O'HAIR AND PERRY LEAD FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SHOOT-OUT

Place	Team	Round			Thru	Score
		1	2	3
T1	Sean O'Hair and Kenny Perry	-8	-	-	18	-8
T1	Harris English and Matt Kuchar	-8	-	-	18	-8
T1	Charles Howell III and Justin Leonard	-8	-	-	18	-8
4	Retief Goosen and Freddie Jacobson	-5	-	-	18	-5
T5	Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson	-4	-	-	18	-4
T5	Chris DiMarco and Billy Horschel	-4	-	-	18	-4
7	Rory Sabbatini and Scott Verplank	-3	-	-	18	-3
8	Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood	-2	-	-	18	-2
9	Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker	-1	-	-	18	-1
T10	Jonas Blixt and Greg Norman	E	-	-	18	E
T10	Mark Calcavecchia and Chad Campbell	E	-	-	18	E
12	Graham DeLaet and Mike Weir	1	-	-	18	1
Last Updated: December 13, 2013, 3:54 pm EST

First Round, Modified Alternate Shot - Each player hits a drive on every hole and one drive is selected. The player whose drive is NOT selected hits the second shot, and they alternate shots until the ball is holed.

Second Round, Better Ball - Each player plays through every hole using his own ball. The player whose score is the lowest on each hole will be the team score for that hole.

Final Round, Scramble - Each player hits a drive on every hole and the best drive is selected. Each player then plays a second shot from the spot where the selected drive lays, and the best second shot is selected. This process is repeated until the hole is completed.

 TITLE-HOLDERS O'HAIR AND PERRY SHARE
TOP SPOT IN FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SHOOTOUT

Defending champions Sean O'Hair and Kenny Perry share top spot after round one of the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples, Florida.

The duo took the crown by a single shot last year and all the indications were that it will be a tight contest this time around with three pairs sharing top spot on eight under.
Charles Howell finished second last year alongside Rory Sabbatini and he held a share of lead playing with new partner Justin Leonard.
Fellow American duo Matt Kuchar and Harris English also fired an eight under par round and shared a spot at the summit, three shots clear of the rest of the field.
Retief Goosen and Freddie Jacobson, playing in place of Boo Weekley who withdrew following family bereavements, were the nearest challengers.
US PGA champion Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson were a further shot back alongside Chris DiMarco and Billy Horschel followed by Sabbatini and Scott Verplank on three under.
European Ryder Cup pair Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood recovered from a slow start to finish on two under while another couple of Americans, Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker, were one shot better than par.
Tournament host Greg Norman was playing with Swede Jonas Blixt and they were level alongside Mark Calcavecchia and Chad Campbell.
Former Masters champion Mike Weir and South African Graham DeLaet were bringing up the rear after Friday's round of modified foursomes, with four-balls to follow on Saturday and a final round scramble format on Sunday.

GRAHAM FOX THE STAR AS SCOTS FINISH SECOND

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Title holders Scotland, bidding for an eighth win in the tournament, finished a creditable second, two shots behind winners Netherlands, in the PGAs of Europe international team golf championship at Palmares on the Algarve.
Star man for the Scots' trio of Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf), Greg McBain, who joins the Kemnay GC pro staff next month, and David Orr (Mearns Castle) was Fox who finished joint first with Ralph Miller (Netherlands) on two-under-par 286 in the individual standings.
Fox, McBain and Orr divided 4,800 Euros for their four days' work. There were no cash prizes for leading individual totals.
Fox was in the front rank throughout the tournament with rounds of 72, 76, 67 and 71.
McBain finished joint 20th on 299 with scores of 79 74, 72 and 74.
Orr had rounds of 78, 79, 71 and 72 for 300 and a share of 22nd place.
Netherlands team of Miller, Robin Swane and Nicolas Nube earned the top team prize of 6,000 Euros with a total of 579.
The Scots finished on 581. The decisive round in the best two individual scores to count
for the team daily was the third in which the Netherlands had an aggregate of 135, compared with Scotland's 138.
Wales (Jon Bevan, Lee Rooke and Stuart Runcie), Ireland (Brendan McGovern, Cian McNamara and John Kelly) and Denmark tied for third place on 582.
England's Dan Greenwood, David Callaway and Nick Brennan were never in contention and finished 10th on 590. Callaway had a No Return in the last round

PGAs OF EUROPE INTERNATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Palmares Golf Resort, The Algarve, Portugal

FINAL TEAM TOTALS
Par 576 (4x144)
579 Netherlands (R Miller, R Swane, N Nube) 149 152 135 143
581 Scotland (G Fox, G McBain, D Orr) 150 150 138 143
582 Wales (L Rooke, J Bevan, S Runcie) 156 146 141 139, Ireland (J Kelly, C McNamara, B McGovern) 153 147 139 143, Denmark 149 149 142 142.
Rest of totals:
585 Italy
587 Sweden
588 Spain, France
590 England (D Greenwood, D Callaway, N Drennan)
598 Portugal
602 Slovenia
603 Germany
607 South Africa
610 Austria
612 Switzerland
614 Belgium
616 Finland
617 Greece
619 Poland
625 Czech Republic
630 Iceland
631 Croatia, Norway
643 Slovakia
660 Russian Federation 

LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
286 G Fox (Sco) 72 76 67 71, R Miller (Ned) 73 80 64 69
287 M Atlevi (Swe) 74 71 73 69
288 B Nicolay (Fra) 75 73 67 73
289 J Lorea (Spa) 74 75 70 70
291 H Santos (Port) 77 72 72 70
292 J Bevan (Wal) 79 74 69 70, B McGovern (Ire) 76 74 70 72, M Hansen (Den) 80 72 67 73

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
294 N Drennan (Eng) 78 75 69 72 (11th)
295 C McNamara (Ire) 77 73 74 71 (T12)
296 D Greenwood (Eng) 80 74 69 73 (15th)
297 J Kelly (Ire) 81 74 69 73, L Rooke (Wal) 77 72 73 75 (T16).
299 G McBain (Sco) 79 74 72 74 (T20)
300 D Orr (Sco) 78 79 71 72 (T22)
303 S Runcie (Wal) 79 83 72 69 (25th)
NR D Callaway (Eng) 85 77 72 NR


REPORT FROM THE PGAs OF EUROPE WEBSITE

International Team Championship goes Dutch and ends drought

Holland held their nerve on Portugal’s Algarve to win The PGAs of Europe International Team Championship and end a 22-year famine.

In doing so, and having finished joint second last year, the Dutch trio of Ralph Miller, Robin Swane and Nicolas Nube turned the tables on Scotland at the Onyria Palmares Beach and Golf Resort.

Twelve months ago Holland had trailed the Scots by nine strokes - this time they finished two ahead of them to claim the ∈6,000 first prize.

But, as that victory margin suggests, it was a close run thing. And not just the battle between them.

With three strokes spanning the top five teams, the result remained in doubt until Swane negotiated the par four final hole of the Alvor course in regulation to clinch victory and ensure his nation’s name was inscribed on the trophy for the first time since 1991.

For Swane, the Dutch captain, and his team-mates this triumph was a first, however. Furthermore it reflected the growing standard of golf among his compatriots.

“The three members of the team are all Dutch-born players,” he said. “That wasn’t the case before when we were represented by overseas players."

But it was the player with the English sounding name who proved Holland’s ace in the pack.

Having broken the course record in the third round by posting an eight-under-par 64, Miller, who has an American father and Dutch mother, followed up with a three-under-par 69.

That coupled with Swane’s two-over was sufficient for the Dutch to maintain the two-stroke lead they held at the start of the final round of the tournament which was supported by Glenmuir, the Associaçäo Turismo do Algarve and Ryder Cup European Development Trust.

Miller’s round also ensured he finished level with Scotland’s Graham Fox as the tournament’s leading individual on two-under-par for the four rounds.

Completing the trio of players from the 26 teams who were under par for the tournament was Sweden’s Magnus Atlevi who signed off with a 69 to finish on one-under.

For others, however, the event was very much a case of what might have been, especially the Irish.

Needing to par the last to force a play-off, Brendan McGovern posted a triple bogey seven. Even more punitive was the 10 John Kelly racked up at the fifth en route to a one-over-par 73. For once the luck of the Irish was conspicuous by its absence.

Leading totals in relation to par (after fourth and final round):
1st Holland +3
2nd Scotland +5
Tied 3rd Denmark, Wales and Ireland +6
6th Italy +9
7th Sweden +11

HOLE IN ONE JAMES WHITE LEADS FOUR SCOTS QUALIFIERS IN SPAIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
James White, with the help of a hole in one, John Gallagher, Neil Henderson and David Broadfoot have qualified for next week's Alps Tour Final Qualifying School at La Cala Resort near Marbella on Spain's Costa del Sol.
The odd Scot out was Scotscraig amateur Jordan McColl who missed the cut by one shot in the Stage 1 eliminator at the same resort today (Friday).
Lundin Golf Club's James White, playing as an amateur but soon to turn pro - especially if he gains an Alps Tour players' card,, finished joint eighth on 145 with rounds of 72 and 73 at the Asia Course where the leading 33 and ties advanced.
White, who has an amateur handicap of +3, was not at his best in the second round, having five bogeys but all that was forgotten when he birdied the long 15th then aced the short 16th.
At the same venue Henderson (Renaissance Club) made it through comfortably in  joint 22nd place with a 150 total, made up of rounds of 78 and 72. But for a double bogey 6 at the 12th he would have broken par in the second round in which he had three birdies.
At the America Course, from where the leading 34 and ties qualified, Duddingston's John Gallagher finished joitn second with scores of 69 and 70 for five-under 139.
In his second round, the 2007 Scottish amateur champion double-bogeyed the short 16th and then finished birdie-eagle.
Broadfoot had a roller-coaster round of 73 for 149, the limit qualifying mark. The Dumfries and County pro had six bogies and five birdies, the most important of which came at the 17th.
McColl failed to gain pass marks with scores of 77 and 73 for 150 to finish 35th.
He could not buy a birdie in his second round which was made up of 17 par figures and a so costly bogey at the 16th.
The qualifiers from both courses will join the exempt players in the Final Q School field who will play 54 holes from Monday to Wednesday next week.
  
ALPS TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL - Stage 1
La Cala Resort, Spain
ASIA COURSE
Par 144 (2x72)
Leading qualifiers
136 N Lombardi (Ita) 68 68
139 J I Marin (Spa) 71 68
141 B Hannah (Eng) 71 70
143 A Holmes (Eng) 75 68, D Timmins (Eng) 72 71

Other qualifiers included:
145 James White (Sco) 72 73 (T8)
146 Joshua White (Eng) 67 79 (T11)
150 N Henderson (Sco) 78 72 (T22)

AMERICA COURSE
Par 144 (2x72)
Leading qualifiers
138 M Edge (Eng) 69 69
139 J Gallagher (Sco) 698 70, M McAlpin (Eng) 69 70
141 S Ward (Ire) 68 73, T Wilde (Eng) 70 71.

Other qualifiers included:
149 D Broadfoot (Sco) 76 73 (T29).

MISSED THE CUT (149 and better qualified)
150 J McColl (Sco) 77 73.

TWO 59s BUT THEY ARE NOT OFFICIAL AT NELSON MANDELA CHAMPIONSHIP

There still hasn’t been an official 59 shot on the European Tour – even after Colin Nel and Jorge Campillo carded golf’s magic number today at the Nelson Mandela Championship.
The two players shot 11-under 59s within 10 minutes of each other at Mount Edgecombe Country Club. European Tour rules stipulate, however, that the 59s were not official because the round was played under preferred lies (lift, clean and place).
Nel shot 77 in the first round before an 18-stroke improvement in Round 2. Campillo’s 70-59 put him in a share of the early midway lead with Matthew Baldwin, who carded 62 in the second round.
The tournament has already had two days of delays and suspensions because of heavy rain in Durban, South Africa. 
It has now been reduced to a 54-hole tournament which is not quite as bad as last year when only 36 holes' competitive play was possible.

SPANIARD MARTIN SETS PACE IN SENIOR EVENT ON MAURITIUS

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Miguel Angel Martin fired a six under par 66 to establish a one stroke lead in the opening round of the MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius, as Paul Wesselingh strengthened his grip on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit.

Wesselingh birdied the final two holes at Constance Belle Mare Plage for a round of 67 to join Roger Chapman, the man he is hoping to succeed as the Senior Tour’s Number One, on five under par, one shot behind pacesetter Martin.

With Denmark’s Steen Tinning, who needs to win the season-ending event and hope that Wesselingh is outside the top seven, finishing a further four shots back following a round of 71, Wesselingh has a clear advantage in the battle for the John Jacobs Trophy.

“It was a nice to play with Steen as it was the first time we played together this year,” said Wesselingh. 

“He got a bit of a lead early on and then we drew level and Steen had a bit of bad luck on the 14^th there when he made a double bogey, and that meant I got a bit ahead. I had a nice round though and I’m very happy.”

Wesselingh will be hoping to emulate Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who sealed the top spot on The European Tour by winning the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, but he has Martin in his way after the Spaniard produced a fine putting display over the Legend Course.

Martin birdied three of the opening four holes and picked up further shots on the 12^th, 13^th, 15^th and 18^th holes, with his only bogey of the day coming on the 16^th hole.

After four top five finishes so far in 2013, Martin will be hoping to finally land his maiden Senior Tour title, but headed straight to the range after his round to work on improving his iron play. 

“From the tee I hit it pretty well, mostly finding the fairway, but my irons were no good today,” said Martin. “I struggled with them, but thankfully my putter was very good.

“I missed at least three or four shots with my irons today, which is not usual for me. Except for the irons, I’m playing very well.

“I’ve been on the leaderboard quite a bit this year but every time someone comes from behind and takes the money. You never know, this could be my week. This is the last chance this year, so I’m trying my hardest.

“I’m lying fifth on the Order of Merit, behind four very good players, so it has been a good year and all I’m missing is that win.”

Chapman lifted the John Jacobs Trophy in Mauritius 12 months ago following a dream 2012 season in which he won both the US Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid and the US Senior Open.

He has struggled to follow up that success so far this season, playing on the US Champions Tour, but he is hoping to end a frustrating campaign on a high note.

“This year has been a difficult one and I’ve not played particularly well,” he said. “You lose a lot of confidence and I drove the ball terribly in the middle part of the year. Towards the end of the year I started getting it back a bit.

“This is not a course to come to if you are struggling with the driver but I felt confident out there today. I think I set my standards a bit too high after last year. When you don’t achieve you get down on yourself.”

Colin Montgomerie is also in contention on his first appearance at Constance Belle Mare Plage following an opening round of 70, but it could have been much better for the 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain.

The Scot had set a blistering early pace, reaching the turn in five under par 31, but he faded on the back nine when he followed a bogey on the 13^th with a double bogey on the 14^th.

He then missed an eight foot birdie chance on the 17^th before pushing a four foot birdie putt wide on the last hole. Montgomerie, who won his maiden Senior Tour title in the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters, is in a six-way share of seventh place, alongside defending champion David Frost of South African. 

 

ALL THE FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 72

 66 M Martin (Esp) ,

 67 R Chapman (Eng) , P Wesselingh (Eng) ,

 68 G Ryall (Eng) , A Sherborne (Eng) ,

 69 M McLean (Eng) ,

 70 H Buhrmann (RSA) , R Thompson (USA) , D Frost (RSA) , S Luna (Esp) , R Gibson (Can) , C Montgomerie  (Sco) ,

 71 D Smyth (Irl) , M Farry (Fra) , R Drummond (Sco) , S Tinning (Den) ,

 72 C Williams (Eng) , P Eales (Eng) , P Fowler (Aus) , M Cunning (USA) , S Brown (Eng) , A Franco (Par) , P Golding (Eng) , L Carbonetti (Arg) , P Linhart (Esp) ,

 73 G Manson (Aut) , C Rocca (Ita) , A Oldcorn (Sco) , G Brand Jnr (Sco) ,

 74 P Jonas (Can) , S Van Vuuren (RSA) , J Carriles (Esp) , B Lane (Eng) , D Russell (Eng) , W Grant (Eng) , G Wolstenholme (Eng) , K Spurgeon (Eng) ,

 75 J Quiros (Esp) , S Torrance (Sco) , B Longmuir (Sco) , J Gould (Eng) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , B Cameron (Eng) ,

 76 J Bruner (USA) , T Thelen (USA) ,

 77 N Job (Eng) ,

 80 M Harwood (Aus) ,

 84 G Brand (Eng) ,

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

GARCIA SHARES THAILAND LEAD WITH ROSE AFTER HOLE IN ONE

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR

Chonburi, December 13: Spain’s Sergio Garcia fired a magical hole-in-one en route to a seven-under-par 65 to share the halfway lead with world number four Justin Rose of England at the star-studded Thailand Golf Championship on Friday.

The 33-year-old Garcia, seeking his first win of 2013, brilliantly aced the par three 198 yards eighth hole with a six iron at the Amata Spring Country Club for a two-day total of 11-under-par 133 which was matched by Rose, the reigning U.S. Open champion.

Rose fired an eagle, three birdies and one bogey for a 68 to tie his Ryder Cup teammate for the lead in the US$1 million full-field Asian Tour tournament, which is featuring eight players from the world’s top-50 and offering 38 world ranking points to the winner.

India’s Anirban Lahiri produced the day’s best of 64, sprinkling his card with an eagle and six birdies to trail in tied third place on 135 alongside overnight leader Alex Cejka of Germany (71) and Frenchman Alexander Levy (65).

Birthday boy Rickie Fowler, who turned 25 today, returned a 66 to lie three shots back while world number three Henrik Stenson of Sweden and current Asian Tour number one Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand are amongst those bunched on 137. Title holder Charl Schwartzel of South Africa struggled to a 73 and is eight adrift.

The swashbuckling Garcia, fourth at the Thailand Golf Championship last season, did not see his ball go into the hole for his career third hole-in-one in tournament play due to the pin location. But the roars from the crowd did enough to tell him he found the bottom of the cup with his tee shot.

“Yeah, wonderful day for sure,” said the beaming Spaniard. “I saw the ball hit right of the green and it started rolling. I thought it's probably going to end up close …. We were saying ‘go in, go in’ and all of a sudden everybody goes ‘wow’ as I can’t really see the hole from the tee box. It was quite nice to see it happen.”

With five other birdies on his bogey-free card, Garcia, who has 10 top-10s around the world this year, put himself in prime position to win the Thailand Golf Championship. “I feel like I played well both days. I probably didn't make as many putts. Driving the ball very nicely and hitting a lot of greens and my short game has been pretty good, so overall I'm very happy with it,” said Garcia, whose girlfriend Katharina Boehm is caddying for him.

After swapping a birdie and a bogey on two and three, Rose made two huge par saves from about six feet at the next two holes which he said kept him in the ball game. He then birdied nine, eagled 11 from six feet after hitting what he termed as a “perfect” five iron and rolled in another birdie on 12. He could have taken the outright lead on 18 but misread a birdie chance from about eight feet.

“It was a funny round, I got off to a bit of a slow start and it all started to happen for me in the middle of the round,” said Rose. “I just want to keep having fun. I want to end the season in a good way, even if I win or don’t win.

“The eagle on 11, I had a five iron that I hit in there which was the best shot I’ve hit in a month. It had the right flight, just felt perfect. The swing was good, the divot was good and everything about it was the way it should feel. A lot of us players hit good shots but that felt perfect. And to make that six foot putt was nice to capitalize on that shot.”

The 26-year-old Lahiri, a three-time winner on the Asian Tour, started his round from the 10^th tee in flying fashion when he holed out a greenside bunker shot for an eagle on 11 before hitting six more birdies. He also credited his putter, needing only 25 putts on the Amata Spring tricky greens, for his rise up the leaderboard.

“It was a great day. Holed my bunker shot on 11 and that kind of set the tone for the rest of the day,” said the 26-year-old. “I haven't really had a round or a series of rounds where I've really putted brilliantly, and I think today was one of those rounds where I really felt like I could hole anything and everything.”

A return to the magnificent Amata Spring course brings back good memories for Lahiri as he qualified for his first Major through the British Open International Final Qualifying – Asia here in early 2012. He believes he now has the game to compete against the likes of Rose and Garcia.

“It suits my style and I feel really, really comfortable,” said Lahiri. “I felt like I've been knocking on the door now for so many events. I think I've played some of my best golf, consistency wise, but in terms of finishing off tournaments it has not been great. 

"I've been in the top 10, top five, second place but I haven't quite won and I think for me I'm playing well enough to win, even against a quality field like this.”

Fowler used four birdies in a row on his inward nine of 31 to move into title contention in his debut at the Thailand Golf Championship. “I finally got a few things going, felt a little better and hit some better putts. I just stayed patient and made the turn and started to kind of rattle off some birdies,” said the colourful American, who was presented a birthday cake by the organisers after his round.

 

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72) Yardage 7,488

133 Sergio GARCIA (ESP) 68-65, Justin ROSE (ENG) 65-68.

135 Alex CEJKA (GER) 64-71, Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 71-64, Alexander LEVY (FRA) 70-65.

136 Rickie FOWLER (USA) 70-66.

137 Henrik STENSON (SWE) 70-67, Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 69-68, Sujjan SINGH (IND) 68-69, Andrew DODT (AUS) 72-65.

139 Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA) 65-74, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 69-70, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 66-73, Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 71-68.

140 Jaakko MAKITALO (FIN) 71-69, Bubba WATSON (USA) 70-70, Scott BARR (AUS) 73-67.

141 Yuki KONO (JPN) 72-69, Jason KNUTZON (USA) 71-70, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 72-69, Daniel CHOPRA (SWE) 67-74, Mardan MAMAT (SIN) 68-73, Charl SCHWARTZEL (RSA) 68-73, Wade ORMSBY (AUS) 71-70, Elias BERTHEUSSEN (NOR) 70-71, Rikard KARLBERG (SWE) 74-67.

142 Lionel WEBER (FRA) 71-71, Bernd WIESBERGER (AUT) 74-68, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 71-71, D.A. POINTS (USA) 73-69, WANG Jeung-hun (KOR) 73-69, Marcus FRASER (AUS) 69-73, Ryo ISHIKAWA (JPN) 74-68, Quincy QUEK (SIN) 73-69, Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 71-71, Mars PUCAY (PHI) 71-71, KIM Gi-whan (SKOR) 74-68, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 70-72, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 74-68.

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
143 John Daly (US) 73 70, Brooks Koepka (US) 74 69, Hunter Mahan (US) 71 72
144 Steve Lewton (England) 71 73

MISSED THE CUT (145 and better qualified)
146 Chris Rodgers (England) 74 72
147 Kevin Tway (USA) 74 73 
149 Simon Yates (Scotland) 74 75
151 Rhys Enoch (Wales) 74 77
156 Peter Richardson (England) 77 79.

 

ANDY MARSHALL'S SUPERB 65 WINS ON A FINE DAY AT GOSWICK

EDINBURGH and EAST OF SCOTLAND ALLIANCE REPORT
From Alan Greenshields
Secretary and Treasurer

It was an Indian Summer day at Berwick-on-Tweed Golf Club's Goswick Links when 74 of our members ventured down to Northumberland to enjoy some fantastic weather on a great course which many played with short sleeved shirts only 10 days from the shortest day of the year.

The winter course at Goswick with a par of 69 (35,34) is a tough test compared to the normal par 72 but Andy Marshall (Houston Golf Range) secured the Professionals Trophy with a superb score of 65, made up of a two-under-par front nine and back nine with no dropped shots. 

It looked like Andy,  having played early in the day, would have a comfortable win of both trophy and top scratch prize but later in the day the top winners from the outing two weeks ago challenged hard. 

Firstly James Silvestro (Musselburgh) carded a net 66 (75 less 9) to threaten the trophy and late in the day The Hirsel pro Daniel Wood,  with a steady par 35 on his outward half, shot home in three-under the card, despite a bogey at last hole, to card an excellent scratch 66.

Senior Prizes were shared with net 71s by Jimmy Rankeillor (Baberton) (81 less 10) and Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess) (73 less 2). 

Louis Gaughan (Bathgate) secured the Trainee Prize with a gross 73.

Scratch Order of Merit sees Ross Neill retain his lead with Andy Marshall moving up to 2nd -

1. Ross Neill (Drumpellier) - 384.5

2. Andy Marshall (Houston GR) - 371.5

3. Chris Morris (Kingsknowe) - 367.5

Handicap Order of Merit top three are unchanged but James Silvestro moves well ahead following his top handicap score  and Martin Rennie gets a share of 3rd spot -

1. James Silvestro (Musselburgh) - 126.0

2. Walter Forsyth (Peebles) - 90.5

T3 David Nicolson(Craigielaw) - 86.0

T3 Martin Rennie (Uphall) - 86.0

  LEADING SCRATCH SCORES AT GOSWICK

1 Marshall, Andrew     Houston G R    Pro    65
2 Wood, Daniel           The Hirsel    Pro    66
3 Dick, James              Duddingston    Pro    69
4 Fraser, Colin             Peebles                 Amateur    69
5 McNicoll, Keir         Gullane                 Trainee    69
6 Fraser, Hugh            Niddry Castle    Amateur    70
7 Gordon, Craig          Edinburgh G C       Pro    70
8 Strachan, Sandy       Deer Park                 Pro    70
9 Johnston, Richard     Glenbervie    Amateur    71
10 Huguet, Norman     Musselburgh    Pro    72
11 Neill, Ross              Drumpellier    Pro    72
12 Reid, Alan              West Lothian    Pro    72
13 Gaughan, Louis      Bathgate                 Trainee    73
14 Taylor, Ian              Royal Burgess    Amateur    73
15 Wither, George       Lothianburn    Amateur    73
16 Boyle,Tony            Glenbervie    Amateur    74
17 Colquhoun, Neil     Merchants    Pro    74
18 Morris, Chris          Kingsknowe    Pro    74
19 Munro, Andrew     Musselburgh    Trainee    74
20 Munro, Donny      Kingsknowe    Amateur    74
21 Bain, Neil              Haddington    Amateur    75
22 Brown, Stuart        Dunbar                  Amateur    75
23 Brydon, David       Torwoodlee    Amateur    75
24 Denham, John     Torwoodlee    Senior    75
25 Fish, Derek          Glenbervie    Amateur    75
26 Gilhooley, Gordon     Craigielaw    Amateur    75
27 Laing, William     Prestonfield    Amateur    75
28 Silvestro, James    Musselburgh    Amateur    75
29 Cockburn, Robin    Harburn                  Amateur    76
30 Cordery, Thomas    Musselburgh    Amateur    76
31 Morton, Wilson    Dunbar                  Senior    76
32 Rennie, Martin    Uphall                  Amateur    76
33 Airens, Daniel    Falkirk Tryst    Amateur    77
34 Cooney, Kieran    Bathgate                  Amateur    77
35 MacKay, Alan     Kingsknowe    Amateur    77
36 Nisbet,Callum     Bathgate                 Trainee    77
37 Rothney, Andrew    Bathgate                 Amateur    78
38 Wight, Andrew     Glencorse                 Senior    78
39 Kerr, John    Ratho Park    Amateur    79
40 Munro, Ross     Duddingston    Trainee    79
41 Cowie                  Keith    Dunbar                  Senior    80
42 Jeavons    Ian     Dunbar                  Amateur    80
43 Pardoe    Stuart     Unattached    Pro    80
44 Robertson    Ewan    Longniddry    Senior    80
45 Walker    James    Duddingston    Amateur    80
46 Marshall    Robert     Greenburn    Amateur    81
47 Miller      William     Falkirk Tryst    Senior    81
48 Rankeillor    James     Baberton                  Senior    81
49 Wyse                  Ian    Falkirk Tryst    Amateur    81
50 Bell                  Gordon     Gullane                  Senior    82
51 Burnside    John    Dunbar                  Amateur    82
52 White                  Justin    Harrison (Braids)    Amateur    82
53 Love                  Darren    Archerfield    Amateur    83
54 Porteous    Paul    Uphall                  Amateur    83
55 Scott                 Jim    Minto                  Senior    83
56 Wilson                 Gerry    Musselburgh    Amateur    83
57 Allison                 Liam    Bathgate                  Amateur    84
58 Young                 Alan     Lochend          Amateur    84
59 Lamb                 Joshua    Cardrona                  Amateur    85
60 Masterton         John     Mortonhall    Amateur    85
61 Johnston    Graeme     Glenbervie    Amateur    86
62 Forsyth    Walter     Peebles                  Amateur    87
63 Leggate    Philip    Musselburgh    Amateur    87
64 Skinner    Grant    Glencorse                 Amateur    87
65 Allan                  Robert     Cardrona                 Amateur    88
66 Carrigan    Michael     Greenburn    Amateur    88
67 Stronach    Alan     Falkirk Tryst    Amateur    89
68 Watson    David     Peebles                 Senior    89
69 Bootland    Hinton     Duddingston    Senior    91
70 Wardlaw    Stuart     Harburn                  Senior    9

WE WILL DISPLAY NET SCORES LATER
SCROLL DOWN FOR LIST OF PRIZEWINNERS  

We have a festive break now and look forward to play resuming at Gullane No.3 on January 8.

Have a great Christmas and all the very best for 2014.

Alan Greenshields

Secretary/Treasurer

Edinburgh & East of Scotland Golfers' Alliance

44/2 Pitt Street

Edinburgh

EH6 4DA

Mobile:07730 007100

Alliance Mobile: 07814 983582

E-mail: secretary.eesga@talktalk.net

 PRIZEWINNERS AT GOSWICK LINKS

Professionals Trophy
Overall Winner		Andrew Marshall (Houston G.R.)			65
Scratch	Prize	Surname	Forename	Club	Score
1st	£100	Marshall	Andrew	Houston G.R.	65
2nd	£80	Wood	Daniel	The Hirsel	66
3rd=	£40	Dick	James	Duddingston	69
3rd=	£40	Fraser	Colin	Peebles	69
3rd=	£40	McNicoll	Keir	Gullane	69
Handicap	Prize	Surname	Forename	Club	Net
1st	£100	Silvestro	James	Musselburgh	66
2nd	£80	Airens	Daniel	Falkirk Tryst	67
3rd=	£24	Cowie	Keith	Dunbar	69
3rd=	£24	Denham	John	Torwoodlee	69
3rd=	£24	Fraser	Hugh	Niddry Castle	69
3rd=	£24	Laing	William	Prestonfield	69
3rd=	£24	Walker	James	Duddingston	69
Trainee	Prize	Surname	Forename	Club	Score
Professional	£15	Gaughan	Louis	Bathgate	73
Senior	Prize	Surname	Forename	Club	Net
	£15	Rankeillor	James	Baberton	71
	£15	Taylor	Ian	Royal Burgess	71

JACK AND GARY WILL USE NICKLAUS BLACK GOLF BALL THIS WEEKEND

NEWS RELEASE

Nicklaus Black, one of the new Nicklaus Golf Balls introduced last month, will be put into competitive play for the first time this weekend when Jack Nicklaus and son Gary compete in the 16th PNC Father/Son Challenge. 

The Nicklauses highlight the 20-team field of golf legends, all of whom have won major championships to qualify for the event-and their sons (or daughters), where a $1 million prize purse and the Willie Park Trophy is on the line. 

The 36-hole scramble-format is being played at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Grande Lakes in Florida. 

The Golden Bear, who teamed with Gary in 1999 to win the Father/Son, has been practising the last week and has chosen the Nicklaus Black to take into competition.  

"I like the ball a lot," Nicklaus said. "I've played it a number of times now, and I like the distance and ball flight I am getting, and it plays nicely around the greens. We are going to put it into play and let her go." 

Gary, who played three years on the US PGA Tour (2000-02) before retiring from competitive professional golf and regaining his amateur playing status in 2007, will also play the Nicklaus Black.

"Like my father, I look forward to putting the Nicklaus Golf Balls into play," Gary said. "It's a great ball and I have been pleased with the performance-from the distance to the control to the feel around the greens. 

"On a more personal note, the Golden Bear icon has meant so much to my father and to our family over the decades, so there is a strong sense of pride in seeing the Golden Bear on the golf balls I now play."

Nicklaus Black is one of three golf balls - Nicklaus Blue and Nicklaus White being the others - that were designed to accommodate three skill levels of player, using the traditional tees from which they typically play.  

Nicklaus White is designed for golfers who might typically play the forward or white tees. 

Nicklaus Blue is designed for golfers who would typically play the middle or blue tees. 

And, finally, Nicklaus Black is designed for the single-digit or better golfer who generally plays from the back tees. 

"Certainly the playability of the golf ball is important to the golfer," Jack added. "Many of the golf professionals at our Nicklaus Design courses have put them on the range to test them with members and guests to see if they like the performance of the ball and to better understand what their golfers want and need. 

"People who have tested the three balls like them. They like the simple concept behind the balls, and we're getting some very positive results.  We're very encouraged."

The balls are available exclusively online at www.nicklaus.com and soon through golf/pro shops at the more than 200 Nicklaus Design courses nationwide (in America). 

A percentage from every golf ball sold will be donated directly back to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation to support pediatric programs and hospitals nationwide, while visitors to nicklaus.com also have the ability to support the Foundation with voluntary contributions. In the first two months of orders, more than 80 percent of consumers have made a donation.

The Father/Son Challenge Pro-Am, in which Jack and Gary are playing, airs Friday on the Golf Channel at 4:00 and 9:30 p.m. ET. The two-day, 36-hole tournament airs both Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on the Golf Channel and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on NBC. Golf Channel will re-air the event at 9:30 p.m. ET each night.

The PNC Father/Son Challenge boasts a field that has accumulated a total of 430 victories across the US PGA and European tours, including 64 professional major championships-the Golden Bear leading the way with a record 18, as part of his 120 professional tournament victories. 

Jack Nicklaus is one of only five golfers - Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods are the others - who have won all four of golf's modern majors, an achievement often referred to as the career "Grand Slam." 

Jack remains the only player to have completed the career Grand Slam on both the regular and senior tours. His eight majors on the senior circuit, now called the Champions Tour, remains a record.

To learn more about Jack Nicklaus and the new line of Nicklaus Golf Balls, visit www.nicklaus.com.

PNC Father/Son Challenge Field:

Stewart Cink and Connor Cink (son) David Duval and  Dean Karavites (step son) Steve Elkington and Sam Elkington (son) Nick Faldo and Matthew Faldo (son) Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr. (son) Hale Irwin and  Steve Irwin (son) Lee Janzen and Connor Janzen (son) Bernhard Langer and Christina Langer (daughter) Davis Love III and Davis (Dru) Love IV (son) Sandy Lyle and James Lyle (son)	Larry Nelson and Drew Nelson (son) Jack Nicklaus and Gary Nicklaus (son) Mark O'Meara and Shaun O'Meara (son) Nick Price and Greg Price (son) Dave Stockton and Dave Stockton Jr. (son) Curtis Strange and Tom Strange (son) Vijay Singh and Qass Singh (son) Lee Trevino and Daniel Trevino (son) Lanny Wadkins and Tucker Wadkins (son) Fuzzy Zoeller and Gretchen Chappo (daughter)
Contact:
Nicklaus Companies Scott Tolley Vice President, Corporate Communications 11780 U.S. Highway #1,  Suite 500 North Palm Beach, FL. 33408 Tel: 561-227-0300 scott.tolley@nicklaus.com