SCHWARTZEL AND MADSEN SHARE HALFWAY LEAD IN SOUTH AFRICA

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Charl Schwartzel and Morten Ørum Madsen are set to go head-to-head again this weekend at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Madsen claimed his maiden European Tour title at last week’s season-opening South African Open Championship, playing alongside former Masters Tournament champion Schwartzel in the final group on Sunday.
And the pair will tee off last at Leopard Creek Country Club on Saturday after both reached eight under par.
Schwartzel claimed this title for a second time by a whopping 12 shots last year, and despite sharing the lead the 29 year old was not entirely satisfied with a second straight 68.
“Last year was quite a high standard, but I must say the course is playing more difficult,” said Schwartzel after his bogey-free round.
“Towards the end I hit the ball a little bit better, but in the beginning I wasn’t very comfortable with the whole thing.
“You just adapt a little bit and hit slightly different lines. They’re not necessarily going to give you birdies, but they also keep the bogeys off the card. If I can feel a bit more comfortable then I’ll hit more aggressive lines then I might make a few more birdies.
“It’s just one of those course where the targets I look at are all in the right places,” he said, “and also, I’ve got comfortable on these greens.”
Overnight leader Madsen had a rollercoaster round, the Dane taking a double-bogey seven on the 13th but bouncing back with three birdies in the next five holes and an eagle at the par five second from 15 feet.
However, he then dropped shots at the next two holes and double-bogeyed the fifth before birdies at the sixth and eighth completed a 71 to lie eight under par.
“I’ve got a bunch of confidence right now,” he said. “I really believe that I’m going to hit good shots on pretty much every shot. I’ve heard it’s tough to come out the week after you’ve won and play well. I felt pretty good building up to this week and I just wanted to go out there and put some solid shots together.
“I wasn’t expecting to go out and shoot 65 today. I knew I was playing well, so I wanted to put a decent round together. I won last week and I’m over the moon happy, so everything that happens this week is icing on the cake. I’m just trying to enjoy the ride.”
Two players who made plenty of birdies were former Ryder Cup pair Ross Fisher and Søren Hansen, who share third on seven under par.
England’s Fisher carded a joint best-of-the-day seven under par 65 in the morning session, while Dane Hansen’s identical score came in the afternoon. 

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Morten Orum Madsen (Denmark) 65 71, Charl Schwartzel (S Africa) 68 68
137 Ross Fisher (England) 72 65, Soren Hansen (Denmark) 72 65
138 Tyrone Van Aswegen (S Africa) 70 68, Richard Finch (England) 68 70

SCOTS' SCORES
140 David Drysdale 68 72 (T12)
142 Chris Doak 69 73 (T25)

MISSED THE CUT (144 and better qualified)
145 Jamie McLeary 71 74, Peter Whiteford 77 68
148 Scott Jamieson 77 71, Doug McGuigan 72 76
151 Craig Lee 72 79

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SPRING DATES FOR 2014 PGA EUROPRO TOUR Q SCHOOL

NEWS RELEASE

 

The PGA EuroPro Tour has added a fourth first-stage event to its Qualifying School line-up for 2014, with Formby Hall, De Vere Slaley Hall, Players Club and Woldingham Golf Club all playing host to First Stage Qualifying School.

Golfers entering First Stage Qualifying School will play 36 holes at one of the four venues, with successful players progressing to play the Final Stage, once again hosted by Frilford Heath Golf Club in Oxfordshire. Final Stage will see 240 golfers play 18 holes on each the Red and Blue courses following which a 36-hole cut will be made, with the top 120 golfers playing a final 18 holes on the Blue Course. 

First Stage Qualifying School will begin on Wednesday, March 26 and conclude on Thursday, March 27. Final Stage will take place from Wednesday, April 2 until Friday, April 4.

Daniel Godding, Director of Operations at the PGA EuroPro Tour said: “We have added a fourth venue to our First Stage Qualifying School line-up to give our members a greater choice of course, and increase the number of players who will find a Qualifying School within reasonable driving distance of their home. 

“We have four top-quality courses this year. Once again we are returning to De Vere Slaley Hall and The Players Club, and I am delighted to be able to add Formby Hall and Woldingham to the Qualifying School schedule.

“I am very excited about the 2014 schedule, we have some of the best courses in the country and we will be announcing those venues in the New Year.” 

PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School is open to all professional golfers. Amateurs with an official handicap of two or less are welcome to play PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School and retain their Amateur Status throughout if they wish.

 

Entries for 2014 Qualifying School will open on Monday, January 6, coinciding with the launch of the full schedule for the 2014 season. Players will be able to enter Qualifying School at www.europrotour.com, where they will also find a full information pack regarding Qualifying School.

 

LINK TO THIS WEEK'S SPANISH GECKO TOUR SCOREBOARD

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL SCORES IN THIS WEEK'S SPANISH GECKO TOUR 36-HOLE EVENT AT ATALYA PARK GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB ON THE COSTA DEL SOL

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THAILANDER PROM LEADS BY ONE AT INDONESIA OPEN

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR
Jakarta: Thailand’s Prom Meesawat remained on course for a second Asian Tour victory when he signed for a second round five-under-par 66 at the Indonesia Open on Friday.

The burly Thai, who lost in a play-off to China’s Liang Wen-chong in Manila two weeks ago, proved his worth again when he compiled a two-day total of nine-under-par 133 for a one-shot lead at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course at the Damai Indah Golf.
Compatriots Thaworn Wiratchant, Thongchai Jaidee and Chapchai Nirat stayed one shot back for tied-second after returning with rounds of 64, 67 and 67 respectively in the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.
South African Retief Goosen (65) and Singapore’s Mardan Mamat (69) moved up the leaderboard when they totalled matching 137s to share third place after the second round of the Indonesia Open.
Prom, who is eyeing to end his seven-year title drought, continued to extend his recent run of good form.
“I kind of struggled yesterday because the wind was very strong. It was a little bit easier today because I can control the ball better. The turning point came when birdied hole two off the green with my wedge (25 feet). From there my confidence came back and I started to sink four consecutive birdies,” said Prom, who traded six birdies against one bogey.
“I’ve forgotten about the Manila defeat already. I’m just concentrating on this week. I finished the play-off in the Philippines and that was it for me. I had to move on from there,” added the 29-year-old.
Meanwhile Thaworn, who won the Indonesia Open back in 2005, expressed his delight in seeing his countrymen up on the leaderboard with him.
“I don’t remember much from my Indonesia Open win in 2005. I know I chipped close to the hole on 18, made par and won (laughs). It is really nice to see a lot of Thais on the leaderboard, especially Prom who is playing so well,” said the three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner.


For more details on the 2013 Indonesia Open, please visit the official tournament website www.indonesiaopen.net or its Facebook page www.facebook.com/indonesiaopengolf.

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE INDONESIA OPEN SCOREBOARD

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SCOTT'S LEAD CUT TO TWO AS MCILORY MOVES UP IN AUSSIE OPEN'

FROM SKYSPORTS.COM

Adam Scott remains well-placed to complete the Australian Triple Crown although his lead at the top of the leaderboard in Sydney was cut to two shots on the second day.

Scott is aiming to add the Australian Open titles to the PGA and Masters crowns he has already claimed.
Robert Allenby, in 2005, is the only other player to complete the Down Under feat.

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Scott, though, faces stiff competition from Rory McIlroy, with the Northern Irishman carving his way through the field.
Scott had been the star performer in the opening round after a course record 62. However he found the scoring on Friday tougher as storms had an impact.
A mixed round, including seven birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey at the fourth, left the Masters champion to sign for second round 70 and a 12-under 132 tally at halfway.
And Scott will be casting an anxious look over his shoulder after McIlroy made his move to highlight his return to form.
"It was always going to be a day where you just had to hang on," Scott said.
================================

Second round leaderboard (par 144: 2 x 72)

(Australians unless stated)
132 A Scott 62 70
134 R McIlroy (N Ireland) 69 65
135 R Green 69 66
136 M Jones 68 68
138 Brady Watt 68 70, Leigh McKechnie 73 65, Alistair Presnell 67 71, Josh Younger 69 69
===========================

"He (McIlroy) is one of the best players in the world so I'm going to have to bring my best game."
McIlroy, taking advantage of the calmer conditions early on, picked up nine birdies and two bogeys on his way to seven-under 65 for the round - and 10-under134  overall.
"The weather wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be and the wind didn't pick up," he said.
"So I knew we could take advantage of that, and the greens were a little bit softer as well."
Richard Green is a shot further back on 135 after his round of 66, while, Matthew Jones is on eight under 136

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE SCOREBOARD

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