RUSSELL KNOX EARNS $45,880 FOR LEVEL PAR JT 26TH FINISH

AUSSIE STEVEN BOWDITCH WINS 

TEXAS OPEN - FIRST WIN ON US TOUR

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE 

SAN ANTONIO -- Aussie Steven Bowditch won his first US PGA Tour  title Sunday at the Valero Texas Open, finishing one shot ahead of Will MacKenzie and Daniel Summerhays to lift the $1,116,000 top prize.
Bowditch finished at 8-under 280 after a final-round 76 to earn a trip to the Masters.
Bowditch's final-round score was the highest by a winner since Vijay Singh at the 2004 US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. The field averaged was 73.8 on a windy day at TPC San Antonio. 
“I was able to stay pretty positive, to be honest,” Bowditch said. “After a period of time out there, with the way I was playing, I kind of just accepted the fact that I was going to be playing from cactuses, moving rocks, missing putts and just had to deal with it every time. 
"It happened so frequently that it never really surprised me. I was just lucky enough that the wind was up enough today that no one else could squeeze in there and shoot a good score.”
Bowditch started the final round with a three-shot lead over Matt Kuchar and Andrew Loupe, but was 3 over on the first four holes and made the turn in 3-over 39 to fall into a tie for the lead with Kuchar.
Kuchar made bogey on three of the back nine’s first five holes, though, and shot a 39 of his own on the back side. Kuchar and Loupe tied for fourth at 6 under after both shooting 75 on Sunday.
Bowditch rose from 155th to 26th in the FedExCup after his 500-point win. He also earned his first Masters invitation; the Aussie will make his Masters debut the same year that Adam Scott defends the country's first Masters victory. 
A trio of Australians -- John Senden, Aaron Baddeley and Scott Gardiner -- greeted Bowditch near the 18th green to congratulate him on his victory. 
Senden, winner of the recent Valspar Championship, was fittingly wearing a white Masters T-shirt.
Bowditch’s lead was down to one shot after a bogey at the par-3 13th, but he birdied the next hole to regain a two-shot lead.
Bowditch, who ranked 64th in strokes gained-putting this week, switched putters after the first round, but said that is something he does on an almost weekly basis.
“After I played well on Thursday, with my ballstriking, I thought, ‘Hang on a moment, I might be able to get in contention this week with the way I was hitting the ball.’ I just wanted to go back to a putter that I was completely comfortable with,” he said.
The change worked, and it helped change his life.

---

FIRST THINGS FIRST: When asked how he was going to prepare for his upcoming Masters debut, Bowditch joked, “I don’t even know how to get there.”
He’s not completely unfamiliar with the course, though. He’s played it on PlayStation. “So I guess I know some of the breaks,” he said.

•     Steve Bowditch ... first US PGA Tour win

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RUSH HOUR: Matt Kuchar was tied with Bowditch for the lead with nine holes remaining. They were at 9 under and three clear of the field. Kuchar has won six times on TOUR; Bowditch was seeking his first TOUR victory. It was No. 11 in the Official World Golf Ranking vs. No. 339.
In the spirit of March Madness, Bowditch pulled off the upset. Kuchar made bogey on three of the back nine’s first five holes and eventually finished fourth, three shots back. He three-putted Nos. 10 and 14.
“I felt rushed, I felt like it led to a couple mistakes: the three-putt on 10, rushing a little bit, the wedge shot on 11, the wind was kind of up and down and I felt like I just had to pull the trigger,” Kuchar said.
 “Being on the clock is just stressful. It’s not something you’re used to, so I felt a little more rushed, a little more stressed. Particularly with windy, difficult conditions like today, you just need to think things through more than normal.”
Kuchar’s fourth-place finish was his fifth top-10 in eight starts this season.

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CARD-CARRYING MEMBER: Daniel Summerhays’ runner-up finish at the Valero Texas Open matched his career-best finish. He didn’t win, but there was one big bonus to his good play. He secured his playing privileges for next season.
“It’s always a relief once you’ve made enough to keep your card, keep your job for next year. That is a big relief,” Summerhays said. 
“A lot of these guys are out here trying to win every week. I do want to win, but I’m in a position now where I keep my card for another year. That’s a big deal for me. It’s a blessing. I feel really grateful.”

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ON THE RISE: Will MacKenzie had to regain his PGA TOUR card at the Web.com Tour Finals. Now he’s in contention for the FedExCup. MacKenzie’s second-place finish was his third top-6 finish in his past four starts. He’s now 11th in the FedExCup standings.
“I got nervous a couple times. When I got to 6 under, I thought, ‘Man, here I come. I’m back in this a little bit.’ I got really excited. It’s awesome. It’s a great feeling,” MacKenzie said.
MacKenzie was second in strokes gained-putting this week.
 Russell Knox finished T26 on level par 288 with scores of 74, 70, 71 and 73. He earned $45,880 to put towards his forthcoming wedding!

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) Players from USA unless stated

280 Steven Bowditch (Australia) 69 67 68 76 ($1,116,000)
281 Will MacKenzie 69 72 70 70, Daniel Summerhays 72 68 70 71 ($545,600 each).
282 Matt Kuchar 70 72 65 75, Andrew Loupe 67 70 70 75 ($272,800 each).
283 Jim Furyk 70 74 68 71, Zach Johnson 70 71 70 72, Jerry Kelly 71 71 70 71, Brendon Todd 71 76 78 68 ($200,725 each).
SELECTED TOTALS
284 Jordan Spieth 75 70 68 71 (T10) ($167,400
288 Russell Knox (Scotland) 74 70 71 73 (26) ($45,880)
292 Brian Davis (England) 71 72 76 73 (T46) ($15,934)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES, PRIZE MONEY

CLICK HERE

FIFE BEAT PERTH AND KINROSS AT SCOTSCRAIG

CLACKMANNAN THRASH ANGUS 7-1

IN PROVAN SALVER TIE AT PANMURE

Clackmannan scored a resounding win by 7 matches to one over Angus "on the road" - at Panmure Golf Club, in a Provan Salver tie.
Fife had a much closer opening tie against Perth and Kinross at Scotscraig. Fife won 4 1/2-3 1/2

ANGUS 1, CLACKMANNAN 7
Chris Hutcheon lost to Scott Borrowman 3 and 2.
Raymond Perry lost to Steve McIvor 3 and 2.
William Bremner lost to Darren Hulston 3 and 1.
Gary Tought bt Ross Benvie 2 and 1.
Danny Elder lost to Steven Horne 7 and 5.
George Findlay lost to Allan Watson 2 holes.

Campbell Donaldson lost to Gary Chalmers 1 hole.

Maurice Lindsay lost to John Maxwell 3 and 2.

FIFE 4 1/2, PERTH and KINROSS 3 1/2
Mark Anderson (Leven Thistle) lost to Daniel Young 1 hol.
David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) bt Scott Michie 2 and 1.
Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) bt Glen Campbell 4 and 3.
Brian Erskine (Ladybank) bt Stephen Carruthers 2 and 1.
Niall McMullen (Lundin) bt Rory Tinker 3 and 2.
Kevin Blyth (Lundin) lost to Mark Cameron 6 and 4.
Alex Moir (Thornton) lost to Bradley Neil 6 and 5.
Keith Anderson (Charleton) halved with Stuart Graham.

FIXTURES TO COME
April 6
Clackmannan v Fife (at Alloa)
Perth and Kinross v Angus
April 27
Clackmannan v Perth and Kinross
Fife v Angus (Drumoig).

GARY FORBES SAYS ALLIANCE PLAY TOO SLOW, PRIZE MONEY TOO LOW

TIME FOR A NEW APPROACH TO NE 

ALLIANCE  FOURSOMES - AND THE 

REGULAR EVENTS TOO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The North-east Alliance foursomes match-play tournament used to be the closing highlight of the circuit's season.
Not any more. This past week's staging at Murcar Links featured only ONE professional and 15 amateurs in the scratch section when it should have been eight pros, partnered by eight amateurs.
In years gone by, the pros who played in the Alliance were club pros. Nowadays, they are
young pros, marking time until the various circuits on which they can play start up again in the spring.
David Law, Jordan Findlay and Philip McLean were playing in Egypt, Ross Cameron in Portugal, and Kris Nicol, Craig Lawrie, Sam Kiloh and others were playing in the PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School Stage 1 events in England.
"Local" pros such as Joel Hopwood, Laura Murray, Colin Nelson, regulars during the NE Alliance autumn-winter-spring season chose not to make themselves available for the NE Alliance foursomes.
Dave Wilson and Dave Mackay, joint organisers of the NE Alliance circuit, realise that something has to be done to avoid another end-of-the-season foursomes damp squib.
From what I can gather they will look for dates a little bit earlier in the year that don't clash with the annual EuroPro Tour Qualifying School nor the German PGA developmental tour or Jamega Tour events that.
Once upon a time, the eight pros did not have to qualify for the foursomes although the amateurs did through the championship.
Perhaps it is time to return to that format. Messrs Wilson and Mackay would then draw up a list of pros who would play in the foursomes if available.
Time and money also hold the key.
Gary Forbes, the Murcar Links pro, told me that he no longer plays in the Alliance competitions because the play is too slow, and he cannot spare
five hours + travelling time away from his pro's shop.
"The other factor is money. The prizemoney in the Alliance in general and the foursomes in particular is probably the same as it was 10, 15 years ago," said Gary.
"Golf professionals play golf to make money and I feel the organisers have to take a long hard look at the question of prizemoney."
Personally, I don't agree with the fact that the North-east Alliance championship does not have prizemoney as such for the 36-hole aggregates.
Prizes are allocated to amateurs and pros as if the
two rounds, admittedly played on different days, were two separate NE Alliance competitions.
Contrast that with the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance championship at Gullane last week.
A total of £1,000 was up for grabs in the professional section alone. Lloyd Saltman who won the title received something like £400 plus the title plus the Uniroyal Trophy.
That's the kind of thinking the North-east Alliance has to adopt to move with the times. A £1,000 prizelist for the NE Alliance foursomes would also change a few pros' attitude to playing in the tournament.
If it means that entry fees, on top of their usual fee for a weekly competition, have to be charged for the championship and the foursomes, so be it.
The amateurs would also receive bigger prize vouchers in both tournaments.
What I really would like to see is a return to the days when most club professionals in the North-east played regularly in the weekly Alliance competitions. Perhaps a bigger "carrot" in the shape of bigger cash prizes would draw them back?
Or maybe a touch of enterprise, as is being shown by Lee Sutherland, the Monfieth pro who runs the Midland Alliances, is called for.
Lee regularly finds sponsors for pro-am team events within the regular Midland Alliance schedule. 
A touch of variety ... bigger prize money .... that's
two suggestions.
Now let's hear yours

IF YOU ARE A REGULAR PARTICIPANT ON THE NE ALLIANCE CIRCUIT, PRO OR AMATEUR, AND YOU WANT TO EXPRESS YOUR VIEW ON THE TOPIC, E-MAIL IT TO
Colin@Scottishgolfview.com and we'll get a debate going.

DEBUT AS A PRO IN MALAYSIAN OPEN

AMATEUR CHAMPION PORTEOUS TO 

TURN PRO AFTER THE MASTERS

  FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

    By JAMES CORRIGAN
Transition traditionally takes a long in time in golf, but not for Garrick Porteous. Next week, the Englishman will drive up Magnolia Lane as an amateur – and he will drive back down it as a professional.

From fantasy to reality, from The Masters to Malaysia. Porteous has decided to sacrifice his right as reigning British Amateur champion to play in the US Open and so give himself a better chance of making it in the paid ranks.

“Not many players can say their last tournament as an amateur was the Masters,” Porteous said. “My ambition is to earn enough money this season to win my [European] Tour card and the Malaysian Open is a big European Tour event to which I have been lucky enough to secure an invite. And I’m also in the Indonesia Masters the week later.”

No doubt, Porteous’s preference will raise eyebrows in America, particularly as their national championship is being hosted at revered Pinehurst. But it makes sense on so many levels.

“I’m not disrespecting the US Open, as I’d love to play in it,” Porteous said. “But I’d have to wait for a few months for June and I could have lost some precious ground by then.
" I’m 24, have played for an American college, have won the Amateur (pictured above with the trophy) and a few other big events and have played in the Walker Cup. 
"The time comes when you think you’ve done everything you can on the amateur circuit. I really feel ready to turn pro, now.”

Porteous, from the North-east of Engliand, prays the new narrative will set off at a breakneck pace, similar to that of Rory McIlroy, Tom Lewis and, on the US PGA Tour, Jordan Spieth who, as a teenager, grasped his full playing privileges last year by making the most of a few invites.
“I know it’s a tall order, but there are plenty of recent examples to prove it’s achievable,” Porteous said.
“You have to aim high and I believe my game is good enough. It’s funny, if you’d have asked me a year ago about turning pro I wouldn’t have had a clue. Everything’s just become very clear. 
"Yeah, you could say I’m excited. These are probably the biggest few weeks in my life coming up.”
Porteous flew to Atlanta on Friday and will tee it up against his countryman, Matt Fitzpatrick, in the Georgia Cup on Wednesday. 
The 18-hole showdown at The Golf Club of Georgia, in a northern suburb of Coca-Cola City, is contested by the Amateur champion and the US Amateur champion. Rarely will the Cross of St George flutter so proudly in golf.
“To have it as an all-English final is a huge achievement, particularly if you think how global the game now is,” Porteous said. 
“It hasn’t happened before and it’ll probably be a long time until it happens again. There will be some pride at stake, but basically playing Matt will be good fun. The serious stuff is at the Masters.”
Porteous’s aim is to become just the third Amateur champion in the last 25 years to make the cut. He was disappointed with his performance at the Open in July last year, but showed he could mix it with the pros in South Africa in December when finishing 14th on his European Tour debut at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Porteous admits to being enchanted with the Augusta National, but is determined not to become overawed.
“I’ve actually been there quite a lot,” he said.
“When I was at Tennessee University we would get Monday practice tickets. I went three or four times. And I’ve played it twice this year, when it was just me and a local caddie. I learned a lot – mainly not to be long or short to those greens. I feel I know what it’s about, although obviously it’ll be very different in Masters week. I’m going to try to stay level-headed.”
With this in mind, Porteous will eschew the right to lodge in the clubhouse all week and share a house with his parents and his sister, Angharad, who is travelling over from California where she is completing a PhD at Stanford University.
A county golfer herself, Angharad has long since claimed caddying rights for the Par-Three event.
“It’ll be good to have them there to get away from it all; except my sister will probably be the most hyped-up person in Augusta,” Porteous said.
“I’m going to stay in the Crow’s Nest on the Monday night after we’ve had the amateur dinner there – just to say I’ve done it. But from then on, it’ll be head down and focusing purely on the golf.” He sounds like a pro already.

SCOTTISH DISABILITY GOLF'S COMPREHENSIVE 2014 FIXTURE LIST

NEWS RELEASE FROM
www.sdgp.org.uk
This year Scottish Disability Golf is celebrating its tenth year of operation and organising golf, golf training and competition for its members.  
With over 900 members in Scotland and other disabled golfing nations across the world, the SDGP has organised its most comprehensive fixture list of clinics and games.
Starting in April with a two-day event in Edinburgh and concluding in early October with a three-day competition in St Andrews, the charity will stage The Disabled Open Championship, plus three Team Scotland Ryder Cups and, many single-day games, and is the outlet to over 30 other international events and competitions.
Peter Osborne, the SDGP Chair and a blind golfer, said, "We have taken our time in expanding the golfing opportunities for our members.  There is no point in throwing all our efforts at one project or one fund-raising target.
"What we have done is built on the fantastic good will that Scottish golf clubs and governing bodies have offered and introduced people gradually to the game.  
"Also, what is quite unique to the SDGP is that any profit or sponsorship goes directly to all players or beginners to the game and we subsidise entry fees too."
The SDGP is governed and operated by disabled people and is the only group in Scotland which actively encourages and involves anyone of any age, with a disability, who wishes to learn about or play golf and includes people with physical, sensory and/or intellectual disabilities.
Jim Gales, the SDGP Secretary said, "Our members will travel extensively during 2014 and have been invited to play in over two dozen Open and team events across Europe, the USA and Asia, but one of the highlights of the 2014 season will be the Phoenix Cup event in the USA.  This is a Ryder Cup format game between the Rest of the World and the North Americans.  
"The North American Disability Golf Partnership was created just last year, by the SDGP and is already expanding across the continent to bring together both established disabled golfers and beginners to the game".

You can view some of our members at a Clinic at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYnFQHRG4dQ 
 
The 2014 golfing season begins in Edinburgh with a two-day event at the Pumpherston and Swanston Golf Clubs, on April 9-10 and will conclude after some 40 days of organised golf, in October, with a three-day event at St Andrews, with the SDGP's third Open of the year and conclusion to its Order of Merit Championship, being played on the hallowed turf at the 'Home of Golf'.
A full list of the SDGP's 2014 fixtures can be found at
http://www.sdgp.org.uk/Index.asp?MainID=15589
A selection of members' profiles can be found at
http://www.sdgp.org.uk/Index.asp?MainID=15610
 
The Phoenix Cup Disabled Ryder Cup event will be played at the Virgin River Resort, Mesquite, Nevada from October 16-23, with teams made up of golfers from over a dozen countries, including, Holland, Scotland, Greece, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, England and Ireland.
 
The newly formed North American Disability Golf can be found at
http://www.nadgp.com/index.html

James Gales MBE
Secretary
Scottish Disability Golf Partnership
38 Crawley Crescent Springfield
Cupar Fife Scotland KY15 5SF
T: +44 (0) 1334 650963 M: +44 (0) 7903 596552

The SDGP is a Registered Scottish Charity SC 041000 www.sdgp.org.uk

THREE POINTS COVER TOP THREE IN FINAL TABLE

COLIN HALCROW WINS SENIOR ORDER

OF MERIT IN TIGHT FINISH

The Scottish Senior Golf Society Winter Order of Merit came to a tight finish in the last event at Strathtyrum, St Andrews.
Three points covered the top three with Colin Halcrow (Windyhill) coming out on top, beating Drew Wilson (Clober) by 2pt and Ian Jeen (St Andrews New Club) by three.

FINAL ORDER OF MERIT TABLE
111 Colin Halcrow (Windyhill) (5)
109 Drew Wilson (Clober) (5)
108 Ian Jeen (St Andrews New) (1)
98 David Smith (Stirling) (5)
93 Jay Aman (Grangemouth) (3)
88.5 George Barrie (Callander) (2)
87.5 Neil McGarva (Kilmacolm) (6)
84 Derek Sim (Panmure) (5)
74.5 Keith Bruce (Edzell) (1)
72 Tom Allan (Dunblane) (8)
69 David Millar (St Andrews New) (5)
67.5 Alex Hogg (Stirling) (8)
67 David Walker (Lanark) (4)
63.5 John Johnston (Lanark) (2)
59.5 Gordon MacDonald (Glenbervie) (1)
57.5 Richard Goodale (Aberdour) (8)
55 Ian Gillan (Bishopbriggs) (1)
53 Keith Ross (Beith) (6)
45 Allan Elder (Kirkcaldy) (3)
40.5 Robert Gordon (Glenearn) (12)
40 Jim Watt ( Edzell) (1)
39 David Causon (Elderslie) (8)
37.5 Jim Paterson ( Ranfurly Castle) (9)
36 Alan Nelson (Murcar Links) (6)
34.5 Alfie Henighen (Haggs Castle) (5)
34 Bruce Hunter (Stirling) (8)

ON THE TRAIL OF THE LATE W.M. BERRIE, SEC OF SCOTTISH GOLF UNION

E-mail from Alasdair J Malcolm

Reference the request re W.M. Berrie (Scottishgolfview.com, March 29).

 I have an SGU yearbook from 1947 that lists him as Secretary Treasurer then. He is listed as a CA and had an address of 8 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh. 

I have previously gifted old yearbooks to the SGU for their archives and I know that they have a great number of ‘back issues,’ either originals or scans. I am sure that, with a little effort and research, one of the office staff could go through the yearbooks held and at least give dates that Mr Berrie was Secretary of the SGU.

Hope this helps

Alasdair J Malcolm