BROWN CHASING GOLD IN DUTCH SENIOR OPEN

 

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR

  COMMUNICATIONS

Simon P Brown stormed into a two-shot lead heading into the final day of the Dutch Senior Open thanks to a two under par second round of 71, as the Englishman chases a second European Senior Tour title of his rookie season.

In much more favourable conditions on moving day at The International, situated next to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, Brown was the only one of three first round leaders to move in the right direction as he recovered from an early bogey to card three birdies en route to the outright lead on three under.

That left him two shots clear of Scotland’s Ross Drummond, as the 50 year old chases a second win in as many months after his breakthrough victory at the Russian Open Golf Championship (Senior) four weeks ago.

The Englishman’s playing partner and compatriot Paul Eales was effusive in his praise of Brown’s performance in the recording area afterwards, saying it was a “joy to watch”, and Brown himself was delighted with his all-round game.

“I’ve played really well over the last two days,” said Brown, who has been based in Germany since 1984. “Yesterday I hit the ball well and around the greens I was good. When I made a mistake I managed to recover really well.

“Today obviously we had no rain and I just hit the ball really nicely and kept it going. I didn’t really have any wobbles, it was just solid all the way around. I've pitched the ball well so that has helped a lot.”

Brown’s performance in closing out his maiden title in Russia last month resembled that of an experienced touring professional as opposed to a former club professional who earned his place on the 2013 Senior Tour through Qualifying School.

With the likes of European golf legend Colin Montgomerie and 25-time Senior Tour winner Carl Mason in chase, he holed a 25 foot putt at the penultimate hole in Moscow before almost holing out with his approach and leaving it stone dead for birdie at the last for a wire-to-wire victory. He is hoping that experience will stand him in good stead on championship Sunday in the Dutch capital.

“Of course I'm confident because I’m playing so well,” he said. “I'm hitting it really well and that helps so hopefully I’ll wake in the morning and be hitting it just the same.

“I think that experience will help. Obviously confidence is everything. That finish in Russia was extra-special though, those kinds of things don’t always happen. That shot at the last was probably the best shot of my career so it’s not likely to happen too often.”

Two shots back was Drummond, who carded one of the rounds of the day thanks to a four under par 69 over the testing lay-out, while José Manuel Carriles (71) of Spain, Englishman Eales (72) and France’s Marc Farry (74) were all still in with a shout on level par, three shots off the lead.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 146 (2x73)

143 S Brown (Eng) 72 71,

145 R Drummond (Sco) 76 69,

146 M Farry (Fra) 72 74, P Eales (Eng) 74 72, J Carriles (Esp) 75 71,

147 P Jonas (Can) 75 72, P Golding (Eng) 73 74, P Wesselingh (Eng) 77 70, G Manson (Aut) 78 69, M Martin (Esp) 75 72,

148 G Emerson (Eng) 76 72, N Job (Eng) 72 76,

149 S Luna (Esp) 75 74, M Harwood (Aus) 78 71, P Mitchell (Eng) 75 74, H Buhrmann (RSA) 74 75, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 73 76,

150 T Price (Aus) 76 74, D Smyth (Irl) 77 73, B Cameron (Eng) 78 72, P Fowler (Aus) 78 72, S Tinning (Den) 73 77,

151 P Linhart (Esp) 76 75, C Williams (RSA) 75 76, K Spurgeon (Eng) 78 73, A Sherborne (Eng) 78 73,

152 J Quiros (Esp) 73 79, B Longmuir (Sco) 78 74, C Rocca (Ita) 74 78, T Thelen (USA) 74 78, A Oldcorn (Sco) 76 76, S Van Vuuren (RSA) 73 79,

153 A Franco (Par) 77 76, M McLean (Eng) 78 75, P Curry (Eng) 78 75, R Thompson (USA) 80 73, M Cunning (USA) 77 76, S Torrance (Sco) 80 73,

154 P Walton (Irl) 79 75, M James (Eng) 79 75, G Ralph (Eng) 79 75,

155 M Piñero (Esp) 78 77, A Saddington (Sco) 80 75,

156 R Gibson (Can) 77 79, D James (Sco) 79 77, G Ryall (Eng) 85 71, L Carbonetti (Arg) 79 77, G Brand (Eng) 79 77,

157 G Banister (Aus) 77 80,

158 D Hospital (Esp) 78 80, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 78 80, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 84 74,

159 J Harrison (Eng) 77 82,

161 J Bruner (USA) 85 76,

166 M Bembridge (Eng) 83 83,

167 B Gee (Ned) 89 78, P Way (Eng) 92 75,

168 D Durnian (Eng) 83 85,

179 A Garrido (Esp) 91 88,

182 M Metgod (Ned) 90 92,

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

WARING IN FRONT AS JAMIESON FLIRTS WITH 59, SCORES 60

 REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

 

Paul Waring edged ahead of a tightly packed leaderboard in the third round of the Portugal Masters, on a day when Scott Jamieson came agonisingly close to the first 59 on The European Tour.

Waring signed for a four under par 67 to move to 16 under par, but before he had even teed off at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course Jamieson was completing a sublime 60 which took him to 14 under overall.

Having reached the turn in 29, the Scot continued his charge on the back nine, and gains at the 16^th and 17^th holes left him needing a birdie on the tricky par four 18^th. From the middle of the fairway his approach just ran off the back of the green, and his return chip grazed the right edge of the hole.

“I birdied the 13^th to be eight under for the round, and I turned and said to my caddie, ‘let’s make history’,” said Jamieson. “To hit one down the middle on 18 was a relief and I hit a great shot into the last, but it just pitched on a downslope and ran on.

“The chip looked awfully good, and a foot out I thought it still looked good, but it wasn’t to be. My nerves level was right up there with the play-off in South Africa, when I managed to win.  I’m just delighted that I could keep making birdies coming down the stretch when I knew what was on the line.”

Waring is seeking his first win on The European Tour, and victory in Vilamoura would be the perfect way to put his recent injury woes firmly behind him.

“I had a lot of time to almost start again with my swing,” said the 28 year old of his year-long lay-off following wrist surgery. “I’ve also worked so hard on the scoring side of things - chipping and putting and especially pitching with the wedges.  It's been long and hard but it's worth it.

“I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, and you don't know what happens with the other lads or what anyone else is going to score. All I can do is control what I can control and do what I can do.”

Alongside Jamieson on 14 under are South African Hennie Otto (69), Welshman Jamie Donaldson (66) and Irishman Simon Thornton (65). Three more players – Spaniards Pablo Larrazábal and Alvaro Quiros and Scot Chris Doak – are another shot back at 13 under par heading into the final round.

 

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)

197 P Waring  (Eng) 67 63 67

199 S Jamieson  (Sco) 66 73 60, S Thornton (Irl) 65 69 65, H Otto (RSA) 66 64 69, J Donaldson (Wal) 65 68 66

200 P Larrazábal (Esp) 69 67 64, A Quiros  (Esp) 65 67 68, C Doak (Sco) 67 64 69

201 J Walters (RSA) 69 63 69, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 66 65 70

202 S Gallacher (Sco) 70 67 65, M Baldwin (Eng) 67 66 69, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 68 67 67, R Coles (Eng) 67 71 64, J Lara (Esp) 67 69 66

203 F Molinari (Ita) 68 72 63, D Lynn (Eng) 65 65 73,

204 R Fisher (Eng) 67 66 71, C Wood  (Eng) 66 71 67, M Kaymer (Ger) 68 68 68, R Jacquelin (Fra) 71 66 67, R Derksen (Ned) 69 68 67

205 F Aguilar (Chi) 65 70 70, T Lewis (Eng) 70 67 68, D Willett  (Eng) 69 67 69, R Gonzalez (Arg) 72 68 65, R Wattel  (Fra) 71 67 67, A Wall (Eng) 68 68 69, A Kaleka  (Fra) 72 65 68, S Kjeldsen (Den) 69 65 71

206 A Sullivan (Eng) 66 74 66, M Madsen  (Den) 71 68 67, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 67 67 72, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 67 71 68, A Cañizares  (Esp) 67 68 71, E De La Riva  (Esp) 69 71 66, J Campillo (Esp) 69 68 69, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 71 66 69, J Quesne  (Fra) 66 69 71

207 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 67 69 71, G Mulroy (RSA) 70 69 68, A Noren  (Swe) 70 68 69, M Siem  (Ger) 66 72 69, M Tullo (Chi) 66 70 71, L Slattery (Eng) 71 66 70, A Dodt (Aus) 72 66 69, G Fernandez-Castaño  (Esp) 69 67 71

208 D Higgins (Irl) 71 68 69, M Kieffer (Ger) 65 71 72, D Drysdale (Sco) 71 68 69, P Lawrie (Sco) 69 66 73, D Howell (Eng) 69 68 71, S Hansen (Den) 66 72 70, P McGinley (Irl) 71 66 71, R Green (Aus) 71 69 68

209 T Björn (Den) 74 63 72, S Benson (Eng) 67 72 70, G Storm  (Eng) 65 72 72, G Havret  (Fra) 70 70 69, E Kofstad (Nor) 72 67 70, D Horsey (Eng) 67 69 73, M Jiménez (Esp) 71 69 69

210 R Ramsay  (Sco) 70 70 70, R Bland (Eng) 69 71 70, J Van Zyl (RSA) 69 67 74, J Luiten (Ned) 68 69 73, T Aiken (RSA) 71 69 70

211 E Pepperell (Eng) 67 72 72, A Hartø  (Den) 69 71 71, R Rock (Eng) 71 68 72, C Paisley  (Eng) 71 69 71

213 J Sjöholm (Swe) 71 67 75

 

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

TRAVELLING MAN KOEPKA HALFWAY LEADER BACK HOME

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

Following his second-round 64 at the 2013 Frys.com Open, Brooks Koepka talks about how his putting kept him in the round despite some poor tee shots.

By Sean Martin, PGATOUR.COM

SAN MARTIN, Calif. – Brooks Koepka had to have pages added to his passport. He estimates he’s competed in 15 countries this year, traversing the globe as he tries to establish himself as a professional.

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He’s back in his home country this week, though, and faring quite well. The 23-year-old Floridian shot 67-64 in the Frys.com Open’s first two rounds to give him a one-shot lead over 2012 runner-up Jason Kokrak after 36 holes.
Koepka, of Wellington, Florida, is taking a unique path for an elite American. He turned pro in June 2012 after an All-American career at Florida State. His management company, Hambric Sports, is well-connected in Europe so he headed across the Atlantic after the U.S. Open with a handful of sponsor exemptions lined up. He won just his eighth start on the Challenge Tour, Europe’s equivalent of the Web.com Tour.
He tried PGA TOUR Q-School in fall 2012, but failed to advance out of second stage at the same site, TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, where Spieth also missed. Koepka returned to Europe this year and quickly won three more Challenge Tour titles to earn European Tour status for the remainder of this year and 2014.
He’s competing in his first US PGA TOUR event (excluding majors) this week thanks to a sponsor exemption. He’d love to compete on both the US PGA and European tours in 2014, and he knows a good week here would help accomplish that goal.
He’s had plenty of unique experiences in his global travels. He played St. Andrews in the European Tour’s Dunhill Links Championship. He’s won in Spain, Italy and Scotland. He ate horse meat in Kazhakstan. Then there was the late-night shuttle ride in Kenya that was supposed to take 15 minutes but turned into a three-hour mystery tour that had him “freaking out,” he said.
Traversing the globe has had plenty of benefits, though.
“Learning how to travel, that was a big thing,” Koepka said. “Week-in and week-out playing, (learning) how to handle yourself, things like that. Not even golf-related, but cultural. Seeing all these different places and things like that. It helps you grow as a person.”
A good finish here would help Koepka attract additional US TOUR invitations; he said Thursday he didn’t have any confirmed starts after this week. A top-10 would get him into next week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Non-members can also earn FedExCup points to qualify for the 2014 Web.com Tour Finals. He’s halfway to a win, which would immediately make him a PGA TOUR member. 
“It would be big. Obviously it would be nice to win and get status over here,” Koepka said. “But if you play good, everything kind of takes care of itself.”
Koepka isn’t the only non-member in the Frys.com Open field off to a strong start. Max Homa, the 2013 NCAA individual champion, opened with 69-68 in spite of a self-imposed, one-stroke penalty in the first round after his ball moved at address.
“It’s a little bit of pressure because I know if I play well, things can happen, but it’s also a great opportunity,” said Homa, who played college golf at nearby Cal-Berkeley. Like Koepka, he doesn’t have any confirmed PGA TOUR starts after this week.
Koepka has traveled the European Tour alongside another American, Peter Uihlein, who’s had success in Europe. Uihlein, the 2010 U.S. Amateur champion, earned European Tour membership after winning this year’s Madeira Islands Open. He’s finished second in two of his past three European Tour starts to reach No. 69 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Koepka is ranked 100th.
“The success each of us is having has motivated us to play well,” said Uihlein, who also is roommates with Koepka in Florida. “It’s a friendly rivalry.
“Our ping-pong games get out of control, though.”
The two earned special invitations to the PGA Championship because of their success in Europe. Koepka finished 70th, his first made cut in three major starts, and played with Tiger Woods in the final round.
He could be playing alongside Woods – or at least in the same fields– more often if he continues his good play at CordeValle.

SCOTT JAMIESON SCORES AN 11-UNDER-PAR 60 IN PORTUGAL

FROM THE BBC SPORT.COM WEBSITE

Scott Jamieson just missed out on the European Tour's first 59 but a round of 60 gave him the early third-round lead at the Portugal Masters.

The 29-year-old Scot, pictured, who won his first European title at last year's Nelson Mandela Championship in South Africa, posted six birdies on his front nine.
Five more followed, but needing to hole from rough at the last he saw his chip brush past the cup to leave him at -14.
It was the 18th round of 60 in the 41-year history of the European Tour.
Jamieson had only made the cut by one shot at the par-71 Oceanico Victoria course in the Algarve but he arrived at 18th hole on Saturday needing a birdie to create tour history.
His approach shot pitched only a few feet from the flag but it failed to hold on the firm surface and trickled through the back of the green.
The previous round of 60 was carded by American Peter Uihlein at the Dunhill Links Championship last month.

THREE SHARE LEAD IN DUTCH SENIOR OPEN

Round One  of the Dutch Serior Open at The International, Amsterdam was curtailed yesterday evening due to darkness and concluded this morning.

 

 

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD

 

72 N Job (Eng) , M Farry (Fra) , S Brown (Eng) 

73 D O'Sullivan (Irl) , S Van Vuuren (RSA) , P Golding (Eng) , J Quiros (Esp) , S Tinning (Den) 

74 H Buhrmann (RSA) , C Rocca (Ita) , P Eales (Eng) , T Thelen (USA) 

75 P Mitchell (Eng) , C Williams (RSA) , J Carriles (Esp) , M Martin (Esp) , P Jonas (Can) , S Luna (Esp) 

76 R Drummond (Sco) , P Linhart (Esp) , G Emerson (Eng) , A Oldcorn (Sco) , T Price (Aus) ,

77 G Banister (Aus) , P Wesselingh (Eng) , R Gibson (Can) , M Cunning (USA) , J Harrison (Eng) , D Smyth (Irl) , A Franco (Par) ,

78 B Cameron (Eng) , G Manson (Aut) , K Spurgeon (Eng) , M McLean (Eng) , M Piñero (Esp) , P Curry (Eng) , D Hospital (Esp) , B Longmuir (Sco) , M Harwood (Aus) , A Sherborne (Eng) , G Wolstenholme (Eng) , P Fowler (Aus) ,

79 L Carbonetti (Arg) , G Brand (Eng) , D James (Sco) , G Ralph (Eng) , M James (Eng) , P Walton (Irl) ,

80 R Thompson (USA) , S Torrance (Sco) , A Saddington (Sco) ,

83 M Bembridge (Eng) , D Durnian (Eng) ,

84 G Brand Jnr (Sco) ,

85 G Ryall (Eng) , J Bruner (USA) ,

89 B Gee (Ned) ,

90 M Metgod (Ned) ,

91 A Garrido (Esp) ,

92 P Way (Eng) ,

 

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

SCOTTISH DISABLED GOLF'S ORDER OF MERIT FINALS

NEWS RELEASE
Over thirty six of the best disabled golfers from Scotland, England and
Germany have just finalised the title race for disabled golf's Order of Merit
Championship for 2013.
The finals, sponsored by Gavin Fisher at www.buyit4golf.com, were played in
St Andrews, at the Kittocks and Duke's Golf Courses and the overall winner,
after over 20 qualifying rounds since March, at venues across Scotland
and England, was Trevor Crombie of Kirkcaldy
Peter Osborne, the Scottish Chairman, himself taking a third place in the
Championship, said, "We have played some quality golf courses this year,
ranging across Scotland and down into England and it's great to see Trevor,
one of our newer members, taking the Championship.  We hope that this will
encourage him to attend some international and overseas disabled golf events
in 2014".
"We had over fifty disabled golfers competing in our Merit Championships
this year and we hope that this will give the chance to many more of our
younger members and beginners to the game, to take on a more competitive
type of competition and challenge".

The top ten winners of the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership's, Order of
Merit Championship 2013, are:
1 Trevor Crombie (Kirkcaldy) 129 pts
2 Derek Milne (Upper largo) 124
3 Peter Osborne (Carnforth, Lancs) 124
4 Garry McNulty (Glasgow) 107
5 Scott Anderson (Aberdeen) 104
6 Jim McNab (Glenrothes) 102
7 Steve Cunningham (Alloa) 95
8 Gary Gardner (Edinburgh) 88
9 John Elliot (Edinburgh) 84
10 Jim Gales (Springfield, Fife) 82
A joint special award was made and presented to two "Dedicated Coaches for
2013", Josh Osborne and Ben Osborne, aged 11 and 8 respectively.
The SDGP also ran a Championship for Coaches and the overall winners for
2013 were:
1st - John Murray of Glenrothes with 149 points 2nd - Bill Dickman of
Kinghorn, Fife 135 3rd - Ian Grimwade of Edinburgh 131 4th - Tony Tomasso of
Glasgow 92 5th - Donald Harper of Dunblane, Perthshire 52
A team event was also played, concluding at the Dukes event, which
incorporated both able bodied and disabled players and the winning team,
representing Glasgow and Renfrewshire were Thomas Kerr Scott, Tony Tomasso
and Rob Steele.
The SDGP now has one event left for the 2013 season and that will take place
at the Parador Golf Resort, Malaga in Spain.
The SDGP is a Registered Scottish Charity SCO 41000
www.sdgp.org.uk

TRIPLE TIE FOR HALFWAY LEAD IN PORTUGAL MASTERS

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
England's David Lynn quickly shook off the illness that bothered him at last week’s Seve Trophy by Golf+ to claim a share of the halfway lead as compatriot Paul Waring and South African Hennie Otto inspired each other at the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura.
Playing in the same group, Waring and Otto recorded 14 birdies and one eagle between them to each finish 12 under par at the Oceânico Victoria Golf Course, Waring returning a flawless 63 and Otto a 64.
Lynn, still struggling with the virus which affected him in France, had shared the overnight lead on six under and late in the day carded his second consecutive 65 with four birdies and an eagle from just six feet on the par five 12th.
“It was really good to follow up a round of 65,” said Lynn. “I caught fire early on the back nine, sharing the lead on 12 under so all in all really good.
“I’m trying to get back into the top 50 [of the Official World Golf Ranking] to try and get a Masters invite again next year.”
Waring, who enjoyed the first top-five finish of his European Tour career in the Open de España in April and has had three more top-tens since, said: "I think the lovely weather's had a bit of a hand in it. I played nice, kept control of my golf ball well, hit it close a few times and holed a few putts.
"I've been playing better for the last few months; I lost by one in Valencia, two in Gleneagles, been knocking on the door a few times so it's nice to keep myself in contention week on week."
Waring, playing on a medical exemption after an operation on a serious wrist injury, is currently 86th on The Race to Dubai and added: "If I can get into one of these big four events (the inaugural Final Series) at the end of the season that would be great.
"I am not going to put too much pressure on myself, I've had a medical (exemption) all year so it's nice to get back into a proper category for next year."
While plenty of those in Portugal are battling to save their European Tour cards, Otto is already safe having finished eighth and 12th in his last two outings to climb to 97th on The Race to Dubai.
“It’s been a tough last four months for me and my family so I’ve worked hard on my game and it’s about time it kicked through,” said Otto.
Austria's Bernd Wiesberger completed a 65 to lie one shot off the lead on 11 under alongside Scotland's Chris Doak, who had five birdies and an eagle in his flawless 64 and is yet to drop a shot this week.
"I'm very pleased," said the 35 year old, who is 112th on The Race to Dubai with only the top 110 after next week's ISPS Handa Perth International keeping their full playing privileges for next season.
"Especially bogey-free for two rounds, anybody will take that. It's a job well done. The mind tends to race so I am just trying to relax and when you are you relaxed you can execute the shots properly and that's what I have done the last two days."
South African Justin Walters was a further shot back after a 63 and although he needs a good finish to climb from 126th on The Race to Dubai, the 32 year old from Johannesburg has had that situation put into perspective recently.
"We had a family crisis this year, two weeks ago my mum passed away and with her she really took all the pressure," Walters said. "I haven't really worried like I have as much and I think my game is in much better shape because of that. I am pretty calm out there and I thank her for that.
"Today was definitely the best round of the year by a long way. I really hit it so badly on the range this morning too, that's the funny part.
"Even little things like that don't bother me as much as they would have earlier in the year. It has been really stressful with mum being sick and I think I took it with me on the course and put too much pressure on myself. The last couple of weeks I have been out here playing for her."
Asked if retaining his card had become a secondary goal, Walters added: "It's hard for me to say that, but yes it is. It would be lovely to do that because I spent so much time away from her trying to achieve this so if I can it would be great."


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