Monday, January 20, 2014

David Law pays tribute to part Paul Lawrie has played in his development



Sam Locke, leadng Scot in last year's Scottish U16 open amateur championship at Portlethen.     Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency. 
LOCKE, FISHER AND  YOUNGEST 

LAWRIE IN NEW PAUL LAWRIE TEAM

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Paul Lawrie has laid the foundations of a new Team Lawrie of young amateur prospects.
"The original team - which included David Law, Jordan Findlay, Kris Nicol, Philip McLean and Laura Murray - have all now turned pro, so the new kids on the black are Sam Locke, Adam Fisher and Michael Lawrie," said Paul.
Locke, stepson of Lawrie's swing coach, Andrew Locke, is a Banchory Golf Club junior member and finished joint fifth - the leading Scot - in last summer's Scottish Under-16 boys' championship at Portlethen. He brought his handicap down from 10 to 2 in a matter of months in 2013.
Adam Fisher (Newmachar) is another top North-east of Scotland teenage prospect as is Paul's younger son, Michael, a Deeside Golf Club junior member with a low handicap.
David Law, winner of the Northern Open in 2011, has been the most successful "old boy" from Team Lawrie.
He was earmarked by Paul for greater things BEFORE he won the Scottish boys' match-play championship, then the Scottish men's amateur championship twice as a Hazlehead GC member.
Law acknowledges that the 1999 Open champion has played a big part in his own career.
"I was looked after by Paul Lawrie from about the age of 16. I think it's fantastic he is helping three more youngsters," said David who hopes that his first campaign on the Challenge Tour in the 2014 season will lead to promotion to the European Tour.
"At the age Paul began to help me I was really needing guidance and the advice and his help speeded up my transition from boys' golf to the men's game and then from amateur to professional.
"Paul's input in coaching my short game, course management, scheduling and other golfing affairs has been invaluable to me and I know Sam, Adam and Michael will learn a great deal from him.
"As we all know golf is a difficult game to succeed at but with a mentor like Paul it certainly gives you the best chance possible to do so
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PATRICK REED JUMPS INTO WORLD TOP 50 FOR FIRST TIME

Humana Challenge winner Patrick Reed has made it into the world top 50 rankings. The 23-year-old American, who won the R and A Junior Open as a 16-year-old at Heswall GC, Lancashire in 2006, has surged from No 69 to No 41 with his second win in his last nine starts.
Runner-up Ryan Palmer has gone up from No. 122 to No. 71.
In Abu Dhabi, Pablo Larrazabal's surprise victory has seen him jump up 50 places - from No 103 to No 53.
Phil Mickelson leapfrogged over Justin Rose back into No 4 in the world.

McIlroy, however, was unable to make a dent in the rankings because Zach Johnson closed with 62 and finished T-3 at the Humana.
The rest of the top 10:
1 Tiger Woods
2 Adam Scott
3 Henrik Stenson
4 Phil Mickelson
5 Justin Rose
6 Zach Johnson
7 Rory McIlroy
8 Matt Kuchar
9 Steve Stricker
10 Jason Day 
11 Sergo Garcoa
12 Ian Poulter
13 Jason Dufner
14 Brandt Snedeker
15 Dustin Johnson
16 Graeme McDowell
17 Jordan Spieth
18 Charl Schwartzel
19 Webb Simpson
20 Luke Donald

SCOTS' RANKINGS
64 Stephen Gallacher
86 Martin Laird
113 Marc Warren
119 Scott Jamieson
127 Paul Lawrie
150 Richie Ramsay
190 Craig Lee
227 Russell Knox
322 David Drysdale
327 Chris Doak
328 Peter Whiteford
334 Jamie McLeary
403 Doug McGuigan
450 Andrew McArthur
462 Scott Henry
476 Duncan Stewart

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NORTH ALLIANCE REPORT AND PRIZEWINNERS


TAIN PLAYERS WIN TOP SCRATCH AND HANDICAP PRIZES

By ROBIN WILSON
Local +1 handicap lefty, Munro Ferries, three times a winner of the Alliance Quaich for aggregate scores, enjoyed his first individual Alliance success of the season at Tain.
The home champion has played in only three fixtures this winter and very little other golf and it showed over his first few holes. A double bogey opening hole six where he took four putts from the front of the green saw him struggle to the tenth tee with an outward five over par card of 40.
The cobwebs brushed down from his swing his inward half figures were back to his normal best. A birdie 4 on the long 13th hole spurred him forward and he picked up two more birdies at the end of his round
A 2 at the 16th hole and a closing birdie 3 brought his his inward half card down to 33 to lead the scratch returns with a 73. 

The elder Ferries sibling, Billy, shot 75 for a second scratch place after his senior club mate, Andrew Watt, with two stable halves of 35 and 38 matched the winner's scratch score. But, Watt, with his handicap of six, recorded a Tain double when elevated to winner of the Class 1 section, with nett 67. 
In the same section Thurso's John Meiklejohn found his putter in late overdrive mode, holing monster putts in succession on the 16th and 17th greens for birdie 2s. When  he overshot the final green he gave back a shot with a bogey 5 to fall back into second handicap place with nett 68, off 7. The Class 1 section winner's list was completed by Reay's Wayne Mowat, gross 77 for nett 71, and Golspie's Alistair Bell gross 80, nett 72.
Thurso travellers to Tain did find a winner in the higher handicap section by way of eleven handicapper Stanley Ross who broke 40 in each half ( 39 and 38) for gross 77, nett 67 to win by one shot from local Alan Sangster who left his push for first place too late. 
The local eleven handicapper finished with three pars for an inward 38 and gross 79 reducing to nett 68. 
Although Durness members missed out on the prize list at the last fixture at Reay, there were eleven of them in the entry of forty at Tain and last off the course, Martin Mackay, handed in a card of nett 70 to grab third place ahead of Reay's Alistair Gunn.
The fixtures' venues return to Caithness next month when, on February 9, Wick is the venue.

TAIN RESULTS
Scratch
73  M Ferries (Tain) (40-33), A Watt (Tain) (35-38).
75 B Ferries (Tain) (36-39).
Handicap 
Class 1 – A Watt (Tain) (6) 67; J Meiklejohn (Thurso) (7) 68; W Mowat (Reay) (6) 71; A Bell (Golspie) (8) 72.  
Class 2 – S Ross (Thurso) (10) 67; A Sangster (Tain) (11) 68; M Mackay (Durness) (11) 70; A Gunn (Reay) (10) 73.

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RYDER CUP SPIN-OFF COULD SEE MORE AMERICANS GOLFING IN HIGHLANDS




The iconic 1960s Golspie clubhouse below the Duke's monument on Ben Bhraggie
Picture by Robin Wilson

Brora and Golspie in Top 100 Best Value Golf 

Courses listed by National magazine


 By ROBIN WILSON

The months are counting down to one of the world's most spectacular sporting occasions, the Ryder Cup returning to the home of golf for the first time since Muirfield in 1973.
This year's venue, Gleneagles, from September 
26 to 28  is expected to bring a quarter of a million golfing visitors to Scotland.

First Minister Alex Salmond has said that the spin-off will benefit the whole of Scotland and golf clubs in the North will be looking to be among the beneficiaries if a recent poll by the National Club Golfer Magazine entices the supporting American visitors our way with what dollars they have left.

Scotland's Open Championship venues, St. Andrews, Carnoustie,  Muirfied and Royal Troon will be the “must play” choice of many but at what cost? 
All three are in the three-figure price range so National Club Golfer went searching for and rated  the best value golf courses in the UK having a visitor's green fee under £100 and found six in the Highlands including two in Sutherland, Brora and Golspie.

In the magazine's countdown to the national number one they rated North Berwick at a fee of £90 the best. They gave Golspie the position of number 6 at a green fee of £45, saying of it
“Beautifully presented and with as much variety as you could ever wish with the special feature of   
“a warm and genuine welcome as anywhere in the land”

Brora golf course is listed at No. 71 with its £48 green fee. 
“An achingly romantic place to be, especially during the endless summer days. The greens roped off to keep the sheep at bay, and the holes blending seamlessly into the landscape. This James Braid links is as natural as they come,” said the panel of adjudicators

Curtis Cup venue, The Nairn, and just under the £100 requisite at £95 gets the runner up place by the Magazine and voted in at number 49 is Lossiemouth's Moray Old. 
On the main artery into the North can be found the little gem of the Cairngorms, Boat of Garten, rated No. 34 at £41green fee  and number 60, Spey Valley at £60.  



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NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR

SENIOR OPEN FOR SUNNINGDALE 2105 
 
and CARNOUSTIE 2016
 
The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex will return to Sunningdale Golf Club in 2015 followed by Carnoustie Golf Links in 2016, it was announced today.  It will be the second time The Senior Open Championship has visited each of the venues, with Sunningdale’s Old Course having staged the 2009 Championship, when American Loren Roberts defeated compatriot Fred Funk and Ireland’s Mark McNulty in a play-off, and Germany’s Bernhard Langer triumphing at Carnoustie a year later, holding off the challenge of 2010 US Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin. 
The announcement follows Rolex’s long term commitment to The European Tour and The R&A, revealed at the end of the 2013 season, which included continuing as Presenting Sponsor of The Senior Open Championship until at least 2022.
Last year The Senior Open Championship attracted record crowds of 45,575 as American Mark Wiebe defeated two-time Masters Champion Langer in a play-off at Royal Birkdale.
 It will be another historic occasion this year when Wales welcomes its first Senior Major Championship, as the Senior Open Championship visits Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Bridgend, from July 24-27. 
The Championship will then return to Sunningdale from July 23-26, 2015 – its eighth staging on English soil - before heading to Scotland for the first time since Turnberry in 2012 when Carnoustie hosts the 30th edition of The Senior Open Championship from July 21-14, 2016. 
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships, at The R&A, said on behalf of the Championship: “Rolex has been a long term supporter of the Senior Open Championship and we are delighted that they have extended this arrangement. After a hugely successful Senior Open at Royal Birkdale we are very much looking forward to taking the Championship to two outstanding venues in Sunningdale in 2015 and Carnoustie in 2016.
“Both are iconic courses and have successfully staged The Senior Open Championship once before, so the players will look forward to returning to them.” 
In addition to The 2009 Senior Open Championship, Sunningdale has also hosted the British Masters, the European Open, The Seve Trophy, the Walker Cup, and International Final Qualifying for The Open Championship, as well as the Ricoh Women’s British Open. 
Meanwhile, Carnoustie has hosted The Open Championship on seven occasions, most recently in 2007 when Ireland’s Padraig Harrington claimed his first Claret Jug after defeating Spain’s Sergio Garcia in a play-off.
Tickets for The 2014 Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex can be bought online via www.senioropengolf.com or by calling +44 (0)800 0232557, with details of hospitality packages also available. 

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US SENIORS TOUR REPORT AND FINAL TOTALS

BERNHARD LANGER'S LATE BIRDIE BLITZ FOR HAWAII VICTORY
               Picture of Bernhard Langer with the trophy on Hawaii by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

FROM THE US CHAMPIONS TOUR WEBSITE
KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii (AP) -- Bernhard Langer birdied five of the last six holes Sunday to pull away from Fred Couples and Jeff Sluman and win the Mitsubishi Electric Championship by three strokes.
The 56-year-old Florida-based German shot his second straight 64 in the final round of the winners-only event that opened the 35th season of the Champions Tour. He finished with a 54-hole total of 22-under 194 at Hualalai.
Langer and Couples shared the lead at 14 under going into the final day. Sluman was two back, but surged ahead at the turn, his fifth birdie putt taking him to 17 under.

"It's a new year and my goal was to get over the hurdle and win as soon as possible," said Langer, who won here five years ago. "I'm very pleased and extremely blessed to play golf like this. To be 22 under doesn't happen very often."
Langer, who is 41 under in his last seven rounds at Hualalai, earned his 19th senior victory, but first since April despite a string of top-10 finishes the last half of 2013.
He and Couples shared the lead at 14 under going into the final day under ideal conditions. Sluman was two back, but surged ahead at the turn, his fifth birdie putt taking him to 17 under. All but one came from inside 6 feet.
"My iron shots were pretty bueno on those," said Sluman, who was making in his 80th consecutive senior start. He has been among the tour's top-20 money winners the last five years.
Langer and Couples caught him at 18 under with birdies on No. 13.
Langer just kept rolling, two-putting for birdie on the next hole to grab the lead alone, then draining three more birdie putts from inside 12 feet.
Sluman closed with a 65. Couples, looking for his 10th Champions win and second in a row, had a 67. After playing Hualalai's par-5's in 6 under on the opening day, he was just 4 under combined the final two days.
Two-time Champions Tour Player of the Year Jay Haas made a late charge after parring all but two of the first 12 holes. He birdied the 13th, then chipped in for eagle and birdie to get within two on the 16th hole.
He could make up no more ground on the streaking Langer. Haas, one of eight 60-year-olds in the field of 41, birdied the final hole to shot a 65 and finish fourth at 199.
First-round leader Rocco Mediate also got within two with his seventh birdie of the day, at the 15th, but parred the final four. He shared fifth with David Frost -- who lost a playoff with John Cook here last year -- at 16 under.
Langer, who earned $307,000 for the win, came up a shot short of making play-offs at both Champions Tour events in Hawaii last year. The seniors play here again Sept. 18-21 in the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship at Kapolei.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72) Players from USA unless stated
194 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 66 64 64
197 Jeff Sluman 66 66 65, Fred Couples 65 65 69
199 Jay Haas 68 66 65
200 Rocco Mediate 63 70 67
201 Mark O'Meara 66 65 70, David Frost (S Africa) 68 64 69
SELECTED TOTAL
208 Roger Chapman (England) 67 71 70 (T19)

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

CLICK HERE
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2006 R and A JUNIOR OPEN WINNER SCORES AGAIN ON US TOUR

PATRICK REED WINS HUMANA CHALLENGE BY TWO SHOTS FROM RYAN PALMER

       Patrick Reed with the Humana Challenge Trophy. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

In the final round of the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation, Patrick Reed carded a 1-under 71 to reach 28 under par and win by two strokes from Ryan Palmer at La Quinta, California.
Reed, winner of the 2006 RandA Junior Open at Heswall GC, Lancashire, started the final round with a seven-shot lead after a record-setting performance over the tournament's first 54 holes. He finished off the wire-to-wire win, but not before other players challenged his lead. Reed opened the Humana with three consecutive 9-under 63s to set the US PGA Tour record for low 54-hole score in relation to par. His 71 on Sunday was good for a 28-under 260 total and two-shot win over Ryan Palmer (63).
“It wasn’t pretty, but it was a lot less stressful than I thought,” said Reed, who earned more than a million dollars and 500 FedExCup points with his victory to move into No. 8 in the standings.
Reed, 23, now owns two victories in 31 starts as a Tour member; both having come in his past nine starts. He won his first title after beating Jordan Spieth in a play-off at the Wyndham Championship in August.
Reed, who held a five-shot lead at the turn Sunday, was only two shots ahead after Zach Johnson's birdie at the par-5 18th hole. Reed responded by making a 17-foot birdie putt at the par-3 15th hole to take a three-shot lead with three holes remaining.
“To birdie 15 and know I sealed it then, it felt comfortable, it felt great,” Reed said. “I was able to play the last three holes just for par rather than trying to make birdies or trying to make something happen.”
He was on the 18th tee when Ryan Palmer made eagle to cut the deficit to two shots again. Reed laid up on the reachable par-5 18th and made an easy par to secure the two-shot victory.
Reed took a call from former President Bill Clinton -- the tournament is run in partnership with the Clinton Foundation -- during his interview session.
"He told me to get myself back in that zone more often," Reed said. "Because he said it was a lot of fun to watch."
Palmer made a 15-foot eagle putt on the final hole for a 63.
"What can you do with what Patrick did this week?" Palmer said. "It's ridiculous what he did. Amazing how good he played. We'll come up a couple short, but it was a win in my game because I was playing for second today."
Zach Johnson and Justin Leonard tied for third at 25 under. Johnson birdied the final five holes for a 62, the best round of the week.
"I got red hot at the end," Johnson said.
The Kapalua winner is taking a four-week break.
"Hopefully, I can maintain where I'm at," Johnson said.
Leonard parred his last two for a 65.
"Would love to have made a few more putts," Leonard said.
Other than the 18-footer on No. 15, the longest putt Reed holed was a 5-footer for par on the par-4 13th. That was a crucial putt after he played the previous eight holes in 1 over with four bogeys and three birdies.
"I knew that if I didn't make that putt, then it was going to get interesting," Reed said. "To make that putt kind of gave me a little bit more fire saying, `All right, well, we're running out of holes for people to make a lot of birdies.'"
Reed missed two 6-foot par putts and an 8-footer and dropped another stroke with a poor bunker shot on the par-3 12th.
"It would either just stop just short, or it would break at the very end and break off the planet and lip out," Reed said. "It seemed like nothing would go in."
On Saturday, Reed broke the PGA TOUR record for relation to par for the first 54 holes, finishing at 27 under. He also became the first player in TOUR history to open with three rounds of 63 or better. On Sunday, he became the second player in the event to lead wire-to-wire, joining 1977 winner Rik Massengale.
"To have a day where I felt like I had probably about my C or D game and still shoot under par, and to close off a victory, that means a lot to me," Reed said.
Reed's wife, Justine, is pregnant with their first child, forcing her to turn over caddieing duties to her brother, Kessler Karain. She has walked every hole this year and plans to caddie again after the baby arrives around Memorial Day.
"I can't wait to be a dad and have a little girl running around," Reed said.
After helping Augusta State win NCAA titles in 2010 and 2011, Reed drew attention in 2012 when he successfully Monday-qualified for six events. He earned his TOUR card in December 2012, surviving six rounds of Q-school at PGA West.
"We have worked so hard at it," Reed said. "Especially, with my wife and I, how hard we have worked the past 2 years, through Q-School, through the Monday qualifiers, and through here to get two wins in less than half a year." 
Inverness-born Russell Knox, 28, achieved his biggest US PGA Tour cheque and highest finish with a total of 20-under-par 268. He shot 65, 70, 67 and 66 for joint 13th place finish, earning $103,740. 
Knox birdied his last five holes for a last-round total of eight birdies in all.
Fellow Scot Martin Laird finished T25 on 271 with scores of 69, 66, 68 and 68. 

Print This Story   LEADING FINAL TOTALS
    Par 288 (4x72) Players from USA unless stated
260 Patrick Reid 63 63 63 71
262 Ryan Palmer 64 65 70 63
263 Zach Johnson 65 68 68 62, Justin Leonard 66 67 65 65
264 Brian Stuard 67 66 66 65

SELECTED TOTALS
268 Russell Knox (Scotland) 65 70 67 66 (T13)

271 Martin Laird (Scotland) 69 66 68 68 (T25)
273 Brian Davis (England) 69 71 66 67 (T38)

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

CLICK HERE






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ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE

                                        Kiradech Aphibarnrat with the Asian Tour chairman
 
KIRADECH SAVOURS ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT SUCCESS
 
Kuala Lumpur: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat achieved his childhood dream after being officially crowned as the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit champion following the conclusion of the 2013 season.                                                                                      
The 24-year-old Kiradech emulated his idols Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant in becoming the region’s top player and vowed to push ahead with other career goals, including winning a Major championship and becoming a world’s top-50 player.
“When I turned pro in 2009, I was just trying to keep my card to continue having the opportunity to play year after year. But the top Thai players like Thongchai and Thaworn all won the Order of Merit titles and I always hoped that one day, I could also have the opportunity to win the Merit title,” said Kiradech.
During a season which four other Thais were victorious on the Asian Tour, Kiradech believes that growing up in the company of golf legends has played a big role in developing him into a top player.
“I always learn something from the top Thai players. Thongchai always reminds me that you have not won until the last hole is played while Thaworn plays his own game no matter what. We are lucky to have Boonchu (Ruangkit). In my rookie year, he told me that it is all about believing in yourself and your own ability,” said Kiradech.
Thanks to one victory and five other top-five finishes, Kiradech became only the second player after India’s Jeev Milkha Singh to earn over US$1 million in winnings in a single season, earning US$1.12 million.
His popular win at the Maybank Malaysian Open and a joint third finish at the CIMB Classic, also in Malaysia, were worth US$864,000.

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