SIGNIFICANT SATURDAY RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN OR

R and A DECIDE ON TWO-TEE START IN


VIEW OF BAD WEATHER FORECAST

The R and A are taking very seriously the very bad weather forecast for the weekend, particularly Saturday - and so they should!
There will be a two-tee start, something unheard of in Open championship history.
David Rickman, executive director of Rules and Equipment Standards at the R andA, said tonight;

"On a beautiful evening such as we have had, it's hard to believe the disruptive weather forecast that we have received for tomorrow. The Met Office's onsite forecasters believe that there is a significant risk of thunderstorms and heavy rain, which will interrupt tomorrow's (Saturday) play. This is consistent with the Amber weather warning that's been issued for much of England and Wales.

"Therefore, we have taken a number of decisions regarding tomorrow's (Saturday) play to maximize the chances of completing the championship on time. These are that play is scheduled now to commence at 9 a.m. Play will be in groups of three, and we will utilise a two-tee start, using the 1st and 10th tees. These measures combined give us the potential to accommodate up to five hours of delay and still complete the third round tomorrow (Saturday) evening.

"If we are delayed tomorrow (Saturday) morning beyond 9 a.m., we will start as early as we can thereafter. We are now working with all of those involved in staging this championship to make the necessary arrangements to facilitate this revised plan."

TIGER WOODS HOLES BIRDIE PUTT ON LAST GREEN FOR 77 TO MAKE CUT

RORY CLICKETY-CLICKS AGAIN TO 

LEAD BY FOUR AT HALFWAY

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Rory McIlroy exorcised his Friday demons in style to claim a four-shot halfway lead at Royal Liverpool in the second round of The 143rd Open Championship.
The former World Number One carded a second consecutive 66 to finish the first half of the 72-hole tournament 12 under par.
McIlroy has made an unfortunate habit of following good rounds on Thursday with bad ones on Friday in 2014, the latest example being scores of 64 and 78 in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open last week. 
A similar sequence at the Memorial at Muirfield Village even had tournament host Jack Nicklaus asking 'How the hell can you shoot 63 and then 78?'
In total he was 50 under par in the first round and nine over par in the second until carding seven birdies and just one bogey on Friday to boost his chances of becoming only the third player in the modern era - after Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus - to win three Majors by the age of 25.
It is the first time McIlroy has led at halfway in a Major since the 2011 US Open, when he went on to win his first of the game’s elite events by eight shots after rewriting the record books at Congressional.
And by getting the benefit of the best conditions with early-late tee times it made amends for leading The 2010 Open at St Andrews with an opening 63 only to follow it with an 80 in atrocious weather.
McIlroy could have been forgiven for fearing the worst when he bogeyed the first hole after overshooting the green, but with the wind dropping he regained the lead with a two-putt birdie on the fifth and moved two ahead with another gain on the sixth.
Even the distraction of a pheasant wandering across the eighth green as he lined up another birdie putt failed to prevent McIlroy from picking up another shot, while he also birdied the tenth before surprisingly missing from four feet on the 11th.
The Northern Irishman did then hole from that distance on the 15th after a superb tee shot and a drive of almost 400 yards on the 17th set up another, while he pitched to four feet on the last to end in style.
"I just feel like I have an inner peace on the golf course. I'm very comfortable in this position, doing what I'm doing right now," said McIlroy.
"It's hard to describe. I wish I could get into it more often. If I'm able to do it a few times a year, that's nice.
"It's a combination of confidence, just being mentally strong, mentally aware of everything, but I think it all comes down to if you're confident with your game and you're in control of your ball out there it makes things a lot easier.
"I just take it as I feel it. I've got a couple of little trigger words that I'm using this week that I keep telling myself in my head when I'm just about to hit it, go into a shot.
"That's as complex as it gets in my head. People call it the zone; it's just a state of mind where you think clearly.
"It's nice to go out and shoot a good one today so I don't have to be asked about it (his second round syndrome) again until I might shoot a good score at Akron (the WGC Bridgestone Invitational) and then people are asking me on Thursday afternoon.
"It's understandable. My second rounds this year have been terrible and there isn't really any explanation but hopefully I put it to bed today."
Elsewhere Tiger Woods almost paid the ultimate price for abandoning the tactics which previously brought him victory at Hoylake.
Woods famously used his driver just once in 72 holes on his way to a third Open title in 2006 and was similarly circumspect in an opening 69 on Thursday.
However, wayward drives on the first two holes and an even worse one out of bounds on the 17th meant the 14-time Major winner had to birdie the 18th - his only birdie of the day - just to be sure of making the halfway cut.
Woods missed the cut on his return from back surgery in the Quicken Loans National last month and holing from six feet on the last means he has still to make early exits from consecutive events in his professional career. 
The 38 year old's last round in a Major Championship without a birdie had come on the opening day of the 2010 US Open.
A round of 77 left Woods 14 shots adrift of McIlroy with another American, Dustin Johnson, the Northern Irishman’s nearest challenger on eight under following a 65.
Ryder Cup team-mates Sergio Garcia and Francesco Molinari, South African Major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel and Americans Ryan Moore and Rickie Fowler are in a high-quality group tied for third on six under.
There will be no Silver Medal for the leading amateur this year for the simple reason that no amateur has survived the 36-hole cut.
British amateur champion Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) shot 155 with rounds of 79 and 76.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
132 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 66 66
136 Dustin Johnson (USA) 71 65
138 Francesco Molinari (Italy) 68 70, Ryan Moore (USA) 70 68, Rickie Fowler (USA) 69 69, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 68 70, Charl Schwartzel (S Africa) 71 67, Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) 70 68
139 George Coetzee (S Africa) 70 68, Jim Furyk (USA) 68 71, Marc Warren (Scotland) 71 68
140 Robert Karlsson (sweden) 69 71, Jimmy Walker (USA) 69 71, Victor Dubuisson (France) 74 66
SELECTED SCORES
141 Adam Scott (Australia) 68 73 (T15)
142 Justin Rose (England) 72 70 , Matteo Manassero (Italy) 67 75, Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) 70 72 (T19)
143 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 74 69 (T240
144 Phil Mickelson (USA 74 70 (T31)
146 Jamie McLeary (Scotland) 73 73, Tiger Woods (USA) 69 77, Luke Donald (England) 73 73 (T56)

MISSED THE CUT 
147 Lee Westwood (England) 71 76, Ian Poulter (England) 73 74
149 Paul McKechnie (Scotland) 78 71
154 Scott Jamieson (Scotland) 77 77, Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 79 75
155 Bradley Neil (Scotland) (am) 79 76
166 Sandy Lyle (Scotland) 82 84

INTER-DISTRICT AGE-GROUP BOYS MATCHES

NORTH-EAST WIN TWO, HALVE THE 

OTHER AGAINST NORTH AT TURRIFF

North-east won two of the age-group boys' golf matches and halved the other against North at Turriff Golf Club today (Friday).

North-east took the Under-14 honours 8 1/2-1/2, and won the Under-16s match 5 1/2-3 1/2

The Under-18s match finished level at 4 1/2-4 1/2 after the North had led 2-1 from the foursomes.

DETAILS

NORTH-EAST UNDER-14s, NORTH UNDER-14s 1/2

Foursomes (3-0)
Ellis Gray and Paul Chalmers (DHR) bt Scott Lawrie (Fort William) and Logan Gillies (Loch Ness) 6 and 5.

Ethan Ross (Fraserburgh) and Jonathan Bell (Royal Aberdeen) bt Steven Pears (Nairn Dunbar) and Gino Stirrat (Forres) 7 and 6.

Innes McKay (Strathlene) and Kevin Duncan (Keith) bt Rory Cromarty and Calum Scott (Nairn) 6 and 5.

Singles (5 1/2-1/2)

Gray bt Lawrie 8 and 6.

Chalmers bht Gillies 6 and 5.

Ross bt Pears 6 and 5.

Bell bt Stirrat 7 and 6

McKay halved with Crmarty

Duncan bt Scott 1 hole.

 

NORTH-EAST UNDER 16s 5 1/2, NORTH UNDER-16S 3 1/2

Foursomes (3-0_

Kiran Nolan (Kemnay) and Ellis Roberts (Cruden Bay) bt Findlay Asher (Nairn) and Andrew Moir (Elgin) 2 and 1.

Thomas Cameron (Fraserburgh) and Calvin Dufftown (Torphins) bt Euan Munro (Reay) and Lorne Ross (Fort William) 7 and 6

Fintan McKenna (Royal Aberdeen) and Cameron McArthur (Newmachar) bt Jamie McIntosh (Nairn) and Thomas Bell (Forres) 6 and 5.

Singles (2 1/2-3 1/2)

Nolan bt Asher 3 and 2.

Roberts bt Moir 2 and 1.

Cameron lost to Munro 2 and 1.

Duffton lost to Ross 2 and 1.

McKenna halved withMcIntosh

McArthur lost to Bell 3 and 1.

NORTH-EAST UNDER-18s 4 1/2, NORTH UNDER-18s 4 1/2

Foursomes (1-2)

Adam Fisher (Newmachar) and Chris Somers (Murcar Links) bt Cameron Franssen and Euan Gill 8 and 7.

Calvin Cheyne (Newmachar) and Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal) lost to Sandy Scott (Nairn) and Alasdair Ross (Fort William) 1 hole.

Ray Gordon and Callum Coutts (Alford) lost to Michael Schinkel (Orkney) and Gregor Munro (Reay) 4 and 3

Singles (3 1/2-2 1/2)

Fisher halved with Franssen

Somers lost to Gill 6 and 5.

Cheyne bt Scott 2 and 1.

Bruce bt Ross 2 and 1.

Gordon lost to Schinkel 7 and 6.

Coutts bt Munro 2 and 1.

SCOT GEORGE SHARES LEAD, DAVID SEVEN OFF HE PACE

MURRAY AND LAW SHOOT 66s IN 


SWISS CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Scot George Murray and Bernd Ritthammer of Germany took route 66 to the top at the Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf as they both carded second successive five under rounds to share the lead heading into the weekend.
Aberdonian David Law also shot a second-round 66 and he is seven shots off the pace on 139.
Murray and Ritthammer, who have now carded four rounds of 66 between them, were a shot clear of the chasing pack on ten under par, with Niccolo Quintarelli of Italy and Belgian Pierre Relecom in close pursuit on nine under par.
Ritthammer, chasing a maiden European Challenge Tour title, did not record a single bogey in perfect conditions at the picturesque Golf Sempachersee.
A chip-in from just off the green at the eighth hole – his last – gave him the perfect finish to an impressive round.
The Munich player has admitted that watching his compatriots Moritz Lampert, who has won twice this season on the Challenge Tour, and Florian Fritsch climb into the top ten of the Rankings and edge towards European Tour promotion has made him even more determined to succeed this year.
“I feel like now it’s my turn,” said the 27 year old, who played his first and only campaign on The European Tour in 2012 after earning his card through Qualifying School.
“Both of them are playing really well. Obviously Moritz has been incredible but Florian - not having played many events this year and still being top ten in the Rankings is very impressive.
“I feel like, I want to catch them! I don’t want to fall back too far and that’s what I'm trying to do right now.
“It was a bit different to the first round today. For my first nine, the long game wasn’t quite as solid as yesterday. I did miss a couple of shots but I didn’t get it really close. The pace of my putting today was brilliant though, I never left myself a really hard putt.
“I was never in danger of a bogey. On the back nine I started hitting it better, hitting the fairways and getting it close to the pin with my approaches. A couple of putts came very close but I felt like I could get a couple of birdies at the end. Then I chipped in at the end, which was very fortunate because I hit it way too fast but it hit the pin, so I got lucky.
“I feel good standing over the ball and my putting was a lot better today so I'm looking forward to the weekend.”
Murray, meanwhile, was happy to have returned to the kind of form which in 2011 earned him a runner-up finish in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa followed a month later by a tied third finish at the prestigious Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, finishing alongside Graeme McDowell and only behind Rory McIlroy and winner Michael Hoey.
“I didn’t play as well as the first day,” said the 31 year old, whose sole Challenge Tour win came at the 2010 Scottish Hydro Challenge. “I was slightly more erratic today but managed to hole a couple more putts.
“Hopefully I’ll drive it well and putt it well over the weekend, that would be nice. My best hole was actually the 11th, which I bogeyed, because I lost my ball off the tee and then knocked another drive down, hit it close and holed it so that kept me going a bit. I teed off at the ninth, so a double-bogey early on and I would have been furious.
“I love it here, it’s a beautiful place. It just keeps you calm, you just look at the mountains and you don’t have a whole lot to worry about.
“My year so far has been terrible but hopefully it will start to turn around and I’ll start to play better. I found something in my swing last week where I could hit my irons well so hopefully that will continue.”
Relecom carded the best round of his career at the sun-kissed venue, just outside Lucerne, firing six birdies and an eagle en route to an eight under par 63 and he was joined in third place by Quintarelli, who finished with a flourish thanks to two birdies in the last two holes to sign for a five under 66.

SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
132 G Murray  (Sco) 66 66, B Ritthammer (Ger) 66 66,
133 P Relecom  (Bel) 70 63, N Quintarelli (Ita) 67 66,
135 K Samooja (Fin) 71 64,
136 F Fritsch  (Ger) 68 68, M Delpodio  (Ita) 68 68, G Boyd  (Eng) 70 66, C Ford (Eng) 67 69, M Eggenberger (am) (Sui) 68 68,
137 R Davies (Wal) 68 69, H Joannes  (Bel) 69 68, J Moul  (Eng) 66 71, J Huldahl (Den) 69 68, S Brown (Eng) 67 70,
138 F Bergamaschi (Ita) 69 69, D Ulrich (Sui) 72 66, J Pastor (Esp) 68 70, R Gouveia (Por) 69 69, J Senior (Eng) 67 71, W Roebuck (Eng) 67 71, S Fallon (Eng) 68 70, R McEvoy  (Eng) 72 66,
139 T Lee (USA) 71 68, P Oriol (Esp) 70 69, D Law (Sco) 73 66, J Sarasti  (Esp) 68 71, R Steiner (Aut) 68 71, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 68 71, E Espana (Fra) 71 68, A Gabella (Sui) 73 66, S Gros (Fra) 71 68, R Kind (Ned) 70 69,
140 M Rominger  (Sui) 74 66, A Tadini (Ita) 68 72, A Kirstein (Ger) 67 73, M Trappel  (Aut) 73 67, S Einhaus (Ger) 72 68, G Porteous (Eng) 74 66, R De Sousa (Sui) 69 71, W Booth  (Sco) 72 68, C Paisley  (Eng) 69 71,
141 L Weber (Fra) 72 69, B Chapellan (Fra) 70 71, C Russo (Fra) 73 68, R McGowan  (Eng) 70 71, S Little (Eng) 74 67, H Bacher (Aut) 72 69, N Kearney (Irl) 70 71, J Gonnet  (Fra) 69 72, J Legarrea (Esp) 71 70, B Parker  (Eng) 73 68, C Simon (Esp) 65 76, A Björk (Swe) 68 73, S Tiley (Eng) 71 70, B Dredge (Wal) 68 73, A Dunbar (Nir) 69 72, W Harrold (Eng) 69 72, M Wiegele  (Aut) 68 73, F Praegant (Aut) 69 72,
142 C Arendell (USA) 71 71, J Clément  (Sui) 70 72, D Wuensche  (Ger) 74 68, B Hebert  (Fra) 71 71, M Glauert (Ger) 69 73, G Woolgar (Eng) 71 71, T Murray (Eng) 71 71, J Roos (RSA) 74 68, M Orrin (Eng) 72 70, G Watremez (Bel) 73 69, X Puig (Esp) 71 71, C Shinkwin (Eng) 70 72, L Claverie (Esp) 72 70, O Wilson (Eng) 71 71, J Girrbach (am) (Sui) 72 70, B Rusch (am) (Sui) 73 69,

MISSED THE CUT
143 R McGee (Irl) 72 71, G Pinto (Por) 73 70, A Rai (Eng) 74 69, M Lampert (Ger) 71 72, A Bernadet  (Fra) 75 68, J Garcia Del Moral (Esp) 74 69, A Wrigley (Eng) 73 70, A Hortal  (Esp) 74 69, R Russell (Sco) 75 68, J Rask (Swe) 74 69, M Haines  (Eng) 74 69, M Iten (am) (Sui) 71 72,
144 T Pulkkanen  (Fin) 72 72, J Gibb (Eng) 74 70, G Main (USA) 71 73, T Linard (Fra) 71 73, A Kaleka  (Fra) 77 67, A Maestroni  (Ita) 71 73, B Newman (USA) 72 72,
145 A Domingo (Esp) 70 75, T Sluiter  (Ned) 73 72, P Erofejeff (Fin) 75 70, D Lokke (Den) 74 71, C Aguilar  (Esp) 74 71, F Svanberg  (Sui) 72 73, D Vancsik (Arg) 72 73,
146 J Frazer (Wal) 74 72, D Booth (Eng) 72 74, M Decottignies-Lafon (Fra) 73 73, J Fly (USA) 73 73, C Caviezel (Sui) 76 70, D Callaway (Eng) 76 70, F Becker (Ger) 69 77, J Gallegos  (Esp) 72 74, N Kimsey (Eng) 74 72, O Lieser (Cze) 71 75, R Cazaubon (Mex) 76 70,
147 R Furrer (Sui) 76 71, J Kelly (Nor) 77 70, M Hocaoglu (Tur) 75 72, B Evans  (Eng) 74 73, D Geminiani (Ita) 77 70, P Maddy (Eng) 73 74, M Schneider (Ger) 73 74, M Dobias  (Sui) 71 76,
148 D Frittelli (RSA) 72 76, L Nemecz (Aut) 78 70, J Burnier (Sui) 72 76,
149 S Castelanelli (Sui) 75 74, T Lawrence (RSA) 77 72, D Suchan  (Cze) 76 73, M Novy  (Cze) 73 76,
150 J Mommo  (Fin) 75 75, K Benz (Sui) 73 77,
151 N Meitinger  (Ger) 74 77, N Thommen  (Sui) 73 78, A Rota (Ita) 77 74, M Carroll (USA) 75 76,
152 R Busher (Eng) 81 71, J Sloan (Eng) 77 75,
153 J Johnson (Eng) 75 78, S Grant  (Irl) 79 74, V Phillips (Eng) 78 75, A Roberts (Eng) 76 77, J Nodér (Sui) 76 77,
154 A Quiros (Esp) 80 74, P Bech (Esp) 75 79, M Daley (Eng) 83 71, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 79 75, L Tintera  (Cze) 77 77,
155 S Cremer (Ger) 76 79, G Snow  (Ken) 78 77,
156 P Dedek (am) (Cze) 78 78,
157 F Colombo (Ita) 79 78,
158 A Savolainen  (Fin) 78 80, K Berger (Ger) 80 78, E Amacher (am) (Sui) 80 78,
159 D Littlefield (USA) 80 79,
169 K Kalafatoglu (Tur) 83 86,
** C Macaulay  (Sco) 74 DQ,

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

ANGLO-SCOT SECOND SEED FROM READING WINS CHAMPIONSHIP

Top table (left to right): Brian Smith (captain of Scottish Senior Golf Society), new champion Malcolm Reid, beaten finalist Stewart Millar, and D Robertson (Southerness GC captain). Picture by Gordon Doig

MALCOLM REID, KEITH HOWIE WIN

TITLES AT SENIORS' MATCH-PLAY

Anglo-Scot Malcolm Reid, the No 2 seed from the Reading club, Sonning, is the new Scottish senior men's amateur match-play golf champion.

He beat Stewart Millar (Cochrane Castle) by 4 and 3 in the final at Southerness Golf Club on the shores of the Solway Firth this afternoon (Friday).

In the morning semi-finals, Reid knocked out the No 3 seed and much fancied rival, Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County) by 4 and 3. Millar beat Les Pirie (Millport) 2 and 1 in the other semi-final.

In the final, Reid never looked back after going three up at the sixth, although Millar cut his deficit to one at the turn.

Reid re-established a three-hole lead by winning the 10th and 11th.

Keith Howie (West Kilbride) won the over-65s' Super Seniors match-play championship. He beat David A Millar (St Andrews New) by one hole in the final.

SCOTTISH SENIOR MEN'S AMATEUR MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Southerness Golf Club, Dumfries-shire

Semi-finals - M Reid (Sonning) bt I Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 4 and 3, S Millar (Cochrane Castle) bt L Pirie (Millport) 2 and 1.

Final - Reid bt Millar 4 and 3.

Super Seniors match-play

Final - K Howie (West Kilbride) bt D A Millar (St Andrews New) 1 hole.

          Keith Howie (left), winner of Super Seniors' match-play title
                            Picture by Gordon Doig.

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR EVENT

IRISHMAN TURNER HOLDS ON TO WIN 

JAKARTA CLASSIC FROM RICHARDSON
 
ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE
Jakarta: Irishman Niall Turner survived a bumpy final round to win his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title after posting a one-over-par 73 at the US$60,000 Linc Group Jakarta Classic today.
The 30-year-old Turner held a five-shot lead heading into the last day but had to fend off the strong challenge from Englishman Peter Richardson before winning by one shot with a 10-under-par 278 total at the Imperial Klub Golf.
Richardson, who has one ADT victory, settled for second following a 69 while Thai talent Annop Tangkamolprasert ended his campaign in third position after shooting a 68 for a 281 total.
Turner bogeyed the second and third holest but swiftly recovered with two birdies before the turn. A bogey on 14 narrowed the Irishman’s lead to one but he held on to his narrow advantage to win the second edition of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic.
The victory was exceptionally sweet for Turner who had been struggling with a hip injury in the last three years.
“I really needed this win. It has been quite grim in the last few years because I had a bad hip injury since 2011. That was the only thing holding me back.
"I was born with a defect in my hip and had to go through some surgery. My hip feels great now although I had to make slight changes in my swing.
“Winning a tournament really gives you the confidence. It will be an important few weeks on the ADT and I really want to get back on the Asian Tour. Hopefully I can stay healthy and continue my form,” said Turner, who won US$10,500 and earned six Official World Golf Ranking points.
Richardson, who was bogey-free in his last 45 holes, held his head high after pushing Turner to the limits, but he was disappointed not to take the outright win or force a play-off
“I played great without any bogeys. I had a few birdies and put him under pressure. I was close but I couldn’t quite make the putts when I needed to. I had chances on the last four holes to make birdies but didn’t quite get the line or pace right.
“My goal was try to put him under pressure and I did. I’m pleased with the way I played and fought out there,” said the Englishman, who won his first ADT title in Malaysia in 2012.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
278 Niall TURNER (IRL) 70 68 67 73 279 Peter RICHARDSON (ENG) 72 70 68 69
281 Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69 73 71 68
283 Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 71 72 73 67, Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69 68 76 70, Brett MUNSON (USA) 67 69 75 72
284 CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 73 70 73 68, Konosuke NAKAZATO (JPN) 71 70 71 72
286 Arie IRAWAN (MAS) 77 69 70 70
287 I Ketut SUGIARTA (INA) 71 70 76 70, Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 71 74 70 72
288 Unho PARK (AUS) 72 71 70 75
289 Rory HIE (INA) 71 73 75 70, Mathiam KEYSER (RSA) 70 68 79 72, YE Jian-feng (CHN) 74 71 72 72, Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 71 75 71 72
290 Kevin MARQUES (AUS) 72 75 71 72, Wisut ARTJANAWAT (THA) 76 73 72 69, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 76 73 74 67, Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 75 72 69 74

BROTHERSTON AND PIRIE LOSE IN SEMI-FINALS AT SOUTHERNESS

STEWART MILLAR v MALCOLM REID

FOR SENIORS' MATCH-PLAY TITLE

This afternoon's Scottish senior men's amateur match-play championship final at Southerness Golf Club on the Solway Firth this afternoon will feature the No 25 qualifier, Stewart Millar (Cochrane Castle) against the No 2 seed, Anglo-Scot Malcolm Reid (Sonning), pictured by Steve Ellis.

In this morning's semi-finals, played in a strong wind from the North-east, the fourth different direct this week, Millar beat the 12th qualifier, Les Pirie (Millport) by 2 and 1, while Reid beat the No 3 seed Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County).
Reid  displayed a very good short game in beating Brotherston who was troubled by the high wind . Reid had a miraculous up and down at the first out of long rough  to set out his stall combined with some uncharacteristic errors from Brotherston around the greens.  
At 12 Reid drove into rough and was lucky to find his ball but managed to hit his shot pin high  to force a half in four. A bad drive at 13 forced Brotherston to hack out and ended in a gorse bush whereupon he eventually conceded the hole to be four down with five to play. 
A half in 5  at 14 left Brotherston with too much to do and a conceded 15 foot putt at 15 finished the game. Reid controlled his ball well in the wind and was very steady under pressure.   
The other semi-final  was a close affair all the way with the 12^th producing the most drama. Pirie drove into the right rough and proceeded to lose his ball, having hacked out from there.  
Millar then hit a good shot to the green which kicked on through the back and out of bounds. Back to square one and a half eventually resulted. 
The turning point in this game was at the 14th where Pirie hit a good shot to the green which ran off the left side into grass and heather. He played a very good recovery to 6 feet but missed the putt, losing to Millar's par 4. 
At 17 Miller was two up with two to play. Both players were through the back. Miller played a great chip to 4 feet. Pirie took the high route with a parachute lob which came back towards him in the wind to about 14 feet.  He holed as did Miller to end the game.
Keith Howie (West Kilbride) won the over-65s' Super Seniors match-play title. The No 3 seed, Keith beat the leading qualifier, David A Millar (St Andrews New) by one hole in the final.

CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMI-FINALS
Stewart Millar (Cochrane Castle) bt Les Pirie (Millport) 2 and 1.
Malcolm Reid (Sonning) bt Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County) 4 and 3.

SUPER SENIORS MATCH-PLAY
FINAL
Keith Howie (Weat Kilbride) bt David A Millar (St Andrews New) 1 hole.

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LAST-ROUND PGA EUROPRO TOUR DRAMA AT EDINBURGH VENUE

WATTS WINS ROYAL BURGESS PLAY-OFF
Leader Ross has triple bogey 6 at last hole

NEWS RELEASE

James Watts moved into the crucial top five on the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit after winning a three-way play-off at Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh.

The Hertfordshire man shot a final-round 66, four under par, to finish tied third with Neil Fenwick (Dunbar Golf Club) and Stiggy Hodgson (The Wisley Golf Club) on nine-under-par after 54 holes to take the event to a play-off on the par-three 18^th.

Watts (Kingsway Golf Centre) landed his tee shot by far the closest of the three to the pin, and was unlucky not to see his first putt drop. However, he made par while Fenwick, who had carded a final-round 67, and Hodgson, who shot 65 on the last round, both took three putts and bogeyed the hole.

“It feels amazing to win,” said Watts, who wins £10,000, a brand new Motocaddy and a Shotsaver range finder, climbing to fourth on the Order of Merit, from which the top five at the end of the season earn Challenge Tour cards.

“I have been in good form over the last few weeks. I have been playing well and knew that if I kept going through my processes then something would happen. I had a few chances last year but didn’t break through, so very pleased to win today.

“The goals change now considerably. I will play all the remaining EuroPro tournaments this year in a bid to come in that top five.

“The play-off, I hit a really good shot in. My first putt was good, it just caught the lip and spun out, but I was happy to get the win in the end.”

Royal Burgess amateur James Ross came agonisingly close to victory. The 24-year-old led by one as he played the 18^th but dragged his tee shot out of bounds to the right of the green. 

His second tee shot then found a greenside bunker and he made triple bogey 6 to finish the tournament tied sixth on seven under.

Andrew Cheese (Sutton Coldfield) and Jack Colegate (Deangate Ridge) shared fourth on eight under.

Highlights of the event air on Sky Sports on Tuesday, July 29. The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour heads to Ireland next week for the Kingspan Concra Wood Open.

SCROLL DOWN FOR FINAL TOTALS

FENWICK BEATEN IN £10,000 PLAY-OFF

Scots figured prominently in a dramatic finish to the PGA EuroPro Tour's Simpson and Marwick Cup over the Royal Burgess Society's course at Barnton, Edinburgh today (Friday).

Host club amateur James Ross had a triple bogey 6 at the short 18th hole where he went out of bounds.

Had he parred the hole he would have had a lower 54-hole final total than the three professionals who contested the sudden-death play-off for the £10,000 first prize - Englishmen James Watts (Kingsway), Stiggy Hodgson (The Wisley) and Dunbar's Neil Fenwick

They all totalled nine-under-par 210, Watts with scores of 65, 70 and 66, Hodgson 67, 69 and 65, and Fenwick three rounds of 67.

Watts won the £10,000 shoot-out. Fenwick and Hodgson earned £3,750 each.

Ross, who is to turn pro before the end of the season, had a great tournament over his

home course. He had scores of 65, 67 and 71 for seven-under 203 to tie for sixth place. 

Before his disaster at the last, Ross had an an eagle 3 at the sixth and birdies at the 13th and 14th after starting slowly with bogeys at the first and fourth.

Malcolm Isaacs (Newmachar) earned £700 for a 13th place finish on 206 (70-68-68).

Another North-east man, Greg McBain (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) made the top 20 with scores of 67, 68 and 72 for 207 and a share of 14th place which earned him£488.

FINAL TOTALS and PRIZEMONEY

par 210 (3x70)

1	James Watts  Kingsway Golf Centre (p)				65	70	66	201		£10,000
T2	Stiggy Hodgson  The Wisley Golf Club				67	69	65	201		£3,750
T2	Neil Fenwick  Dunbar Golf Club				67	67	67	201		£3,750
T4	Andrew Cheese  Sutton Coldfield Golf Club				68	67	67	202		£1,550
T4	Jack Colegate  Deangate Ridge Golf Club				65	66	71	202		£1,550
T6	James Ross (a)  Royal Burgess				65	67	71	203		amateur
T6	Gary King  Tyrrells Wood				64	67	72	203		£1,200
T8	Jamie Rutherford  Knebworth Golf Club				68	70	66	204		£950
T8	Mark Laskey  Brocket Hall Golf Club				69	68	67	204		£950
T10	Alex Belt  De Vere/Snainton				69	71	65	205		£800
T10	Liam Murray  La Marquesa Golf				71	65	69	205		£800
T10	Marcus Armitage  Howley Hall Golf Club				67	66	72	205		£800
13	Malcolm Isaacs  Newmachar Golf Club				70	68	68	206		£700
T14	Daniel Osbaldeston  Prestbury Golf Club				69	72	66	207		£486
T14	Westley Wray  The Rayleigh Club Golf Resort				68	72	67	207		£486
T14	Harry Bateman  Royal Wellington Golf Club				74	65	68	207		£486
T14	Jamie Abbott  Fynn Valley Golf Club				69	70	68	207		£486
T14	James Maw  Rockliffe Hall				68	69	70	207		£486
T14	Greg Payne  Chobham Golf Club				70	67	70	207		£486
T14	Richard Kilpatrick  Banbridge Golf Club				67	70	70	207		£486
T14	Max Smith  Donnington Grove Country Club				70	66	71	207		£486
T14	Greg McBain  Paul Lawrie Golf Centre				67	68	72	207		£486
T23	Sam Forgan  Stowmarket Golf Club				73	68	67	208		£370
T23	Chris Halley  Malton & Norton Golf Club				71	68	69	208		£370
T23	Paul Reed  Bristol & Clifton Golf Club				69	66	73	208		£370
T26	James Robinson  Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club				71	70	68	209		£325
T26	Tim Dykes  Penrith Golf Club				69	72	68	209		£325
T26	Luke Joy  Broadstone (Dorset) Golf Club				70	70	69	209		£325
T26	Ross Kellett  Kingsfield Golf Centre				72	67	70	209		£325
T26	Stuart Archibald  The Legend Alliance				68	70	71	209		£325
T26	Tim Rice  Limerick Golf Club				66	69	74	209		£325
T32	Billy Hemstock  Teignmouth Golf Club				70	71	69	210		£270
T32	Paul Cutler  Team Ireland				72	69	69	210		£270
T32	James Hamilton  Cowglen GC				75	66	69	210		£270
T32	Andrew Oldcorn  Kings Acre Golf Club				72	68	70	210		£270
T32	George Parker  The London Club				71	68	71	210		£270
T32	Paul Robinson  Largs Golf Club				71	68	71	210		£270
T32	Chris Currie  Caldwell Golf Club				69	69	72	210		£270
T32	Richard Wallis  North Foreland Golf Club				69	69	72	210		£270
T32	James Scade  Ingrebourne Links				70	67	73	210		£270
T32	Charlie Cossins  Cumberwell Park				69	68	73	210		£270
T32	Gareth Wright  West Linton Golf Club				70	67	73	210		£270
T43	Jonathan Bell  Royal Blackheath Golf Club				70	71	70	211		£220
T43	Nick McCarthy  Moortown Golf Club				71	70	70	211		£220
T43	George Morris  Eaton Golf Club				74	67	70	211		£220
T43	Ryan Boyns  JMS Golf				71	70	70	211		£220
T43	Conor O'Neil  Mearns Castle Golf Academy				72	69	70	211		£220
T43	Richard Weldon  Killeen Castle Golf Club				68	72	71	211		£220
T43	Kris Nicol  Paul Lawrie Golf Centre				69	70	72	211		£220
T43	James Ruebotham  Welwyn Garden City Golf Club				71	67	73	211		£220
T43	Ben Loughrey  Wrag Barn Golf Club				71	67	73	211		£220
T52	Ross Cameron  Saltire Energy Ltd				70	71	71	212		£192
T52	James Dick  Duddingston Golf Club				72	66	74	212		£192
T54	Jordan Findlay  Paul Lawrie Golf Centre				69	72	72	213		£180
T54	Eric Ramsay  Carnoustie Golf Club				73	66	74	213		£180
T54	Fernando Garcia Grout  Golf Son Antem				71	68	74	213		£180
T57	Rhodri Fieldhouse  Wrexham Golf Club				74	67	73	214		£160
T57	Robert Gowers  South Winchester Golf Club				71	70	73	214		£165
T57	Peter Tarver-Jones  Worthing Golf Club				72	69	73	214		£165
T60	Paul Lockwood  Hessle Golf Club				71	70	74	215		£152
T60	George Thacker  Kedleston Park				69	72	74	215		£152
T62	Sam Robertshawe  Army Golf Club				72	69	75	216		£140
T62	Laurie Canter  Saltford Golf Club				69	72	75	216		£140
T62	Sam Watts  MCL				69	70	77	216		£140