PATRICK HAS LOWER SCORE AVERAGE THAN TIGER HAD AS STUDENT

WORLD No 1 AMATEUR RODGERS 

WILL TURN PRO AFTER 2014 SEASON

NEWS RELEASE

Stanford University, California third-year student Patrick Rodgers, the No. 1 ranked amateur in the world, said today that he will forego his final year of eligibility to pursue a professional career after this season.

The two-time All-American said he decided to make the announcement now because he didn't want the growing speculation about his future to become a distraction for the team.
The eighth-ranked Cardinals are hoping to make a deep run at the NCAA championships in May before Rodgers leaves.
"I think we have an amazing team -- the best that we've had in my three years here -- and we have an opportunity to do something special," Rodgers said in a statement issued through the university.
 "I want to put all of the focus on trying to win a national championship for the team."
Rodgers arrived at Stanford in 2011 as one of the nation's top recruits from Avon, Indiana, where he won two state championships. He has won seven tournaments in less than three full seasons at Stanford and also helped the U.S. team win last year's Walker Cup, the amateur version of the Ryder Cup.
Rodgers' 70.55 average strokes per round are the best in Stanford history, bettering Tiger Woods' 70.96. His seven career wins are tied with Joel Kribel for the second most in school history. Only Woods, with 11, has more.
"The numbers speak for themselves," said Stanford men's golf coach Conrad Ray. "He's one of the best college golfers we've ever had. It's bittersweet for me, because as a coach and a guy that values his role on the team, we're going to hate losing him. Even if it was next year after graduation, we'd love to take 10 guys like Patrick and see how we'd do. His work ethic is insatiable.
"He has characteristics of world-class players. It's a credit to him that he has taken a lot of well-thought time to analyse the situation he has in front of him. To Patrick's credit, he's made all the right steps and moves to date. You have to trust in his instincts and direction he's going with his game."
Rodgers has some experience on the US PGA Tour already.
He has played in four events, including taking the lead at the John Deere Classic last year before finishing 15th. He said he plans to return to Stanford at some point to finish his degree.
"Stanford has done so much more for me than golf," Rodgers said. "The immense social network between alumni and students is just incredible. Both the golf program and academic environment have accelerated my progress beyond what I ever thought possible and prepared me really well for life on the US PGA Tour. 
"I couldn't have done what I have done so far without the help of Stanford University."

Unique tournament will show that pro golf doesn't have to be played over long 18-hole courses

 US SENIORS TOUR 54-hole EVENT TO BE

STAGED OVER A PAR-3 COURSE

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
The Champions Tour’s newly-named "Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf," a two-man team competition conducted over 54 holes, will be played during the week June 2-8 on the resort’s par-3 Top of the Rock course, designed by Jack Nicklaus and the 18-hole Buffalo Ridge Course (formally Branson Creek GC), freshly redesigned by Tom Fazio. 
The par-3 tournament, which debuted in 1978, was held in Savannah, Georgia, the past 11 years. 
This will be the first US PGA Tour-sanctioned event to use a par-3 course in official competition.
"If there was ever a par-3 course worthy of US PGA Tour tournament play, Top of the Rock is it.  It truly is an outstanding venue and a wonderful complement to the newly redesigned Buffalo Ridge course," said Tim Finchem, pictured below, the US PGA Tour commissioner.

"We believe the inclusion of this dramatic short course will demonstrate to a time-crunched world that par-3 golf is fun, entertaining, and a worthy alternative for golfers."

The field will feature two divisions for players age 50-65 and 65 and older. 

The total purse will be $2.75 million. World Golf Hall of Fame members including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, Gary Player and Lee Trevino have already indicated they will play in the event

"At Big Cedar Lodge you have all the elements to make the Legends of Golf a unique tournament and to show fans that golf, even for professionals at the highest level, doesn't have to be played on long, 18-hole courses," Tom Watson (pictured above) said. 

"I'm proud to have lent a hand in the creation of such a special place and am enthusiastic about Top of the Rock and hope this innovative approach will inspire new golfers, who have limited time on their hands, to take up the game.

 "A nine-hole par-3 course is a perfect option to get started in the game."

CAWDER TOUR PRO HAS A 73 IN EVOLVE TOUR EVENT

CHRIS KELLY JOINT THIRD IN SPAIN
 
Cawder's Chris Kelly finished joint third with a one-over-par 73 in today's (Monday) Spanish Evolve Tour 18-hole competition at Corvera Country Club in the province of Murcia.
Kelly birdied the long seventh but had back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th.
 He finished four shots behind the winner from England, William Harrold.

LEADING SCORES
Par 72
69 William Harrold (England)
70 Michael Wolf (Germany)
73 Garyr King (England), Chris Kelly (Scotland
74 Florian Fritsch (Germany)
75 Ben Wall (England), Matt Haines (England).
OTHER SCORE:
87 Paul McGhee (Scotland) (T28)
Field of 36 players

FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMTN FOR THE CLUB - secretary MIKE MacDONALD

 Snapshot from the Scottish Golf Awards: left to right - Shona Robison, Ewen Skinner, Mike MacDonald and Alistair Tait (junior convener). Picture by Kenny Smith.
 
FORTROSE and ROSEMARKIE WIN RBA 

JUNIOR CLUB OF THE YEAR TITLE

NEWS RELEASE FROM CLUBGOLF

Fortrose and Rosemarkie on the Black Isle has been named the country’s No.1 club for young golfers.

It won the 2013/14 RBS Junior Club of the Year at the 2014 Scottish Golf Awards.

Presented at the star-studded Hilton Glasgow event, Fortrose and Rosemarkie beat off stiff competition from Peebles, Prestonfield and Bathgate after a landmark 125^th anniversary year in which junior golf took centre stage.

Prestonfield coach Liz Taylor was the night’s other big winner, picking up the hotly-contested RBS Volunteer of the Year accolade for her dedication to developing junior golf at the Edinburgh venue.

Upon receiving the £1,500 first prize for return investment into the juniors at Fortrose and Rosemarkie, club secretary Mike MacDonald said: “I was total unaware that we were going to win the award but to win it is just a fantastic achievement for the club.

“We’ve had a lot of recognition already and I think, on the back of this, we can take the club forward even more. For the coaches it means a lot as well because those are the guys that put the hard work in.

“Obviously, we had such a fantastic year last year with it being our 125^th anniversary at the golf club. There was just so much going on but I think the enthusiasm of the coaches was the key thing that helped us to deliver everything we wanted to. They have given up so much of their time for the kids and our coaching is a massive thing for encouraging them to play.

“Being the 2014 RBS Junior Club of the Year will certainly help ClubGolf grow here. We had 80 children taking part in ClubGolf coaching last year and we will do as much as we can to promote ourselves as the RBS Junior Club of the Year, which will hopefully encourage even more to come along in the future.”

Over the course of 2013, the Highland club invested heavily in new practice facilities and coaching resources for their juniors and has experienced an increase in young members as a result, from 94 to 131, making it one of the busiest sections in the country.

Similar success was experienced at Prestonfield, where 2013/14 RBS Volunteer of the Year Liz Taylor oversaw the introduction of golf for the first time to over 100 children.

Having become the club’s first ClubGolf Co-ordinator at the beginning of 2013, Liz has spearheaded the funding and construction of two brand new par-3 practice holes, delivered and organised coaching for a total of 124 children on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and even began sessions for ladies interested in taking up the game.

Delighted to be named Scotland’s top golfing volunteer and receive £500 for her club, Liz said: “Winning the RBS Volunteer of the Year award means that all of the hard work and effort that you put in: i.e. the admin side of it and the organisation of the classes; getting all of the coaches ready; drawing up rotas; communicating with the parents and coaches, has paid off. 

"I put in a lot of hours but the rewards are absolutely massive and it just means the world to me. I’m delighted.

“Having 74 children joining the club in 2013 is a massive achievement for us but the most important thing is making sure the kids keep coming back. That is what makes it special for us as coaches.

“We’ve heard that some of them keep their golf clubs under their beds and their membership cards under their pillows because they are just so excited about ClubGolf they can hardly sleep. Things like that make this the best job in the world.”

Bruce Cook, Head of Group Sponsorship at RBS, was pleased to see Scotland’s top junior club and volunteer rewarded for their dedication and congratulated this year’s successful candidates on their achievements.

“The 2014 Scottish Golf Awards was another great event and RBS is very proud to sponsor the Volunteer and Junior Club of the Year awards.  As with our ClubGolf partnership, we think it is important to recognise the grass roots efforts that ultimately drive the future of the game.

“Both of this year’s winners have shown great commitment and a collaborative spirit to grow the game.  As ClubGolf continues to bring more kids into the game, we rely on individuals like Liz Taylor and those involved at Fortrose and Rosemarkie to keep it going strong.”

Watching proudly as each of the deserving RBS Awards winners was recognised in front of a 650-strong crowd, including 1995 Ryder Cup-winning Captain Bernard Gallacher, ClubGolf Manager Jackie Davidson said: “If it wasn’t for our hard working clubs and dedicated volunteers, the ClubGolf programme simply couldn’t exist, so I’m delighted to see Fortrose and Rosemarkie and Prestonfield’s Liz Taylor recognised for their success over the last year with the 2013/14 RBS Awards.

“These awards are just a small token of our thanks for their work in introducing and retaining children in golf, which will stand their clubs in good stead for the future.

“Of course, we mustn’t forget the many other applications we received in this particularly strong year. All of these together give me great confidence that golf at grass roots level in Scotland is in good hands.

“Hopefully learning more about the achievements of this year’s winners can inspire even more clubs to recognise the importance of having a strong junior section and how the ClubGolf programme can help them to achieve this.”

INVERNESS-BORN PLAYER NOW RANKED No 119 IN WORLD

KNOX JUMPS 87 PLACES IN WORLD 

RANKINGS - THIRD HIGHEST SCOT 

Russell Knox, beaten in a four-way play-off into a joint second finish in the weekend Honda Classic, has moved up 87 places in the world pro rankings to No 119.
There are only two Scots ahead of the Florida-based Inverness-born player - Stephen Gallacher in No 39 position and Martin Laird No 94.
Paul Lawrie is No 134 and Scott Jamieson No 136.

SCOTTISH JUNIOR GOLF TOUR

INVERNESS, CARLUKE BOYS BEST AT 

CARNOUSTIE BUDDON

REPORT FROM WALTER BURNS
Scottish Junior Golf Tour
Here are the results from the Scottish Junior Golf Tour event at Carnoustie yesterday. It was a level 4 and 5 event on the Buddon Course, Carnoustie.
The Carnoustie area avoided the heavy rain that hit most of Scotland but there was a strong cold wind. Euan Gill from Inverness had his first win on the Junior Tour with a very good level par 65 - a just reward for his many journeys up and down the A9. Graeme Greer (Carluke) had his second win of the season with 67 in the Under-16 section.

Congratulations to David Fair on his hole in one at the difficult 13^th.

That will be the last time we play the old Buddon course as the new holes will be opening shortly. We look forward to returning to play the new exciting lay-out in April.

LEADING SCORES
Under-18 years
65 Euan Gill (Inverness)

69 Will Porter (Letham Grange), Andrew Thompson (Lanark)

71 David Fair (Hamilton), Aran Sinclair (Bearsden),

74 Sean Barnes (Crow Wood), Fraser Kane (Kirkhill)

Under-16 years

67 Graeme Greer (Carluke)

69 Brett McNaught (Longniddry)

70 Matthew Dalrymple (Lochwinnoch)

71 Aidan Husenne (Haggs Castle)

72 Murray McCrone (Troon Welbeck)

73 Jack Williams (Sandyhills)

74 Ibrahim Hussain (Eastwood), Kieran McCallister (Easter Moffat)

 

Adam McKinstray (Douglas Park) won the handicap prize with nett 62.

The Skill Challenges were won by Blair Forsyth (Drumpellier) and Andrew Crusher (Eastwood).

 

Next event: Sunday, March 9, level 2 and 3 at Monifieth.

 

Walter Burns

Scottish Junior Golf Tour

 

Mob: 07951 103 827

 

Email: walter@scottishjuniorgolftour.co.uk

Web: www.scottishjuniorgolftour.co.uk

 

FORTROSE AND ROSEMARKIE AMATEUR'S ONE-UNDER 67 TOPS FIELD

ALLAN CAMERON WINS ALLIANCE AT 

MUIR OF ORD BY TWO STROKES

Allan Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) recorded the leading scratch score with a one under par 67 despite a double bogey 7 at the 15th in Saturday's North Scottish Alliance competition at Muir of Ord. 
Cameron won by two strokes, thanks to birdies at the first, second and 18th,
Alex Waterson (Boat of Garten) had a hole in one at the par-3 15th (188yd). He used a 4 iron and was partnered by Louie Stewart (Grantown) and Mark Mcdonald (Boat of Garten). He had a round of 73.

LEADING SCRATCH
Par 68
67 R A L Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)
69 B J Thomson (Torvean), J Wright (Forres), D Joel (Inverness)
70 S Johnston (Elgin), K Stables (Elgin) p, R H Stewart (Torvean)
71 J S D Campbell (Grantown), G H Hay (Grantown), R McKerron (Forres)
72 S Mitchell (Moray), I Murray (Boat of Garten), L Reid (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), D Hector (Elgin)
73 D D Bunker (Nairn Dunbar), J Simpson (Forres), B Fotheringham (Inverness), A Waterson (Boat of Garten)
74 R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), M Mcdonald (Boat of Garten), V Tilman (Muir of Ord), R Carr (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), W J Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), S Mullen (Elgin), W Rusk (Torvean)
75 A W Mair (Moray), J A Grant (Grantown), J K England (Moray), D Pitchforth (Nairn Dunbar)
76 W Donnelly (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), J Glass (Torvean)
77 S Wilson (Inverness), S Johnson (Muir of Ord), K Barnett (Torvean)
78 J R Ingram (Boat of Garten), W Hutchison (Inverness), P Masson (Rothes), W R Duncan (Moray)
79 D Thom (Grantown), S Glen (Boat of Garten), W B Johnston (Moray), B Rennie (Inverness), A Hutchison (Inverness), H M Bunker (Nairn Dunbar)
80 M Lyall (Torvean), A Jackson (Rothes)
LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1
66 S Johnston (Elgin) (4), I Murray (Boat of Garten) (6)
67 S Mitchell (Moray) (5), W J Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (7), R Carr (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (7)
Class 2
65 W Rusk (Torvean) (9)
69 W B Johnston (Moray) (10), M Lyall (Torvean) (11), A Jackson (Rothes) (11)
71 R J Innes (Torvean) (11), S Glen (Boat of Garten) (8), L Hutchison (Inverness) (12), J McPhee (Boat of Garten) (14)

RUSSELL HENLEY WINS FOUR-MAN HONDA CLASSIC PLAY-OFF

RUSSELL KNOX, RORY McILROY AND 

RYAN PALMER TIE FOR SECOND PLACE

• FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
  By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

Russell Henley experienced a roller-coaster final round, but ultimately earned his second US PGA Tour victory in a four-man play-off against Rory McIlroy, Scotland's Russell Knox and Ryan Palmer (Winner with trophy picture by courtesy of Greenwood/Getty Images)

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida -- On a wild Sunday at PGA National, it was only fitting that The Honda Classic be decided in a four-man playoff and won by a guy who looked like he had thrown away his chances after hitting into the water following a chip-in to tie for the lead moments earlier.
In the end, Russell Henley survived and got the second victory of his career on a day when it looked like no one was capable of winning.
“This doesn’t feel real,” he said.
At times it didn’t look like it, either.
Rory McIlroy had started the day with a two-stroke lead only to give it up with four bogeys and a double bogey in an 11-hole stretch. But he still had a chance to win after reaching the par-5 18th in two to set up a 12-foot eagle putt.
McIlroy missed, though, and joined Henley, Ryan Palmer and Russell Knox in extra holes.
Eight yards from where he hit his drive on the 18th in regulation, Henley ripped a 5-wood onto the green and two-putted for birdie and the win.
Henley earned $1,080,000, Knox and the two other joint runners-up received $448,000.
This is the closest US PGA Tour rookie Knox, born in Inverness and based at Jacksonville Beach, Florida since his four years at Jacksonville University, has got to winning in the Big League - and his cheque was also a career-high.
On the testing par-5 18th hole in regulation, Henley had hit the same club but didn’t feel comfortable over the shot and missed the green left. He chunked his chip had to two-putt from 50 feet to shoot 72 and get in the playoff at 8 under.
“I think I was just kind of shocked that I kind of let it get to that point,” Henley said. “I thought that I would have hit a better chip and not had a 50-footer for birdie on 18 with where I was on the fairway. Just a little bit of shock.”
He was just as surprised he was the one holding the trophy. Since winning the Sony Open in Hawaii last year, Henley had managed just two top 10s on the US PGA Tour.
“This is not exactly what I was expecting at the start of the week,” said Henley, who picked up 500 FedExCup points with the win to move to 16th in the standings. “(But I) played really well (in the second round) at Riviera and almost made the cut. I went from almost last to having a putt on the last hole to make the cut. For some reason that gave me a lot of confidence going into this week. That's really all it takes I think.”

For all his struggles Sunday at PGA National, Rory McIlroy amazingly still had a chance to win The Honda Classic after an amazing shot to 12 feet to set up an eagle try on the final hole of regulation.
He missed the putt and lost in a playoff, but that wasn’t what lost the tournament for McIlroy.
"I'm just thinking, play those last few holes just solid, and 16 was what really cost me,” he said. 
“I was trying to hit a 6-iron right of the target. I let the wind bring it back and I just got a little underneath it and caught it a little heavy.
"In hindsight, I probably should have hit 5-iron and tried to hold it up because I could have got more on top of it and would have taken that fat shot out of it."
Still, the week was largely a step in the right direction for the 24-year-old former world No. 1. McIlroy won in Australia late last year, had a chance to do so here and in Abu Dhabi and has been in contention a handful of other times the last few months.
"There's a few positives to take, but obviously it's going to be hard to get over because I had a great chance to win my first tournament of the season and I didn't," McIlroy said. 
"Tough to take at the minute but I'll sleep it off tonight and get back at it."
For more on McIlroy’s final round, and to share your reaction, click here.

In the playoff, Henley was the only player to reach the 549-yard par-5 18th hole in two, and he two-putted from about 40 feet for a title-winning birdie 4. 
Ryan Palmer missed a 10-foot birdie putt. McIlroy went from the back bunker to the front collar and had to scramble for par, and Russell Knox laid up and missed a 20-foot birdie attempt.
"This isn't going to sink in for a while," Henley said.
Thousands of fans who spent hours in the warmth and wind of south Florida surely felt the same way.
Woods abruptly quit after 13 holes and was driven straight to his car. He later said he had lower back pain and spasms, and was unsure if he could play at Doral next week. And then came all the mistakes by four guys trying to win.
Palmer missed a 5-foot par in regulation that would have won it. He closed with a 69, the only player in the last six groups to break par. Knox needed a birdie on the last hole, but he went from the fairway bunker to the rough, well over the green and then calmly made a par putt just inside 10 feet for a 71 to get in the playoff.
They all finished at 8-under 272.
The conditions were tough. The play was so underwhelming that McIlroy said that if he had won, "It would have felt undeserved in a way."
He won't know that feeling.
Instead, the 24-year-old from Northern Ireland closed with a 74. It was his second straight tournament in stroke play that he played in the final group and shot 74. He tied for ninth in the Dubai Desert Classic. His undoing came on the 16th, when McIlroy missed on a 6-iron from the bunker and went into the water, making double bogey. He fell out of the lead for the first time with a bogey from the bunker on the 17th.
What should ease the pain was his finish -- a 5-wood he couldn't afford to miss that dropped from the sky to 12 feet left of the hole.
"I was fortunate I was in the playoff," McIlroy said. "Seventy-four wasn't good enough to get the job done. To go out with a two-shot lead, you have to play well enough to win the thing. If I had won today, I would have counted myself as lucky. I'll pick myself up, get back it, try to get back at it at Doral and try to get the job done."
Henley, who closed with a 72, won for the second time and qualified for the Masters. He also moves into the top 50 in the world ranking, making him eligible for the Cadillac Championship next week at Doral.
It was the first playoff at PGA National since 2007, which also featured four players.
McIlroy was at 13 under after a birdie on the fifth hole and appeared to be on his way, even after twice making bogey from the bunker to close out the front nine.
PGA National was tougher than ever after a weekend of sunshine, and the stiff breeze in south Florida. The average score was 71.8, two shots harder than the third round.
The contenders made it look like a beast.
Henley tied for the lead by chipping in for birdie on the 14th, only to deposit his tee shot on the par-3 15th into the water for double bogey. Palmer missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, which wasn't nearly as damaging as the par putts he missed from 8 feet on the 16th and 5 feet on the 18th.
Knox fell out of a brief share of the lead when he tried to play from the right rough on the 14th and had his shot carom into the water for a double bogey.
At least they were still around.
Woods was just a guy in a red shirt at PGA National when he shook hands with Luke Guthrie, his playing partner, and told him he was done.
"Too early to tell," Woods said in a statement about playing next week at Doral. "I'll get treatment every day to try to calm it down. Just don't know yet. Wait until Thursday and see how it feels."
It was the second straight year that the world's No. 1 player walked out on the Honda Classic. A year ago, McIlroy was so frustrated with his game that he quit after 26 holes. At least this time, McIlroy stayed until the wild end. It just wasn't the finish he wanted.

Russell Knox, who will be 29 on June 21, and has been a pro since 2007 - the former Scotland youth cap has never played professionally in Scotland, told Scottishgolfview.com earlier this year that if he had secured his place on the 2015 US PGA Tour by that time he would definitely come back to Scotland for the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen from July 10 to 13 - the week before the Open at Hoylake.
We are hoping that Russell will confirm that on Monday.
He has played the Balgownie links as an amateur and like the course - probably because he played well! 
Knox's Honda Classic payslip for $448,000 boosts his 2014 US PGA Tour earnings to $873,110 and 26th place in the money table.
The only Europeans ahead of him are Graeme McDowell (21st with $981,300) and Ian Poulter (25th with $923,260).
Rory McIlroy (32nd with $778,500) is six places behind Knox in the table!
Russell was joint best with Thompson and Palmer in hitting greens in regulation during the 72 holes of the Honda Classic - 53 out of 72 (73.61 per cent).
Knox drives the ball on average 286 yards.
 

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