EMIGRATED FROM SCOTLAND IN 1981 BUT COMES HOME REGULARLY

NEW PRESIDENT OF GOLF CANADA IS A SCOT - DOUGLAS ALEXANDER

 

FROM DOUGLAS ALEXANDER
Glasgow-born President of Golf Canada
Colin, I have read your columns for a long time and found them a very good way to stay informed about golf in Scotland.  
I emigrated to Canada in 1981, but still have family in Bearsden and am home on a regular basis.  
I played at Prestwick and Western Gailes last October in the triangular matches between the senior associations of Canada, Britain and the United States. 
However, the purpose of my note is to let you know that as an exile I have assumed the presidency of Golf Canada, the governing body of golf in Canada. 
I am attaching some notes (scroll down to read them) that were used by our past president in introducing me at our annual meeting, which will provide you with a little background.  
Should you need any more info, there are some articles and remarks at golfcanada.ca.  
I grew up playing golf at Hilton Park and have many fond memories of learning under the guidance of Jimmy McCondochie.
If you are ever short of material, I thought the Scottish connection with golf in Canada may be of interest.
Please keep up the great coverage.
With best regards,
Douglas Alexander

Badge of Office speaking notes – Mike Carroll

• As my final official duty as 2013 president, I am honoured to present the Badge of Office to our incoming president, my good friend Mr. Doug Alexander.

• As I call Doug forward, a few of his many personal and professional highlights:

• Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Doug has had a passion for golf since the age of 5.

•  In 1981, he emigrated to Canada and in 1989 made his home in London, Ontario where he currently resides with his wife Anne.  They have two children Rob and Lisa. 

• Doug credits his interest in golf to his mother, father and grandmother who introduced him to the game. His mother was a multiple-time club champion at Hilton Park Golf Club just outside of Glasgow.

• At the age of 13, Doug began his competitive golf career, playing in various tournaments such the Scottish boys championship and also the British youths championship in 1975 when the field included Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam.

• In Doug’s own words, playing in the British youths championship against the likes of Faldo was when was he realised he needed a career outside of playing golf – but don’t let him fool you, he is a great competitor.

• He attended Glasgow University in Scotland from 1974-1977 where he also played on the University Golf Team. 

• He began his career as a chartered accountant in 1980 and shortly after emigrated to Canada.

• Doug spent his first six years in Canada working with Ernst and Young. He is qualified as a chartered accountant in both Scotland and Canada.

• He was first introduced to Golf Canada by past president Garry West – Doug worked admission at the Canadian Open for a few years before being promoted to Chair of Parking.

• Doug relocated to London, Ontario in 1989, where he served as the Chief Financial Officer of London Life and Trojan Technologies. 

• After moving to London, Ontaro he continued his involvement as a volunteer with Golf Canada and would go on to serve on the Board for the Golf Association of Ontario (GAO).

• In London, Ontario, Doug was an active member at West Haven Golf Club before moving to London Hunt and Country Club in 1995 where he is proud member today.  He served on the Board of London Hunt for six years and was Club President in 2010. 

• If you ask Doug, he’ll likely downplay his success in competitive golf but he is four-time club champion at three different clubs in three different countries!

• He won the 1976 Club Championship at Hilton Park in Scotland; the 2009 Club Championship at London Hunt – ending what he calls ‘his 33 year winless streak’ – and also the 2009 and 2011 Club Championships at Kiawah Island in South Carolina.

• In 2006, Doug began his career as a Corporate Director and has served on the Board a number of companies and non profit organizations.  He achieved his Chartered Director designation in 2010. 

• Doug became a Golf Canada volunteer once again in 2006 when the Canadian Women’s Open visited the London Hunt and Country Club – he served as co-chair that year and has been very active with our association ever since. 

• 2010 was a busy year for Doug – he was President of the London Hunt and Country Club, served as the tournament chair for the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at his home club and also took part in the championship as a competitor.  

• In was also in 2010 that Doug was invited to join Golf Canada’s Board of Directors.

• In 2013, he served as Golf Canada’s 1^st Vice-President; was Chair of the Investment and Compensation Committees and also served as a member of the Audit and Risk, Amateur Championships and Professional Championships committees.

• He is currently chairman of the Board of Hydrogenics Corporation and also sits on the board of both Equitable Life Insurance Company and Critical Outcome Technologies. 

• Active in his home community, Doug is also a past chair of the London Health Sciences Centre and a past campaign chair for the United Way of London, Ontaro

• Thanks to Doug’s expertise, leadership and spirit of volunteerism, I step away confident that this fine association is in capable handS

• Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to pass along the Badge of Office and my distinct honour to introduce our 111^th president, Mr. Doug Alexander.

  

HOST COUNTRY MAKE UP ONE-POINT LEEWAY IN SINGLES

SCOTS AND SOUTH AFRICA ON LEVEL

PEGGING AT HALFWAY IN TEST MATCH

Scotland and South Africa will start the second and final day of their golfing "Test Match" at Leopard Creek, Malelane with 6pt apiece.

The Scots had the edge in the morning foursomes and led 2 1/2-1 1/2 at lunchtime.
The South Africans hit back to take the singles 4 1/2-3 1/2 to level the scoreline at the halfway stage.
Scott Gibson from Southerness (pictured) was the only Scot to end the day with a 100 per cent record. He won his foursomes in partnership with Graeme Robertson and
then won his singles.
South Africa's national coach, Llewellyn van Leeuwen, was pleased that his players could close the gap and put South Africa on equal footing.
"Now it's all going to be about the final day's play," said Van Leeuwen.
"I think the boys fought valiantly this afternoon. Six of the matches went the full distance and a couple of the Scots missed some short putts at the 18th to give us halves.
"I feel very fortunate to be in a 6-all position and now it will be up to the players to come out strong and secure a victory."
South African No 1 Christiaan Bezuidenhout lost by 2 and 1 in the top singles to Blairgowrie's Bradley Neil, the 2013 Scottish Under-18 boys'
match-play champion. Neil and Gibson were Scotland's only winners in the singles. 
 ut victories from debutants Thriston Lawrence, NJ Arnoldi and Philip Kruse in the Singles gave the team a solid boost.

Halves from Zander Lombard, Louis Taylor and Matthew Spacey, who also donned national colours for the first time, ensured that the South Africans have a fighting chance in the final round on Wednesday.

South Africa's national coach, Llewellyn van Leeuwen, was pleased that his players could close the gap and put South Africa on equal footing with the Scottish side.

“Now it’s all going to be about the final day’s play,” said Van Leeuwen. “I think the boys fought valiantly this afternoon. Six of the matches went the full distance and a couple of the Scots missed some short putts at the 18^th to give us halves.

“I feel very fortunate to be in a 6-all position and now it will be up to the players to come out strong and secure a victory.”

In the top singles tie, South African No 1 Christiaan Bezuidenhout went down 2 and 1 to 2013 Scottish U18 boys' match-play champion Bradley Neil from Blairgowrie.

That increased Scotland's lunchtime lead from 1pt to two.

Then Zander Lombard sank an eight-footer at the 18^th to gain a half point against Jamie Savage.

Arnoldi beat British boys champion Ewen Ferguson from Bearsden by 3 and 2, while Kruze defeated Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) by one hole to level the overall scoreline at 4-4.

Teenager Thriston Lawrence took control early in his game against Daniel Young and was three up through six holes. The Craigie Hill golfer won the seventh and ninth holes to chip away at Lawrence’s lead, but the 17-year-old local golfer surged ahead again by taking the 11^th and 12^th.

The Scot won the 13^th and 15^th, but after halves at the 16^th and 17^th holes, Lawrence was still one ahead. Young was forced to concede after a poor tee shot at the closing hole.  

Not sure where his ball landed, Young hit a provisional, but pulled the shot and conceded the game. That put South Africa ahead for the first time at 5-4.

Lawrence, the reigning South African amateur champion, has represented South Africa in a number of international events and said that the two teams are very evenly matched, but that the 6,665 meter Gary Player-designed lay-out at Leopard Creek is the great leveller.

“This is such an incredibly difficult course and it is playing really tough this week,” Lawrence said. “You always have to be accurate around here, but with the rough as high as it is, you really can’t afford to make mistakes off the tee.”

Louis Taylor halved his game against Connor Syme, while new cap Werner van Niekerk lost on the 18th green to Scott Gibson and that tied up the scores again at 5 1/2-5 1/2. 
Spacey, two down with two to play against Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie),  won both the closing holes to gain half a point and ensure the first-day honours were shared evenly.
The Leopard Trophy forms part of the Scottish team's annual eight week winter training programme, supported by Leopard Creek proprietor Johann Rupert and Aberdeen Asset Management.
South Africa claimed the inaugural Test in 2010, and also won in 2011 and 2013.

FIRST DAY RESULTS 

SOUTH AFRICA 6, SCOTLAND 6

FOURSOMES (1 1/2-2 1/2)
S African names first
Zander Lombard and Thriston Lawrence halved with Bradley Neil and Daniel Young.
N J Arnoldi and Christiaan Bezuidenhout bt Ewen Ferguson and Jamie Savage 2 and 1.
Louis Taylor and Matthew Spacey lost to Connor Syme and Ben Kinsley 1 hole.
Philip Kruze and Werner van Niekerk lost to Graeme Robertson and Scott Gibson 2 and 1.
SINGLES (4 1/2-3 1/2)
Bezuidenhout lost to Neil 2 and 1.
Lombard halved with Savage.
Lawrence bt Young 2 holes.
Arnoldi bt Ferguson 3 and 2.
Taylor halved with Syme.
Kruze bt Kingsley 1 hole.
Van Niekerk lost to Gibson 1 hole.
Spacey halved with Robertson.

EIGHT SCOTS IN ACTION IN EGYPT

WHITE LEADS 

TARTAN ARMY 

ON PRO DEBUT

James White marked his debut as a professional by heading a Tartan Arm of eight Scots at the end of the first round of the Al;ps Tour's Red Sea El Ein Bay Open at Sokhna Golf Club today (Tuesday).

The Fifer and Stirling University graduate shot a par-matching 72, despite having a double bogey 6  on his scorecard. Three birdies in halves of 37-35 helped him recovered to be joint 18th, four shots behind the Spanish leader, Borja Etchart.

Ellon's Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) was closed bhind with a 73 (38-35) thanks to a grandstand finish of birdies at the last three holes.
 He is joint 27th alongside Motherwell's Ross Kellett (36-37) - four birdies and a double bogey - and John Gallagher from Edinburgh. Gallagher bogeyed the 16th and 17th in halves of 36-37.

Rookie pro Jordan McColl from Dundee and Troon's Michael Stewart at joint 42nd on 74. McColl had halves of 37, Stewart, who was four over par after only six holes, birdieing the 11th, 13th and 17th to get back to two over par.

Kris Nicol (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) had double bogeys at the short fourth and long 13th in returning a 75 (36-39) while John Henry (Clydebank and District) had halves of 37-39 in compiling a 76 to be joint 64th in a field of 105 players.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 72

68 Borja Etchart (S;pa)

69 Jean Pierre Verselin (Fra), Clement Batut (Fra)

SELECTED SCORES

70 Steven Brown (Eng) (T4)

72 James White (Sco) (T18)

73 Ross Cameron (Sco), Ross Kellett (Sco), John Gallagher (Sco) (T27)

74 Jordan McColl (Sco), Michael Stewart (Sco) (T42)

75 Kris Nicol (Sco) (T57)

76 John Henry (Sco) (T64).

WALLACE LETS IT SLIP IN SPAIN

GOLF BRIEF

CREDIT CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY

QUERIES TO COLIN FARQUHARSON

TEL 01224 869782

WALLACE BOOTH LETS IT SLIP ON 

INWARD HALF IN SPAIN

Comrie's Wallace Booth has a five-over-par 76 in his first competitive round of the year at the Spanish Gecko Pro Tour event at La Canada Golf Club.

Booth, pictured, is joint 46th in a field of 96 players - eight shots behind Spanish leader Gabriel Canizares Gomez - after dropping four shots to par over the last seven holes in halves of 37-39. He had a double bogey 6 at the 12th and bogeys at the 14th and 18th. Earlier he had birdied the long fifth.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 71

68 Gabriel Canizares Gomez (Spa)

70 Manuel Quiros (Sp;a), Daniel Osorio Valencia (Spa)

SELECTED SCORES

71 James Robinson (Eng), Jason Kelly (Eng)), Don Gavins (Eng) (T4)

76 Wallace Booth (Sco) (T46).

FRENCHMAN WINS SAMANAH OPEN AT MARRAKESH

LAW TOP SCOT FINISH IN MOROCCO

Paul Lawrie Golf Centre stablemates David Law finished joint 24th, Philip McLean 41st and Jordan Findlay 45th in the Samanah Open at Samanah County Club, Marrakesh in Morocco today (Tuesday).

Law, pictured, had rounds of 75, 70 and 71 for level par 216, scoring three birdies and two bogeys in his final round (34-37).

McLean, who had only six bogeys over his first two rounds of 72, had seven of them in a final round of 76 (37-39) for a total of four-over 220.

Findlay had five birdies in his final round but also three double bogeys. He finished on five-over 221 with scores of 73, 73 and 75.

Frenchman Eduard Espana won the tournament by two strokes with scores of 66, 73 and 66 for 11-under-par 205

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3x72)

205 Eduard Espana (Fra) 66 73 66

207 Pierre Relecom (Ger) 69 68 70

208 Philipp Mejow (Ger) 68 68 72

SELECTED TOTALS

209 Max Orrin (Eng) 67 70 72 (T4)

215 Neil Raymond (Eng) 72 74 69 (T21)

216 David Law (Sco) 75 70 71 (T24)

219 Nathan Kimsey (Eng) 75 70 74 (T37)

220 Philip McLean (Sco) 72 72 76 (T41)

221 Jordan Findlay (Sco) 73 73 75 (45th).

UNDER-16 QUADRANGULAR TEAM TOURNAMENT IN HOLLAND

FIRST SCOTLAND HONOUR FOR 

MICHAEL LAWRIE (15) 

Michael Lawrie, 15-year-old younger son of 1999 Open champion Paul, has been chosen to play for Scotland in an Under-16 boys' quadrangular international golf tournament against hosts Holland, Wales and Ireland at Purmerend, near Amsterdam from April 15 to 17.
Deeside Golf Club junior member and Robert Gordon's College pupil Lawrie (pictured) is a first-year member of the Scottish Golf Academy and this will be the first time he has represented Scotland.
In last year's tournament, Ireland were the overall winners and Scotland finished second.
Sam Locke, stepson of Paul Lawrie Golf Centre-based coach Andrew Locke, has also been selected. Locke finished the top Scot in last summer's Scottish Under-16 open boys stroke-play tournament at Portlethen.
There are two North District boys in the squad - Rory Franssen (Inverness) and Sandy Scott (Nairn).
Kevin Cademy-Taylor, Scottish Golf Performance Development Manager, said: 
"We're looking forward to it. It's not a full international match; it's a development opportunity for our players against those from other countries.
"Essentially, at their ages, it gives the boys great experience of travelling and playing for Scotland, in foursomes and singles competition."
The Scotland squad for Holland is:
Cameron Black (Cardross), Glen Burrett (Haggs Castle), Rory Franssen (Inverness), Michael Lawrie (Deeside), Sam Locke (Banchory), Matthew McCulloch (Portpatrick), Sandy Scott (Nairn), Robert Watson (Muckhart).

SGU SQUAD LEAD BY A POINT AFTER MORNING FOURSOMES

Scots draw first blood at Leopard Trophy

 
Test match in South Africa

By Lali Stander

MALELANE – The South Africans are down a point in the first round of the annual Leopard Trophy after their Scottish opponents mounted a spirited comeback over the back nine at Leopard Creek in the foursomes matches this morning.

As the mercury reached 30 degrees Celsius, the Scots turned up the heat and edged 2½ - 1½ ahead of the hosts and defending champions ahead of the afternoon singles.

The South Africans had a solid start but couldn’t carry the momentum to the finish line.

SA Nos. 2 and 3, Zander Lombard and Thriston Lawrence, halved their game against Bradley Neil and Daniel Young, while Nos 3 and 4, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and N J Arnoldi, claimed a 2 and 1 victory over Ewen Ferguson and Jamie Savage.

Then Connor Syme and Ben Kingsley levelled the playing field when they took advantage of mistakes by Louis Taylor and Matthew Spacey at the last two holes, and overturned the South Africans’ lead to win by one hole.

In the final morning match, Graeme Robertson and Scott Gibson defeated debutants Philip Kruse and Werner van Niekerk 2 and 1, putting the Scots in the driver’s seat.

Scottish Golf Union national coach Ian Rae was pleased with his squads’ performance and especially impressed by the fighting spirit from the younger players.

“It was a really good performance all round from the team, considering we were struggling after nine in all the matches,” said Rae. 

“The guys won quite a lot of holes from 10 through 13 and Connor and Ben had a great finish, winning the last two holes to win the game for us.

“It was certainly a good start, but we still have quite a ways to go.”

Like South Africa, the Scottish are also fielding six debutants and Rae’s strategy for the singles was to mix up the order.

“We were not too sure how the youngsters would handle the hot weather and this tough lay-out at Leopard Creek, so we’ve put some more experienced players at the start and end of the line-up,” Rae said. 

“But the youngsters have been playing exceptionally well during the trip out here and came through fine in the foursomes, so I don’t think it really matters where we put them.”

South African national coach Llewellyn van Leeuwen felt confident that his charges would mount a comeback in the singles.

“The foursomes games were all very tight and I thought Zander and Thriston got a little unlucky at the 12^th,” van Leeuwen said. 

“They had a three-putt from 10 feet, while the Scots made a great up-and-down that swung the momentum their way and the game ended in a draw.

“N J and Chris had a very indifferent start, but they finished strong to win their game. Louis and Matthew were one up with two to play, but the Scots hit a really long tee shot at the 18^th, which forced Louis and Matthew to go for the green in two. 

It was a shot they probably would not have gone for under other circumstances. Unfortunately that turned into a loss for us.

“I reminded the guys that we were behind after the morning foursomes last year, too. You don’t win or lose the Test on the first morning.”

This is the fifth annual examination between South Africa’s leading amateurs and a Scottish side comprising players of the Scottish Golf Union’s men's national and transitional squads. South Africa leads the stakes with victories in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

The Leopard Trophy forms part of the Scottish team’s annual eight week winter training programme, supported by Leopard Creek proprietor Johann Rupert and Aberdeen Asset Management.

FIRST DAY RESULTS

Morning foursomes

SOUTH AFRICA 1 1/2, SCOTLAND 2 1/2

S African names first

Zander Lombard and Thriston Lawrence halved with Bradley Neil and Daniel Young.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout and N J Arnoldi bt Ewen Ferguson and Jamie Savage 2 and 1.

Louise Taylor and Matthew Spacey lost to Connor Syme and Ben Kinsley 1 hole.

Philip Kruse and Werner Dan Niekerk lost to Graeme Robertson and Scott Gibson 2 and 1.

AFTERNOON SINGLES

Christ Bezuidenhout vs Bradley Neil

Zander Lombard vs Jamie Savage

Thriston Lawrence vs Daniel Young

NJ Arnoldi vs Ewen Ferguson

Louis Taylor vs Connor Syme

Philip Kruse vs Ben Kingsley

Werner van Niekerk vs Scott Gibson

Matthew Spacey vs Graeme Robertson