PANAMA CITY IS MORE BAD NEWS FOR DORNOCH EXILE

OUT-OF-TOUCH JIMMY GUNN IS GOING 

TO MISS ANOTHER WEB.COM TOUR CUT

Jimmy Gunn, rookie on the Web.com Tour, simply cannot string together two decent scores in his new
environment.
All the 2014 events have been down South America way and being that near the Equator does not seem to agree with Gunn.
He is going to miss the cut again this week in the Panama Claro Championship at Panama Golf Club in Panama City.
Gunn has shot 71-75 for six-over-par 146: four shots above the projected cut mark.
Leading the field on six-under 134 are Aron Price (Australia) (66-68) and Scott Parel (USA) (68-66)
SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 140 (2x70) Players from USA unless indicated
134 Aron Price (Australia) 66 68, Scott Parel 68 66
135 Jonathan Randolph 69 66, Mark Hubbard 72 65, Max Homa 69 66, Jon Curran 67 68, Bhavic Patel 70 65
SELECTED SCORES
137 Alex Cejka (Germany) 68 69 (T14)

MISSED THE CUT (forecast to be 142)
146 Jimmy Gunn (Scotland) 71 75

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Sandy Lyle has a 70, Colin Montgomerie a 71 in Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic

FRED COUPLES TAKES EARLY LEAD 

ON US CHAMPIONS' TOUR

Fred Couples, winner of last week's event on the US Champions Tour, is ahead again in the first round before the end of play on the opening day of the Mississippi Goulf Resort Classic.
Couples shot a six-under 66 to lead by two from five players.
England's Roger Chapman had a 69, Sandy Lyle a 70, and Colin Montgomerie, joint second to Couple last weekend, is T13 with Bernhard Lanager on the 71 mark.
Sir Nick Faldo, playing a rare competitive round, had a 74 for a share of 51st place.

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72 Players from USA unless stated
66 Fred Couples
68 Jeff Maggert, Kenny Perry, David Frost (S Africa), Jay Haas, Michael Allen.
SELECTED SCORES
69 Duffy Waldorf, Roger Chapman (England).
70 Sandy Lyle (Scotland) (T14)
71 Colin Montgomerie (Scotland), Bernhard Langer (Germany) (T23)
74 Peter Senior (Australia), Sir Nick Faldo (England), Mark Mouland (Wales) (T51)

THE PRINCE OF PLAY-OFFS DIES AT AGE OF 92

Jack Fleck, played major role in foundation of US Champions Tour

DEATH OF JACK FLECK, THE MAN WHO

BEAT HOGAN IN 1955 US OPEN PLAY-OFF


FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
Jack Fleck, best known for winning the 1955 U.S. Open after a play-off against Ben Hogan, died March 21 of natural causes. He was 92.
Born November 7, 1921, Fleck grew up in Bettendorf, Iowa, and graduated from Davenport High School in Iowa, where he played on the golf team and caddied.
A little-known pro who qualified for the 1955 U.S. Open—only his second Open and third major championship overall—Fleck opened the tournament at San Francisco’s Olympic Club with a 6-over 76 and was still three strokes behind leader Ben Hogan when the final round began. But his 3-under 67 in that final round got him into a playoff with Hogan, and his 69 the following day in the 18-hole playoff gave Fleck his only major championship title.
“Jack was a great player who will always be remembered for winning in legendary fashion, capturing one of the most memorable tournaments in history of our game. 
"He embodied the ideals of a U.S. Open Champion for the remainder of his career. He also played a major role in the early years of the Champions Tour for which we are all indebted,” said US PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem.
After his U.S. Open victory, Fleck continued playing on the US PGA Tour, where he added two more victories—the 1960 Phoenix Open and the 1961 Bakersfield Open. All three of his Tour titles came in playoffs. He was also runner-up five times during his Tour career, and added an additional six third-place performances.
In 1979, prior to the formation of the Champions Tour, Fleck won the PGA Seniors’ Championship, again in a playoff over Bob Erickson and Bill Johnston. 
In 1995, with Tommy Bolt as his partner, he won the Demaret Division at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.
Fleck joined the U.S. Navy during World War II and saw action in the D-Day invasion at Normandy on a British rocket-firing ship off Utah Beach. 
Two weeks after leaving active duty, Fleck joined the US PGA Tour’s winter golf tour in 1949.
He played the Champions Tour full-time from 1980 to 1991 and then devoted himself primarily to teaching and designing golf courses, running a Li’l Bit of Heaven, a golf course he designed in Arkansas.
Fleck is survived by his wife Carmen, his son Craig, his granddaughter Jennifer, and his great granddaughter Lexi.

RUSSELL KNOX REPEATS OPENING ROUND OF 71 AT BAY HILL

 ADAM SCOTT GOES SEVEN CLEAR 

IN ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

Adam Scott bogeyed the last hole but still leads by seven strokes before the end of the second day's play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill
Country Club, Florida.
Scott tagged on a four-under 68 to his 10-under 62 on the opening day to sit well clear of the field on 14-under-par 130 at the halfway point.
The Australian birdied the long sixth, bogeyed the short sixth but birdied the ninth to reach the turn in one-under 35.
Scott got on a roll in the inward half with birdies at the 11th, long 12th, 15th and long 16th, spoiling it only slightly with that bogey at the 18th for 33 home and a 68.
At the time of writing, 10.10pm UK time, Scott's nearest challengers were a trio on 137 - Americans J B Holmes (68-69) and Chesson Hadley (69-68) and Italian Francesco Molinari (67-70).
Leading British player was Welshman Jamie Donaldson with 67-71 for 138.
Ian Poulter had a 71 for 139.
Russell Knox duplicated his first-round 71 for 142 and a T30 placing. He birdied the first, long sixth, ninth and long 16th in halves of 34 and 37. He bogeyed the eighth, 10th and short 16th in halves of 34-37.
Martin Laird had a 72 for 143 and a share of 41st place. Laird birdied the long fourth, 10th and long 16th but bogeyed the fifth, short 14th and 15th in halves of 36-36.
One of the biggest reversals of fortunes was that of Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez Castano. He followed up a first-day 66 with a 77. His only birdie came at the long sixth. He was six over par for the remaining holes with a bogey at the eight on his way to a 36 out. Then came bogeys at the 11th, long 12th, 15th and, disaster at this level, a double bogey 6 at the 18th for 41 blows to come home.
Graeme McDowell also had a 77 to drop out of the hunt. Following up a first-round 68, the Ulsterman did not have a single birdie in halves of 39 and 38.
His worst slip was a double bogey 6 at the eighth.
On a difficult day for scoring there were some big-name casualties who missed the cut at 146 and better.
Paul Casey made it right on the limit mark with scores of 67-79.
Justin Rose (71-79) and Lee Westwood (75-76) missed out on 150 and 151 respectively.
US amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick from England was another who will be missed the weekend action after soaring from 71 to 81 for 152.
Darren Clarke did not make it on 153 (75-78).

SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72). Players from USA unless stated
130 Adam Scott (Australia) 62 68
137 J B Holmes 68 69, Chesson Hadley 69 68, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 67 70
138 Keegan Bradley 71 67, Jamie Donaldson (Wales) 67 71, Jason Kokrak 67 71, Brandt Snedeker 67 71
139 Freddie Jacobson (Sweden) 71 68, Matt Every 69 70, Ryo Ishikawa (Japan) 65 74, Ian Poulter (England) 68 71, John Merrick 65 74, Charles Howell 68 71.
SELECTED TOTALS
140 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 70 70, Harris English 69 71 (T16)
142 Russell Knox (Scotland) 71 71, Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 69 73, Patrick Reed 69 73  (T29)
143 Martin Laird (Scotland) 71 72, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 66 77 (T39)
144 Brian Davis (England) 70 74 (T46)
145 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 68 77, Greg Owen (England) 76 69 (T57)
146 Paul Casey (England) 67 79

MISSED THE CUT (146 and better qualified)
147 David Lynn (England) 72 75
149 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 74 75
150 Justin Rose (England) 71 79
151 Lee Westwood (England) 75 76
152 Matthew Fitzpatrick (England) (am) 71 81
153 Darren Clarke (N Ireland) 75 78
 

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

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WINDYHILL THREE-HANDICAPPER MASTERS WIND

COLIN HALCROW WINS SCOTTISH
 
SENIORS' STABLEFORD AT MONIFIETH

Windyhill's Colin Halcrow, playing off three, won the third of the Scottish Seniors Golf Society's winter Stableford competitions with a total of  35pt, good scoring in a strong wind. He gained 17pt on the outward half and 18 on the difficult back nine.
Runner-up was David Millar (St Andrews New) with 34pt off five of a handicap.
He pipped three players on 33pt - George Barrie (Callander) (2),  =Richard Goodale (Aberdour) (8) and Ewan Rae (Arbroath Artisans) (5).
The final winter event is at Strathtyrum, St Andrews next Friday.

SCOTTISH SENIORS GOLF SOCIETY
Winter Stableford
Monifieth
35pts C Halcrow (Windyhill) (3)
34 D Millar (St Andrews New) (5)
33 R Goodale (Aberdour) (8), G Barrie (Callander (2). Ewan
Rae (Arbroath Artisans) (5).
32 I Jeen (St Andrews New) (1), K Bruce (Edzell) (1), Ian Dickson (Lundin) (5), D Sim (Panmure) (5).
31 D Wilson (Clober) (5), D Chalmers (Panmure) (1).
30 J Aman (Grangemouth) (3), A Harrington (Western Gailes) (4), D Smith (Stirling) (5), T Allan (Dunblane) (9), N McGarva (Kilmacolm) (6).
29 B Kidd (Panmure) (5)
28 A Nelson (Murcar Links) (5), G Rennie (Cathkin Braes) (2), J Roy (Panmure) (6).
27 J Watt (Edzell) (2), A Hogg (Stirling) (8), J Paterson (Ranfurly Castle) (9).
26 K Ross (Beith) (9), T Nicol (Elderslie) (8), D Causon (Elderslie)
(8), D Lee (Gleneagles) (12).
25 D McQuade (Glenbervie) (5), F Jardine (Craigielaw) (3), Bruce Hunter (Stirling) (7), R Gordon (Glenearn) (11).
24 G Gray (Newmachar) (6)
23 N Chisholm (Kemnay) (12)
20 A Elder (Kirkcaldy) (3).
17 K Miller (Milngavie) (4).
Retired: G MacDonald (Glenbervie) (1).

THIS SEASON'S TOP AMERICAN ENTERS AAM SCOTTISH OPEN

         Jimmy Walker ... debut at Royal Aberdeen. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images (c)

LEADING US MONEY-WINNER JIMMY 

WALKER  BOUND FOR BALGOWNIE

NEWS RELEASE
Rising star Jimmy Walker will hope to follow in the footsteps of his American compatriot Phil Mickelson by taking the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open by storm this summer.

The 35-year-old, who has won a remarkable three times already this season to soar to the top of the US PGA Tour Money List, will make his debut in the prestigious event, which will take place at the superb Royal Aberdeen Golf Club from July 10-13, 2014.

Last year, Mickelson beat Branden Grace in a play-off for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open title at Castle Stuart Golf Links, then completed a brilliant double by winning The Open Championship for the first time the following week at Muirfield, where Walker missed the cut by a shot.

Such a feat would be tough to repeat, but Walker is a man in a rich vein of form, having claimed the Frys.com Open in October, the opening event of the 2013-14 season, the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and the ATandT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am last month – victories which have propelled the Texas man to the top of the US Ryder Cup qualifying points list.

“I’m really excited about making my debut in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and tackling the fantastic links course at Royal Aberdeen,” said Walker, the World Number 26, who also has a sizeable lead in the FedEx Cup standings.

“We don’t get a chance to play much links golf over on the US PGA Tour, so playing the Scottish Open is a great opportunity and a new challenge I’m relishing. The tournament always has a very strong field with many of the best players in the world, so I can’t wait to test my game there.”

Having played 187 US PGA Tour events over nine years without a victory, Walker shot to prominence by winning three times from eight starts in the 2014 season to shoot up the Official World Golf Ranking.

First came the Frys.com Open triumph in the first event of the 2014 US PGA Tour schedule, where he shot weekend rounds of 62-66 to hold off Vijay Singh by two shots in California.

Less than three months later he captured the Sony Open in Hawaii with a brilliant final round 63 – which included four birdies in the last six holes – to win by one.

Four weeks after that he closed out victory in the ATandT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, holing a five-foot putt for par on the last to win by one, having taken a six-shot lead into the final round.

Early-bird discounts are available until March 31 to see Walker, Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and a host of other world-class players in action at the 2014 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.  

A season ticket can be purchased for £60 in advance of the tournament, a saving of £20 on admission at the gate. Adult day tickets are currently priced at £25, rising to £35 on the gate.
Concessions (60 and over) start at £40 for a season ticket and £15 for any one-day tickets if purchased in advance. Under-16s accompanied by an adult are admitted free of charge and all car parking is also free. 

Entrance to the Pro-Am on Wednesday is £8 in advance and £15 on the day.

Full ticket information can be found at:  www.aamscottishopen.com and  www.europeantour.com/tickets or telephone Ticket Hotline:  +44 (0) 800 023 2557. Postal enquiries should be sent to: European Tour Tickets, Mirren Court Three, 123 Renfrew Court Three, Paisley, PA3 4EA.

AUSSIE LEADS BY FOUR AFTER DAY 1 AT BAY HILL COUNTRY CLUB

  Adam Scott acknowledges the cheers of the gallery after his 62 start to the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

ADAM SCOTT'S PERFECT CURE FOR A 

TOUCH OF FLU: RECORD-EQUALLING 62

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- Masters champion Adam Scott was feeling ill when he arrived at Bay Hill. One majestic round with the putter made him feel a lot better on Thursday.
Scott made five putts from about 20 feet or longer, two of them for eagles and one of them from off the green for birdie, and matched the course record with a 10-under 62 to build a four-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.
The conditions were close to perfect. So was the Australian's work on the greens.
"I made a lot of putts today, and a lot of putts from considerable length," Scott said. "I hit a lot of nice shots, too, but it wasn't like I was hitting it 4 feet. I had a round like this in Australia at the end of last year -- in the first six holes, I didn't hit it outside 5 feet. 
"There's a lot of different ways to get the ball in the hole. But it's good for the confidence. It's what I wanted. I sat in here yesterday and said I'd like to make some birdies and build the confidence. And today is a good start to that."
Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, who uses Bay Hill as his home course on the East Coast, birdied the 18th for a 65. American John Merrick celebrated his 32nd birthday by reaching 8 under until a late bogey. He also shot 65.
Both were 10 shots behind before they hit their first shot of the tournament.
"That took the pressure off," Merrick said. "You're already 10 shots behind, so it's not like you're protecting anything. But this isn't the Bay Hill I remember. I don't usually play golf in Florida without a 20 mph wind."
Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano had his best round of the year with a 66. American Brandt Snedeker and Englishman Paul Casey were among those at 67. They were all but forgotten with Scott's 62 on the board.
Scott walked from the ninth green across the practice range to the scoring trailer as one player after another turned his head and asked how low Scott went on the day. 
One caddie quipped, "Is there a 10-shot rule when you haven't teed off?"
It was the lowest round in 30 years at Bay Hill, and it was good enough to make a large gallery following Scott forget for a moment that defending champion Tiger Woods was absent because of a back injury.
Andy Bean in 1981 and Greg Norman in 1984 were the only other players with a 62 at Bay Hill.
After watching Scott make another putt -- this one from 20 feet for eagle on No. 4 -- U.S. Open champion Justin Rose asked if Scott could get to No. 1 if he were to win at Bay Hill. The answer: No and yes. He couldn't overtake Woods this week, but likely would go to No. 1 over the next few weeks if neither played.

Scott had reason to be mildly surprised by this round. For one thing, he had not been to Bay Hill in five years. Scott typically plays Innisbrook, but decided to mix it up. 
And he has some experience on the bag as Steve Williams caddied for Woods in six of the eight Bay Hill wins.
Scott said he was also coping with flu-like symptoms. "Just a bit under the weather," he said. "I can't complain."
He is a believer in the adage, "Beware the injured golfer." He lowered his expectations, concerned himself only with the next shot and was more concerned with his energy than feeling any nerves.
It didn't take long for him to realize it was going to be a special day, starting with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 10th to start his round. 
The Aussie got up and down from a bunker on the par-5 12th for birdie, made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th, and then rolled one in from 30 feet on the 15th from a collection area right of the green.
Scott drilled a 7-iron into 35 feet on the par-5 16th and made that birdie. On the front nine, he hit a pure 3-wood into 20 feet on the par-5 fourth for birdie, and then hit a tough bunker from some 35 yards away to 8 feet for birdie on the par-5 sixth.
It was the sixth time Scott posted a 62 on the US PGA Tour, the most recent at Firestone in 2011, when he won. But he didn't want to look at it as anything more than just a great start. 

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VIEW THE SCOREBOARD

SCOTS SHARING 26TH PLACE AT BAY HILL COUNTRY CLUB

LAIRD AND KNOX ON 71 - NINE BEHIND

LEADER SCOTT IN "ARNOLD PALMER"

Scots Martin Laird and Russell Knox are bracketed together in 26th place after matching one-under-par 71s in the first round of the Arnold Palmer

Invitational at Bay Hill Country Club, Florida.
Laird, pictured, recovered well from a double bogey 6 at the third - he had birdied the second - to birdie the fourth, sixth, 15th and 16th, dropping two more shots, at the short seventh and 11th.
Knox bogeyed the first but birdied the third, seventh and 12th and needed a par  at the 18th for a 70 - but bogeyed it.
Paul Casey and Jamie Donaldson did best of the Brtits with 67s to be lying joint fifth, five behind leader Aussie Adam Scott who equalled the course record with a 10-under-par 62.
Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell had 68.
Padraig Harrington and Brian Davis had solid 70s to tee off. Justin Rose and another Englishman, US amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick, are alongside Knox and Laird on the 71 mark.
David Lynn had a par 72 but Lee Westwood had a poor start with a 75 and, at joint 98th place, he is in danger of failing to beat the second-round cut.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
par 70 players from USA unless stated
62 Adam Scott (Australia)
65 Ryo Ishikawa (Japan), John Merrick
66 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain)
67 Brandt Snedeker, Morgan Hoffman, Paul Casey (England), Jamie Donaldson (Wales), Jason Kokrak, Francesco Molinari (Italy)
68 Ryan Moore, Charles Howell, J B Holmes, Brendon Steele, Ian Poulter (England), Graeme McDowell (N Ireland)

SELECTED SCORES
69 Henrik Stenson (Sweden) (T17)
70 Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Brian Davis (England) (T16).
71 Russell Knox (Scotland), Justin Rose (England), Matthew Fitzpatrick (England) (am), Freddie Jacobson (Sweden), Martin Laird (Scotland) (T40)
72 David Lynn (England) (T61)
74 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) (T91)
75 Lee Westwood (England), David Duval (T98)
76 Greg Owen (England) (T106)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
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BID TO BOOST GRASS ROOTS GAME IN MALAYSIA

FREE ENTRY FOR UNDER-16s AT ASIA 

v EUROPE MATCH NEXT WEEK

NEWS RELEASE

Kuala Lumpur: Children under the age of 16 will enjoy free access to next week's inaugural EurAsia Cup as part of efforts to promote the game amongst the youngsters in Malaysia.

The EurAsia Cup (Team Asia v Team Europe match-play) will be  held at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club’s Garden course from March 27-29 (Thursday to Saturday).

This coincides with the local school mid-term holidays and the tournament organisers believe this will be a great opportunity for young golfers to watch the golf starts into battle in the Ryder Cup-style event over three days