CHESTERS ENDS ENGLAND'S NINE-YEAR WAIT FOR EUROPEAN INDIVIDUAL TITLE

• calcarsongolf@btinternet.com

Despite a closing round of 76, England international Ashley Chesters won the 26th European Men’s Amateur Championship at Real Golf Club El Prat. The 23 year old from Hawkstone Park in Shropshire finished a shot ahead of David Morago, who shot 73 to win the silver medal, and two clear of Scott Fernández, both from Spain. Chesters (image: DGV/stebl), who took the lead after shooting 65 in round two and went into the final day four shots clear, saw that advantage disappear around the turn. He bogeyed the ninth then took a double-bogey seven at the long tenth. By this time Morago and Fernandez, playing ahead, had closed the gap, Morago being two behind, and everything was set for a dramatic finale. Morago fell back with bogeys at 16 and 17 only for Chesters to drop further shots at 16 and 17, but the Shropshire lad was still one ahead playing the par five 18th, which he’d birdied in the previous three rounds. Both Morago and Fernandez picked up shots there to level but Chesters kept cool and a further birdie from around four feet gave him the title. Another England international, Jamie Rutherford also birdied the last to finish fourth on 289, while Seb Crookall-Nixon was joint 18th on 296. Chesters, who was capped against France last year and has enjoyed several top ten finishes this year, is the first English player to win the European title since Matthew Richardson triumphed in Sweden in 2004. He joins an illustrious list of winners which include Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia. Leading final scores: 284 A Chesters (Eng) 73 65 70 76 285 D Morago (Spa) 75 68 69 73 286 S Fernandez (Spa) 70 71 71 74 289 J Rutherford (Eng) 71 73 71 74

Lynne Fraser Marketing & PR Manager England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 01526 354500

2013 FIFE GOLFING ASSOCIATION BOYS ORDER OF MERIT

 Presented by www.MyGolfRanking.net 

Positions after 21 events: 

1 Niall McMullen (Lundin) 500 points

2 Greg Forrester (Lundin) 410,

3 Alan Miller (Canmore) 333

4 Rory Giddens (Elie Golf House) 280

5= Ryan Brown (Dunfermline) 230

5= Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) 230

7 Greg Cessford (Balbirnie Park) 165

8 Marcus Rickard (Cupar) 182

The next counting events for the 2013 FIFE BOYS ORDER OF MERIT are the SCOTTISH BOYS UNDER 14 CHAMPIONSHIP at Fortrose & Rosemarkie on 11 & 12 August, the BRITISH BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP at Royal Liverpool from 13 to 18 August and the FIFE BOYS MATCH PLAY at Pitreavie on 17 & 18 August.

HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

LAWRENCE HAS COME LONG WAY IN ONE YEAR

One year after leaving boys golf, Alva’s Lawrence Allan took a major step forward in the men’s game when he shared the runner up spot in the 72 hole Leven Gold medal last weekend.  After the first two rounds, Allan with rounds of 69 and 70 lay three shots behind the local favourite Brian Souter; in round three in difficult conditions, he slipped to a 77, and was probably a bit surprised to find himself still in contention, lying three shots behind. In the final round Allan scorched to the turn in 32, helped by an eagle two at the second where he drove the green and holed an 8 ft putt.  His inward nine of 40 just missed out by one shot and he had to be content with a silver medal in the event which is documented as the oldest Amateur golf competition in the world.  The Leven Links course has been a happy hunting ground for Wee County golfers--- Sandy Horne and Michael Niven have both won the Champion of Champions just a bit more than a few years ago, and last year Scott Borrowman took the third place in the Golf medal following it up with a win in this year’s Champion of Champions.

  Alloa’s Jamie Aitken and Braehead’s Allan Watson also played at Leven but missed the 36 hole cut

     Well done to Lawrence who can definitely take back a bit of confidence when he returns to his USA College next week.

  FINAL RSULTS    1, 287 (+3) Brian Souter    2, 288 (+4) James White, Lawrence Allan (69, 70, 77, 72)

                           …   AND BOB IS AMONG THE TOP SENIORS

   Top County senior golfer Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) had a good finish in the R&A Seniors Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen last week.  In the 3 round event usually dominated by Americans, Bob finished second equal of the four Scots with an aggregate of 231 (78, 78, 75).

   Bob and Phil Dempsey (also Tulliallan) will be playing this week in the 36 hole North of Scotland seniors to be held at Cruden Bay.

                                    SCOTT MISSES OUT IN SPAIN

   In the 72 hole European Individual Championship held at El Prat near Barcelona, Dollar’s Scott Borrowman just missed the cut by one set after three rounds with an 11 over par score (81, 72, 74).  While this may appear not so good, there were seven others out of the squad of twelve who were worse than this.  It really wasn’t a good tournament for the Scots among the elite amateurs of Europe.

   Scott is back in action this week having been selected for the Scottish team in the Home Internationals to play at Ganton in Yorkshire.  Scotland will be defending the title they won in 2012 at Glasgow Gailes.  Play is from Wednesday to Friday, and consists of morning foursomes and afternoon singles matches.

                             LOCAL EVENTS COMING UP

  The Clackmannan County Autumn Meeting will be played this Saturday (17th August) at Tulliallan--- late entries are available, and the following Sunday (25th) is the rescheduled 36 hole County Championship to be played at Alloa.  These evnts conclude the paying season with the aggregate trophies being finalised, and a team to represent a local Club in the Scottish Club Championship final.

   

   Tulliallan stages two Open events--- the Bloy Smith four ball Open on Sunday 18th August and the Tulliallan Seniors on Wednesday 21st August

   And for golfing spectators, the Johnnie Walker European Tour event will be played at Gleneagles from the 22nd till the 25th. It’s a good chance to give local Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan) a bit of support.

   AND FINALLY FOR THOUGHT..

   

   Those who followed the US PGA Championship must have been impressed by the standard of golf on the difficult layout.  The winner Jason Dufner scored a record 63 over a course with a rating of  76.7, and it was probably higher because of the way the course was set up………so Jason played to a handicap of at least plus 13!!, and that would be equivalent to a 58 around Schawpark.   

           

JASON DUFNER WINS US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP BY TWO FROM JIM FURYK

FROM THE BBC SPORT.COM WEBSITE
By Rob Hodgetts BBC Sport

US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LEADERBOARD

• -10: J Dufner (US)
• -8: J Furyk (US)
• -7: H Stenson (Swe)
• -6: J Blixt (Swe)
• -5 : A Scott (Aus), S Piercy (US)
• Selected: -3: R McIlroy (NI)
• -2: G McDowell (NI), M Warren (Sco)
• +3: L Westwood (Eng)
• +4: T Woods (US)
• +8: I Poulter (Eng)
• +12: P Mickelson (US)

Jason Dufner held his nerve to clinch his maiden major title with victory at the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

The 36-year-old American overhauled countryman Jim Furyk with a final-round 68 to win by two shots at 10 under.
Furyk, 43, led overnight but 71 was not good enough to add to his 2003 US Open.
Henrik Stenson was seven under with fellow Swede Jonas Blixt six under. 

Rory McIlroy (70) ended three under, with Lee Westwood three over after 76.

The enigmatic Dufner, a two-time PGA Tour winner, came closest to a major title when he squandered a five-shot lead with four to play on the way to losing to Keegan Bradley in a play-off for the 2011 US PGA title.
But he played imperious golf at Oak Hill on Sunday, hardly hitting a bad shot, to open his major account in upstate New York.
Dufner, who equalled the lowest score in major history with a 63 on Friday, trailed Furyk by one going into the final round, but was sharing the lead with the eight-time Ryder Cup star after a birdie on the fourth and had a two-shot gap after the ninth.
A tentative birdie putt on the 10th, followed by almost missing the next, were virtually the only outward signs of nerves - until both players bogeyed the 17th and 18th - as Dufner maintained his distance on Furyk all the way to the giant Wanamaker trophy.
"I can't believe this is happening to me," said Dufner, who is the 18th different winner in the last 20 majors.
"To come back from a couple of years ago in this championship when I lost to Keegan in the play-off, to win feels really, really good. The last two holes were a little unfortunate. I wish I could've closed out with no bogeys but I am happy to get the job done. It's a big step for my career."

Furyk, who won the last of his 16 titles in 2010, said: "I needed to keep the pedal down and make pars there and keep the pressure on him and I just didn't do it.
"If I could go back I would have to try and make par at 17 and 18 and try and put some heat on him."
Stenson and Blixt were bidding to become the first Swedish man to win a major title, but both had up-and-down days and carded rounds of level-par 70.
For the resurgent Stenson, who dropped from the world's top 10 to as low as 230th in early 2012, it was his third straight top-three finish after coming second in the Open and third behind Tiger Woods at Firestone.
Masters champion Adam Scott began four shots adrift but was also unable to make an impression and his 70 left him five under alongside American Scott Piercy, who surged up the leaderboard with a 65.

Recent US PGA winners

• 2013 - Jason Dufner
• 2012 - Rory McIlroy
• 2011 - Keegan Bradley
• 2010 - Martin Kaymer
• 2009 - Yang Yong-eun
• 2008 - Padraig Harrington
• 2007 - Tiger Woods
• 2006 - Tiger Woods
• 2005 - Phil Mickelson
• 2004 - Vijay Singh
• 2003 - Shaun Micheel

McIlroy, who missed the cut in the Open to cap a miserable season up to then, was looking likely to miss another cut after 10 holes of his second round. But the Northern Irishman fought back well over the closing stretch to make the weekend and at six shots adrift, he had an outside chance of defending the title he won by a record eight shots at Kiawah Island last year.

The 24-year-old began in promising fashion with a birdie at the third, but a triple bogey via the water on the fifth derailed his challenge and he was always playing catch-up. He salvaged the three shots back with birdies at the ninth, 10th and 13th but a bogey on 16 knocked him back again and he finished in a tie for eighth, his first top 10 in a major this season.
McIlroy's playing partner Westwood also started three under but his 63rd major quickly turned into another without a victory. A bogey at the second and a double bogey at the third set the tone, and three more dropped shots followed to go out in 41. Birdies at 10 and 14 made some amends, but Westwood's putter problems continued and he dropped final shots at the 15th and 18th.
World number one Tiger Woods could only finish tied for 40th at four over after carding rounds of 71,70, 73, 70 - a week after shooting 61 on his way to winning the WGC-Invitational for his fifth title of the year.
The 37-year-old has now gone 18 majors and five years without a major title and will have to wait until the 2014 Masters at Augusta to try to resume his quest for a 15th Grand Slam victory.
"I've been there in half of them so that's about right. If you are going to be in there three-quarters or half of them with a chance to win on the back nine, you have just got to get it done," said Woods.
"I was right there and certainly had a chance to win the Masters and the British this year. The other two, I just didn't hit it good enough. Just the way it goes." 

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Players from USA unless stated
Par 280 (4x70)
 270 Jason Dufner 68 63 71 68
272 Jim Furyk 65 68 68 71
273 Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 68 66 69 70
274 Jonas Blixt (Sweden) 68 70 68 70
275 Scott Piercy 67 71 72 65, Adam Scott (Australia) 65 68 72 70

SELECTED OTHER TOTALS
277 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 69 71 67 70 (T8)
278 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 70 69 73 66, Marc Warren (Scotland) 74 67 68 69 (T12)
280 David Lynn (England) 69 69 71 71 (T22)
282 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 68 72 75 67, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spain) 68 75 69 70, Scott Jamieson (Scoland) 69 72 70 71 (T29)
283 Paul Casey (England) 67 72 74 70, Justin Rose (England) 68 66 77 72, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 72 68 70 73, Lee Westwood (England) 66 73 68 76, Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 71 70 74 69 (T33).
284 Danny Willett (England) 73 70 72 69, Tiger Woods 71 70 73 70 (T40)
287 Shane Lowry (Ireland) 71 70 75 71 (T57)
288 Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) 75 68 76 69, Ian Poulter (England) 70 71 77 70 (T61)
292 Phil Mickelson 71 71 78 72, Matteo Manassero (Italy) 72 69 74 77 (T72)
296 Darren Clarke (N Ireland) 69 73 74 80 (75th)

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