McGEE IS WIZARD OF WYCHWOOD AS TOUR Q SCHOOL CONTINUES

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Ruaidhri McGee got his bid for a European Tour card off to the ideal start at Wychwood Park to streak three strokes clear of the chasing pack after round one of the First Qualifying Stage Section B.

The Irishman carded six birdies on Tuesday to fire an opening score of 66 in England’s North West, with William Harrold alone in second place, a shot clear of a quartet of players in a tie for third.

In the group four shots adrift of McGee is Challenge Tour professional Matt Haines, who enters the week coming off his best performance of the season just a fortnight ago at the Open Blue Green Côtes d'Armor Bretagne where he finished in a tie for fourth. 

Haines is a stroke ahead of fellow former European Tour player Tom Whitehouse, who is in a share of seventh alongside 2011 Walker Cup player Paul Cutler.

Former Amateur Champion Alan Dunbar is in a tie for 19th place after an opening round of 73, with 22nd place and ties progressing to Stage Two, to be played in November. 

At the other Section B venue, German amateur Sebastian Schwind leads the way on home soil at European Tour Destination Golf & Country Club Fleesensee.

 

Two eagles in his first 18 holes were the foundation for Schwind’s six under par score, and he leads by a stroke from seven players in a tie for second.

John Hahn is one of those a shot adrift of the leading German, after seven birdies and a couple of dropped shots on Tuesday, as he looks to carry on the form that saw the American make his Major Championship debut at the US Open earlier this year. 

There are another two amateurs also going well at Fleesensee, with Denmark’s Mads Soegaard and Germany’s Martin Keskari both in a tie for ninth at four under par.

It is a particularly congested leaderboard in Germany with 22 players within three strokes of the lead, and those in 24th place and ties set to qualify from the 101 man field.

   

Scores after round  one from Wychwood Park:

  Par 72

66 R McGee (Irl) ,

69 W Harrold (Eng) ,

70 M Haines  (Eng) , N Fenwick (Sco) , D Lloyd (RSA) , T Lee (USA) ,

71 M Cort (Eng) , C Hinton (Eng) , P Cutler (Nir) , W Roebuck (Eng) , T Whitehouse  (Eng) ,

72 L Ferreira (RSA) , P Nessling (Eng) , A Evans (Eng) , A Björk (Swe) , M Swales (Eng) , C Moriarty (Irl) , S Fallon (Eng) ,

73 J Marin (Esp) , L Renolds (Can) , J Shufflebotham (Wal) , R Prophet (Eng) , M Edge (Eng) , T Smith (USA) , A Dunbar (Nir) , J Fly (USA) , B Hemstock (Eng) , J Smith (am) (Eng) ,

74 R Harris  (Eng) , J Carlson (Swe) , O Browne (USA) , P Bradshaw (Eng) , D Walker (Eng) ,

75 D Gwilliam (Eng) , G Cunningham (USA) , W Johnson (Eng) , J Frazer (Wal) , L Bedford (USA) , A Andrews (Eng) , A Chauhan (Eng) , S Forgan (Eng) , D Aldridge (Eng) , J Titlow (am) (Eng) , D McElroy (am) (Nir) , K Flack (am) (USA) ,

76 J San Felix (Esp) , A Mason (Eng) , S Hak (Hkg) , J Swallow (Eng) , S Robertshawe (Eng) , J Mancebo (Esp) , N Taylor (Eng) , E Saltman  (Sco) , B Newman (USA) , M Webb  (Eng) , M McAlpin (am) (Nir)

77 A Kasprzak (Den) , C Greyling (RSA) , D Jones (Nir) , R Fisher (USA) , R Carter (USA) , A Wilkin (Nzl) , L Rooke (Wal) , H Dobson (Eng) , M Moore (Eng) , S Hodgson (Eng) , M Frost (Eng) , D Balin (USA)

78 M Stewart (Sco) , J Robinson (Eng) , S Merry  (Tri) , E Forbes (Eng) , C Durnian (Eng) , J Sims  (Eng) ,

 79 C Osborne (Nzl) , P Kaensche  (Nor) , R I'Anson (Eng) , R Booth (Eng) , C Whatham (Eng) ,

 80 D Osbaldeston (Eng) ,

 81 O Sigurdsson (Isl) , A Weir (Sco) , S Towndrow (am) (Eng) ,

 82 A Gronkvist (Swe) , S Watts (Eng) , D Littlefield (USA) , M Saunders (am) (Eng) ,

 83 W Bailey (Eng) , T Mordt  (RSA) , M Collins (Eng) , J White (Eng) ,

 84 J Ferraby (Eng) 

 86 F Macleod (am) (Eng) 

 ** A Rai (Eng) , J Michaels (Eng) ,

 

Scores after round one from Golf  and Country Club Fleesensee

 

66 S Schwind (am) (Ger) ,

67 N Nissen (Den) , G Adell (Swe) , P Fendt (Aut) , J Hahn (USA) , F Osther (Ned) , G Axell (Swe) , S Heisele (Ger) ,

68 K Le Sager  (Fra) , B Hafthorsson (Isl) , B Hellgren  (Swe) , N Bruzelius  (Swe) , Y Bludau (Ger) , P Reed (Eng) , M Soegaard (am) (Den) , M Keskari (am) (Ger) ,

69 A Mason (USA) , A Johansson (Swe) , K Thompson (USA) , D Wuensche  (Ger) , N Kearney (Irl) , P Mejow (Ger) ,

70 S Wolters (Ger) , M Johansson  (Swe) , J Wilson (Eng) , R 

Armour (USA) , F Jahn (Ger) , T Cruz  (Por) , N Norman (Den) , A Eckhardt (am) (Fin) , R Lloyd (am) (Ger) ,

71 A Knappe (Ger) , D Wright (Eng) , M Salminen (Fin) , A Rosswag (Ger) , R Edginton (Eng) , M Wendel (Swe) , T Gissurarson (Isl) , Z Lombard (am) (RSA) ,

72 N Henriques  (Por) , C McNamara (Irl) , H Hilford Brander (Swe) , A Schwartz (Fra) , S Hale (USA) , C Hurter (Ger) , F Becker (Ger) , T Bakker (am) (Fin) ,

73 C Bouniol (Fra) , F Keenan  (Eng) , J Wahlqvist (Swe) , B Miarka (Ger) , S Forsstrom (Swe) , B Staben (Ger) , V Hielte (Swe) , S Gross Jr (Ger) , H Sayin (Tur) , M Van Dijk (Ned) , C Dammert (am) (Ger) , A Siemers (am) (Ger) ,

74 C Aronsen  (Nor) , S Spallone (USA) , S Piaget  (Mon) , J Lauridsen (Den) , S Ward  (Nir) , N Chaudhuri  (Eng) , V Almstrom (Swe) , T Petersson (Swe) , M Roehrig (am) (Ger) ,

75 S Cairns (Ger) , J Colomo  (Esp) , P O'Neill (Den) , K Kemmler (Ger) , F Kolberg (am) (Tur) , M Cabrera - Bello (am) (Esp) ,

76 X Ruiz Fonhof  (Ned) , S Gundorph (Den) , R Jonasson (Swe) , A Kirstein (Ger) , M Laier (Ger) , S Sorg (am) (Sui) ,

77 A Giuliani (USA) , T Sheppard (USA) , M Suursalu (Est) , P Mary (am) (Fra) ,

78 R Askstrand (Swe) , T Marshall (Nzl) , N Ladefoged (Den) , D Alonso (Esp) , P Rasmussen (am) (Den) , J Wang (am) (Eng) , H Beins (am) (Ger) ,

79 S Schmidt (Ger) , K Liu (Hkg) , N Meitinger  (Ger) , J Hearn (Eng) ,

80 C Vivolo (USA) , B Barrack (Can) , T Findeisen (Nor) ,

81 M Pickel (Ger) ,

82 C Kaiser (Ger) ,

 ** C Kaya (Tur) ,

 

_

DAVID LAYS DOWN THE LAW AT PAUL LAWRIE INVITATIONAL

David Law was the front runner at the end of the first day with a four-under-par round of 66 in the Paul Lawrie Invitational at Deeside Golf Club, Aberdeen.
The Aberdonian, who plays out of the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, birdied three short holes - the fifth 12th and 16th - as well as the long 13th and par-4 17th. His lead could have even bigger than two shots because he bogeyed the par-4 last, which is not a difficult hole by his standards.
His nearest rivals going into Round 2 are Paul Shields (Kirkhill) and the new Scottish Young Professionals champion Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) on the two-under 68 mark.
O'Hara was four under the card with two to play - and then bogeyed the 17th and 18th.
Shields had a bag of five birdies but three bogeys took a little bit of the shine off his performance, but it was still a good one by the Kirkhill man who is still feeling his way in the tour pro world.
Paul Lawrie lives only about three drivers downwind from the Bieldside course. He is an honorary member at the Deeside club and his sons Craig and Michael are members.
Paul is in joint fourth place on 69 alongside past winner of his tournament, Greg McBain (Gamola Golf), Stepjem Gray (Hayston)

and Graeme Brown (Montrose Links). Lawrie, over a course he could play blindfold, has 15 pars, two birdies and one bogey.
Craig Lawrie is just inside the top 10 on 70, sharing the leading amateur spot with Scottish boys champion Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) and another professional's son, Connor Syme (Dumfries and County), winner of the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish schoolboys title for the past two years

PAUL LAWRIE INVITATIONAL
Deeside Golf Club
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 70
66 D Law (Paul Lawrie GC)
68 P Shields (Kirkhill), P O'Hara (Clydeway Golf)
69 P Lawrie (Carnegie Club), G McBain (Gamola Golf), S Gray (Hayston), G Brown (Montrose Links).
70 B Neil (Blairgowrie) (am), J Findlay (Paul lawrie GC), Mark King (Kingsfield), C Syme (Dumfries and Co) (am), C Lawrie (Deeside) (am), D Wood (Hirsel), S Taylor (Bothwell Castle).
71 S McGrenaghan (Cochrane Castle), C Robinson (Portpatrick Dunskey), J McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), James Byrne (Banchory), C Ronald (Carluke), J Lomas (Caprington), L Wardell (Whitekirk), C Gordon (Edinburgh GC), C Kelly (Cawder) C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst), R Arnott (Bishopbriggs), C Currie (Caldwell), S Gibson (Southerness) (am).
72 M Isaacs (Paul Lawrie GC), M Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), M Patterson (Kilmacolm), G Paxton (Ralson), C Elliott (Haggs Castle), G Smith (Gleneagles).
73 A Reid (West Lothian), G Forbes (unatt), D Thomson (Carnegie Club), A Coltart (unatt), P McLean (Paul Lawrie GC), M Loftus (Mearns Castle), P Walker (Ballumbie Castle), T Mathieson (Murcar Links).
74 P Robinson (Largs), G Hardy (Belleisle).
75 A Crerar (Panmure), G Forrester (St Andrews G A), I Colquhoun (Loch Lomond), Paul McGhee (Paul Lawrie GC).
76 D Kenny (unatt), E Ferguson (St Andrews) (am), R MacLeod (Clydeway Golf), S Morrison (Tain), K McNicoll (Gullane).
77 R McConnachie (Clydeway Golf), C Campbell (Trump International). G Robertson (Glenbervie) (am), D Flannery (Caldwell), T Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar), J Gallagher (Douglas Park), S Lamb (Macdonald Cardrons)
78 S Lawrie (Portlethen) (am), C Lawson (Wellsgreen)
79 W Fyfe (Paul Lawrie GC)
80 D Broadfoot (Dumfries and Co)
81 G Nethercott (Deeside).

ends

WALSALL DEFEND ENGLISH CHAMPION CLUB TITLE AT DUDSBURY

The team from Walsall Golf Club will defend the title when the English Champion Club Tournament takes place at Dudsbury Golf Club in Dorset on 21st – 22nd September. Not only that but the Walsall line up will be the same as that which lifted the title at Stoneham near Southampton a year ago through brothers Freddie and Henry Sheridan-Mills and Lewis Pearce. On that occasion they won by three strokes from Farrington from Somerset, who are also making a return with two players from their 2012 line up, Tom Small and Stuart Ponfield. There are three more former champions in the field of 34 teams, notably Brokenhurst Manor from Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands, winners in 1988 and 2007. Their team includes Martin and Jonathan Young who were members of the 2007 winning team while Martin won the England Mid Amateur Championship in 2006. The other past winners in the field are Workington from Cumbria and Worksop from Nottinghamshire. Workington won at North Hants in 2009 and their team includes two of that line-up in William Bowe and Mark Cowan, while Worksop were the 1993 winners at Rotherham. Michael Saunders, the England international, is in the Dartford team from Kent, who were also involved at Stoneham last year when they finished 11th. Daniel Byrne, another member of that team, is playing again while Tom Bayliss completes their line-up. Matty Lamb, an under 16 cap and winner of this year’s Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters, is in the Hexham team from Northumberland, the Durham side includes Andrew Wilson, winner of the recent North of England Youths Championship, while Matthew Myers, an under 16 international, is in the Northants County line-up. Simon Richardson, the Lincolnshire county champion, is in the Spalding team, the Royal Ashdown Forest team includes Sussex champion Andrew Smith, while the team from Exeter Golf and Country Club includes Oliver Cowl, who was part of the Devon team in the recent Boys County Finals at Kedleston Park. Each team will field three players and all three scores will count over 36 holes. For full scores and images visit the England Champion Club Tournament page on our website. Image caption: Dudsbury Golf Club, course image. Press Office England Golf pr@englandgolf.org01526 354500

REYNOLDS SET FOR EIGHTH SENIOR CAP FOR ENGLAND

Chris Reynolds (Littlestone, Kent) will make an impressive eighth successive appearance in the Seniors Home Internationals when he lines up in the England squad at Royal County Down on 24th – 27th September. Reynolds (image copyright Tom Ward Photography) will be joined by five members of the team that won bronze medals in the recent European Seniors Men’s Team Championship in Hungary plus John Ambridge (Moor Park, Hertfordshire) when England defend the title at the famous course in Northern Ireland. The five from the European Championship are Charlie Banks (Stanton-on-the-Wolds, Nottinghamshire), Tyrone Carter (Stevenage, Hertfordshire), Richard Latham (Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire), Richard Partridge (Wildernesse, Kent) and Andrew Stracey (Denham, BB&O). Reynolds made his initial Seniors Home Internationals appearance at Dunbar in 2006 and when the 62 year old tees off at Royal County Down he will have played the round robin event twice in each of the Home nations. The Kent man won the English Seniors Championship in 2009, has been runner-up three times, was second in the British Seniors in 2008, has represented England in the European Senior Men’s Team Championship on five occasions and four times been a member of Kent’s victorious Seniors County Championship squad. Ambridge, a long-serving Hertfordshire player and three times its county champion, made his England senior debut in last year’s European Seniors Team Championships in Portugal. He was also a member of the side that regained the Seniors Home Internationals in Wales a year ago and helped Hertfordshire win the Senior County Championship at Heworth last year. Banks, an England international 30 years ago and the English Mid Amateur champion three years in a row, 1995-97, won the Scottish Seniors title in 2011 and has played in the last two Seniors Home Internationals. He finished equal seventh in this year’s English Seniors and third in last weekend’s Senior County Champions Tournament at Woodhall Spa. Carter also became a senior international in last year’s European Senior Men’s Team Championships in Portugal, played in last year’s Seniors Home Internationals in Wales, was another member of the victorious Hertfordshire team in the Senior County Championship and finished equal seventh in this year’s English Seniors Championship in Bristol. Latham has been an immediate success in his first year as a senior. He won the English Seniors title just three weeks after his 55th birthday, then collected the Scottish and Lincolnshire Senior Championships and emerged with a 100% record on his international debut for England in the recent European Senior Men’s Team Championships in Hungary. Runner-up in last weekend’s Senior County Champions Tournament, he currently heads the Titleist/FootJoy England Golf Seniors Order of Merit and this will be his debut in the Senior Home Internationals. Partridge is another virtual newcomer to the senior ranks and is currently third on the Seniors Order of Merit. He finished runner-up in the Scottish Seniors, equal 11th in the British Seniors and made his international debut in the European Senior Men’s Team Championships in Hungary. Stracey, currently second on the Seniors Order or Merit, will be making his fourth appearance in the Seniors Home Internationals having made his England debut in the 2009 European Senior Men’s Team Championships. Winner of the Welsh Seniors title for the past two years and runner-up in 2010, he won the Irish Seniors in 2009, finished runner-up to Reynolds in the English Seniors that year and was twice a winner of the Seniors County Championship with Kent before switching to BB&O. England regained the Home Internationals last year after Ireland had been champions for the previous four years. However, the Irish won the European Seniors title in Hungary and will be the team to beat at Royal County Down. Press Office England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 01526 354500

MyGolfRanking, Perth & Kinross Men, 17 September 2013

1 John Boag (Blairgowrie) 1173 pts

2 Sean Davidson (Craigie Hill) 1004

3 Derek Robertson (Alyth) 975

4 Jonathan Barker (Dunkeld and Birnam) 950

5 John Cowan (Taymouth Castle) 943

6 Iain Waddell (Alyth) 928

7 Allan Campbell (Craigie Hill) 906

8 Fraser Raitt (Alyth) 900

 9 Stuart McKendrick (Dunkeld and Birnam) 896

10 Mark Cameron (Alyth) 883

, 11 Darren Watson (Blairgowrie) 876, 12 D Wilson (Blairgowrie) 870, 13 Damien McGowan (Alyth) 852, 14 Ross White (Muckhart) 850, 15 Brian Martin (Craigie Hill) 847. For up-to-date ranking lists of participating clubs, the full Regional, National and International Rankings and how it works, visit www.mygolfranking.net