FOUR-YEAR EXTENSION FOR TOURNAMENT CONTRACT

STEPHEN GALLACHER NAMED 

TOURNAMENT AMBASSADOR

FOR SCOTTISH HYDRO CHALLENGE

NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
The Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by

Macdonald Hotels and Resorts will continue to grow as one of the premier events on the European Challenge Tour until 2018 thanks to a new four-year extension.
The exciting announcement means that Scottish Hydro will remain as title sponsors, EventScotland will continue to back the event as part of Scotland’s Ryder Cup Legacy programme while Macdonald Hotels and Resorts will continue to support and host the tournament at the stunning Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club.
In addition Stephen Gallacher, pictured above, Scotland’s highest-ranked male pro golfer and currently World Number 37, has been unveiled as ‘Tournament Ambassador’ for the event, which has since 2006 provided ambitious young Scottish professionals with a stepping stone to the highest echelons of the world game.
The Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts – which this year carries a record prize fund of €250,000 – has grown to become one of the most coveted titles on the Challenge Tour schedule, and next year is expected to herald big celebrations as the tournament reaches its milestone tenth edition.
Wendy Barbour, Director of Sponsorship at Scottish Hydro, said: “The Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts has been a huge success over the six years we have been involved and we are proud to continue our support.
“Our investment, along with Macdonald Hotels and Resorts and EventScotland, gives the European Challenge Tour the ideal incentive to continue to hold this prestigious event in the very heartland of Scotland.
“This also enables us to continue our support of the game in Scotland from development level, through our work with the Scottish Golf Union and the Stephen Gallacher Foundation, to our support of the professional players themselves through the Team Scottish Hydro Initiative. We look forward to another brilliant four years.”
Ruaridh Macdonald, Operations Director for Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, said: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement to bring the Scottish Hydro Challenge back to Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club for another four years.
“It has been a great pleasure for Macdonald Hotels and Resorts to host the Scottish Hydro Challenge and see some of the world’s most talented up and coming players enjoying the challenge of Spey Valley Golf Course, the jewel in our golfing crown.
“The course is a real gem, a challenging but enjoyable test nestled in one of the most picturesque parts of Scotland, with the spectacular Cairngorm Mountains providing a fittingly dramatic backdrop.
“This tournament has provided a real platform for the growth of this course and our stunning new £1 million clubhouse is a testament to that. We look forward to welcoming the future stars of golf to our world-class facilities for another four years.”
Paul Bush, Chief Operating Officer of EventScotland, said: “As long-time supporters of the tournament, having been involved from the outset in 2006, we very much welcome this announcement, which secures the future of the Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts in Aviemore through to 2018.
“This tournament is a key part of Scotland’s Ryder Cup commitment to build a strong portfolio of domestic golf events and we look forward to working with our partners at the European Challenge Tour, Scottish Hydro and Macdonald Hotels and Resorts over the coming years to continue to deliver on that pledge.”
Stephen Gallacher, himself a former Challenge Tour graduate, said: “The Challenge Tour is the perfect place for young up and coming professionals to start their careers so it is crucial for the game in Scotland to have an event on the schedule such as the Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.
“I began my pro career on the Challenge Tour and, back then, I could only have dreamed of the kind of opportunities this tournament provides for our young players. 
"That is all down to the unfailing support of Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, Scottish Hydro and EventScotland, who have all proven true patrons of golf in this country and, with this new four year commitment, I am delighted to do my bit in helping the growth of the tournament.
“I started the Stephen Gallacher Foundation, which is aimed at developing young junior golfers, a couple of years ago and I feel that being ‘Tournament Ambassador’ to this event helps us all keep sustaining the various platforms for golfers of every level to enjoy the game that has given me so much over the years.”
Alain de Soultrait, Director of the Challenge Tour, said: “The Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts has been one of the true success stories in recent Challenge Tour history.
“Since it began in 2006, it has grown and grown into one of the most prestigious tournaments on our schedule and its popularity among the players epitomises that success.
“It has always been a superbly-run event on a golf course which counts as one of the most picturesque of the season, but truly great events are built on history. This agreement means that by 2018, the Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts will boast one of the longest-running, and most successful, ongoing relationships between various partners in the history of our tour.
“This is a superb achievement which will only help the tournament grow in stature, and for this we must thank our wonderful sponsors, who have shown so much ambition and vision for this tournament and, indeed, Scottish golf.”
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

SHARING EIGHTH PLACE AT SEATON CAREW IN COUNTY DURHAM

DUNTON AND YOUNG LEAD SCOTS

IN BRABAZON TROPHY ROUND 1

Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), pictured, and Perth's Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) were the leading Scots in a share of eighth place at the end of the opening day of the English men's open amateur stroke-play golf championship for the Brabazon Trophy at Seaton Carew Golf Club, Hartlepool in County Durham.
Dunton (34-36) and Young (33-37) both shot three-under-par 70s - two behind the three joint leaders, Ciaran Doherty (Bury), Tom Fox (China Fleet, Cornwall) and Norway's Sebastian Andersen.
Other Scots' scores:
72 Scott Borrowman (Dollar), S Gibson (Southerness) (T30)
73 Greig Marchbank (Thornhill), Craig Ross (Kirkhill) (T45)
74 Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden), Calum Hill (Tantallon) (T57)
76 Conor Syme (Dumfries and Co) (T94)
82 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar (T141)

Issued 25th June 2014         Doherty bounces back for three-way tie at                                                           Seaton Carew Missing the cut in your previous two events is not the best preparation for the biggest English championship of the season. But it didn’t cause Ciaran Doherty (pictured) any problems as he shared top spot with Cornwall’s Tom Fox and Norway’s Sebastian Mork Andersen after the first round of the Brabazon Trophy. The trio returned five-under-par 68s around the testing Seaton Carew course which leaves them a shot clear of the field on a day of somewhat benign conditions on the Durham coast when 44 players bettered the par of 73. Doherty and Fox had seven birdies on their cards to upstage a field of internationals while for Lancastrian Doherty it helped erase the memory of missed cuts at the St Andrews Links and Berkshire Trophies. While many players used their drivers sparingly, opting for a long iron off many tees, Doherty whipped his driver from the bag on most holes; “it makes the course a lot shorter,” he quipped. “Of all the clubs in my bag it’s the one I hit the straightest,” added the 24 year old from Bury. “I had a good start with birdies at the first two holes and I also birdied the fourth to be out in 31.” Although he dropped a shot at the tenth, one of just two bogeys, further birdies came at the 11th, 12th and 18th while his tally could have been even greater but for three-putts at the 13th and 14th for pars. “It’s my first time at Seaton Carew but we play a lot of links courses in Lancashire so I’m at home here,” he added. Fox, 23, the deputy golf manager at China Fleet in Saltash, Cornwall, was making his Brabazon debut and visiting Seaton Carew for the first time.  Despite being one over par through the first three holes, the South West stroke play champion said: “I don’t think I missed a fairway. My approach play was good, I knocked it close and had a lot of tap-ins. Long may it continue.” Norway’s Mork Andersen was one of the last players out and had six birdies in his 68. Four players returned 69 including England squad members Tomasz Anderson, Seb Crookall-Nixon and Ben Stow, all at college in the United States. Anderson, 22, admitted he made a slow start being one over for the first eight holes. But he covered the remaining ten holes in five under including a 30-yard chip-in for eagle at the 521-yard 11th. Having reached the last 32 of last week’s Amateur Championship in Ireland, Anderson said: “You have to learn the skills of playing links courses. I’ve been working hard with my coach, Peter Cherry at Ashridge on preparation, course management and getting my mind right. It seems to be working". Crookall-Nixon, 20, twice the English Under-16 champion before enhancing his career at college in San Francisco, was another to find seven birdies in his 69, making his score by covering the inward nine in three under. “I missed a couple of chances on the front nine but I holed a few putts coming home,” he said. “Usually there is a tricky wind here but there wasn’t much today. I had a difficult start to my season in America but it got better towards the end with a couple of top ten finishes. I changed my swing coach recently and things are looking better.” Also on 69 is Suffolk’s Jack Cardy, who found five birdies and suffered just one dropped shot, at the 17th.  “I got under par quite quickly and kept the momentum going,” he said. “I had seven birdie chances on the front nine but only managed to take three. “It’s a good start but there is a long way to go and there are a lot of good players here.” The Brabazon hasn’t been too kind to Cardy. Last year at Formby he was lying third after two rounds but then had to pull out with a back injury.  “I had trouble with a tree on the third and although I played on for a few more holes I had to quit,” he added. “Fortunately there aren’t many trees here but you can find trouble with a gorse bush.” Among those on 70, three under par, is Ashley Chesters, the European Amateur champion and England international and Scottish cap Adam Dunton. Defending champion Jordan Smith was disappointed with his 72. “There is pressure when you are defending champion,” he said. “My front nine was a bit scrappy and my iron play was not at its best. The back nine was better but I just need to get my putter a little hotter to shoot low numbers.” Results, championship images and tournament news can be found on the Brabazon Trophy webpage.  Press Officer David Hamilton

HOW THE SCOTS FARED ON EUROPRO TOUR TODAY

PGA EUROPRO TOUR - Buildbase Open

Frilford Heath GC, Blue Course, Oxfordshire

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 72

63 J Robinson (Southport and Ainsdale)

65 R Kellett (Kingsfield), C Lidyard (Leatherhead)

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES

70 J Findlay (Paul Lawrie GC), N Fenwick (Dunbar) (T23)

71 C O'Neil (Mearns Castle) (T40)

72 Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) (T54)

73 P Doherty (Vale Hotel), G Rankin (Drumpellier), M Isaacs (Newmachar), S Binning (Ranfurly Castle), E Saltman (Archerfield) (T66)

75 M Hillson (Tandridge) (T107)
77 J Hendrick (Pollock), N Henderson (Renaissance) (T132)

78 S Crichton (Aberdour) (T146)

80 P Robinson (Largs) (T160).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE


ROBINSON SETS PACE WITH RECORD

ROUND OF NINE-UNDER 63

NEWS RELEASE

Lancashire's James Robinson (Southport and Ainsdale) carded a course record nine-under-par 63 in the opening round of the Buildbase Open to take a two-stroke lead in the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour event at Frilford Heath Golf Club in Oxfordshire.

Motherwell man Ross Kellett and Charlie Lidyard share second on seven-under 65, while Peter Tarver-Jones, Mark Laskey and James Watts are tied for fourth on 67, four behind the leader.

Robinson began his round on the tenth tee and made five birdies on his first seven holes while also carding below par on the third, fifth, eighth and ninth holes to finish an unblemished opening round of nine-under 63, a professional record on Frilford Heath’s Blue Course.

Scotland’s Kellett (Kingsfield Golf Centre) had an eagle at the eighth to help him on his way to a seven-under 65, which saw six birdies and a bogey. 
 Lidyard carded eight birdies and a bogey on the 16^th, having started at ten, was the only mark on his card.

Last year’s Buildbase Open winner Harry Bateman (Royal Wellington Golf Club) is seven back on two under. The New Zealander carded six birdies on his opening round but also made two bogeys and a double bogey on the par-three fifth.

The Buildbase Open carries a £40,000 prize fund with the winner receiving £10,000, which is crucial money to add to the Order of Merit from which the top five at the end of the season are rewarded with Challenge Tour categories for 2015.

The 54-hole strokeplay sees 168 of Europe’s best young golfers competing, with a cut to the top 50 players and ties to be made after the second round on tomorrow.

The final round will be filmed for a two-hour highlights package to be broadcast on Sky Sports on July 8 and spectator entry is free throughout the week. Live scoring and tee times can be found at www.europrotour.com.

TRIPS TO AMERICA WILL BE DECIDED TOMORROW

  Niall McMullen making a bunker recovery shot. Picture by courtesy of Kenny Smith.

 FYFE AND McMULLEN SHARE LEAD AT 

PANMURE WITH ONE ROUND TO GO 

NEWS RELEASE 

Cawder's Calum Fyfe fired a second-round 69 to move into a share of the lead on one-under par 139 with Niall McMullen (Lundin) with one round still to go in the Faldo Series Scottish Qualifier at Panmure Golf Club, near Carnoustie in Angus. 
The duo will play in Thursday's final group alongside 2013 Faldo Series Scotland champion Michael Brodie (Strathmore), who shot a two-under par 68 today to join Charleton's Andrew Davidson in a tie for third on 140.

Overnight co-leader Benjamin Kinsley (St Andrews) and 2012 Faldo Series finalist Callum Cochrane (Marriot Dalmahoy) are a shot further back on 141, one ahead of local favourite Will Porter from Carnoustie. 
In the Girls' Division  the lead of Stirling student Tara Mactaggart (Minto) has been reduced to one by  Kinross's Jennifer Saxton who posted a level-par round of 74 for 155. Tara had a 79 for 154. 
Scottish schoolgirls champion Shannon McWillliam is on 157 after a 75.
 Golfers aged 12 to 21 are competing over three rounds for the Nick Faldo Series 2014 Scotland Championship.  
The field is divided into four age-groups – three for boys and one for girls – and the winners of each division, plus the girls' runner-up, will join Sir Nick Faldo at the season-ending 18^th Faldo Series Grand Final at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, USA.
CATEGORY LEADERS 

Boys' Under-21:
141 Andrew Davidson (Charleton) 72-69
143 George Duncan (Windyhill) 73-70
146 George Sampson (Piperdam) 73-73, Cameron Buist (Glenbervie).

Boys' Under-18:
139 Niall McMullen (Lundin) 68-71, Calum Fyfe (Cawder) 69-70
141 Michael Brodie (Strathmore) 73-68.

Boys' Under-16:
145 Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal) 72-73, Callum Burns (Balmore) 72-73
147 Matthew Dalrymple (Lochwinnoch) 74-73.

 
LEADING GIRLS (all ages)
154 Tara Mactaggart (Minto) 75-79
155 Jenifer Saxton (Kinross) 81-74
157 Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne) 82-75.

*

ALL THE SECOND-ROUND SCORES

BOYS

Par 140 (2x70)

139 N McMullen (Lundin) 68 71, C Fyfe (Cawder) 69 70.

141 M Brodie (Strathmore) 73 68, A Davidson (Charleton) 72 69

142 B Kinsley (St Andrews) 68 74, C Cochrane (Marriott Dalmahoy) 69 73.

143 W Porter (Carnoustie) 71 72, G Duncan (Windyhill) 73 70

144 C Toal (Old Ranfurly) 75 69

145 A Thomson (Lanark) 70 75, L Bain (Musselburgh) 72 73, C Bruce (Duff House Royal) 72 73, C Burns (Balmore) 73 73, S Irving (Falkirk) 73 72

146 C Buist (Glenbervie) 70 76, Z Bedford (St Andrews New) 72 74, G Sampson (Piperdam) 73 73

147 N Free (Musselburgh) 72 75, C Edgar (Cochrane Castle) 74 73, M Dalrymple (Lochwinnoch) 74 73

148 A Carrick (Douglas Park) 69 79, J Bryce (Bathgate) 72 76, J Wilson (Balmore) 75 73

149 G Burrett (Haggs Castle) 75 74, B Craggs (Glenbervie) 76 73, A McDougall (St Andrews New) 78 71

150 R McKinnon (Peterculter0 77 73, L Reid (Longniddry) 79 71

151 S Grant (Downfield) 73 78, C Campbell (St Andrewws) 75 75

152 L Northwood (Kenilworth) 75 77, R Carey (Auchterarder) 75 77, D Smith (Deeside) 76 76, G Petrie (Forfar) 77 75

153 J Stewart (Old Ranfurly) 73 80, R Johnston (Glenbervie) 75 78, I Ferguson (Drumpellier) 76 77, A Chalk (Castle Douglas) 83 70

154 A Fisher (Newmachar0 78 76, S Simpson (Murrayfield) 78 76, N Young (Insch) 80 74, G Greer (Carluke) 80 74, J Rogan (Longniddry) 82 72

155 C Good (Musselburgh) 72 83, A Sinclair (Bearsden) 76 79, R Walsh (Kirkcaldy) 78 78, R Thomson (Duke's) 78  77

156 R Brydon (Bruntsfield) 77 79, A Simpson (North Berwick) 77 79, K Bowman (St Andrews New) 78 78

157 C Bell (Woodcote Park) 74 83, K Reid (Balmore) 76 81. A Ross (Fort William) 77 80, R Brunton (Portpatrick Dunskey) 77 80, S Whannel (Newton Stewart) 78 79, H Mills (Cardross) 78 79, C Finnie (Lockerbie) 80 77, E Davidson(Charleton) 81 76m A Benson (West Lothian) 82 75

158 A Moir (Elgin) 81 77, R Robertson (Old Ranfurly) 83 75

159 A Thurlow (Murrayfield) 79 80, P Dorrian (Greenock) 82 77, J Hogg (St Andrews New) 80 79.

160 C Johnstone (Northern) 78 82, S Wilson (Greenock Whinhill) 80 80

161 J Currie (Greenock) 81 80

162 D Rudd (Longniddry) 80 82, J P Ralph (Royal Liverpool) 82 80, E Hart (Dullatur) 83 79, D Howie (Peebles) 83 79

163 C Graham (Crieff) 78 85

164 C Walker (Verulam) 82 82

166 B Bannerman (Strathmore) 89 77

168 J Paterson (St Andrews New) 86 82

170 A McColl (Erskine) 90 80

172 D Eardley (Liberton) 91 81

173 T Foster (Merchants of Edinburgh) 87 86.

176 A Roberts (Roxburghe) 86 90

179 A Husenne (Haggs Castle) 90 89, C Duffton (Torphins) 95 84

GIRLS' SECOND ROUND

Par 148 (2x74)

154 T Mactaggart (Minto) 75 79

155 J Saxton (Kinross) 81 74

157 S McWilliam (Aboyne) 82 75

159 N Slater (Furness) 76 83, K Brodie (Strathmore) 79 80

168 K Brown (Strathaven) 81 87.

SCOTTISH HYDRO HIGHLIGHT AT SPEY VALLEY, AVIEMORE

Moritz Lampert: Out to gain battlefield promotion. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images
 
THIRD CHALLENGE TOUR WIN WILL 

PROMOTE LAMPERT TO EURO TOUR   

PREVIEW BY EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Moritz Lampert arrives at this week’s €250,000 Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts over the Dave Thomas-designed Spey Valley Golf Club course at Aviemore, hoping to follow in the footsteps of 2013 champion Brooks Koepka by claiming a third victory of the season and earning immediate promotion to The European Tour.
The German is the only player in the field for this week’s event, one of the most prestigious on the Challenge Tour schedule, with two wins under his belt already in 2014, having recently turned his season around with a pair of victories in the space of three weeks.
His maiden Challenge Tour win came at the Kärnten Golf Open presented by Mazda in May before he doubled his trophy haul at the Fred Olsen Challenge de España two weeks later, moving the 22 year old to second in the Rankings despite having played just five events.
This time last year a young American by the name of Koepka stormed to his third victory of the season in Scotland, earning an instant route to The European Tour, and he has since become one of the most talked-about young prospects in world golf, following a top five finish at the US Open Championship.
Lampert is hoping the astonishing progress of Koepka can inspire him as he attempts to return to the top tier of European golf, having earned a rookie campaign last year through Qualifying School.
“The win in Austria basically changed my whole season,” said Lampert, who is attached to European Tour Destination Golf Club St Leon-Rot. “I wasn’t really sure where I was going to play for the year as I didn’t have much of a category.
“The first win took a lot of pressure off my shoulders because I knew I could play for the rest of the season and pick tournaments until the end of the year. That helps a lot.
“My position has changed but I'm still trying to do the same things as I did before. I took a couple of weeks off because I was tired so I had some good practise, saw my coach and did some physical work too.
“I'm feeling good now and the course here is great. If you hit it straight off the tee you’ll get plenty of chances.
“It takes so much to win a tournament out here, there are so many good players. Of course I am always playing to win tournaments and if it happens this week like Brooks, great, but if not I just want to keep doing what I'm doing and see what happens for the rest of the season.”
Lampert can also draw some inspiration from a source a little closer to home - US Open Champion Martin Kaymer, who also claimed two wins in a short space of time on the Challenge Tour before graduating en route to the top of world golf.
“The way Martin won the US Open was just incredible,” he said. “Looking back, everybody was asking if he was ever going to make it back and then he just went and won two of the biggest tournaments he played.
“Now everybody’s saying he’s the best in the world again so everything can change so quickly. What makes him so strong is he just believes in himself. I think I can learn from that too.”
The only two-time winner of this tournament, Sam Walker of England, returns to Aviemore, chasing a third Scottish Hydro Challenge title while Challenge Tour Rankings leader, Spaniard Jordi Garcia Pinto, is hoping to add to the title he won a fortnight ago at the Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open.
European Tour winners in the field include Welshman Rhys Davies, Jeppe Huldahl of Denmark and Scot Raymond Russell, while former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson also plays as the Englishman aims to make a return to The European Tour, where he has finished runner-up nine times.
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

LINK TO BRABAZON TROPHY FIRST-ROUND SCORES

The English men's open amateur stroke-play championship for the Brabazon Trophy at Seaton Carew Golf Club started today.

To view the scores

CLICK HERE