DAVID BRODIE WELL PLACED IN SOUTH ORDER OF MERIT TABLE

LEAD EXTENDED WITH FOURTH PLACE 

AT KIRKCUDBRIGHT

David Brodie (Wigtown and Bladnoch) extended his lead at the top of the South of Scotland Order of Merit with his tie for fourth place at Kirkcudbright on Sunday and is now in a strong position to claim the title.
A high finish this weekend in the Lennox Trophy at Lochmaben could see him claim the spoils with an event to spare.
With second placed Michael Grunwell (Powfoot) away at the Scottish Club Championship at Lundin this weekend, it is Martin McNae (Lochmaben) and Craig Hill (Dumfries and Galloway) who will be hoping a win this weekend can put some pressure on David at the top.
Martin McNae moved in to a tie for 3rd place with Craig, after his 10th place finish at Kirkcudbright and will be looking to make home advantage count in the Lennox Trophy, a competition he was won for the last two years.
Clark Riddick (Southerness) moved up to 6th with his win at Kirkcudbright and will be looking to move in to the top 5 in the final two counting events.
South of Scotland Order of Merit
Top 20 positions after Douglas Maxwell Memorial Cup

1 David Brodie ((Wigtown & Bladnoch) 466.7
2 Michael Grunwell (Powfoot) 375
T3 Craig Hill (Dumfries and Galloway) 280
T3 Martin McNae (Lochmaben) 280
5 Rory Thompson (Dalbeattie) 260
6 Clark Riddick (Southerness) 240
7 Gary King (Southerness) 180
8 Iain Thomson (Powfoot) 169.2
9 Matthew McCulloch (Portpatrick Dunskey) 165
10 Colin Hamilton (Stranraer) 162.5
T11 Jamie Telfer (Wigtown and Bladnoch) 160
T11 David McCreadie (Newton Stewart) 160
T11 Connor Bennewith (Newton Stewart) 160
14 Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 155
15 Chris Corbett (Dumfries and Galloway) 135
16 David King (Southerness) 135
T17 Alex Chalk (Castle Douglas) 130
T17 Ross Murray (Southerness) 130
19 Mick Whalen (Southerness) 110
T20 Chris Finnie (Lockerbie) 100
T20 Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 100
T20 Andrew Kerr (Crichton) 100
T20 Alan Birdsall (Dumfries and Co) 100
   

SCHOOLS GOLF INTERNATIONAL AT SOUTHPORT AND AINSDALE

SCOTLAND GIRLS WIN BUT BOYS

ARE PEGGED BACK BY ENGLAND

Scotland girls scored a rare win south of the border over their England counterparts in the annual schools golf international match at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club today (Monday).

The girls' morning foursomes were shared 1 1/2-1 1/2 and then the Scotland girls took the afternoon singles 3 1/2-2 1/2 for an overall 5-4 victory.

It looked as if the Scotland boys would make it a double whammy when they led 4-2 after the foursomes but, in a thrilling finish, the England boys turned it around by winning the singles 8-4 for a 10-8 overall victory.
DETAILS:
ENGLAND BOYS 10, SCOTLAND BOYS 8
Foursomes: 2-4
Josh Bristow and Oliver Daws lost to Matthew McCulloch and Alex Chalk 5 and 4. 
Will Painter and Coby Cartwright lost to Kieran Cantley and Stuart Irving 3 and 2. 
Chris Handy and Oliver Harrod bt Callum Burns and Mark Napier 3 and 2.
Alex Bithrey and Robert Shaw lost to Conor Toal and Jamie Stewart 3 and 2.
Will Mullins and Oliver Gough bt Andrew Thomson and Callum Bruce 2 and 1.
Ryan Brooks and Jack Duncalf lost to Niall McMullen and Michael Brodie 2 and 1.
SINGLES: 8-4
Handy bt McCulloch 4 and 3.
Bristow bt Stewart 3 and 2
Cartwright bt Thomson 6 and 4.
Painter lost to Bruce 3 and 1.
Shaw bt Toal 3 and 2.
Bithrey lost to McMullen 4 and 3.
Duncalp lost to Brodie 5 and 3.
Brooks bt Cantley 4 and 2.
Mullins bt Burns 2 holes
Gough halved with Irving
Harrod bt Chalk 2 and 1.
Daws halved with Napier.

ENGLAND GIRLS 4, SCOTLAND GIRLS 5
FOURSOMES: 1 1/2-1 1/2
Eloise Healey and Amelia Williamson halved with Claire Robertson and Emma Hale.
Hollie Vizard and Holly Morgan lost to Danielle Ker and Emily Dalgetty 2 and 1.
Sophie Madden and Molly Haslam bt Hazel MacGarvie and Shannon McWilliam 2 and 1.

SINGLES: 2 1/2-3 1/2
Healey bt McWilliam 6 and 4.
Vizard lost to MacGarvie 1 hole
Morgan lost to Hale 3 and 2.
Williamson lost to Ker 3 and 1.
Haslam halved with Robertson
Madden bt Dalgetty 1 hole

CLARK RIDDICK WINS PLAY-OFF AT KIRKCUDBRIGHT

FIRST-TIME WINNER OF DOUGLAS 

MAXWELL MEMORIAL CUP

Clark Riddick won the Douglas Maxwell Memorial Cup at Kirkcudbright Golf Club on Sunday after a three-hole play-off against Southerness clubmate Ross Murray.

This was the latest counting event in the South of Scotland Order of Merit.

Riddick and Murray had tied on level-par 69 at the end of regulation play. Riddick won the three-hole play-off with a level-par aggregate.
Third place went to another Southerness member, Malcolm Kirkwood, with a one over 70. 
The CSS was 69.

LEADING SCORES 

Clark Riddick (Southerness)	69
Ross Murray (Southerness)	69
Malcolm Kirkwood (Southerness)	70
John Houston (Kirkcudbright)	71
John Thomson (Kirkcudbright)	71
David Brodie (Wigtown/Bladnoch)	71
Cameron Gray (Kirkcudbright)	72
Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright)	72
David Davidson (Kirkcudbright)	72
Martin McNae (Lochmaben)	73
Jamie Menzies (Kirkcudbright)	75
William Squires (Kirkcudbright)	75
Craig Smith (Dalbeattie)	75
Jamie Telfer (Wigtown and Bladnoch)	75
David Stitt (Kirkcudbright)	76
Keith Munn (Dalbeattie)	77
Scott Whannell (Newton Stewart)	78
Stuart Gourlay (Kirkcudbright)	79
John Brodie (Newton Stewart)	79
William Smith (Dalbeattie)	79
Alan Shamash (Kirkcudbright)	80
Robert Watson (Kirkcudbright)	83

HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

SENIOR SERVICE FOR BOB IN POLAND

 Tulliallan’s Bob Stewart could not maintain the brilliant start in the European Seniors Team Championship held in Poland last week.  In the 36 hole stroke play qualifying event to determine the flights of teams, Bob returned a first class aggregate of 149 (76, 73).  

 This was the second best score for the Scottish team, putting Bob in 6^th place out of 149 entrants and helping to ensure that Scotland started the Match Play section in the top flight.

  The first quarter final match was against Germany, and Bob partnered Barry Brooks in the foursomes match, recording a one- hole win and helping Scotland to a 3-2 victory.   

However it all went downhill from there. In the semi- final Scotland lost to Sweden 1.5-3.5, and in the play-off for 3^rd pace, the Scots went down heavily to England by 4 matches to 1.   

Ireland finished as the 2014 European Senior Team Champions,

In spite of this, Bob must be feeling a bit confident for the Senior Home Internationals to be played at North Berwick from the 16^th till 18^th September.

 Bob will be competing this week in the Scottish Seniors Finals day at Blairgowrie, in a field of 30.  Bob is lying 5th in the Senior Order of Merit. Joining Bob will be Mike Rust (Tillicoultry) who has made it to the top 30 in the Order of Merit.

   SCOTT BIDS FOR EUROPEAN TOUR

Although not as good as recent years, Dollar’s Scott Borrowman has finished well up the Scottish Order of Merit for 2014, achieving 12^th place.  

 Late good performances in the North of Scotland and South East District 72 hole events did help a bit. Alva’s Lawrence Allan finished at 28^th position from only 6 events.

 Scott has entered the first stage of the 2015 European Tour School qualifying -  a gruelling total of 14 rounds for those who make it to the final stages and then only a few are rewarded with playing rights on the European Tour. 

 There are eight qualifying venues for the first stage - probably around 700 hopefuls will play - and it cost each of them £1400 top enter. 

There is a cut after three rounds, so the unlucky will have paid over £400 for each round!  

Borrowman has opted for the Roxburghe golf course and joins 23 Scots in a field of 77.  Around 30 will proceed to Stage 2 to be held in Spain.  Mind you his club name has gone all pear shaped, and you might scratch your head,  wondering where POLLOAR golf Club was situated.   

  Best of luck Scott from the local golf clubs and golfers!

    MIDLAND TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

The Midland Team Championship played between the four Midland golf associations was held at Dunfermline last weekend.  Angus county could not raise a team so the contest was between the other three. 

With 7 out of 8 scores to count, Perth and Kinross came out on top with a score of 507.  Fife finished runners up on 512, and Clackmannan were in third place with 534.

 GLENBERVIE TRIUMPH FOR ALAN

It's always nice to see a new name featuring in a golfing success, and many congrats must go to Alloa’s Alan Goodwillie for scooping the first prize in the Scottish Golf Life Members day at Glenbervie. 

From a field of 48, Alan scored 38 Stableford points, winning by two points from runners up Jim Black and Jim Paton

ANGUS UNABLE TO RAISE A TEAM FOR DUNFERMLINE CONTEST

P AND K WIN MIDLANDS TEAM TITLE

Perth and Kinross won the Midland men's amateur team golf championship at Dunfermline Golf Club (on Sunday).

Their total - best seven from eight players' scores to count - was 507, five shots ahead of Fife with Clackmannan third on 534.

Sadly, Angus could not raise enough players to field a team.

TOTALS

507 PERTH & KINROSS (Mark Cameron 67, Glen Campbell 69, Stuart McKendrick 71, Jason Thomson 72, Stephen Carruthers 74, Rory Tinker 77, Blair Stephen 77. Non-counting: Connor Neil 82.

512 FIFE (Ally Hain 71, Alex Moir 72, David Mitchell 73, Kevin Blyth 73, Greg Forrest 74, Keith Anderson 74, Ryan Brown 75. Non-counting: Andy Collie 81.

534 CLACKMANNAN  (Ross Benvie 75, Ian Guthrie 75, Steve McIvor 75, Jamie Aitken 76, John Maxwell 76, Gary Chalmers 77, Rikki Alexander 80. Non-counting: Darren Houlston NR

ends

FINALS DAY AT BLAIRGOWRIE ON THURSDAY

Exciting shoot-out in prospect for Scottish 

Seniors Order of Merit title

By GORDON THOMSON

Scottish Seniors Golfing Society Captain

The Scottish Seniors Golfing Society season reaches a climax on Thursday with Finals Day at Blairgowrie where the Order of Merit title will be decided.

Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County) holds a narrow lead over John Fraser (Royal Burgess) but Barry Brooks (Meldrum House), Ronnie Clark (Erskine), Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) and Malcolm Reid (Sonning) are not far behind. 

In what promises to be an enthralling contest, all have a chance to take the title in the last counting event, played over one round on the Lansdowne course.

Of the leading group only Bob Stewart has won the title before but the dark horse may be Ronnie Clark who, in the course of a highly successful summer period, has won the Central Seniors Open, the South Seniors Open and the Autumn Meeting.

 THURSDAY'S TEE TIMES

Match no	Tee Time	Name	Club	Points
1	10:30	Colin Halcrow	Windyhill	137.5
		Lindsay Gordon	Turnhouse	142.5
		Michael Rust	Tillicoutry	144.8
2	10:38	Ian Gillan	Bishopbriggs	145.8
		Ian Jeen	St Andrews New	155
		John McDonald	Cowglen	155.4
3	10:46	Jim Watt	Edzell	159.3
		Muir Townsley	Dumfries & County	175
		Jalil Aman	Grangemouth	191.7
4	10:54	William Erskine	Kilsyth Lennox	205
		Les Pirie	Millport	216
		Stuart Black	Cathcart Castle	242.5
5	11:02	Tony Patterson	Sunningdale	251
		David Imrie	Thornton	261.3
		Brian Smith	Hamilton	280
6	11:10	John J Johnston	Lanark	280.5
		Joe McManus	Uphall	283.3
		Lindsay Blair	Grangemouth	313.3
7	11:18	Gordon MacDonald	Glenbervie	320
		Nick Robson	Meldrum House	325
		Stewart Millar	Cochrane Castle	337.5
8	11:26	Robert Craw	Glenbervie	345
		David Shields	Glenearn	362.5
		David Gardner	Broomieknowe	366.5
9	11:34	Malcolm Reid	Sonning	464
		Robert Stewart	Tulliallan	512.5
		Ronnie Clark	Erskine	547.5
10	11:42	Barry Brooks	Meldrum House	560
		John Fraser	Royal Burgess	606
		Ian Brotherston	Dumfries & County	621.8

US CHAMPIONS TOUR FINAL TOTALS AT QUEBEC

TO view the final totals from the US Champions Tour's Quebec City Championship

CLICK HERE 

SELECTED TOTALS
208 Mark Mouland (Wales) 69 70 69 (T10) $31,467
212 Roger Chapman (England) 72 71 69 (T32) $10,560
215 Sandy Lyle (Scotland) 73 70 72 (T49) $4,178

BILLY HORSCHEL WINS BMW CHAMPIONSHIP AT DENVER

RUSSELL KNOX WINS $69,200 AFTER AN 

EIGHT-UNDER 62 IN LAST ROUND

 FROM GOLF CHANNEL.COM

By RANDALL MELL

Billy Horschel took home $1,444,000 for his two-shot win at Cherry Hills. (Getty Images)

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Denve. – There was no demon memory to slay coming down the stretch.
There was no residual fear to conquer going to the 18th tee.
Billy Horschel didn’t require a therapist to mend a scarred psyche before winning the BMW Championship on Sunday at Cherry Hills Country Club.
Horschel, 27, told us all week that the nervy, chunky 6-iron that ruined his chance to win at the end of Deutsche Bank Championship the previous Monday wasn’t haunting him here, and he meant it.
“It was just a bad swing at the wrong time,” Horschel kept saying almost as a mantra. “I’m a guy who doesn’t dwell on stuff. I let things roll off my shoulders.”
Horschel’s hot putter might have been a formidable tool in helping him rebound from last week’s disappointment and win the third leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs, but his considerable belief in himself is what won his second US PGA Tour title. He bulldozed away any doubt, fear or uncertainty that lay in his path coming home this time.
He won in the face of all the critics who blasted him for “choking” in Boston.

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BMW Championship: Articles, videos and photos

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“That doesn't affect me, but I just like to stick it to them,” Horschel said. “It was nice to get that victory and stick it to some of those people that had some negative comments for me on Twitter. 
"I don't mind it. You want to keep saying negative things to me, that just adds fuel to my fire. I'm just going to stick it to you every time.”
The only uncertainty looming over Horschel coming up the 18th fairway on this Sunday was whether he was going to make it back to the course after inexplicably sprinting outside the ropes and disappearing into the gallery after he hit his final approach shot onto the 18th green.
“I had to go to the bathroom,” Horschel said. “I had been holding it for way too many holes, and I just felt like, I can sort of relax now. Let’s just go ahead and go to the bathroom before I can't go.”
With a 1-under-par 69, Horschel held off stunted charges from Sergio Garcia and Ryan Palmer to take home $1,444,000. The big cheque will come in handy with he and his wife, Brittany, expecting their first child later this month.
At 14-under 266, Horschel finished two shots in front of Bubba Watson (66) and three ahead of Morgan Hoffmann (63).
Horschel says he thrives as a momentum player. He’ll be looking to take the momentum of this victory beyond Atlanta and the FedEx Cup playoff finale.
“Hopefully, this win will give me some more added confidence, and shoot me up there into an upper-echelon player, where I want to be,” Horschel said. “I want to be where the Rory McIlroys are, the Tigers are, the Phil Mickelsons, the Bubba Watsons, the guys that are winning majors. I want to be there. I want to compete with them on a Sunday at a major, go head to head with them.”
Horschel closed out at the BMW Championship with no remnant of his failed shot in Boston visible. He made a cool, sure pass with his 9-iron at the 18th, setting up his two-putt for the biggest win of his career. 
He said he was proud that he held off his challengers despite less than his best ball-striking. He won playing mistake-free when it mattered most, closing with 11 consecutive pars.
“I didn't have my great stuff,” Horschel said. “I was able to grind something out.”
With this title and last week’s T-2 finish, Horschel heads to Atlanta in prime position to take home the $10 million FedEx Cup jackpot. Just two weeks ago, he was wallowing at 82nd in the playoff points standing, but he will tee it up at East Lake No. 2 in the standings, trailing only Chris Kirk.
The top five in FedEx Cup points are the only players among the 29 headed to Atlanta who are assured they’ll win the FedEx Cup by winning the Tour Championship.
Horschel took a three-shot lead into the final round at Cherry Hills, but it was gone over the first six holes. Palmer came out bombing big drives into position to help him attack flagsticks with three birdies over the first six holes.
Coming down the stretch this time, it was Horschel who watched his challengers fade.
After failing to get up and down at the 12th, Palmer’s bogey there dropped him a shot back of Horschel. At the 13th hole, Palmer hit an uncharacteristic shank out of the rough and into a hazard to make double bogey.
“Probably the worst swing of the day,” Palmer said. “I don’t know what happened. I thought I had a decent lie.”
Palmer’s consolation is his tie for fourth helped him crack the top 30 in FedEx Cup points, earning him a spot in next week’s Tour Championship. He and Hoffman were the only players who cracked the top 30 this week, with Keegan Bradley and Stuart Appleby getting bumped out.
Seven shots back at day’s start, Garcia charged spectacularly, holing a pitch from 35 yards for eagle at the seventh, getting within two shots of Horschel before making triple bogey at the 17th. 
After hitting a wedge to the back of that green, Garcia hit a chip too hard, through the green and into the hazard in front of the green.
“It’s really disappointing,” Garcia said. “It’s what happens when you’re not mentally sharp.”
Though Watson was mounting a run of his own, he never got closer than two shots. He missed a birdie chance from 24 feet at the last that might have put some pressure on Horschel behind him.
“I hit a pretty good iron in there and had a chance to scare him,” Watson said.
Hoffmann is becoming one of the intriguing stories of these playoffs. He started the playoffs No. 124 in points. With a course-record 62 on Saturday and his 63 Sunday, he is going to Atlanta for the first time, ranking 21st in FedEx Cup points.
“It means the world to me,” Hoffmann said. “Since the beginning of the season, I’ve had a goal of going to Atlanta. Coming into the weekend, I knew I had to go low.”
Horschel prevailed with a hot putter and guts. He was 100th in strokes gained putting for the season coming to Cherry Hills, but he was first this week. He tied for second in hitting greens in regulation and was fifth in scrambling.
“It means a lot to win in the FedEx Cup playoffs, because it’s amplified 10 times,” Horschel said.
Russell Knox saved his best until last ... shooting and eight-under-par, bogey free 62 (matching the tournament's lowest score) to collect $69,200 for T23 in the final totals
The Inverness exile birdied the first, second, third and ninth in an outward 30. Then came birdies at the 10th, 11th, 16th and 17th for 32 home. Way to go, Russell!
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70) Players from USA unless stated
266 Billy Horschel 68 66 63 69
268 Bubba Watson 70 66 66 66
269 Morgan Hoffman 72 72 62 63
271 Jim Furyk 70 68 67 66, Rickie Fowler 71 66 66 68, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 68 64 72 67, Ryan Palmer 69 64 67 71
272 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 67 67 72 66, Adam Scott (Australia) 71 66 69 66, Jordan S;pieth 67 70 68 67
SELECTED TOTALS
277 Russell Knox (Scotland) 74 69 72 62 (T23)
280 Justin Rose (England) 69 71 70 70.