STAFFORDSHIRE CELEBRATE FIRST ENGLAND BOYS' COUNTY WIN

Staffordshire won their first ever Boys County Championship in emphatic fashion as the sun shone at Kedleston Park. They did it in style by beating Devon 8-1, while defending champions Yorkshire finished in second spot after overcoming Hampshire 6½ - 2½.  In direct contrast to the two previous days when there was little to separate the four counties, the final matches were clear cut in the extreme and in the end everything came down to games won. Both Staffordshire and Yorkshire emerged with two victories but the Midlanders took the title with 17 game points to Yorkshire’s 15½. “I’m very proud the boys have won this title for the first time,” said Staffordshire captain Mike Tunnicliffe. “It was almost a perfect day. Winning this morning’s foursomes 3-0 was a very good start but we knew Yorkshire would set a challenge. “Every single presented a further challenge and happily the boys were up to that challenge. Having put Staffordshire on the map as far as boys golf is concerned, I’m hoping this will encourage the juniors in our county to repeat the performance in future years now that we have broken our duck.” Yorkshire skipper Gary Brown was disappointed that they had lost the title but said: “Our lads played well today. They gave 100% and you can’t ask more than that. “We thought that if we could get six points today we’d be happy but Staffordshire played superbly to get eight against Devon. But the damage was done yesterday when we lost to Devon.” Having won all three morning foursomes, one more than Yorkshire, Staffordshire knew they just had to stay ahead of their Northern rivals and that’s just what they did. Robert Burlison gave them the perfect start with a 4&3 win over Devon’s Jacob Tinsley in the top game. The England boy cap birdied three holes in a row from the short fourth to be 3-up and although he lost the tenth, a birdie-two at 11 restored his clear advantage and he finished it with a winning par at 15. It completed a perfect performance by Burlison, who won all six of his games. His 4&3 scoreline was matched by Daniel Sutton over James Thompson, Gianmarco Petrozzi against Harry Konig and by Harrison Quick over Tom Trowbridge. That not only confirmed Staffordshire’s victory but underlined their supremacy on a red letter day for the Midland champions. When Cameron Long added to the tally with a 2&1 win over Robbie Thompson it meant that Staffordshire might complete a clean sweep. But Ollie Cowl gave Devon some consolation with a 2-hole victory over Peter Booker, which was the least they deserved. After their previous day’s defeat by Devon, Yorkshire knew that they not only had to beat Hampshire but they had to do it well. After winning the foursomes 2-1 and knowing Staffordshire had completed a clean sweep, it was just a case of bettering whatever Staffordshire produced – but it didn’t happen. Kealan Lowe made it six wins-in-a-row when he beat Billy Watson 4&2 and was quickly followed by Jack Kelley with the same scoreline over Tom Farrow-Smith. Ben Hutchinson overwhelmed the unfortunate Tommy Donaldson 6&5, the end of the contest being settled on the 13th green when the Hampshire lad was penalised a shot after his ball moved when he addressed it. With Bradley Hudson beating Jordan Sundborg on the final green, Yorkshire hopes were still high. But with Ryan Harmer gaining Hampshire’s only victory by 1-hole over Ben Brewster and Mason Banger securing a half with Jonathan Thomson, the Northerners hopes were dashed. For more more news, full results and photos of the event visit the championship website. Image copyright Leaderboard Photography

NORWEGIAN KOFSTAD LEADS WITH A 65 IN WALES OPEN

                       

  REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Espen Kofstad took inspiration from his playing partner, 2014 

Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley, as the Norwegian stormed into 

the first round lead at the ISPS Handa Wales Open thanks to a

seven under par round of 64.

The 26 year old, who finished as the number one player on the 

Challenge Tour last year to secure his European Tour card, carded a 

stunning back nine of 29 at The Celtic Manor Resort, which 

included three birdies and an eagle in the final four holes.

On the day Kofstad joined playing partners McGinley and John 

Parry in launching the points race for The 2014 Ryder Cup, he 

finished in a style worthy of such an occasion, holing out from the 

greenside bunker at 18 to the delight of the onlooking spectators.

“It was just inspiring to be here I think,” said Kofstad. “It's Celtic 

Manor, the Ryder Cup has been here, and playing with Paul too.

“It’s just all inspiring stuff. Paul has been a really good player on 

The European Tour and it's nice to feed off his experience a little bit 

because he's a very calm, collected character and it was just a good 

group to be in this morning.

“I have been very, very calm the last two weeks. I have started 

to settle down on the European Tour a bit.

“Today I wasn't nervous and it felt really easy. I kept hitting 

the shots and they came off in the end. I got a little lucky I suppose 

holing a long putt on the 17th and the bunker shot on the last. I was 

just trying to get it ten or 15 feet past the hole because it was a 

tough shot.

“It would be great to play in the Ryder Cup, although I can't really 

expect a spot, but I put in a decent application today!”

Kofstad was two shots clear of the chasing pack, with England’s 

Chris Wood in a tie for second place on five under alongside 

Australian Richard Green, who put in the best round of the 

afternoon with a 66 in much tougher conditions.

FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 71

64 E Kofstad (Nor) 

66 C Wood  (Eng) , R Green (Aus) 

67 G Bourdy (Fra) , T Van Der Walt (RSA) , M Foster (Eng) 

68 R Rock (Eng) , E Grillo (Arg)

69 R Coles (Eng) , M Kieffer (Ger) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , L Bond (Wal) , M Ilonen  (Fin) , P Uihlein  (USA) 

70 G Havret  (Fra) , P McGinley (Irl) , D McGrane (Irl) , G Fdez-Castaño  (Esp) , A Tadini (Ita) , S Wakefield (Eng) , R Santos  (Por) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , C Cévaër (Fra) , K Horne (RSA) , D Drysdale (Sco) , C Macaulay  (Sco) 

71 R Fisher (Eng) , J Olazábal (Esp) , A Levy (Fra) , J Campillo (Esp) , T Jaidee (Tha) , T Lewis (Eng) , A Marshall (Eng) , J Walters (RSA) , A Hansen (Den) , R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) , A Dodt (Aus) , A Kaleka  (Fra) , P Erofejeff (Fin) , J Parry (Eng) , S Henry  (Sco) , O Fisher  (Eng) , E De La Riva  (Esp) , R Wallis (Eng) , M Jonzon (Swe) , G Maybin (Nir) , M Korhonen (Fin) 

72 P Hedblom (Swe) , S Hansen (Den) , S Arnold  (Aus) , B Koepka  (USA) , K Broberg (Swe) , B Rumford (Aus) , T Björn (Den) , R Karlberg  (Swe) , G Storm  (Eng) , F Aguilar (Chi) , C Doak (Sco) , J Edfors (Swe) , M Carlsson  (Swe) , A Hartø  (Den) , S Kapur (Ind) , P Waring  (Eng) , S Gallacher (Sco) , M Nixon (Eng) , P Price (Wal) , R Wattel  (Fra) , S Chowrasia (Ind) 

73 F Molinari (Ita) , P Lawrie (Irl) , T Fleetwood  (Eng) , R McEvoy  (Eng) , D Willett  (Eng) , E Goya (Arg) , R Enoch  (Wal) , S Little (Eng) , A Snobeck  (Fra) , J Luiten (Ned) , H Otto (RSA) , M Campbell (Nzl) , J Lara (Esp) , J Quesne  (Fra) , N Fasth (Swe) ,

74 S Webster (Eng) , G Lockerbie  (Eng) , I Garrido (Esp) , M Baldwin (Eng) , M Tullo (Chi) , J Kruger (RSA) , P Meesawat  (Tha) , D Higgins (Irl) , S Jamieson  (Sco) , A Cañizares  (Esp) , M Madsen  (Den) , G Wright  (Wal) , T Olesen (Den) , P Larrazábal (Esp) , B Wiesberger  (Aut) , J Lagergren (Swe) , C Paisley  (Eng) 

75 F Zanotti (Par) , M Southgate  (Eng) , L Slattery (Eng) , T Levet (Fra) , V Dubuisson  (Fra) , R Dinsdale (Wal) , C Lloyd (Eng) , F Andersson Hed (Swe) , K Aphibarnrat (Tha) , R Bland (Eng) 

76 S Hend (Aus) , R Gonzalez (Arg) , S Dyson  (Eng) , S Benson (Eng) , P Whiteford (Sco) , D Howell (Eng) , M Lundberg (Swe) , G Boyd  (Eng) , L Gagli  (Ita) , J Singh (Ind) , B Åkesson (Swe) , A Forsyth (Sco) , S Strange (Aus) , R James (am) (Wal) 

77 O Floren  (Swe) , J Morrison  (Eng) , D Gaunt (Aus) , L Jensen (Den) , Z Lam (Sin) , C Lee (Sco) , M Warren (Sco) , A Quiros  (Esp) , M Delpodio  (Ita) , E Pepperell (Eng) , M Moseley (am) (Wal) 

78 S Thornton (Irl) , T Innes Ker (Sco) , J Gonnet  (Fra) , D Clarke (Nir), M Wiegele  (Aut), R Davies (Wal) , M Jiménez (Esp) , D Boote (am) (Wal) 

79 A Sullivan (Eng) , C Del Moral (Esp) , D Fichardt (RSA) , S Dodd (Wal) 

80 R Finch  (Eng) , S Khan (Eng) , J Sjöholm (Swe) , M Lampert (Ger) 

81 D Brooks (Eng) , G Orr (Sco) ,

84 S Bebb (Wal) 

88 M Kobayashi (Jpn) 

** M Lafeber (Ned)

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

JAMES BYRNE WINS NORTHERN OPEN AGAIN- WITH A RECORD TOTAL

Alexander Culverwell (left) with the Bookless Cup as leading amateur, and James Byrne with the Northern Open championship trophy for the second year in a row at Meldrum House. Picture by 
                                            Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Banchory's James Byrne set a Northern Open low scoring record aggregate and became the first player since the mid-1990s to win the title two years in a row at Meldrum House Golf Club, Oldmeldrum today.
Trailing the 2011 winner, David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) by five shots at the halfway stage, Byrne caught him over the morning third round with a 63 to Law's 68 and then finished a shot ahead of the Aberdonian - 65 to a 66 - after the afternoon 18 holes to take the £4,000 prize and the prestigious title, being contested for the 75th time.
Byrne burned up the par-70 parkland lay-out with scores of 67, 66, 63 and 65 for a 19-under-par total of 261. And yet he arrived so late from his Asian Tour travels that he did not have time for a practice round this week!
Last year Byrne's winning total was 268.
The previous lowest four-round winning Northern Open total was 264 by Peter Smith in 1992 at Murcar.
The last man to win the title two years in a row was Elgin's Kevin Stables in 1993-94.
"Hopefully, this will give me the springboard to get my pro career really going. I feel that if I could make it to the European Tour, I could hold my own there," said the 24-year-old Byrne whose next tournament is Stage 1 qualifying for the European Tour School.
If Byrne - who was 12 under par for the final 36 holes at Meldrum House - could carry over his Northern Open scoring exploits to the Q School, he would sail over the barriers between him and the "big time."
"I hit every green in regulation in the morning 63, in fact I thought at one stage I could shoot a 59, so that gave me a share of the lead with one round to go.
"I managed to get two ahead of David (Law) on the outward half of the last round and then got a birdie at the 10th and an eagle 3 at the 11th.
"I needed them in the end because I bogeyed the 13th and 15th as well as birdieing the 14th and 17th.
"People were congratulating me when I finished but I was not taking anything for granted. David Law is a great player and I knew he could close the gap over the closing holes. In the end he came up just one short."
In his winner's speech, Byrne said he was of the opinion that the Meldrum House greens were the best he had played on all year on his travels around the world. Law, winner of the title as an amateur in 2011, had rounds of 63, 65, 68 and 66 for a total of 262 - the second lowest 72-hole aggregate in the history of a tournament first played in 1933
This was the 75th staging of the event, and was sponsored by AVC Media.
"Nine pars on the final outward half really gave me too much ground to make up on James," said the 22 year old Law who was six under par for the final 36 holes, six more than Byrne.
"I bogeyed the 11th, got an eagle 3 at the 11th and birdied the 13th, 16th and 17th for 31 home but I would have had to come home in six-under 29, as I did in the first two rounds, to have won."
But Law did get close. Had he been able to hole a downhill 8ft birdie putt at the short 18th, then there would have been a play-off. It was as close as that.
Law, who earned £2,750 for his gallant Meldrum House effort, has won twice as a pro - in Morocco and Turkey on the EPD Tour - since he won the Northern Open as an amateur in 2011. He heads back to the EPD Tour in Germany next week. 
Here is a comparison of Byrne's and Law's final-day figures:
JAMES BYRNE
ROUND 3 
OUT - 3 4 3 4 4 3 4 4 4: 32
 IN - 3 4 3 4 4 3 3 4 3: 31
ROUND 4
OUT - 4 3 3 4 4 3 4 4 4: 33
 IN - 2 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 3: 32
DAVID LAW
ROUND 3
OUT - 4 4 3 4 4 3 4 4 4: 34
 IN - 3 5 5 4 3 3 4 4 3: 34
ROUND 4
OUT - 4 4 3 4 5 3 4 4 4: 35
 IN - 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 3: 31

The par of the course is:
OUT - 4 4 3 4 5 3 4 4 4: 35
 IN - 3 5 4 4 4 3 5 4 3: 34
 
Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) collected the £2,000 prize for finishing third on 265. His third-round 63 put him in the picture but he needed another score of that quality to challenge the leaders - and it did not happen. Graham closed with a 68.
Scottish amateur champion Alexander Culverwell won the Bookless Cup as the leading amateur.
The 25-year-old Dunbar man (he will be 26 next week), who still has a year to go in his studies at Stirling University, matched the third round lowest score of seven-under-63 and finished in joint ninth place overall on nine under par 271 - two shots ahead of the only other amateur to survive the halfway cut, 19 year old professional's son, Jamie Savage (Cawder).
Savage, winner of the recent East of Scotland Open 72-hole SGU Order of Merit event at Lundin links, staged a grandstand finish with a 64 for 273.
A second-round 73, which included 37 putts, made all the difference, in a negative way, for young Savage.   

 FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70)
261 James Byrne (Banchory) 67 66 63 65 (£4,000)
262 David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 63 65 68 66 (£2,750)
265 Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) 64 70 63 68 (£2,000)
267 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 69 65 68 65 (£1,600)
268 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 62 69 69 68 (£1,200)
269 Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) 68 67 67 67 (£1,000)
270 Christopher Currie (Caldwell) 68 67 67 68, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 69 65 69 67 (£850 each)
271 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 65 69 69 68 (£700), Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) (am) 71 67 63 70
272 Andrew Crerar (Panmure) 65 68 68 71 (£600)
273 Kenny Hutton (Downfield) 68 70 65 70, David Patrick (Kingsfield) 66 71 66 70, David Orr (Mearns Castle) 69 68 68 68 (£475 each), Jamie Savage (Cawder) (am) 66 73 70 64
275 Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 72 67 68 68, Mark Loftus (Mearns Castle) 70 67 70 68, Jonathan Cliff (Murrayfield) 68 72 67 68, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 69 71 67 68, Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) 71 69 68 67 (£393 each)
276 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 71 65 67 73, Jonathan Lomas (Caprington) 67 67 72 70 (£355 each)
279 Stephen Lamb (Macdonald Cardrona) 72 66 68 73, Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 72 69 71 67, Mark King (Kingsfield) 70 70 69 70 (£330 each)
280 Craig Ronald (Carluke) 69 70 71 70 (£305)
282 James McKinnon (Irvine) 71 70 71 70, Philip McLean (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 69 72 70 71, Greg Paxton (Ralston) 70 69 71 72 (£280 each)
283 Christopher Russell (RAW golf course design)70 70 74 69, Malcolm Isaacs (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 68 71 74 70 (£255 each).
285 Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) 69 70 74 72, Patrick Walker (Ballumbie Castle) 71 68 72 74 (£235 each)
286 Ross Dixon (Renaissance) 70 71 73 72, Iain Donaldson (Meldrum House) 71 70 73 72 (£217 each)
287 Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 70 69 79 69 (£210)
290 Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links) 67 74 70 79 (£205)
294 Calum Lawson (Wellsgreen) 71 70 81 72 (£200).

BYRNE JOINS LAW IN LEAD WITH A ROUND TO GO IN NORTHERN OPEN

Defending champion James Byrne (Banchory), 24, and David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), 22, winner of the title as an amateur in 2011, are locked together in the lead after three rounds of the 75th Northern Open championship, sponsored by AVC Media, at Meldrum House Golf Club, Oldmeldrum in Aberdeenshire.
Halfway leader Law, ago, shot a two-under-par 68 (34-34), his highest score of the week so far, on another windless but overcast day. He is on 14 under par 196 after earlier rounds of 63 and 65.
Law, who had covered inward half in six-under 29 in the first two rounds, was not quite firing on all cylinders. He had a bogey at the 12th and birdies at the long fifth, 14th and long 16th.
Byrne was one of three players to score seven-under-par 63s in the third round. That allowed him to make up five shots on the leader and put himself on 196 alongside Law with possibly more momentum than the Aberdonian.
Byrne had halves of 32-31 over the 35-35 lay-out. He birdied the first, short third, long fifth, long 11th and 12th before grabbing an eagle 3 at the 16th - the hole that closed the gap on Law.
The two other 63s came from Scottish amateur champion Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) and Graham Fox (Clydeway).
Fox, with a round to go, is now in third place, one shot off the pace.
Fox had a double-eagle round with halves of 31-32. The Clydeway Golf man, who still lives in West Kilbride, had an eagle 3at the long fifth and an eagle 3 at the long 11th.
He also birdied the first, short sixth, 13th and long 16th. Bogeys at the 14th and 15th cost him at least a share of the third-round lead.
Culverwell looks set to win the leading amateur award, the Bookless Cup. His bogey-free 63 put the Dunbar man in joint fifth place overall and, with a 54-hole tally of 201, he is nine shots ahead of the only other amateur qualifier, Jamie Savage (Cawder) who had a third-round 70.
Culverwell had halves of 32 and 31 with birdies at the first, second, long fifth, 13th, long 16th, 17th and short 18th. 
Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Northern Open champion in 1996 and the first-round leader this week with a 62 - the lowest by anyone over the first 54 holes - looked as if he had caught fire again when he started his third round with birdies at the first and second and an eagle 3 at the long fifth but covered the remaining 13 holes in three over par with bogeys at the seventh, eight and 15th without a single additional birdie. He has had 69s in the second and third rounds. 


THIRD ROUND TOTALS

Par 210 (3x70)
196 James Byrne (Banchory) 67 66 63, David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 63 65 68
197 Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) 64 70 63 
200 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 62 69 69
201 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) (am) 71 67 63, Andrew Crerar (Panmure) 65 68 68
202 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 69 65 68, Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) 68 67 67, Christopher Currie (Caldwell) 68 67 67
203 Kenny Hutton (Downfield) 68 70 65, David Patrick (Kingsfield) 66 71 66, Stephen Gray (Hayston) 71 65 67, Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 65 69 69, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 69 65 69
205 David Orr (Mearns Castle) 69 68 68
206 Stephen Lamb (Macdonald Cardrona) 72 66 68, Jonathan Lomas (Caprington) 67 67 72
207 Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 72 67 68, Mark Loftus (Mearns Castle) 70 67 70, Jonathan Cliff (Murrayfield) 68 72 67, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 69 71 67
208 Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) 71 69 68
209 Mark King (Kingsfield) 70 70 69, Jamies Savage (Cawder) 66 73 70
210 Craig Ronald (Carluke) 69 70 71, Greg Paxton (Ralston) 70 69 71
211 Philip McLean (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 69 72 70, Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links) 67 74 70, Patrick Walker (Ballumbie Castle) 71 68 72
212 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 72 69 71, James McKinnon (Irvine) 71 70 71, Malcolm Isaacs (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 68 71 73
213 Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) 69 70 74
214 Ross Dixon (Renaissance) 70 71 73, Iain Donaldson (Meldrum House) 71 70 73, Christopher Russell (RAW golf course design)70 70 74
218 Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 70 69 79
222 Calum Lawson (Wellsgreen) 71 70 81.

LUKE DONALD CHANGES SWING COACH AFTER 16 YEARS WITH PAT GOSS

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By JAMES CORRIGAN
Luke Donald is proving how determined he is to break through in the majors by changing his swing coach for the first time in 16 years.

The 35-year-old has revealed to Telegraph Sport  that he has employed the services of Chuck Cook, the Texan who oversees the recent USPGA Championship winner, Jason Dufner.

Donald’s move will surprise many in the game, considering how close he is to Pat Goss.

The Englishman has worked with Goss since he joined Northwestern University in Chicago in 1997.

Since then he has topped the world rankings, won 14 professional titles and amassed more than £25million in on-course earnings.

Donald will retain Goss for his famed putting and chipping advice and the pair remain on good terms.

“I’ve gone with Chuck as I want to make my long game more consistent to improve my chances in the majors,” Donald said.
Donald was the No1 little over a year ago, but has fallen to 11th.
However, it is his continued shortfall in the majors that has caused Donald to act.
He played himself into contention at the US Open in June, but it was the sight of his playing partner, Justin Rose, producing a tee-to-green masterclass on the way to victory which confirmed Donald’s burgeoning suspicions.
“I’ve come to realise that majors require a different philosophy,” he said.
“Most weeks the best putter wins; but majors are an exception.
"You have to putt better than average, which, week in week out I’m going to do.
"But the next step is to hit more fairways and greens at majors.”
Initially, Donald was tempted by Sean Foley’s ever increasing stature.
Yet, despite being tempted to include Donald in his stable, the Canadian coach did not feel he could donate the requisite time or attention to another high-profile client after adding Lee Westwood to Rose, Hunter Mahan and Tiger Woods.
Cook is an interesting alternative. The 68-year-old was, apparently, Foley’s recommendation and has a CV boasting six majors won collectively by Payne Stewart, Corey Pavin, Mark Brooks and Tom Kite in the Nineties.
But it is Cook’s effect on Dufner which has been most impressive. Dufner was ranked outside the world’s top 650 when he joined Cook five years ago.
Donald is in transition mode, but will still be looking for a decent showing in the second of the FedEx Cup play-off events, the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston, which begins on Friday.
The top 70 on the points list go through to the penultimate event, the BMW Championship in a fortnight’s time and from there, the top 30 progress to the Tour Championship, where the $10million FedEx Cup bonus is up for grabs.
Donald is in 54th place. Woods, the leader, is expected to play suffering back spasms at last week’s Barclays Championship.
Meanwhile, at Celtic Manor, Europe captain Paul McGinley will begin the Ryder Cup points race when he is first to tee off at the ISPS Handa Wales Open on Thursday, the first counting event in qualification for the match at Gleneagles next year.
Francesco Molinari, Darren Clarke, Chris Wood, Ross Fisher and last week’s winner, Tommy Fleetwood, are in the field.