MIXED FORTUNES FOR SCOTS IN BIG FIELD AT FOXHILLS, SURREY

                      Ken Hutton ... good start. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

HUTTON AND MACKENZIE IN THE MIX
 
AFTER ROUND ONE OF SENIORS' CHSHP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Downfield's Ken Hutton, who hails from the Muir of Ord, and Anglo-Scot Albert Mackenzie (Saunton) are sharing second place, only a shot behind leader Gary Marks, at the end of the first round of the £38,000 Senior PGA Professional Championship over 54 holes at Foxhills Golf Resort's two courses in Surrey woodland.
Hutton, who had five birdies over the first 11 holes, shot a two-under-par 73 over the 6,637yd course.
Mackenzie had only three birdies - first, seventh and 13th - but he had two fewer bogeys than Hutton, dropping a shot only at the 10th.
Englishman Mark was five under par after 12 holes but bogeyed the 14th and 16th when he had the chance to build a useful lead.
You would never have known but Marks has been out of action with a wrist injury for three months and a regional pro-am on Tuesday was his comeback appearance.
Other Scots in the leading five are Anglos Frank Kiddie (Barlaston) and Iain Parker (Royal North Devon), sharing fourth place on 72.
Fraser Mann (Carnoustie) had a 76 to be joint 32nd, a shot ahead of  Bill Lockie (North Gailes)  but Edzell's Alastair Webster had a disappointing seven-over-80 alongside Stephen McAllister in joint 87th place.
Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), who has been playing very well this season, had one of those days when nothing rhymed. He finished with an 81 for a share of 100th place in the huge field.
Former Stirling pro and Senior Tour campaigner John Chillas retired from the tournament after running up an 87 (45-42).
Russell Weir (Cowal) withdrew.
Hutton carved out his 71 on the Longcross course and was within a whisker of an ace at the 177yd par-3 11th where his tee shot lipped out.
Hutton's target is a top 20 finish to qualify for the ISPS Handa PGA Championship at Stoke by Nayland next month but he knows he cannot rest on his laurels, having made such a good start. 
"I played well in both practice rounds so was quite looking forward to today. Both courses seem to suit my eye although I didn't play the par-5s well today. But the par-4s and 3s I did play well.
"My irons were really good," said the Highlander.
 he said. "Both courses take no prisoners. You've got to drive it well. If you are off line you could rack up some big numbers. Some players had some big scores.That doesn't mean they've played badly. It just means the course has got them." 
Meanwhile a pep talk with fellow pro Andrew Hall gave Saunton pro MacKenzie a timely confidence boost as he surged into contention. "I had dinner with my good friend Andrew Hall last night and he gave me a lot of belief and just told me to enjoy my ability and sometimes maybe I don't think I can play as well as I sometimes do," said MacKenzie. "I feel very good mentally this week and am looking forward to the next two days.
  "I got off to a good start and holed some nice putts in the first four holes and that really was the foundation for the round. 

"The best shot I hit was a four iron into six feet on 16 and I was just glad to hit some good tee shots at the end and really I'm absolutely thrilled to get round the Bernard Hunt course with a red number."
The 54-hole tournament is being staged for the first time at Foxhills which was the long time base for two-time Ryder Cup captain Bernard Hunt and in his memory the trophy has been renamed the Bernard Hunt Memorial Trophy.
There will be a cut after Round 2 with the top 50 and ties going through to the final round on Friday.

FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 73
70 Gary Marks (Eng)
71 Albert Mackenzie (Saunton), Ken Hutton (Downfield)

OTHER SCORES' SCORES
72  Frank Kiddie (Barlaston), Iain Park (Royal North Devon) (T4)
75 Paul Anderson (Berkshire) (T22)
76 Fraser Mann (Carnoustie), Kyle Kelsall (unatt), Graham Laing (North Wilts) (T32)
77 Bill Lockie (North Gailes), Stephen Craig (Craig Golf) (T45)
79 Murray White (Penfold Park), Henry Arnott (unatt)  (T67)
80 Alastair Webster (Edzell), Stephen McAllister (S McAllister Golf), Martin Gray (T87)
81 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) (T100)
82 Robert Hunter (Malden), Ian Laambie (unatt), Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill), Alan Hemsley (Barnham Broom) (T116)
83 Stephen Marr (Withington), Iain Clark (unatt) (T128)
85 Roddy Watkins (Solent Meads), Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle)  (T145)
87 Jim Christine (Worplesdon) (T154)
88 Robert Webster (unatt) (T156)
89 Gordon Goldie (Chingford), Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle) (T160)
Retired: John Chillas (unatt)
Withdrew: Russell Weir (Cowal), Garry Harvey (Kinross).



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I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO PLAYING AT MACDONALD SPEY VALLEY, says STEPHEN

GALLACHER TEES OFF OPENING OF 

NEW £1 MILLION CLUBHOUSE

  Picture by Nick Mailer Photgraphy

 

Located 40 minutes south of Inverness Airport and a mile from the 

A9 trunk road, the par 72 Dave Thomas-designed Macdonald Spey 

Valley Championship golf course is part of Macdonald Aviemore 

Resort, one of the UK’s leading conference and leisure destinations.

 

Opened in July 2006, the course, featuring Scotland’s longest hole 

(635 yards) has been voted the UK’s most picturesque.* Overlooking the 1^st tee against a backdrop of the Cairngorm 

Mountains, the new two-storey clubhouse finished in wood and 

local natural stone perfectly complements its natural surroundings. 

 

In June the course will host the prestigious Scottish Hydro Challenge, hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts for the 8^th 
consecutive year. 

 

Macdonald Hotels’ Golf Ambassador, Stephen Gallacher, said: “I have been hugely impressed with everything that has been created at Macdonald Spey Valley and the opening of the new clubhouse is a great addition to this. The course is a challenging one and with some of the best views of the Cairngorms across many holes, this makes it a great destination for golfers to come to enjoy.

 

“I always look forward to playing Macdonald Spey Valley and having the chance to spend a few days here, during what is one of my busiest years on Tour, is a great way to relax and unwind before returning to compete in some of the season’s biggest events over the next few months.”

 

The official opening of the clubhouse now ensures top golfers 

and visitors’ alike benefit from changing areas, a retail outlet 

and a relaxing lounge bar / restaurant, where dishes prepared 

using the finest freshest ingredients can be enjoyed on the patio  

terrace for stylish al fresco dining. 

 

Ruaridh Macdonald, Operations Director, Macdonald Hotels and

Resorts, added: “It’s fantastic to welcome Stephen Gallacher, 

Scotland’s top European golfer to Macdonald Spey Valley 

Championship Golf Course.  Whether hosting a major 

championship, a ‘society’ golf day or a group of friends, Stephen 

has been able to experience for himself the breath-taking setting for 

the challenging course and our new £1 million clubhouse.

 

“Group-wide, we carefully select our golf partners, underlining our 

continual drive to invest.  We are proud to be a gold partner to the 

Stephen Gallacher Foundation; an organisation that has already 

supported over 2000 young, up and coming golfers.  Hopefully 

Stephen will be able to visit us again soon and we wish him the best 

of luck in his bid to secure a Ryder Cup place.” 

 

Macdonald Spey Valley Championship Golf Course can be played 

in  the high season from £105 per round. Tel: 01479 811725.

*As voted by the www.59Club.com benchmarking service in 2010.

www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk/Aviemore

 

• Established in 1990 by Donald Macdonald and colleagues, over the past 24 years Macdonald Hotels and Resorts has steadily and successfully expanded from its beginnings in Aberdeenshire to become the UK’s largest privately owned hotel group.

T

 

DOES NOT FEEL PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY READY TO PLAY AT HIGHEST LEVEL

  FLASHBACK to 2005: Michael Campbell with the US Open Championship Trophy. He has not won an event for the past nine years.

CAMPBELL SPLITS FROM WIFE: WON'T

PLAY AT WENTWORTH OR PINEHURST

FROM THE GOLF CHANNEL.COM WEBSITE

New Zealander Michael Campbell will not be in the field next month when the U.S. Open returns to Pinehurst No. 2, site of his 2005 major triumph. Campbell announced in a blog post that he will be stepping away from competition after recently separating from his wife, Julie.
"As I do not feel that I am either fully physically or mentally ready to play tournament golf at the highest level, after much deliberation, I have decided not to play in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the U.S. Open at Pinehurst or the events in between," he wrote. 
"I want to get back to my best and I believe this is the best strategy to achieve this." 
Campbell was a surprise winner at Pinehurst nine years ago, when he shot a final-round 69 to erase a four-shot deficit and finish two shots ahead of Tiger Woods. He continued to play well throughout the 2005 season and added a win at the HSBC World Match Play Championship that September, but has not won since. 
The Kiwi, who claims his forefathers emigrated from Scotland, hence the surname "Campbell," has made the cut only once in eight U.S. Open appearances since Pinehurst, tying for 58th at Oakmont in 2007. 
Currently No. 520 in the world rankings, Campbell has not played since missing the cut at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in January. In his update, he cites problems with a "tendon in my left ankle" that sidelined him 2-3 months, but says he is now back to playing 18 holes.