MY GOLF RANKING INTERNATIONAL, JANUARY 9

1 Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam, N Ireland) 1217 pts

2 Scott Hunter (Tillicoultry) 1185

,3 Alastair Wastson (Langlands) 1175

4 Craig Meeks (Thornton) 1157

5 Lewis Blyth (Prestonfield) 1133

6 Adam Jobes (Seacroft) 1129

7 Gary Barclay (Torrance Park) 1125

8 Conal Duffy (Fortwilliam, N Ireland) 1123

9 Roger Leslie (Spey Bay) 1105

10 Ricky McNeill (Dunnikier Park) 1102

11 Douglas Taylor (Dunfermline) 1100

12 Kevin Wood (Prestonfield) 1085

13 Daniel Alexander (Kingsknowe) 1075

14 Alex McKenzie (Lothianburn) 1061

T15 Graeme Cox (Drumoig) 1058

T15 Jack Owens (Bangor, NI) 1058

T15 Jim Rice (Aberdour) 1058

18 Paul Page (Kingsknowe) 1056, 

19 John Douglas (Leven Thistle) 1055, 20 Jo Elson (Aqualate) 1050, 21 John Boag (Blairgowrie) 1048

T22 Greig Denton (Balfron) 1043

T22 Laura McGeachy (Windyhill) 1043

 24 Russell Bracey (Ashridge Artisans) 1034

T25 William Barwood (Langlands) 1031 

T25 James Batchelor (Kirriemuir) 1031.

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BIRDIE-BIRDIE FINISH BY OOSTY WINS HIM VOLVO CHAMPIONS' TITLE

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen came out on top in his battle with South African compatriot Branden Grace to retain his title in the Volvo Golf Champions at Durban Country Club, South Africa.

Oosthuizen trailed by one shot going into the final two holes but birdied them both to finish one shot clear of 2012 winner Grace, as he once again started the new year by winning the European Tour’s ‘tournament of champions’, following his victory by the same margin 12 months ago.

Grace had carded a closing 68 in the group ahead of his compatriot to set the clubhouse target of 11 under par 277 and then watched as former Open Champion Oosthuizen holed from two feet on the 17th and then chipped to the same distance for another birdie on the short par four 18th.

That meant Oosthuizen also signed for a round of 68, but that was enough for a 12 under par winning total of 276 and his seventh European Tour title, four of which have been on home soil.

“It’s great to start the year with a win again,” he said. “It feels really good and hopefully I can defend next year.  Volvo is an unbelievable company, with what they do for golf on The European Tour and worldwide, so to defend the Volvo Golf Champions tournament is special, and hopefully I can go three in a row.

“It looks like proper rest, with no golf, is the key for me. It doesn’t work all of the time, but it has for the last few years.”

Oosthuizen, whose 2013 season was hampered by a back injury, had started the day two strokes behind overnight leader Tommy Fleetwood, and had a slow start to his final round, carding seven consecutive pars before sinking a 12 foot eagle putt on the eighth hole.

He then dropped a shot on the tenth before back-to-back birdies on the 13 and 14^th holes pushed him into a share of the lead with Grace, who had posted a hat-trick of birdies from the sixth hole before his only bogey of the day on the 15^th hole.

Grace’s birdie on the 16^th, which Oosthuizen bogeyed, meant it was Grace who temporarily held the advantage, but Oosthuizen dug deep and produced the two closing birdies when it mattered most to retain his title.

“I knew Branden was going to make a charge and I saw him up there early. I really thought that you're going to see the South Africans coming through today, and Joost Luiten played really well but just missed a few putts.  He's a good player but Branden was the one that really spurred me on to finish well.”

Grace will rue his opening round of 74 and some missed chances during his final round as he fell just short in his bid for a fifth European Tour victory, having won the title two years ago when he defeated fellow countrymen Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in a play-off at Fancourt.

“I let a couple slip out there which was unfortunate, but it was a good start to the year,” he said. “If you told me my first event, I’d start off with a second place, and coming this close, I would have taken it.  So I'm very pleased.  The winner at the end of this week is going to be the true champion, and Louis played well, so he deserves it.”

Southport-born Fleetwood, who took a one stroke lead into the final round, carded a level par round of 72 to share third position on ten under par with Dutchman Luiten, who had a 71. 

Three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington closed with a round of 67 to finish a shot further back in a share of fifth position, alongside French pair Victor Dubuisson (72) and Raphaël Jacquelin. 
Thomas Bjorn never looked like winnng the title after saddling himself with a seven-over 79 in the first round. But subsequent scores of 68, 67 and 69 meant he covered the last 54 holes in a lower score than Oosthuizen - 12 under par to the winner's eight under for rounds two, three and four.
The Dane finished tied 10th on 283, seven shots behind Oosthuizen.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72)
Prizemoney in Euros
276 L Oosthuizen  (SAf) 68 69 71 68 (507,655)

277 B Grace  (SAf) 74 67 68 68 (326, 349)

278 J Luiten (Ned) 70 67 70 71, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 70 67 69 72 (174,053 each)

279 R Jacquelin (Fra) 67 73 70 69, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 69 69 69 72, P Harrington (Irl) 71 71 70 67 (116,761 each)

281 T Aiken (SAf) 72 72 70 67, J Quesne  (Fra) 74 73 66 68 (81,043 each).

283 M Manassero (Ita) 72 67 73 71, B Rumford (Aus) 73 70 68 72, T Björn (Den) 79 68 67 69 (64,545 each)

284 J Donaldson (Wal) 71 71 68 74, M Madsen  (Den) 71 74 69 70 (58,380 each)

285 C Schwartzel  (SAf) 74 69 68 74, M Siem  (Ger) 70 71 72 72, M Jiménez (Spa) 76 70 67 72 (52,941 each).

286 C Wood  (Eng) 70 71 71 74 (48,590).

287 P Casey  (Eng) 72 75 65 75, G Fernandez-Castaño  (Spa) 74 73 71 69, M Ilonen  (Fin) 73 73 69 72(46,414 each)

288 J Jeong (SKor) 73 76 68 71, D Lynn (Eng) 71 74 72 71(43,695 each)

289 K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 75 74 71 69, D Clarke (NIr) 69 71 72 77, C Montgomerie  (Sco) 70 74 69 76, D Howell (Eng) 76 69 71 73 (40,431 each).

291 R Sterne  (SAf) 72 73 73 73(37,711)

292 M Hoey  (NIr) 72 73 73 74, S Gallacher (Sco) 73 74 72 73 (36,080 each).

293 S Thornton (Irl) 70 72 80 71 (34,448)

294 R Karlsson (Swe) 74 72 73 75 (33,360)

295 D Van Der Walt (SAf) 71 71 75 78 (32,272)

296 P Uihlein  (USA) 70 78 70 78 (31,185)

297 D Fichardt (SAf) 73 71 74 79 (30,097)

300 J Olazábal (Esp) 73 77 77 73 (29,009).

CHRIS KIRK LEADS CROWDED LEADERBOARD IN HAWAII'S SONY OPEN

Chris Kirk in action in the third round on Hawaii. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

Chris Kirk fired a 5-under 65 to lead by one stroke after three rounds of the 2014 Sony Open at Honolulu, Hawaii. Will Wilcox finally got around to making his debut as a US PGA Tour rookie and is surprised as anyone to be in Sunday's final group.
As for Chris Kirk and Harris English, it's no surprise at all.

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Kirk got up-and-down from a bunker on the par-5 18th by making a 10-foot birdie putt for a 5-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead on 12-under-par 198 going into the final round of a Sony Open that remains up for grabs among at least a dozen players.
Cloudy conditions and only a gentle, Pacific breeze kept everyone in the mix Saturday at Waialae, even John Daly.
And even Wilcox.
The 27-year-old from Alabama made birdie on his last two holes for a 64 and is one shot behind on 199 alongside Harris English (67).

 Wilcox qualified for the RBC Canadian Open in 2010, and for the U.S. Open in 2011 at Congressional. He finally made it to the big leagues by finishing 10th on the Web.com Tour money list, although he didn't play in the Web.com Tour Finals or in the fall for what he only said were "unfortunate, personal things."
And here he is.
"I didn't know what was going to happen this week," Wilcox said. "Making the cut was a dream come true. Playing good on Saturday was a dream come true. Getting to have a decent shot tomorrow is ridiculous. We'll see."
Kirk, who is at 12-under 198, won The McGladrey Classic in November, his final tournament of 2013 before taking time off for the birth of his second child. 

He returned at Kapalua and shook off some rust. And while he closed with a 73 at Kapalua, it was a good day of scrambling and gave him a small measure of momentum on Oahu.
English, who had a 67, won the final event of 2013 in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. He goes for his third win in his last 16 starts on the US PGA Tour.
"It was just kind of `Grind it til you find it.' This course is tough," English said. 

"It's hard to hit the fairways, and you've just got to be a wizard around the greens, and that's kind of how I approached today. I didn't have my best golf, but I scraped it around at 3-under par and I'm still in this golf tournament."
So is everyone else it would seem.
Daly, whose participation in the third round was in doubt because of injury, matched the low score of the third round with a 64 and is five shots behind on 203. 

Masters champion Adam Scott didn't making up any ground, dropped two shots late in his round and finished with a two-putt birdie for a 71 and is six off the pace on 204
A dozen players are separated by three shots going into Sunday, a group that includes Hyundai Tournament of Champions winner Zach Johnson (66 for 201) as he tries to become the first player since Ernie Els in 2003 to sweep the Hawaii swing.
The plan for all the contenders is to not worry about anyone else because there would be too many players to worry about.
"When it's so close like that, everybody is going to be making some birdies here and there," Kirk said. "So I probably won't look at leaderboards as much as I normally would. 

"A lot of courses, I think, lend themselves to you need to know what your position is going into any given hole, but out here, I don't think that's really the case. They're just so volatile with guys making birdies and bogeys.
"I'll just probably try to keep my head down and make as many birdies as I can."
Former Sony Open champion Jerry Kelly (66) and Jimmy Walker (67) are at 10-under 200, while the group at 201 included Robert Allenby (65), Pat Perez (66), Retief Goosen (66) and Johnson, who had a 66. 

Brian Stuard, who had a one-shot lead going into the third round, had a 71 and also is still only three shots behind on 201
Perez was among those tied for the lead until he four-putted the 14th, the final three putts from 3 feet. PGA champion Jason Dufner three-putted from 3 feet on the 18th hole for a bogey and is four shots behind.
The long shot would have to be Wilcox, who learned to play from his mother, a golf pro at Pine Harbor in Alabama. Small for his age, he played at least 36 holes a day as a kid, a habit that only changed after he was old enough to drive.
On his bucket list was to play on the US PGA Tour. He checked that off. His dream foursome includes Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Boo Weekley, and he already has played with Weekley. The idea of winning is too far away, even though only 18 holes remain.
"I saw I was beating James Hahn by two or three. He was like 51st and I was in 13th or something," Wilcox said. "You've just got to play tight and make a couple of clutch putts, which I did today. I don't know. We'll see."
Having a decent shot might seem like a dream for Allenby considering where his game has been.
He made only five cuts in 24 tournaments last year and had to use an exemption from career money (top 25) to get his card. Allenby has been making enough putts to at least give himself a chance, and for that, he credits the games he plays at home in Florida. 

What should have been taken as an insult as turned into a benefit.
"I've been playing the guys at Admiral's Cove, all the 60-year-olds, and they make me putt out because they're like waiting for me to miss," he said. 

"I keep shooting 7-, 8-, 9-unders and stuff with them. They've put me in a good mental state for out here on tour.

LEADING THIRD ROUND TOTALS

Par 210 (3x70)

Players from USA unless stated

198 Chris Kirk 64 69 65

199 Will Wilcoz 69 66 64, Harris English 66 66 67

200 Jerry Kelly 67 67 66, Jimmy Walker 66 67 67

201 Jeff Overton 68 68 65, Robert Allenby (Australia) 68 68 65, Retief Goosen (Australia) 68 68 65, Retief Goosen (S Africa) 66 69 66, Pat Perez 68 67 66, Zach Johnson 68 67 66, Brian Stuard 65 65 71, Hideto Tanihara (Japan) 66 65 70

SELECTED SCORES

202 Jason Dufner 67 68 67, Marc Leishman (Australia) 67 64 71 (T13)

203 John Daly 66 73 64 (T18)

204 Matt Kuchar 68 68 68, Adam Sco9tt (Australia) 67 66 71 (T27).