ONLY FOUR SCOTS MAKE THE CUT IN EUROPEAN AMATEUR CHSHIP

Only four Scots - James Ross (Royal Burgess) 217, Graeme Robertson and Grant Forrest 222 and Liam Johnston 224 - made the 54-hole cut in the European men's amateur individual championship at El Prat,Spain.
Englishman Ashley Chesters is the leader going into the final round. He has a four-stroke advantage after rounds of 73, 65 and 70 for eight-under-par 208.
Ross is in joint seventh place with scores of 74, 69 and 74.
Robertson has shot 75, 75 and 72 for a share of 28th place with Forrest (71 74 77) while Johnson is sharing 41st place with scores of 76, 74 74.
The cut fell at 226 and Scott Borrowma{n (Dollar) missed out by a single shot with efforts of 81, 72 and 74.
Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) and Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) were on 230.

EUROPEAN MEN'S AMATEUR INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP
El Prat Golf Club, Spain
LEADING THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
208 Ashley Chesters (Eng) 73 65 70
212 Davie Morago (Spa) 75 68 69, William Fernandez Scott (Spain) 70 71 71
214 Gavin Moynihan  (Ire) 72 74 78
215 Jamie Rutherford (Eng) 71 73 73

SCOTS SCORES
217 James Ross 74 69 74 (T7)
222 Graeme Robertson 75 75 72, Grant Forrewst 71 74 77 (T28)
224 Liam Johnston 76 74 74 (T41)
MISSED THE CUT (226 and better qualified)
227 Scott Borrowman 81 72 74
230 Bradley Neil 79 74 77, Daniel Young 77 79 74
231 Jack McDonald 76 77 78.
232 Chris Robb 73 77 82
233 Neil Henderson 79 77 77
237 Sam Binning 789 75 83
239 Ewan Scott 81 82 76.

e nds

PAUL O'HARA EARNS £1,116 FOR SHARE OF FIFTH PLACE IN PGA ASSISTANTS

Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) finished a creditable joint fifth and earned £1,116 with rounds of 71, 69 and 69 for 10-under-par total of 209 in the Powerade PGA Assistants Championship at Coventry Golf Club today.
O'Hara finished six shots behind the winner of the title and £5,000 prize Matthew Cort (Rothley Park) with scores of 68, 68 and 67 for 203.
Other Scots in and around the top 10 were Scott McGrenaghan from Cochrane Castle and Anglo Scot Peter Latimer (Felixstowe Ferry). McGrenaghan shot 72, 69 and 70 for joint ninth place on 211 to earn a £750 cheque.
Latimer totalled 212 with rounds of 74, 69 and 69, which gave him a £600 pay-out.
Other Scots in the money:
214 Colin Robinson (Prestonfield) 71 71 72 (T15) (£443)
217 Paul Robinson (Largs) 72 72 73 (£280).
219 Neil Cameron (Blairgowrie) 76 69 74 (£235)
221 Gordon Hillson (Dunbar) 72 74 75 (£215)
230 Andrew Munro (Musselburgh) 75 72 83 (£180).

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HIGHLAND OPEN FINAL MATCHES AT PITLOCHRY\

Results from Friday's final matches in the Highland Open at Pitlochry Golf Club.

All players from Pitlochry unless otherwise stated.

Scratch final (36 holes)

Blair Stephen bt Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), 3 and 2 

Handicap final (18 holes)

Stewart Burns bt David Leishman (Haddington), 3 and 2

  

Senior final (18 holes)

Alex Stirton bt Paul Valentine (Dublin Mountain, Ireland), 6 and 5 

AMERICAN ZAHRINGER IS SINGING IN THE RAIN AT SENIORS' AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

                            And the winner is .... George Zahringer

FROM THE R AND A WEBSITE
By ELSPETH BURNSIDE 

The final round ended in a horrendous downpour, but it was all smiles for American George Zahringer as he posted a final round 74 and secured a one shot victory in the Seniors Open Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen.

The 60-year-old from New York had set out one shot behind Northern Ireland’s Garth McGimpsey and American Patrick Tallent but he was one shot ahead with five holes to play and his five over par 218 total was goo enough to finish one ahead of fellow-American Tom Brandes.

Brandes, from Seattle, had a best of final round 69 – it was the joint best score of the Championship – to slip into second place on six over par and McGimpsey settled for third on seven over after a 77. 

Chip Lutz, the American aiming to make it three in row, was left to rue the quadruple-bogey eight he took on the 18^th in the second round. A fine closing 72 saw him finish tied for fourth on seven over par.

“I played really well today, just missed a few putts,” he summed up. “It was a good way to finish and a good defence. It was just a shame about the one hole yesterday.” 

Zahringer, the 2002 US Mid-Amateur Champion and 2003 Walker Cup player, couldn’t have been happier. “It’s great to win my first international title and it’s just beginning to sink in,” he said.

 

“Playing for the US in the Walker Cup and winning the Mid-Amateur were great and another highlight of my career was taking part in eight US Senior Opens (he was low amateur twice). But this is extra special because it is overseas.”

 

He will definitely be back to defend – and he was thrilled to hear that the 2014 venue is Ganton. The famous Yorkshire course was the scene of his Walker Cup appearance - and he also reached the quarter-finals of a British Amateur Championship at the same venue.

 

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “I didn’t know it was there next year but it will be a great place to go back to again, and as the reigning Champion.”

 

A Privaet banker in his professional life, Zahringer revealed afterwards that his final round strategy was to go out and shoot par. He made a shaky start with a bogey at the long second – “the only hole where I was really aggressive” – and dropped another shot at the short 11^th before finally picking up a birdie with a chip and putt at the long 12^th.

 

The storm started when Zahringer was on the 15^th green – hailstones and unbelievably heavy rain – and, not surprisingly, he dropped a shot at the 16^th and another at the 18^th.

 

“But I knew I was two ahead playing the last and I wasn’t going to do anything stupid,” he said. “So I hit a five wood off the tee, a safe four iron second shot and then had a 60-yard pitch.”  His par putt from 30 feet just shaved the hole.

 

Brandes, seven behind overnight, steamrollered through the field with his two under par score. He finished with four threes – three birdies and a par at the 17^th.

 

“It was great fun and a terrific week,” he said. “It was my first time over in Britain and I couldn’t have had a more enjoyable time.”

 

Playing in the final group, McGimpsey and Tallent had the worse of the conditions. McGimpsey dropped three shots in the final six holes, while Tallent’s challenge finally came to grief with a seven at the 15^th. He shot 79 and finished joint seventh on nine over par.

 

Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse) was the best of the Scots on 17 over par after a closing 77, one ahead of John Fraser (78), from Royal Burgess, Kirriemuir Players’ David Downie (75) and Tulliallan’s Robert Stewart (75).   

 

  LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
218 George Zahringer (US) 69 75 74
219 Tom  Brandes (US) 77 73 69
220 Garth McGimpsey (Bangor) 71 72 77
221 John Mitchell (Tramore) 76 75 70, Alan Mew (Stoneham) 73 77 71, Chip Lutz (US) 70 79 72.
SCOTS' TOTALS
230 Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse) 74 79 77 (T25)
231 David Downie (Kirriemuir Players) 79 77 75, Robert Stewart (Tulliallan) 78 78 75, John Fraser (Royal Burgess) 72 81 78 (T31)
232 Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 77 77 78 (T39)
247 Ian Angus (Duff House Royal) 74 81 87 (64th)

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SHAUN MCALLISTER WINS TWO GRAND AT MAR HALL

GOLF COPY AND SCORES

CRPEDIT CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY

FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON

AT ST ANNES OLD LINKS

McALLISTER WINS £2,100 AT MAR HALL SCOTTISH CHALLENGE

Craigielaw's Shaun McAllister earned one of the biggest cheques of his golf career so far by finishing joint third in this week's PGA EuroPro Tour event, the MarHall.com Scottish Challenge.

McAllister had rounds of 69, 66 and 68 for a total of 200 to receive £2,100. He finished one shot behind Englishman Dave Coupland (69-64-66) and Spaniard Sebastian Garcia Grout (65-67-67) who tied on 199.

Coupland won the sudden death play-off for the jackpot prize of £10,000.

Grout received the runner-up award of £5,000.

Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) and John Henry (Clydebank and District) tied for ninth place on 204 and earned £750 apiece. Doherty had rounds of 71, 65 an d69, Henry 66, 68 and 70.

Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) (67-68-70) and Paul Shields (Kirkhill) (65-67-73) also made the top 10 in joint 14th place on 205. They earned £525 each.61

MARHALL.com SCOTTISH CHALLENGE

Mar Hall Golf Club, Bishopton.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

199 Dave Coupland (Eng) 69 64 66, Sebastian Garcia Grout (Spa) 65 67 67 (Coupland won sudden-eath play-off for £10,000; Grout £5,000)

200 Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) 69 66 68, James Maw (Eng)  61 68 71 (£2,100 each)

SELECTED OTHER SCORES

204 Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) 71 64 69, John Henry (Clydebank and Dist) 66 68 70 (T9) (£750 each).

205 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 67 68 70, Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 65 67 73 (£T14) (£525 each).

208 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar0 70 67 71,Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links) 66 6 75 (T29) (£290 each).

213 Callum Trahan (Gleneagles) 67 70 70 (T45) (~£222);

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RESULTS FROM LAST DAY OF ST ANDREWS TOURNAMENTS

JUNIOR LADIES TOURNAMENT
Semi-finals
Rachael Walker (Dumfries and Co) bt India Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) at 19th.
Samantha Meese (South Staffs) bt Lianna Bailey (Notts Ladies) 1 hole.
Final
Meese bt Walker 5 and 4.

BOYS' OPEN
Semi-finals
Sam Fitzsimmons (Windyhill) bt Tom Watson (St Andrews) 2 and 1.
Max ~Greyserman (United States) bt Peter Maxwell (Glenbervie) 3 and 1.
Final  - Fitzsimmons bt Greyserman at 19th.

KIRRIEMUIR'S ROSS DALLAS RETAINS ANGUS BOYS' MATCH-PLAY TITLE

Ross Dallas of Kirriemuir successfully defended the Angus Boys matchplay title  with great display of solid shotmaking and course management. In the morning semi-final he was dormie 3 up on local hope Jamie Beedie but a poor lie in a bunker at 16 and a great par save from Jamie at 17 ensured the match would go the distance where Ross made a great up and down from the road at the back of the green to win the match.

In the other semi-final, the surprize package of the championship, Downfield's Jonh McKenna playing off a handicap of 6, who in the previous round had knocked out national squad player Connar Cook, this time accounted for 2011 champion Gavin Petrie of Fofar.

In the final, John was 2 up through 8 holes but found three bunkers in a row. The momentum swung in Ross's favour and he eventually closed out the match at the 16th.

RESULTS

SEMI-FINALS

John McKenna (Downfield) beat Gavin Petrie (Forfar) 3 and 2

Ross Dallas (Kirriemuir) beat Jamie Beedie (Montrose Mercantile) 1 hole

FINAL

Dallas beat McKenna 3 and 2

HEBERT REIGNS BEFORE DOWNPOUR HALTS PLAY IN NORWEGIAN CHALLENGE

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Benjamin Hebert carded an eagle and five birdies to move into a two-shot lead at the Norwegian Challenge before heavy rain and flooding ended play in the early stages of the opening round at Losby Golf Club, near Oslo.

The Frenchman, who in 2011 stormed to three quick-fire victories to earn automatic promotion to The European Tour, teed off at the tenth hole and gave his round a massive boost with an eagle at the par five 11^th after holing out from 130 yards.

The 26 year old followed that up with a first birdie of the day at the 12^th before picking up two more shots at the 14^th and 15^th, and another birdie at the 17^th took him to the turn in six under par.

Before he was forced to come off the course, Hebert managed to card a two at the par three second hole to take a two-shot lead through 16 holes, on seven under par.

“I had a great start, holing a shot from 120 metres with a punched eight iron,” said Hebert. “Then I had a birdie straight after that and I was lucky on the 15^th too, holing a chip for birdie, so it was all great really.

“I even missed short putts for birdie at the 16^th and 18^th but after that it became more difficult because it started raining. But I played very well and I have been playing well for three weeks now.”

Like the rest of the players that were out on the course when play was suspended, Hebert will resume his first round at 7:30am local time while the afternoon groups from the first round draw, who did not get to tee off on day one, will start between 8:00am and 10:00am before the second round begins later in the day.

“It will be a long day probably but it’s not too bad,” he said. “I'm just going to rest up and have a good lunch in between rounds. I'm happy about my game so the delay is no problem to me.”

Norwegian Anders Engell was leading the home charge before play was stopped on day one as he sat in tied second place - alongside Dane Lucas Bjerregaard - on five under par, having only played 11 holes in which he hit a superb run of three consecutive birdies followed by an eagle at the par five 17^th.

 

For more, visit www.europeantour.com/challengetour

 

ENDS

 

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

PAUL O'HARA IS JOINT EIGHT PLACE AFTER TWO ROUNDS IN PGA ASSISTANTS CHAMPIONSHIP

Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) is the leading Scot, in joint eighth place, as the Powerade PGA Assistants Championship goes into its final day at Coventry Golf Club.
O'Hara has had rounds of 71 and 69 for 140 and is four shots behind joint leaders, Englishmen Matthew Cort (two 68s for 136) and Jack Harrison (69-67).
Scott McGrenaghan (Cochrane Castle) is also playing well. He is just outside the top 10 with 72-69 for 141, a shot ahead of Prestonfield's Colin Robinson (71-71).

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
136 Matthew Cort (Rothly Park) 68 68, Jack Harrison (Wilwood) 69 67
137 Ben O'Dell (England) 70 67, Sam Jarman (unatt) 67 70

OTHER SELECTED SCORES
140 Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) 71 69 (T8)
141 Scott McGrenaghan (Cochrane Castle) 72 69 (T11)
142 Colin Robinson (Prestonfield) 71 71
143 Peter Latimer (Felixstowe Ferry) 74 69 (T19)
144 Paul Robinson (Largs) 72 72 (T22)
145 Neil Cameron (Blairgowrie) 76 69 (T25)
146 Gordon Hillson (Dunbar) 72 74 (T33)
147 Andrew Munro (Musselburgh) 75 72 (T39)

MISSED THE CUT (147 and better qualified)

149 Martin Shaw (Whitecraigs) 73 76, Keir McNicoll (Gullane) 74 75
150 Neil McBridge (Willow Valley) 75 75, Ewan Macpherson (Auchterarder) 77 73
152 Jamie Mackay (North Gailes) 75 77
154 Cameron Marr (Musselburgh) 77 77
155 Ian Anderson (Colville Park) 76 79
158 Jordan Gallagher (Douglas Park) 81 77
159 Oliver Huish (North Berwick) 82 77, David Addison (Kilmarnock Barassie) 77 82
166 Christian MacLeod (Loch Ness) 83 83

TIGER STARTS WTH A ONE-OVER 71, SIX OFF THE PACE IN US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By JAMES CORRIGAN
Tiger Woods has always been renowned for turning 71s into 67s but he did the exact reverse of golfing alchemy here yesterday.

At one over, it was anything but the start he was looking for at the 95th USPGA Championship as he tries to win his first major in more than five years.

The very best he could hope for as he dejectedly walked back to his courtesy car, was a six-shot deficit when he resumes this afternoon. Jim Furyk, Woods’s old Ryder Cup partner, was in the clubhouse with a 65, leading the stampede under par. Of the 78 who teed off in the morning, 23 were ahead of Woods. And that plainly disgusted him.

“Realistically, that round should have been under par easily,” Woods said, sweat dripping down his face.

“I feel like I played well today and made some key putts.”

It was not just the final-hole double bogey pulling his mood south. Woods had looked so composed on the second hole [his 11th] when, in his own words, he “stuffed” his approach to three feet. He was two under at the time with the lead in his sights. Yet, rather incredibly considering how he had putted not only on his front nine but also during his seven-stroke win last week in Akron, he yanked the tiddler, not even hitting the hole.
 The ticking one could hear was not the bomb just about to explode, but the stopwatch of a referee checking for slow play.

“I probably should have taken a little longer, but we were on the clock and had to get going,” Woods said.

He revealed that his group, which also featured his countrymen Keegan Bradley and Davis Love, which was followed by huge crowds, were being timed from the first, their 10th, until the fourth. It was on the last-named par five where his day began to unravel.
Woods had not pulled his driver from its head cover until this moment. But when confronted with the 574-yarder he could resist no longer. Predictably, he found the rough, then hit a tree with his second, hit his nine-iron approach into a green-side bunker, then failed to get up and down.
Still, the bogey six only sent him back to one under and he required a mere par on the 446-yard ninth to break par for the first time in a competitive round at Oak Hill. He pushed his tee-shot, tried an audacious cut around the trees and located the thick rough on the left in front of the green. Woods hacked it under the lip of the bunker and from there the double bogey, which made him three-under for his last six holes, was inevitable.
Woods will need to go low this afternoon and it is highly doubtful he will find the Donald Ross creation as forgiving again. Overnight storms had softened the layout, there was no wind and the sun was out
. Perhaps this place just does not suit Woods. In 2003, Woods ended in a tie for 39th, his worst 72-hole finish in a major as a pro until last year’s Masters. Even the most ferocious of Tigers have unhappy hunting grounds.
In truth, he did not play as well as he claimed. But for his scrambling powers – he “upped and downed” seven times out of eight – it would have been a lot worse. Woods’s grim countenance was in direct contrast to that of Paul Casey. The former world No 3 took another few strides back towards rejoining the game’s elite with a 67, his lowest opening round in a major for eight years. Henrik Stenson fired a 68, which was a surprise to nobody.
In his last three events, the Swede has finished third in the Scottish Open, second in the Open and second in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.
Furyk would be such a popular winner with the galleries. “Blue-collar Jim” suffered badly last year as he threw away the US Open and then lost a critical point against Sergio García in the Ryder Cup singles when one up with two to play. 
With all his money, as well as a major title in the bank, it would have been easy for the 43-year-old to melt away. But here he is, still putting himself in golf’s firing line.
 “This sport beats you up,” he said. “If I played 25 events a year and won one a year for my entire career, I would be a hell of a player – but I’d have lost 24 events a year. You’ve got to take your lumps. I’m on a nice little high, but you lot are trying to bring me down by talking about this. Damn.”
Later, Furyk was joined by Adam Scott, the Masters champion, who was five-under after 14. The action was held up for 70 minutes when storms moved through.
There was plenty to maintain English interest as both Lee Westwood and Justin Rose advanced to three-under, having played 14 and 16 holes respectively. Rory McIlroy was also showing up well, leaving behind his indifferent form to stand at two-under after 14 holes. Ian Poulter was one-under after 13 while Luke Donald was level with four remaining. 

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 70
Players from USA unless stated
65 Jim Furyk, Adam Scott (Australia)
66 David Hearn (Canada), Lee Westwood (England)
67 Robert Garrigus, Paul Casey (England), Matt Kuchar, Marcus Fraser (Australia), Scott Piercy, Jason Day (Australia).

OTHER SELECTED SCORES
68 Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spain), Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Migual Angel Jimenez (Spain), Justin Rose (England) (T11).
69 Sergio Garcia (Spain), David Lynn (England), Scott Jamieson (Scotland), Darren Clarke (N Ireland), Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) (T22)
70 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland), Ian Poulter (England), Shane Lowry (Ireland) (T36).
71 Tiger Woods, Luke Donald, Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium), Martin Laird (Scotland), Phil Mickelson (T50)
72 Paul Lawrie (Scotland), Richie Ramsay (Scotland) (T74)
73 Danny Willett (England) (T91)
74 Ernie Els (S Africa), Gonzalo Fernandez Castano (Spain), Marc Warren (Scotland) (T108)
75 Stephen Gallacher (Scotland), Chris Wood (England) (T123)
76 Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) (T132)
78 Paul McGinley (Ireland) (T146)
80 Jamie Donaldson (Wales) (T152)
81 Lee Rhind (Scotland) (154th)

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