White (Lundin) bt Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) (2) 2 and 1.
Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) bt James Bunch (Prestwick) 2 and 1.

FIFTH ROUND
Forrest (1) bt Savage 1 hole.
Halliday bt Syme 2 holes
Culverwell bt Marchbank 2 and 1
McClung bt Lamb 5 and 4.
Ross bt Moore 3 and 2.
McDonald (3) bt Smail 3 and 2.
Ferguson bt Mitchell 2 and 1.
White bt Dick 4 and 3.

ROWALLAN CASTLE THURSDAY PLAY RAINED OFF

NEWS RELEASE

Play on the second day of the Rowallan Castle Open was abandoned on Thursday after heavy overnight rain left fairways flooded at the Ayrshire golf club, which is hosting the eighth 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event of the season.

Tournament officials worked to improve the condition of the course and play began at midday, only to be halted again at 12:20pm as more heavy rain again caused flooding on the fairways.

At 1pm the decision was taken to abandon play for the day. A cut to the leading 50 players plus ties has now been made in advance of the final round on Friday, with the tournament now reduced to 36 holes.

A total of 63 golfers have made the cut, with all those whose scores from the first round were one over par or better proceeding to play the final round in front of the Sky Sports HD cameras.

Mark Laskey leads by two strokes from Tim Rice after shooting a brilliant eight-under-par 63 in his opening round.

Scotland’s Paul Doherty is third on five under par, with six players tied for fourth on four under, trailing leader Laskey by four.

Spectator entry to the Ayrshire course is free throughout the event.