ASIAN TOUR FINAL Q SCHOOL NEXT WEEK

CANADIAN YIP TOP QUALIFIER AT 

IMPERIAL LAKEVIEW

ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE

 A total of 60 players from the Asian Tour Qualifying School First Stage Section B progressed to the Final Stage after they made the grade on Saturday.

Canadian Ryan Yip led a total of 20 players from the Imperial Lakeview Golf Club to the all-important Final Stage where the top-40 and ties will earn their playing rights on the new 2014 Asian Tour season.
The 29-year-old claimed top spot after closing with a six-under-par 66 on 17-under-par 271 total while overnight leader Seb Gros of France settled for second place after returning with a 69.
At the Springfield Royal Country Club, American Alex Kang signed for a one-under-par 70 to top the leaderboard while compatriot Dodge Kemmer and Peter Vejgaard of Denmark compiled matching total of 279s to tie for second place after carding rounds of 66 and 73 respectively. A total of 20 players ensured their safe passage into the Final Stage at the Springfield Royal Country Club.
At the Royal Thai Army Sports Center, Australian 
Craig Hancock led a total of 18 players to the Final Stage after closing with a two-under-par 70 . Japanese Naomi Ohta finished one-shot back on eight-under-par 280 total while Mac Smith of England settled for third place after signing for a 71.
A total of 32 players had qualified for the Final Stage through the First Stage section A last week.
The Final Stage will be played at the Imperial Lakeview Golf Club and Springfield Royal Country Club next week from February 12-15.

For full Rd 4 Royal Thai results, click here.

For full Rd 4 Imperial Lakeview results, click here.
For full Rd 4 Springfield Royal results, click here.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING? NOT REALLY WITH THE WEATHER LIKE THIS

TOO WINDY TO PLAY AT PEBBLE BEACH

FROM THE GOLF CENTRAL WEBSITE
By WILL GRAY

High winds caused the suspension of play Saturday morning local time at the AT and T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Tournament leaders were only a few holes into their third rounds when officials halted play at 11:11 a.m. PT as winds whipped across Pebble Beach Golf Links. To maintain fair competition, players were also forced off the course at Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula.
With pace of play slowed by amateur participants, it remains to be seen whether the third round will be completed by sunset Saturday. When play was stopped, Jimmy Walker had a two-shot lead over Hunter Mahan and Jordan Spieth. 
Mahan and Walker are playing Monterey Peninsula during the third round. Spieth is playing Pebble Beach. No player in the field was better than 2 under on his round when play was suspended.
The US PGA Tour later announced that play will resume at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time, meaning a total stoppage of play of more than two hours.
With Mother Nature making her presence known, players and media members alike took to Twitter to offer commentary on the difficult playing conditions:

ALASTAIR FORSYTH NOW LEADING SCOTT AS CRAIG LEE FADES

LOCAL HEROES AIKEN AND WALTERS 

LEAD JOBURG OPEN

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

with a few additional words by Colin Farquharson Colin@scottishgolfview.com

It's amazing how well South African players do in Europe Tour events played in their home land. With three players in the leading six and seven in the top 20 after 54 holes, they are rising to the occasion again in the Joburg Open.

Johannesburg-born pair Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters will lead the battle for a home win on Sunday after storming ahead during the third round at Royal Johannesburg Kensington Golf Club.
Aiken - whose surname suggests he has some Scottish blood in his veins - shot a nine under par 63 over the East Course, while Walters responded with a 64 as the duo reached 17 under par – two clear of South Korean Jin Jeong.
“I’ve been in a lot of final groups, won twice in Europe and seven times on the Sunshine Tour, so I know what pressures there are going to be,” said Aiken.
“If you just go and do what you do best, stick to your gameplan and take it shot by shot then the best golfer will win at the end of the day.
Two-time European Tour winner Aiken struck his approach to three feet at the ninth to complete an outward 33, holed a 20 footer at the 11th then, after another birdie at the 12th, converted an unlikely 50 foot effort on the 14th.

The 30 year old then finished with a birdie from six feet at the 17th and got up-and-down at the par five last for a tenth gain of the day.
South Africans have won five of the seven stagings of this event, and Walters gave them a second shot at making it six from eight with seven birdies in his first 11 holes – notably an approach to six feet at the third and 40ft putt at the 11th.
The 33-year-old rose to prominence at the end of last season when he finished second in Portugal courtesy of a 60ft putt on the final hole that saw him break down in tears as he secured his European Tour card two weeks after losing his mother to cancer, and his fighting qualities were on display again as he responded to a bogey at the 16th, where he found the back bunker, with a second to two feet at the par five 18th for a tap-in eagle.
“I hit the ball so well today,” said Walters. “Going into the day I just wanted to move forward a little bit, because my last attempt from this position I went quite backwards. I was aware of that and I made a strong effort to be aggressive today.
“I’ve got one more round tomorrow and I’m so happy that I’ve put myself into a strong position. I’m super excited for tomorrow, because it’s what we play for.”
Of his eagle at the last, Walters added: “Considering the situation I am in it was pretty vital, because giving him (Aiken) a nice lead on this course will make him hard to catch.
“To hit a close one in there on the last and to hear the grandstand roar from way back down the fairway gives you the goosebumps, and that’s why we play. It’s nice to give people something to cheer about.
“Tomorrow is certainly a good opportunity, and I will be nervous, but hopefully I can improve on my record in South Africa.”
Jeong, a winner in Perth at the end of 2013, had five birdies, an eagle and a single dropped shot in his round of 66, with Finland’s Roope Kakko a stroke further back in fourth following a 67.
Overnight leaders Edoardo Molinari and Craig Lee could only manage rounds of 72 and 74 respectively to lose ground on the leaders.
SCOTSWATCH:
Craig Lee tumbled down from joint first to sharing 18th place on 206, following up very good rounds of 65 and 67 with a moderate - in this company - 74.
The Stirling man turned in one-over 37 after birdies at the first, long sixth and long eighth but offsetting bogeys ast the short second and par-4 seventh.
Lee came undone early on the inward half with a bogey at the 11th and a double bogey 5 at the short 12th.

The leading Scot is now Alastair Forsyth, pictured, tied fifth, four strokes off the lead. Forsyth started like a house on fire - birdies at the long first, fouth, shot fifth and long sixth on his way to an outward half of four-under-par 33.
The Glasgow man cooled off a bit with bogeys at the 11th and 14th but finished strongly with birdies five and six at the short 16th and long 18th.
Dunbar's David Drysdale, the only other Scot to make the cut, did not have a god day and dropped back to a share of 67th place on 212. Drysdale had a double bogey 6 at the third and dropped another at the  fourth to be three over for the day on the fifth tee.
He stopped the rot with a birdie 4 at the long sixth and was out in 39. He bogeyed the 15th and birdied the long 18th.
Three Open Championship places are also on offer tomorrow for those not already exempt and, with the only player in the current top ten already qualified for Royal Liverpool being France’s Grégory Bourdy, that contest also looks set to go down to the wire.
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
par 215 (2 x 72s, 1 x 71)
Players from S Africa unless stated
198 Thomas Aiken 70 65 63, Justin Walters 64 70 64
200 Jin Jeong (S Korea) 65 69 66
201 Roope Kakko (Finland) 70 64 67
202 Alastair Forsyth (Scotland) 64 70 68, George Coetzee 65 68 69
203 David Horsey (England) 70 63 70
204 Edoardo Molinari (Italy) 64 68 72
205 Anthony Wall (England) 69 70 66, Byeong-hutt An (S Korea) 69 68 68 

OTHER SCOTS'  SCORES
206 Craig Lee 65 67 74 (T18)
212 David Drysdale 71 67 74 (T67).

CLICK ON THE LINE BELOW FOR THE FULL

SCOREBOARD

Full Leaderboard

FIGHTMASTER CUP AT STIRLING GOLF CLUB, SEPTEMBER 12-14

EUROPE v NORTH AMERICA

   The Ryder Cup of Disabled One-armed Golf

NEWS RELEASE  

This will be the fourth time the match has been held for the Fightmaster Cup, the score being 2-1 in Europe's favour. Europe are the holders.

This year's match is at Stirling Golf Club from September 12 to 14, 14 days in advance of the Ryder Cup match at Gleneagles..
The one-armed transatlantic contest is always held close to the Ryder Cup, both in location and date, and follows exactly the format of the Ryder Cup with the teams featuring the very best of one-armed golfers from both sides of the Atlantic.
The best one-armed golfers have handicaps as low as five.

The objective is to publicise that golf, although regarded as a two-arm sport, can be played successfully with one arm if a person is unfortunate enough to lose the use of an arm. 

A golf clinic will also be held for any person only able to use one arm who would like to come along and try one-armed golf.

The Society of One-Armed Golfers was founded in 1932.  

Initially the society was formed principally for golfers who had lost an arm in the first World War but, over the years, has evolved and is now open to golfers who have lost the use of an arm through road or industrial accidents, birth defects or because of neurological reasons.
Society vice-president Peter Priscott said:  "Our objective is to provide a level playing field for such golfers and our criteria is that every shot must be played using only one arm and without the aid of prosthetics or other aids.

"The loss of an arm or its use is a traumatic experience and the Society has inspired many people to continue as normally as possible with their lives."

The Society holds national competitions every year plus a World Championship which is attended by around 50-70 golfers of all standards from a dozen countries.

The costs of organising the Fightmaster Cup are considerable and if any individual or company would like to sponsor the event, donations can be made through PayPal at www.onearmgolf.org/Fightmaster.htm or by cheque to the address above.

JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR PGA QUALIFIED/REGISTERED ASSISTANT

PGA Assistant Professional required at Paul 

Lawrie Golf Centre

An opportunity has arisen for a PGA Qualified/Registered Assistant to join the team at this first class golf facility on the south side of Aberdeen.

The successful applicant will be completely customer focussed and must be willing to work a shift system, including weekends and evenings. Experience in retail and custom fitting are essential at this busy, high profile golf centre.

Facilities include a 27-bay driving range, nine-hole par-3 golf course, five-hole short-game practice area, custom-fit studio, putt lab, three teaching studios and a comprehensive retail area.

Please send C.V. with cover letter to Robbie Stewart, PGA Director of Golf, Paul Lawrie Golf Centre at Robbie@paullawriegolfcentre.co.uk

RYAN EVANS WINS 72-HOLE AMATEUR TOURNEY DOWN UNDER

England’s Ryan Evans “ripped it” with a final round 66 to come from six shots back and snatch a one-stroke win in the Avondale Amateur Medal in New South Wales, Australia. The victory, on 11-under par, sealed a superb tour Down Under for Evans who, two weeks ago, also won the prestigious Lake Macquarie International at Belmont in New South Wales. His play during the five-week tour of Australia has taken him up to eighth in the world amateur rankings - and that’s before his latest triumph is taken into account. Evans, an England international from Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, was well placed at the halfway stage of the Avondale Medal. He had blitzed the course with a seven-under 64 in the second round – the best score of the tournament – and, adding it to his opening 68, was just two shots off the lead set by Australia’s Harrison Endycott.But in the third round Evans slipped back with a score of 75, which he was later to describe as “terrible” on Twitter.  Endycott went round in level par and held a six-shot lead going into the final round. Undaunted, Evans played the final round in five-under 66, telling his Twitter followers: “I ripped it this afternoon.”  Meanwhile, the leader faltered with a two-over 73 and the Englishman grabbed the title. There was more good news for England when Harry Casey, from Enfield in Middlesex, swept up the leaderboard into a share of third place. He was three-over and lying 27th after two rounds but completed the tournament with scores of 66, 67 to finish on six-under par. Both Casey and Evans were members of England’s winning team at the 2013 Home internationals. The last English winner of the Avondale Medal was Matthew Cryer of Coventry, who was successful in 2008, when the event was played over 36 holes. Click here for the final scores Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf

LIVE SCORING FROM JOBURG OPEN

TO VIEW THE EUROPEAN TOUR'S LIVE SCORING SERVICE FROM THE THIRD ROUND OF THE JOBURG OPEN

CLICK HERE

LINK TO ASIAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL SCORES

TO VIEW THE FINAL TOTALS IN THE ASIAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL SECTION B AT IMPERIAL LAKEVIEW GOLF CLUB

CLICK HERE