RORY McILROY FLIRTS WITH DISASTER BUT GETS A 69

CABRERA PLAYS LIKE AN ANGEL TO 


TAKE WELLS FARGO ROUTE 66


FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  (AP) -- Phil Mickelson was entertaining to the very end Thursday and finished one shot behind Angel Cabrera in the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship.
Cabrera played in early, calmer conditions and thrived on the new Bermuda greens at Quail Hollow. He made seven birdies, including a 40-footer from just off the green, and turned in a 6-under 66 that stood as the lead the rest of the day.
Mickelson caught him twice and couldn't hold it.
Coming off his first missed cut at the Masters in 17 years, Mickelson handled the strong, swirling wind in the afternoon for a 5-under 67 to tie Martin Flores. 
Mickelson hit only one fairway on the back nine. He bogeyed both the par 3s. He chipped poorly and atoned for that with long par putts.
And he wound up with the start he wanted at a tournament he badly wants to win.
"It was important for me to get off to a good start today because I haven't played as well as I would like to this year, and I haven't been getting off to great starts," Mickelson said. 
"So I'm always playing from behind. And it feels great to get off to a quick start where I don't have to feel like I'm playing catch-up."
Webb Simpson, the former U.S. Open champion and a member at Quail Hollow, might have joined Cabrera except for the way he finished each nine. He took double bogey on No. 9 when he hit into the trees and three-putted, and made bogey on No. 18 with another wayward tee shot. Other than that, his card was filled with seven birdies for a 68.
Stewart Cink and Jonathan Byrd also were at 68.
Rory McIlroy also had a few patches of wild play -- a tee shot down the side of the hill toward the water on No. 16, another that hit a tree and bounced so far left that Boy Wonder thought about playing a shot down a service road behind the corporate tents. 
 Wiser heads prevailed -- his caddie's, in this case -- and he limited the damage to bogey.
He still made six birdies and was in the large group at 69 that included U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer, who played his final four holes in 2 under despite not making a birdie or a par. Kaymer went bogey-eagle-eagle-bogey.
"Two eagles in a row, pretty rare. I don't think I've ever done that before," Kaymer said. "I missed a lot of short putts today as well, so therefore, 3-under par is OK."
Cabrera's round was not nearly that dramatic. He made a couple of long putts, most of the birdie chances one would expect to make and hit it close enough times to post his lowest score of the year, and only his fourth round this year in the 60s.
"It was a very good first round, and we have a lot to go," the Argentine said through a translator.
Even though he struggled to hit fairways, this wouldn't classify as a wild round by Mickelson's standards. But there was rarely a dull moment.
From the trees on the par-5 10th, he escaped with a strong shot just short of the green, only to hit his chip too hard and nearly roll off the green. He holed that from 10 feet for birdie. 
From the pine straw left of the 11th fairway, he hit a low bullet in good shape just short of the green, only to catch his chip too heavy and leave himself 25 feet short. He made that one for par. And he caught Cabrera at 6 under for the first time with another shot from the pine straw to 4 feet.
But then, Mickelson hit another chip too hard and failed to save par from 15 feet. He tied for the lead again with a solid pitch to 2 feet for birdie on the par-5 15th.
The final three holes were symbolic of the grind.
He rammed a 30ft birdie attempt some 6 feet past the hole and made that for par. He left a 45ft birdie putt about 5 feet short and missed that for a three-putt bogey on the 17th. And he made a remarkable recovery from a tough lie in a bunker on the 18th.
Being left-handed, his feet were up the slope of a bunker and the ball was well below his feet. Mickelson hit 6-iron from 210 yards and caught it so perfectly that it rolled up the hill and onto the collar of the green just over 40 feet away.
And then he blasted the putt 10 feet past the hole -- and made that with a sigh of relief, a par and a good start going into a morning tee time Friday.
"I made a lot of really good putts today, and it covered up some very poor chips -- a number of poor chips 15, 20 feet from the hole that should be tap-ins," Mickelson said. "Ended up making three out of the four, so it covered up a lot of mistakes."

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 71 Players from USA unless stated
66 Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
67 Martin Flores, Phil Mickelson
68 Jonathan Byrd, Stewart Cink, Webb Simpson
69 Shawn Stefani, Vijay Singh (Fiji), Martin Kaymer (Germany), Kevin Na, Charles Howell, Rory McIlroy (N Ireland), Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Justin Rose (England), Martin Laird (Scotland).
SELECTED SCORES
71 Lee Westwood (England) (T23)
72 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) (T44)
74 Gonzalo Fernandez Castano (Spain), Brian Davis (T84)
75 Jamie Donaldson (Wales), Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark), Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) (T100)
76 Darren Clarke (N Ireland), Ernie Els (S Africa) (T121).

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ALPS TOUR EVENT IN FRANCE

WHITE ONLY SCOT UNDER PAR IN 

FRANCE DESPITE LATE D/BOGEY

Despite a double bogey sixth at seventh - his third last hole - rookie pro James White from Fife was the only Scot to beat par in the opening round of the Alps Tour's Rebetz International Open at Golf de Rebetz in France.
White shot a one-under 71 to be joint 33rd overnight, four shots behind the leading trio who included England's Matt Wallace.
White, starting at the 10th, had birdies at the 13th, 14th, sixth and eighth. Apart from that 6 at the 10th, his only other slip was a bogey at the 18th.
Ross Kellett have five birdies to offset a double bogey 5 at the short ninth and he is joint 43rd on 72.
John Gallagher had a 73, Michael Stewart a 74 and John Henry a nightmare 81 in which he had a quadruple bogey 7 at the ninth, a double bogey 5 at the 16th and a triple bogey 8 at the 18th in halves of 41-40. Things can only get better for the Clydebank and District man.

ALPS TOUR - REBETZ INTERNATIONAL OPEN
Golf de Rebetz Golf Club, France
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
67 S Heisele (Ger), O Rozner (Fra), M Wallace (Eng)
68 T Elissalde (Fra), A Zemen (Ita)

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
69 B McCarroll (Ire) (T6)
70 S Brown (Eng), Joshua White (Eng), T Shadbolt (Eng), A Cooley (Eng) (T12)
71 James White (Sco) (T33)
72 R Kellett (Sco) (T43)
73 J Gallagher (Sco) (T63)
74 M Stewart (Sco) (T83)
81 J Henry  (Scot) (T136).

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RALSTON PRO EARNS £500 FOR ONLY SUB-PAR SCORE OF 71

GREG PAXTON HEADS QUALIFIERS FOR

GLENMUIR PGA CH/SHIP AT BLAIRGOWRIE

Ralston's Greg Paxton (pictured) earned £500 for heading the 19 qualifiers from the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship Scottish eliminator over the Lansdowne course, Blairgowrie today.
Paxton was the only man to beat par, returning a one-under 71 after a flying start which saw him eagle the par-5 first and birdie the sixth.
He dropped shots at the seventh and 10th and then parred the rest to win the qualifier by a single shot from Andrew Crerar (Panmure), Scott Catlin (Greenburn) and Andrew Fullen (Largs who earned £250 each. 
Crerar was three under par after 11 but bogeyed the 13th, 14th and 15th. Fullen was also three under on the 13tyh tee before bogeying the 13th, 16th and 17th in Lansdowne's testing finish.
Catlin had a double bogey 6 at the second so did well to cover the remaining holes in two under par.
Four players tied on the limit mark of 75 - former PGA Cup player Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), Ross Leeds (Turnberry Hotel), Garry Forrester (St Andrews Golf School) and Jonathan Sharp (Carrick on Loch Lomond).
Only two of them could go forward to the championship from August 5 to. Matheson and Leeds survived the play-off.
GLENMUIR PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Scottish Qualifier
Lansdowne Course, Blairgowrie
QUALIFIERS
Par 72
71 G Paxton (Ralston) (£500)
72 A Crerar (Panmure), S Catlin (Greenburn), A Fullen (Largs) (£250 each).
73 A Reid (West Lothian), I Stoddart (Uphall), A J Webster (Edzell), C Everett (Caldwell), S Savage (Dalmuir), G Hardy (Ayr Belleisle), G Law (Uphall), C Morris (Kingsknowe), C Robinson (Portpatrick Dunskey) (£27 each).
74 F Mann (Carnoustie GC), G McSporran), A Mackrell (Playsport Golf), K Campbell (Machrihanish)
75 (after play-off) C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), R Leeds (Turnberry Hotel).
DID NOT QUALIFY
75 (after play-off) G Forrester (St Andrews Golf School), J Sharp (Carrick on Loch Lomond).
76 D Williamson (Kirkhill), D Nicol (Dundonald Links), P Edgecombe (Forrester Park), N Walton (Glasgow), D Watters (Gourock)
77 A Cooper (Newmachar), I Donaldson (Meldrum House), R Walker (Lundin), D Patrick (Kingsfield), M Shaw (Whitecraigs), M Loftus (Meanrs Castle), G McFarlane (Clober), M Burt (Helensburgh).
78 R Harrower (Boat of Garten), A Brown (Archerfield Links), M Paterson (Kilmacolm), K Phillips (Winterfield), C Armstrong (Burntisland), P Jamieson (Dunblane New), J McBrearty (Haggs Castle).
79 C Tierney (Carrick on Loch Lomond, D Broadfoot (Kirkcudbright), S Lamb (Macdonald Cardrona)
80 R Valentine (Loretto), N Sinclair (Prestwick), C Donnelly (Balbirnie Park), J Porteous (Craigielaw), J McGhee (Bishopbriggs).

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PGA PRESS RELEASE
Ralston Golf Club’s Greg Paxton qualified for the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship Final at his first attempt after topping the leaderboard at Blairgowrie.
Paisley-based Paxton, 31, won the qualifying event by one shot in difficult conditions.
But he does not drive and only decided to make his debut in the event because Scotland is hosting the showpiece final later this year.
Paxton will join 18 other qualifiers at the £78,700 Peugeot-supported event which will return to Blairgowrie on August 5-8.
But his driving of the golf variety was no problem as he started his day with an eagle at the first before dropping just two more shots on his way to a one under par round of 71.
Paxton pipped Andrew Crerare (Panmure Golf Club),  Scott Catlin (Greenburn Golf Club) and   Andrew Fullen (Largs Golf Club) who finished on level par.
And Paxton, who is a regular on the Tarton Tour, admitted he was delighted to reach the final.
“It’s the first time I’ve entered so it’s really pleased so make the final with a decent round,” he said.
“The reason I haven’t played it before is because I don’t drive, I rely on my father giving me lifts everywhere.
“But this year, I knew the final was in Scotland so if I qualified, I knew I’d be able to play.
“And the fact that it’s back again at Blairgowrie is good for me after winning there. I’ve played there before and know what to expect.”
Paxton admitted he had a couple of blips after getting off to an impressive start at the Perthshire venue.
“I was happy to get down in three on the par five first, but it was cold and windy out there, it wasn’t ideal at all, and I dropped a couple of shots,” he said.
“I just told myself not to do anything stupid and make sure I qualified so I stayed safe on the back nine.
“I’ve made a good start to the year and now I’ve got a final to look forward to which is great.”

LANCASHIRE'S JACK SENIOR HITS THE JACKPOT

           A senior moment ... of triumph. Jack Senior with the championship trophy at Montrose.
 

ELLIOTT SALTMAN BEATEN IN £10,000 

THREE-MAN PLAY-OFF AT MONTROSE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Elliot Saltman, who had a 69 for four-under-par 137,  bogeyed the last hole when a par would have won him the £10,000 first prize in the Eagle Orchid Masters' PGA EuroPro Tour event, reduced to 36 holes because of fog at Montrose Links.
Saltman dropped into a three-way play-off with Lancashire's former Walker Cup player Jack Senior (Heysham) (71-66), who birdied the 18th in regulation play, and James Frazer (Pennard) who shot the low round of the tournament, a seven-under-par 64 after an opening 73..
Senior won the sudden death play-off to pocket the £10,000 jackpot. Saltman and Fraser earned £3,750 each.
The sudden-death play-off started and finished at the par-4 18th. Saltman was bunkered and made bogey at the hole for the second time in the day.
Welshman Frazer two-putted for a par but Senior
was able to make a winning, two-putt birdie 3 after a huge drive to the front of the green.
“I have started the season well, straight out of the traps,” said Senior, who also collects a brand new Motocaddy and Shotsaver range finder for this win. “I will hopefully be able to get back on the Challenge Tour next year. If I keep going as I am hopefully I can progress.
“Saltman had hit a great bunker shot on the 18th at the end of his final round, but he missed a short putt to take us to a play-off. We all hit driver and the green was reachable. Fortunately enough mine found the gap between the bunkers and I was able to make three.”
Senior’s final-round 66 took him from level par after the first 18 to five under at the end of the event, which was reduced to 36 holes after the first two days were severely disrupted by heavy fog.
He was already four under at the turn, despite bogeying the fourth, and made birdies at ten and 18 to earn his place in the play-off after a bogey on 13.
Frazer began the final 18 two over par but a run of four consecutive birdies from the fifth, and three more at ten, 12 and 13 saw him sign for a seven-under 64 to set the clubhouse target of 137.
Saltman shot 68 for a three-under first round, and knew he needed just a par on the 18th to win.
After a wayward tee shot he found a greenside bunker with his second, but played out of it superbly to give himself a short putt to win. However, his putt lipped out to send the event to a play-off.
Balmore's Fraser McKenna had one of his best finishes since turning pro. He tied for eighth place on 140 with scores of 71 and 69, earning £850.Callum Macaulay (73-68) and David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) (71-70) shared 11th place and earned £675 each.
Wallace Booth (Comrie) (73-69) and Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) (74-68) earned £446 each for a joint 15th place finish on 142

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
137 J Senior (Heysham) 71 66 (£10,000), E Saltman (Archerfield Links) 68 69 (£3,500), J Frazer (Pennard) 73 64 (£3,500). Senior won sudden-death play-off.
138 Paul Reid (Bristol and Clifton) 69 69 (£1,700)
139 Alex Wrigley (Hartlepool) 74 65, Jason Timmins 9Wychwood Park) 68 71, Steve Uzzell (Hornsea) 68 71 (£1,200 each)
OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS
140 F McKenna (Balmore) 71 69 (T8) (£850)
141 C Macaulay (Tulliallan) 73 68, David Law (Paul Lawrie GC) 71 70 (T11) (£675 each)
142 W Booth (Comrie) 73 69, N Fenwick (Dunbar) 74 68 (T15) (£446 each) 
146 R Cameron (Saltire Energy) 74 72 (T37) (£250)
148 Z Saltman (Archerfield Links) 74 74 (T48) (£202).
149 Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) 73 76 (T52) (£187).

ends.

SMALL BUT QUALITY FIELD AT MURCAR LINKS NEXT WEEK

PAUL LAWRIE GOLF CENTRE LADIES 

TARTAN TOUR 2014 - Event 2

MURCAR LINKS, THURSDAY-FRIDAY, MAY 8-9

This event part-sponsored by Saltire Energy

Total prize fund £6,000

£2,500 to winner. Cash or prize vouchers (amateur) to leading 10 and ties after 36 holes

Additional sponsorship by Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen:

 
£25,000 for first hole in one at the short fifth.

£100 nearest-in prize at fifth each day 

LATE ENTRIES ACCEPTED FROM LADY PROFESSIONALS

OR AMATEURS WITH SINGLE-FIGURE HANDICAPS.

The cost for an amateur to enter the

Murcar Links tournament would be a total

of £115.

Affiliation fee to PGA: £40 (a one-off 

fee that covers entry to all the other

Paul Lawrie Ladies Tour events).

Entry fee per tournament: £75 

+For that you get two attempts to win

a £25,000 hole in one prize and a £100

prize in both rounds for the nearest 

the pin tee shot at the fifth 

ENTRIES CAN BE PHONED DIRECT TO PGA IN

SCOTLAND HQ, GLENEAGLES - 01764 661840

1:00pm Georgina Snow
       Emma Fairnie 

       Michele Thomson

1:10   Katy McNicoll
       Nicola Ferguson (am)
       Heather Stirling

1:20   Lisa Shervill
       Laura Murray
       Karyn Burns

1:30   Emilee Taylor
       Jane Turner
       Lauren Watson (am)

1:40   Jorden Ferrie
       Martine Pow
       Jess Wilcox

Complete information is available on PGA in Scotland website 
Tournament Information Page (TIP) 

NO CAR PARKING OR ADMISSION FEE FOR SPECTATORS.
COME ALONG AND ENCOURAGE THE STARS OF THE FUTURE.

SCOTT HAS BAG OF NINE BIRDIES

SCOTT JAMIESON IN ACTION TODAY. PICTURE BY COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES(C)
LATE BOGEY COSTS JAMIESON A SHARE OF LEAD IN SINGAPORE
REPORT BY EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Scott Jamieson trails first-round leader Panuphol Pittayarat by one stroke at The Championship at Laguna National in Singapore following an eight under par 64. The Scot, chasing a second European Tour title, posted nine birdies but a bogey on the 16th hole – his seventh hole after starting on the tenth tee – cost him a share of the lead, with Thailand’s Pittayarat carding a blemish-free 63. Jamieson is joined in second place at Laguna National Golf and Country Club by American David Lipsky, Korea’s Byung-jun Kim and Singapore’s Quincy Quek. Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg and Chilean Filipe Aguilar are a further shot back on seven under par alongside Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera and Thailand’s Arnond Vongvanij, who had been tied for the lead until a double bogey 5 on the eight meant he slipped back into a tie for sixth. Alexander Levy, winner of last week’s Volvo China Open and the European Tour Golfer of the Month for April, recovered from a triple bogey seven on his fourth hole to post a two under par 70. A delay to tee times of one hour due to lightning this morning meant the first round will not be completed on Friday morning, with 18 players still to sign their cards. Key player quotes: Panuphol Pittayarat: “It was a good day out there. The weather is good and I holed a lot of putts. I gave myself a lot of chances to score. I am very happy with how I played today. I didn’t see it coming, but it did come. "I’m feeling good about my game right now. I was just trying to hit it straight out there. I managed to hole a lot of putts and a lot of them were unexpected.” Scott Jamieson: “I’ve been hitting the ball well the last couple of weeks so it was nice to get a round where it all came together. There was just the one mistake with the three putt on 16 but it was pretty far away and pace putting is always difficult in Asia with the grain. "It’s not what someone from Scotland is used to. But it was a great start. It’s always a possibility that you (the tournament) might not complete 72 holes so a fast start is important. So I’m grateful for that today.” LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES Par 72. Yardage 7,071   63 P Pittayarat (Tha) 64 S Jamieson (Sco), D Lipsky (USA), K Byung-jun (SKo), Q Quek (Sin). 65 M Perera (Sri), K Broberg (Swe). F Aguilar (Chi), A Vongvanij (Tha)/ 66 R Cabrera-Bello (Spa), P Meesawat (Tha), S-H Baek (SKo), S BARR (Aus), Kyong-jun Moon (SKo), G Bourdy (Fra). 67 B Ruangkit (Thai), A Lahiri (Inda), G Storm (Eng), C Kim (USA), C Phadungsil (Tha), S Hend (Aus), A Hansen (Den), J Milka Singh (Ind), V Rui (Fra).   OTHER SCOTS SCORES 68 D Drysdale (T26) 69 M Warren (T48) 71 J McLeary (T85) 72 C Lee (T112) 75 C Doak (T144) 76 P Whiteford (T148)    Still to complete round: R Ramsay
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

OVER 1,500 ROUNDS DURING APRIL

NEW MAVERSTON COURSE HAS A 

SUCCESSFUL OPENING MONTH
 
The only golf course being launched in Scotland during 2014 has had a successful first month of play, since opening its doors on 1^st April. 
The Maverston Golf Course near Urquhart, only minutes from Elgin, offers all level of golfers an honest test with an inclusive, friendly and welcoming environment. 

Now with 100 members, the course has seen a high level of play over the 30 days of April. General Manager, Richard Sharp, who has nurtured the course for over 4 years in preparation for the opening last month, remarked.

 “It’s wonderful to finally see Maverston being played and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. The course is looking well and will only improve as we head into the summer months.”

Mr. Sharp also commented;

“We would like to thank the local community for the huge amount of support we have received since opening and welcome everyone to come along to see what Maverston can offer them – whether they are a seasonal golfer, professional or beginner, Maverston can provide a good challenge to them all.

“During April, we have seen over 1,500 rounds of the course being played with almost 500 visitor rounds.”

Saturday and Sunday Mornings are most popular but all tee time bookings are helped by the Maverston golf course online booking facility which is available for both members and visitors with the user friendly system allowing players to book both a tee time and competition slots by linking through the Maverston Golf Club  website.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The all new clubhouse offers the best fresh, local food, as well as a selection of beverages from some of the finest micro-breweries found in Scotland. 

Maverston has had a tremendous up take on the locally sourced, home cooked food and throughout April many visitors have enjoyed the range on offer. The clubhouse staff look forward to welcoming any other locals who would like to come along to try the course and club house facilities.

Visitors to the course are able to hire clubs, trolleys or buggies from the clubhouse, stock up on balls and tees. 

A number of memberships are available for social or competitive golfers, and family, military or corporate packages are also offered. Non-Members are able to take advantage of our unlimited golf offer at a day rate of only £30.00 / £15.00 for juniors, or can play a round of golf for only £20.

The corporate membership packages offer real value for money to any business looking to advertise their company.  In particular a business can advertise on one of the courses tee boards for a full year including 100 rounds of golf with a value of £2000, for only £1495+VAT.  

This would be ideal for a company that has an annual golf outing. A 3 year membership with the same hole sponsorship and golf round benefits costs £3495+VAT.

The course is owned by the Inverurie-based ANM Group, who, after building the course, has allowed the grasses to mature before opening for play.