LINK TO FIRST-DAY SCORES IN SCOTTISH JUNIOR TOUR EVENT AT LOSSIEMOUTH

CHECK out the scores after the first two rounds of the Scottish Hydro Junior Tour 54-hole event at Moray Golf Club's Lossiemouth links today.
There is a cut for qualifiers to play the final round on Sunday.

CLICK HERE

LINK TO WEB.COM TOUR LIVE SCORING SERVICE

JIMMY GUNN LYING T41 IN TEXAS 

WITH A ROUND TO GO 

Dornoch exile Jimmy Gunn has scored 72-68-71 for far in this weekend's Web.com Tour event, the WNB Classic, at Midland Country Club, Texas.
His 54-hole tally in this 72-hole event is five-under-par  211 and the Arizona-based Highlander is in T41 position, 15 shots behind the leader by seven, American Andrew Putnam.
Gunn bogeyed the second, birdied the fourth and fifth but bogeyed the seventh before he had a string of pars until he birdied the 18th to finish one-under-par for the day.
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72) Players from USA unless stated
196 Andrew Putnam 66 66 64
203 Richard S Johnson (Sweden) 68 69 66, Rod Pampling (Australia) 66  69 68
204 Mathew Goggin (Australia) 69 68 67, Tom Gillies 69 64 71
SELECTED SCORE
211 Jimmy Gunn (Scotland) 72 68 71 (T41)  

TO VIEW All THE SCORES

CLICK HERE 

 REPORT FROM WEB.COM TOUR WEBSITE

• PUTNAM BOOSTS LEAD TO 7 IN TEXAS
• Will anyone catch be able to catch Andrew Putnam on Sunday? He leads by seven shots. (Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

MORE: Scores | Tee times | Highlights | Interviews: Saunders | Goggin | Putnam


By Joe Chemycz, PGATOUR.COM 
MIDLAND, Texas – Andrew Putnam fired an 8-under 64 in Saturday’s third round of the WNB Golf Classic and took a commanding seven-stroke lead heading into the finale at the Midland Country Club.
Putnam’s bogey-free round put him at 20-under par 196, and well in front of veterans Richard S. Johnson (66) and Rod Pampling (68) who share second place at 13-under.
Mathew Goggin (67) and Tom Gillis (71) are 12-under and will need a disastrous start by Putnam on Sunday to have a chance to catch him.
Putnam’s seven-shot margin matches the second-largest in Tour history and is the biggest since Will Wilcox led by the same amount at last year’s South Georgia Classic, which happens to be next week’s stop on Tour.
“I didn’t really look. I knew I was definitely creating a gap,” said Putnam, who is in search of his first career win. “I really didn’t have to look at a scoreboard, I kind of knew. You can always feel where you’re at.”
The 25-year-old from Washington started the week with a pair of 66’s and his 12-under total was one better than playing partner Gillis but appeared to open the door when his second shot on the first hole sailed five or six yards over the green.
“I thought I hit a great shot,” he said.
The next one was as he chipped in for birdie and he never looked back as he slowly increased his lead. Birdies at the par-5 2nd and 4th holes put the field on notice that they were going to have to catch Putnam, he wasn’t going to back up.
“If you’re parring a par-5 you’re getting lapped or losing a stroke,” said Putnam, who birdied all four of the par-5’s in round three. “You feel like you can make a couple mistakes if you birdie all the par-5s so that definitely helps.”
By the time the Pepperdine grad added two more birdies at the 6th and 9th he was 17-under up by a handful.
“I just started playing some really good golf,” Putnam said. “I didn’t drive it perfectly but I missed it in spots that I was able to recover from and still hit at the green and at the pin.”
Sunday’s forecast predicts steady winds in the 20-30 mph range and gusts that could reach 45 mph. Advantage Putnam, who is in unchartered territory.
“It’ll be a grind tomorrow but hopefully we can keep it going,” he said. “When the wind is blowing that hard it’s going to be tough for someone to shoot a low one. When it’s blowing 30 it’s going to be hard to go at pins and be super aggressive. It’s easier to make pars and play conservatively.”

WEATHER IN TEXAS
 
• Saturday weather: High clouds most of the day. Winds SW 10-15 mph in the morning and increasing to 12-18 mph in the afternoon with some gusts above 25 mph. High of 93.
• Sunday’s forecast calls for high winds (W 20-30 mph with gusts 35-40 mph) and blowing dust.

US PGA TOUR'S ZURICH CLASSIC REPORT AND SCORES

Yes, yes for Noh! Two shots clear after Round 3

• Seung-yul Noh has gone 54 holes without a bogey at TPC Louisiana this week. (Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
AVONDALE, Louisiana (AP) -- If Sueng-Yul Noh can hold on to the lead in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, he'll do it front of fans who can appreciate how much bigger Noh's mission is than simply winning his first US PGA Tour event.
Wearing yellow and black ribbons on his hat to honour victims of the April 16 South Korean ferry accident, Noh used a string of birdies late in his round Saturday to surge two strokes ahead of Keegan Bradley atop the leaderboard.
It is Noh's first career lead through three rounds on Tour, and comes in a city where sports -- particularly the success of the NFL's Saints -- became an uplifting force after Hurricane Katrina.
Noh finds himself representing -- and captivating -- a nation mourning the more than 300 dead or missing -- many of them students -- from the sinking of a ferry in the waters off his home country.
"Hopefully, I'll make all the South Korean people happy," Noh said. "It was very sad news for the Korean ship, so hopefully another bogey-free round tomorrow, and hopefully good news for the Koreans."
Noh is the first player to complete 54 holes at the TPC Louisiana without a bogey. He shot a 7-under 65 to reach 18-under 198. No player has completed all four rounds on the course at better than 20 under, the score Billy Horschel posted last year, when he became the sixth player in the last nine years to secure his maiden US PGA Tour triumph in New Orleans.
Noh will try to continue the trend when he tees off in the same group as Bradley, who is no stranger to winning. His three career Tourvictories include the 2011 PGA Championship.

Bradley said he doubted that he would intimidate Noh, but added, "It is definitely hard getting your first win."
Bradley began the day tied for seventh at 9 under. He pulled into a tie with Noh for first on No. 15 with his seventh birdie of the day.
Then, Noh, who was tied for third at 11 under after two rounds, made birdie putts of 13 feet on 14 and 10 feet on 15 before hitting a 112-yard approach shot to a foot for another birdie on 16, bringing him to 18 under.
Bradley also shot 65, making eight birdies. He also made one bogey on the par-3 ninth hole, when his ball landed left of the green, rolled down a bulkhead lined with cypress planks and into a water hazard from which alligators have been making routine appearances this week. It didn't faze him, though.
"I'm most proud this week of where I've been mentally on the golf course and how calm I've felt," Bradley said. 
"I love being in this position, a couple back going into Sunday. I'd like to be a couple in the lead, too, but I love chasing."
Robert Streb is third, three shots back after a 68. Paul Casey's 64 was the day's best round. The Englishman moved up to a tie for seventh with Charley Hoffman at 13 under.
Ben Martin, who had a three-shot lead after two rounds, shot a 73 to drop into a tie for fourth with Jeff Overton and Andrew Svoboda at 14 under. Overton shot 67, and Svoboda 70.
Noh is in his third year on Tour, but finished outside the top 125 on the money list last season, forcing him to play in Web.com Tour Finals events to retain his Tour card.
"Very disappointed in the whole season last year," Noh said. "I learned from that time. ... So I'm very ready for tomorrow."
He had never before been higher on the leaderboard than tied for second through three rounds. That happened once at the 2012 AT&T National, but he shot a 2-over 73 in his final round to finish tied for fourth, his best finish in 77 previous PGA TOUR starts.
Martin had raced to the lead with a course-record 10-under 62 in his first round, and his 36-hole score of 129 also was a course record. Teeing off with the final group, his trouble began on the par-5 second hole. He pushed his second shot to the right toward the crowd. As Martin's father, Jim, yelled, "Fore!" LSU student Cameron Slane turned his body defensively and felt the ball carom off the back of his head and shoulder.
The ball kicked to the right and into a cluster of long pompas grass. Martin took a drop and wound up with a bogey.
"Thursday's round and today are kind of a 180-degree difference," Martin said. "After Thursday, I wasn't on Cloud 9 and after today I'm not in the dumps. So I've still have a good mindset going into tomorrow."

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72) Players from USA unless stated
198 Seung-Yul Noh (S Korea) 65 68 65
200 Keegan Bradley 69 66 65
201 Robert Streeb 67 66 68
202 Jeff Overton 67 68  67, Ben Martin 62 67 73, Andrew Svoboda 64 68 70
SELECTED SCORES
203 Paul Casey (England) 71 68 64
205 Retief Goosen (S Africa) 72 65 68, Peter Hanson (Sweden) 65 69 71 (T10)
207 Freddie Jacobsen (Sweden) 72 69 66, Justin Rose (England) 71 67 69, David Duval 68 69 70 (T20)
213 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 70 72 71 (T64) 

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES


CLICK HERE

GLASGOW GAILES TWO-ROUND TOURNAMENT

THREE TIE FOR EDWARD TROPHY 

PLAY-OFF TO BE ARRANGED

 The two-round tournament for the Edward Trophy at Glasgow Gailes Golf Club finished with a triple tie on two-over-par 144 at the top of the leaderboard after 36 holes.
Kristopher McClure (Clydebank and Dist) (72-72), Ronald Clark (Erskine) (73-71) and Kenneth Gallacher (East Kilbride) (72-72) will return on a mutually convenient date to be arranged by the
organisers for a sudden-death play-off.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71) CSS 76 76
Kristopher McClure (Clydebank and Dist)    72    72    144
Ronald Clark (Erskine)                                 73    71    144
Kenneth Gallacher (East Kilbride)                 72    72    144
Ryan Campbell (Falkirk)                               71    74    145
Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood)                        76    71    147
Drew Waddell (Glasgow)                              72    75    147
Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm)                          74    74    148
Fraser Grant (Ralston)                                   75    73    148
James R McKenzie (Erskine)                         73    76    149
Andrew McKay (Balmore)                            74    75    149
Stephen Renfrew (Port Bannatyne)                73    77    150
Ed Wood (Crow Wood)                                 77    73    150
Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire)                  76    75    151
Graeme Cross (Hamilton)                               73    78    151
Mark Collin (Eyemouth)                                 75    76    151
Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon)                           78    73    151
Steven Rennie (Drumpellier)                           75    76    151
Gordon Miller (Cawder)                                  79    72    151
William Macmillan (Eastwood)                         81    70    151
John Laurie (Glasgow)                                     76    76    152
Lee Jenkins (Elderslie)                                      78    74    152
Scott Brown (Turnberry)                                   77    75    152
Jonathon Brown (Haggs Castle)                         77    75    152
Chris Conroy (Paisley)                                       80    72    152
Ross Kane (Glenbervie)                                     78    75    153
Blair Dalgleish (Ralston)                                     74    79    153
Andrew Fairbairn (Cawder)                                78    75    153
Nicky Gold (Bonnyton)                                      81    73    154
Paul Gault (Haggs Castle)                                   79    75    154
Jamie Lynch (Glenbervie)                                   77    77    154
Hugh Macdonald (Newbiggan by the Sea)           78    76    154
Keith Hamilton (Ayr Belleisle)                             78    77    155
Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle)                              78    77    155
Jamie Lamb (Lanark)                                          77    78    155
Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton)                           81    74    155
James Fleming (Bonnyton)                                  79    76    155
Steven Maxwell (Windyhill)                                 74    82    156
Graham Bolton (Bute)                                         77    79    156
Edward Shannly (Linlithgow)                               82    74    156
Stephen Easingwood (Dunbar)                             83    74    157
Alan Waugh (Cowglen)                                        78    79    157
Robbie McLeod (Elderslie)                                   80    77    157
Stuart Black (Cathcart Castle)                               80    77    157
Hugh Nelson (Kilsyth Lennox)                             78    79    157
Sam Fitzsimmons (Windyhill)                               77    81    158
Nicky Bell (Eden)                                                 82    76    158
Scott Moore (Clydebank and District)                    82    76    158
Steven Aitken (Leven Golfing Society)                   80    78    158
Jordan Shaw (Boat of Garten)                                77    82    159
Alan Laird (Strathaven)                                          77    82    159
Callum Burns (Balmore)                                         80    79    159
Garry Price (Paisley)                                               79    80    159
Gordon Yates (Colville Park)                                   81    79    160
Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay, Arran)                 80    80    160
Michael Smyth (Royal Troon)                                  79    83    162
Alistair Parlane (Helensburgh)                                  83    80    163
Craig Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthberts)                        83    80    163
Grant Minnes (Balmore)                                          82    81    163
Chris Guthrie (Paisley)                                             81    83    164
Paul Reilly (Kilmacolm)                                           79    86    165
Kieran Muldoon (Bothwell Castle)                            82    83    165
Thomas Morrison (Kilsyth Lennox)                           84    82    166
Paul Gault senior (Westerwood)                                 88    79    167
Fraser Campbell (Hilton Park)                                    87    83    170
David Dickson (Bonnyton)                                        73    N/R   
Duncan Martin (Longniddry)                                    N/R    75   
Niall Lamond (Balmore)                                           78    N/R   
Stuart Haddow (Falkirk)                                            80    N/R   
Graeme Campbell (Old Ranfurly)                              81    N/R   
Ewan McKinnon (Corrie)                                         N/R    81   
David Curtis (Cathkin Braes)                                    84    retired   
Richard Docherty (Bearsden)                                    N/R    N/R   

Comment by E-mail from a reader

Maybe time for Gailes to think of better second round settling ties?
Who has got time these days after a long 36 holes to come back and play again
 
D Ferguson

FOUR SCOTS MISS THE CUT WHEN SECOND ROUND IS COMPLETED

JACK DOHERTY BEST PLACED SCOT IN

WEATHER-HIT SPANISH CHALLENGE

The wind-blown Challenge de Catalunya at Lumine Golf and Beach Club, Tarragona in Spain has been reduced to a 54-hole tournament finishing on Sunday.
Play in the second round on Friday was halted very early because of high winds. The rounds were completed today
Antonio Horal (Spain) leads by one shot with an 11-under-par two-round total of 131, made up of rounds of 68 and course-record 63. 
Four Scots did not survive the cut - Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) on 143 (two over the limit Q mark), Raymond Russell 145, Andrew McArthur (147) and Duncan Stewart (150).

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
131 Antonio Horal (Spain) 68 63
132 Connor Arendell (USA) 65 67
134 Niall Kearney (Ireland) 69 65, Cyril Bouniol (France) 66 68, Adrien Saddier (France) 64 70, Jerome Lando Casanova (France) 66 68, Callum Shinkwin (England) 66 68.
 SCOTS' SCORES
139 Jack Doherty 70 69 (T32)
140 Callum Macaulay 71 69, Scott Henry 69 71 (T43)
141 David Law 71 70 (T54)

MISSED THE CUT (141 and better qualified)
143 Paul McKechnie 70 73
145 Raymond Russell 72 73
147 Andrew McArthur 74 73
150 Duncan Stewart 72 78

Day Three Report from European Tour Communications Spaniard Antonio Hortal shot a course record-equalling 63 on Saturday to claim a narrow lead at the weather-affected Challenge de Catalunya, which will be completed on Sunday after being reduced to 54 holes. With day two all-but wiped out by strong winds at Lumine Golf & Beach Club, in Tarragona, it was 24 year old Hortal who capitalised when the second round finally continued on Saturday morning, matching the 63 shot in round one by Dane Joakim Mikkelsen to reach 11 under par – one clear of his nearest challenger, American Connor Arendell, with 18 holes to come. Hortal, searching for a maiden Challenge Tour title after struggling somewhat in his first two seasons on Tour, fired six birdies and one eagle in a blistering second round, the latter coming thanks to a 33 foot left-to-righter at the long second hole in northern Spain. Qualifying School graduate Arendell, looking to become the fourth American to win on the Challenge Tour in the last two seasons after compatriots Brooks Koepka, Brinson Paolini and Peter Uihlein, mixed six birdies with two bogeys for a hard-fought 67. Ireland’s Niall Kearney, meanwhile, shot a superb 66 to move 43 places up the leaderboard into a share of third place – three shots off Hortal’s lead – alongside a trio of Frenchman in Cyril Bouniol, Adrien Saddier and Jerome Lando Casanova. With more gusty conditions forecast for Sunday, the event has been reduced to a 54 hole contest for the second time in three years. Key Quotes Hortal: “I was on my tenth hole when they called the suspension yesterday. So I started the round today and it all went perfect! I have played well in all areas. “Last year I had a bad time on Tour. I was new and my thoughts were always very negative. Working with Alejandro Ramos has completely changed my mind. He says that my game is at the top and I have to believe it, and believe in me. “Things are going great. I'm still working with Pepin Rivero and we have Alejandro in the team who is caddying for me just this week. He's been a great help, he plans my training and is helping me not to have negative thoughts on the course and in life. “If I hit a bad shot, I now don’t worry about it and take the positive side of it. Everybody is hitting bad shots but for me it wasn't the case today, I hit everything perfectly. The key today was not to look at the leaderboard and not to worry about other's scores.” Arendell: “This course suits me well so I will just have to hang there with the wind. Everything feels great but this week putting is being really good, I am giving myself lots of opportunities for birdie. “Last year I went to both Q Schools and got my card to play on The European Tour. There are more Americans coming over. Peter (Uihlein) and Brooks (Koepka) are friends of mine, we are the same age and played together at college so we know each other really well and of course what they are doing here is a good reference to follow. “I am used to playing with the wind, I come from Florida where we are used to play with wind, is a bit cooler here but it will be no big deal for me for tomorrow". Talking points Hortal’s 63 was his lowest career round in his 19th Challenge Tour appearance Will be the first Challenge Tour event to be reduced to 54 holes since the Challenge de Catalunya in September 2012 – won by American Brooks Koeopka Arendell looking to continue the recent run of American Challenge Tour success after compatriots Brooks Koepka, Brinson Paolini and Peter Uihlein ALL THE SECOND-ROUND SCORES 131 A Hortal  (Esp) 68 63, 132 C Arendell (USA) 65 67, 134 C Bouniol (Fra) 66 68, A Saddier (Fra) 64 70, N Kearney (Irl) 69 65, J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 66 68, C Shinkwin (Eng) 66 68, 135 L Gagli  (Ita) 68 67, L Jensen (Den) 68 67, B An (Kor) 67 68, N Kimsey (Eng) 69 66, 136 A Dunbar (Nir) 66 70, P Archer (Eng) 70 66, 137 R Kind (Ned) 65 72, A Marshall (Eng) 68 69, J Bragulat  (Esp) 68 69, C Mivis  (Bel) 68 69, A Johnston (Eng) 68 69, L Nemecz (Aut) 68 69, J Gonnet  (Fra) 70 67, S Wakefield (Eng) 67 70, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 68 69, E Espana (Fra) 66 71, 138 J Sarasti  (Esp) 69 69, P Figueiredo  (Por) 69 69, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 70 68, D Brooks (Eng) 69 69, M Korhonen (Fin) 70 68, J Pastor (Esp) 66 72, M Ford (Eng) 68 70, M Lafeber (Ned) 66 72, 139 P Edberg (Swe) 68 71, O Wilson (Eng) 72 67, S Arnold  (Aus) 68 71, N Ravano (Ita) 67 72, J Dantorp (Swe) 68 71, J Doherty  (Sco) 70 69, D Gaunt (Eng) 69 70, J Sjöholm (Swe) 67 72, J Mikkelsen (Nor) 63 76, B Evans  (Eng) 68 71, E Johansen  (Nor) 67 72, 140 N Lemke (Swe) 67 73, B Hebert  (Fra) 68 72, S Henry  (Sco) 69 71, B Åkesson (Swe) 67 73, P Maddy (Eng) 69 71, R Davies (Wal) 70 70, C Lloyd (Eng) 68 72, P Oriol (Esp) 68 72, F Bergamaschi (Ita) 70 70, J Lagergren (Swe) 69 71, C Macaulay  (Sco) 71 69, 141 S Hutsby  (Eng) 72 69, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 70 71, P Widegren  (Swe) 67 74, J Barnes (Eng) 71 70, J Palmer (Eng) 74 67, C Aguilar  (Esp) 70 71, K Benz (Sui) 68 73, A Tadini (Ita) 68 73, W Besseling  (Ned) 68 73, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 71 70, D Kemmer (USA) 70 71, D Law (Sco) 71 70, MISSED THE CUT 142 O Stark (Swe) 75 67, A Rota (Ita) 72 70, B Ritthammer (Ger) 73 69, L Kennedy  (Eng) 70 72, F Fritsch  (Ger) 69 73, M Haastrup  (Den) 67 75, R McGee (Irl) 66 76, A Velasco (Esp) 73 69, G Lockerbie  (Eng) 68 74, A Björk (Swe) 72 70, R McEvoy  (Eng) 72 70, 143 B Stone (RSA) 71 72, P McKechnie (Sco) 70 73, M Orrin (Eng) 70 73, T Nørret (Den) 71 72, J Huldahl (Den) 71 72, G Woolgar (Eng) 67 76, M Quiros (Esp) 69 74, G Cambis  (Fra) 69 74, B Virto  (Esp) 69 74, 144 A Gee  (Eng) 71 73, M Lundberg (Swe) 67 77, A Domingo (Esp) 72 72, M Delpodio  (Ita) 71 73, J Elson  (Eng) 72 72, R Coles (Eng) 75 69, D Higgins (Irl) 68 76, N Thommen  (Sui) 73 71, J Lara (Esp) 71 73, 145 D Gavins (Eng) 70 75, X Guzman (Esp) 69 76, C Hanson (Eng) 73 72, T Lee (USA) 70 75, M Jonzon (Swe) 69 76, D Frittelli (RSA) 74 71, J Guerrier  (Fra) 71 74, R Russell (Sco) 72 73, L Goddard  (Eng) 69 76, 146 B Dredge (Wal) 70 76, G Watremez (Bel) 75 71, B Etchart  (Esp) 71 75, C Russo (Fra) 71 75, P Relecom  (Bel) 72 74, P Martin Benavides (Esp) 70 76, G Piris Mateu (Esp) 69 77, P Gal  (Cze) 70 76, D Coupland (Eng) 74 72, M Trappel  (Aut) 71 75, D Im (USA) 74 72, 147 J Camargo (Esp) 71 76, O Floren  (Swe) 75 72, L Corfield  (Eng) 72 75, N Quintarelli (Ita) 73 74, M Wiegele  (Aut) 72 75, H Sayin (Tur) 73 74, A McArthur  (Sco) 74 73, 148 B Pettersson (Swe) 72 76, T Linard (Fra) 72 76, T Sluiter  (Ned) 72 76, M Tullo (Chi) 73 75, J Rask (Swe) 72 76, D Ulrich (Sui) 70 78, 149 P Bech (Esp) 72 77, N Raymond (Eng) 72 77, L Claverie (Esp) 71 78, S Luna (Esp) 72 77, G Shaw (Nir) 73 76, S Tiley (Eng) 69 80, J Gallegos  (Esp) 80 69, O Farr (Wal) 71 78, A Garcia-Heredia (Esp) 73 76, 150 J Kennegard  (Swe) 75 75, S Garcia (Esp) 76 74, R Steiner (Aut) 74 76, D Stewart (Sco) 72 78, E Dubois (Fra) 72 78, 151 C Paisley  (Eng) 73 78, 152 J Legarrea (Esp) 77 75, S Little (Eng) 75 77, A Snobeck  (Fra) 74 78, 153 K Samooja (Fin) 78 75, X Ruiz Fonhof  (Ned) 74 79, I Giner (Esp) 71 82, T Pulkkanen  (Fin) 75 78, 155 M Dobias  (Sui) 76 79, J Sierra (Esp) 75 80, 158 R Hahn (Hun) 79 79, 161 A Rajmont  (Cze) 78 83, 163 A Savolainen  (Fin) 78 85, ** S Piaget  (Mon) 78 RT, Z Scotland  (Eng) 71 RT,     - Ends -

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	Saturday April 26, 2014

OOSTHUIZEN AND DUBUISSION RETIRE INJURED

                        

 

AUSSIE ROOKIE SMITH LEADS BY ONE

 

Jakarta: Australian rookie Cameron Smith will face one of his career’s biggest tests after he posted a five-under-par 67 to take the third-round lead at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Saturday.

Smith, who has enjoyed a distinguished amateur career, compiled a three-day total of 14-under-par 202 to head into the final round in pole position in what is only his second professional event on the Asian Tour.

India’s Anirban Lahiri displayed the qualities that made him a EurAsia Cup hero when he fired a flawless 64 to trail Smith by one in second place while compatriot Rashid Khan was equally impressive as he also matched Lahiri’s effort with a 64 to take third place.

Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand meanwhile signed for a 65 to take fourth place on 205 total at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Smith made a bold decision to move into the play-for-pay ranks after an illustrious amateur career where he won a host of events including the 2013 Australian Amateur, Australian Junior Championship and Australian Stroke Play Championship in 2011.

Having earned his Asian Tour card when he finished tied-18^th at Qualifying School earlier this year, the 20-year-old missed the cut in his first professional event in the Philippines in March.

However it has been a refreshing change of fortune for the Australian as he now finds himself atop the leaderboard for the first time after rounds of 68, 67 and 67 at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

“I’m feeling good, pretty ecstatic right now. I am actually leading a professional tournament for the first time!” said Smith, who traded five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys.

“I started off a bit slow. The eagle on the ninth kept the birdies coming. That was the highlight of the day as I holed a pretty long putt. It has been great three rounds so far. I’ll keep to the same game plan tomorrow which is to hit as many fairways and greens as I can and continue to putt well,” added Smith.

Tournament marquee names Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and France’s Victor Dubuisson were forced to withdraw from the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters because of a back and shoulder injury respectively.

“As much as I would love to, I cannot carry on playing at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters as I’ve hurt my back and I’m unable to swing my club. 

"The hospitality and the atmosphere at the event has been fantastic.  I’m very disappointed and hope to be back again next year. I want to thank everyone concerned about my injury and I hope to recover soon,” said Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open Championship winner.

 

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 216 (3x72) Yardage: 7,340

202 Cameron SMITH (AUS) 68-67-67.

203 Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 70-69-64.

204 Rashid KHAN (IND) 70-70-64.

205 Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 71-69-65.

206 Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA) 70-69-67, S.S.P CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66-69, LIN Wen-tang (TPE) 70-64-72.

207 Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 72-68-67, Marcus BOTH (AUS) 69-70-68, BAEK Seuk-hyun (SKOR) 71-68-68, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 68-70-69.

208 Bernd WIESBERGER (AUT) 68-71-69, Chan KIM (USA) 69-69-70, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-68-72.

 

Selected scores

210 Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 71-72-67, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 67-69-74

Retired (with injuries): Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa), Victor Dubuisson (France)

 

CHRIS DOAK LEADING SCOT, NINE SHOTS BEHIND LEADER

Frenchman Levy looking to collect maiden win
 

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Alexander Levy will take a three-shot over Alvaro Quiros into the final round of the Volvo China Open after a third round of three under 69 saw the 23 year old Frenchman move to 16 under par.

Levy is looking to win for the first time on The European Tour but he will have to resist a chasing pack that includes six time champion Quiros and three time winner Miko Ilonen (four shots off the pace) at the Genzon Golf Club in Shenzhen if he is to get over the line.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Spain’s Adrain Otaegui are tied for fourth place on 11 under, while Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter carded a third round 67 to move to six under for the tournament. World Number Three Henrik Stenson is two shots behind Poulter, while US PGA Champion Jason Dufner is a further shot back.

Key Player Quotes

Alexander Levy: “I have to try and play good golf tomorrow and take some pleasure from the golf course, because it’s a very nice course to play. I want to continue to play like I have for the first three rounds and to enjoy the moment. I will be nervous, but because you’re nervous doesn’t mean you can’t play well.”

Alvaro Quiros: “Tomorrow depends on a few things and not just me. If Alex plays really well then we might not be able to catch him but it is good to know that I have a chance to be in the top positions because it is a long time since I have won a tournament and you have to consider that too.
"It has been two and a half years since I won so I have not had those feeling for a long time. We will see if I can get them back tomorrow.”

Miko Ilonen: “I know what I need to do. I don’t need to see what the other guys are doing because I can’t have any effect on their game. I need to be four or five under on the front nine to give myself a chance.”

Talking Points

Alex Levy is looking to become the first French winner on the 2014 European Tour.

The 23 year old would be the sixth first time winner of the season. The Volvo China Open is the 20th tournament of the season.
SCOTSWATCH: Richie Ramsay fell back out of the top 10 with a third-round 74 for 211 but Chris Doak improved to tied eighth with a 70 for 209 - nine shots behind the leader. Like Ramsay, Scott Jamieson lost ground with a 73 for 212.

ROUND THREE TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)

200 A Levy (Fra) 68 62 70
203 A Quiros  (Esp) 67 68 68
204 M Ilonen  (Fin) 69 68 67
205 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 70 68 67, A Otaegui  (Esp) 68 66 71
207 S Dyson  (Eng) 67 71 69
208 A Sullivan (Eng) 71 68 69
209 C Doak (Sco) 71 68 70, F Molinari (Ita); L Hao-Tong (Chn)
210 J Quesne  (Fra); I Poulter (Eng); M Hoey  (Nir); H Otto (RSA); R Derksen (Ned)
211 T Pilkadaris (Aus); R Cabrera-Bello (Esp); R Jacquelin (Fra); R Ramsay  (Sco) 69 68 74, N Elvira  (Esp)
212 S Jamieson  (Sco) 71 68 73, E Grillo (Arg); P Meesawat  (Tha); M Madsen  (Den); O Fisher  (Eng); S Strange (Aus); H Stenson (Swe); P Il-Hwan (SKor); M Brown (Nzl)
213 M Kieffer (Ger); L Wen-Chong (Chn); P Larrazábal (Esp); L Slattery (Eng); G Bourdy (Fra); J Dufner (USA); G Havret  (Fra); J Lima  (Por); J Kruger (RSA); K Ji-Man (SKor); M Griffin (Aus)
214 M Kawamura (Jpn); M Crespi  (Ita); T Hatton (Eng); D Horsey (Eng); A Hansen (Den); G Bhullar (Ind)
215 M Siem  (Ger); E De La Riva  (Esp); T Lewis (Eng); R Bland (Eng); D Willett  (Eng);
216 W Ashun (Chn); S Kjeldsen (Den); D Drysdale (Sco) 70 71 75
217 J Campillo (Esp); F Aguilar (Chi); O Zheng (Chn); E Pepperell (Eng); B Rumford (Aus);
218 R Green (Aus); R Wattel  (Fra); R Santos  (Por); S Manley (Wal)
219 W Kang-Chun (Chn); E Molinari  (Ita); S Benson (Eng)
221 S Khan (Eng); A Wall (Eng)

DORNOCH EXILE LYING T26 IN WEB.COM TOUR EVENT

GUNN SHOOTS 68 TO BEAT TEXAS CUT

Jimmy Gunn shot a second-round 68 to banish any fears that he would miss another cut on the Web.com Tour.
The Dornoch exile, who had a first round of par 72, is lying in joint 26th place on four-under 140 at the WNB Classic at Midland Country Club, Texas (where Steven Young is on the pro staff).
Gunn is eight shots behind the leader Andrew Putnam who has had a pair of 66s for 12-under 132.

RUSSELL KNOX AND MARTIN LAIRD MISS CUT IN LOUISIANA

• BEN MARTIN LEADS BY THREE AT 
•  
• ZURICH CLASSIC
  FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
  

  • By D.J. Piehowski, PGATOUR.COM

MORE: Leaderboard | Tee times | Daily Wrap-up | Projected FedExCup | Round 2 photo gallery
AVONDALE, Louisiana – Ben Martin started the 2013-14 season with the goal of winning two times on the US PGA Tour. When he missed seven out of nine cuts to start 2014, it was time to rethink things.
“I was thinking about winning every week and I was missing cuts. It was really frustrating,” Martin said Friday from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
He’s since refocused his goals (he’s aiming to make the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola) and, as cliché as it might sound, the rest is starting to take care of itself. Friday he fired 67 to open up a three-shot lead at TPC Louisiana.
“Now it’s a week-by-week thing where I can say, all right, I’m creeping up the FedExCup list. I think that takes a lot of the pressure off.”
Martin entered the week No. 65 in the FedExCup standings and could vault to No. 14 with a victory.
For the second straight week, Martin has been (nearly) flawless through 36 holes, grabbing his second consecutive 36-hole lead; he finished T3 last week at the RBC Heritage. 
Thursday he set a course record 62 and Friday, despite making bogey at No. 17 and double at No. 18 (his eighth and ninth holes of the day), he extended his lead by two.
“That’s golfing your ball,” said caddie Alex Boyd, a former Clemson Univeersity team-mate who is in just his second week on the bag with Martin. “He's setting the bar high.”
Martin picked a good week to play well. A number of his family members have had the Zurich Classic circled for weeks, planning to make the trip to New Orleans since the tournament coincided with the spring break of his mother, an elementary school teacher in Greenwood, S.C.
“She's the one that took my brother and I to golf tournaments,” Martin said. “She's probably seen me play, I don't even know how many holes of golf. I think that's one of her favourite things to do.”

---

GOOD PUTTER: Bo Van Pelt, how would you assess your season thus far?
“Terrible,” he said with a laugh. “I think I lead the TOUR in ‘Others,’ which is not a good stat.”
Compared to the player who led the TOUR in top 10s two seasons ago, he’s got a point. Van Pelt is still without a top 10 in the 2013-14 season and he’s missed seven of 12 cuts.
But as he says, he’s trending in the right direction, thanks in part to a switch to what’s known simply as the “Kuchar Style” of putting, in which players use a longer putter and rest the excess grip against the inside of their leading forearm.
“I had been struggling a little bit and I picked one up in Tampa and just liked it right away,” he said. “I’ve always kind of been a back-of-the-left-hand putter anyway. It actually wasn’t a huge transition. I felt good with it.”
Van Pelt looked extra comfortable Friday, posting a second-round 63 that included two eagles at the back nine par 5s, Nos. 11 and 18. 
He thinks it’s the first time he’s had two eagles in a round since doing it two years in a row at the Masters (in the final round in 2012 he made eagle at 13 and aced the 16th; in 2011’s final round he eagled 13 and 15). 
During Friday’s 63, Van Pelt made five putts from outside 10 feet.
“To get under par and make a couple birdies,” he said, “it reminds you that you can still do it.”

---

BAD PUTTER: As far as putting goes, Billy Horschel is at his wits’ end.
He’s tried everything to get putts to drop over the past few weeks. He’s put a new putter in the bag. He’s gone through drill after drill. He’s even tried superstition, changing the way he marks and replaces his Florida Gator orange-and-blue-dotted golf ball.
“I'm sort of getting to my breaking point right now,” he said after missing the cut at Zurich, where he claimed his first US PGA Tour win a year ago. “I'm trying not to show too much on the golf course.”
What’s really making this season frustrating for Horschel is how well he’s hitting the ball. He’s third on TOUR in ball-striking and seventh in total driving. Entering this week, he was 110th on TOUR in strokes-gained putting.
“I wish I could say it's something mechanical in my stroke, that's easy to fix, but it's not,” he said. “I don't know what to do. Maybe putt blind.”

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
par 144 (2x72) players from USA unless stated
129 Ben Martin 62 67
132 Andrew Svoboda 64 68
133 Seung Yul-noh 65 68, Robert Streeb 67 66
134 Erik Compton 66 68, Peter Hanson (Sweden) 65 69
SELECTED SCORES
137 David Duval 68 69
138 Justin Rose (England) 71 67
139 Paul Casey (England) 71 68
142 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 70 72
MISSED THE CUT
143 Ernie Els (S Africa) 72 71
145 Russell Knox (Scotland) 73 72
147 Martin Laird (Scotland) 70 77
148 Greg Owen (England) 76 72 

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