MIDLAND ALLIANCE REPORT AND LEADING SCORES

WEBSTER, McKAY TIE AT PITLOCHRY

Two professionals, Edzell's Alastair Webster and Donald McKay (Wellsgreen) tied for top scratch honours at today's Midland Golfers Alliance competition at Pitlochry.

They both got it round in one-under-par 68 to finish a stroke ahead of another pro, Carnoustie Golf Club's Fraser Mann.

Chris Westland , who plays off 11 at Alloa, had a memorable  net score of 59, to win the handicap prize by eight shots.

Westland also led his team of Ken Thomson (Alloa) (14) and Fraser Mann to the top team prize in the Atholl Palace competition with a score of 53.

LEADING SCRATCH

Par 69

68 D McKay (Wellsgreen), A Webster (Edzell)

69 F Mann (Carnoustie)

70 C Westland (Alloa),  J Smith (Charleton)

71 A Moir (Thornton), S Paterson (Lundin)

73 A Duncan (Murrayshall),  T Anderson (Downfield), P Jamieson (Dunblane)

LEADING HANDICAP

59 C Westland (Alloa) (11).
67 S Paterson (Lundin) (4)
68 J Smith (Charleton) (2)
69 A Duncan (Murrayshall) (4)
70 D Spaven (Pitlochry) (10), T Anderson (Downfield) (3)
71 G Mitchell (Blairgowrie) (5)
72 T McIntyre (Lundin) (3), S Miller (Blairgowrie) (13), B Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5), D Redford (Murrayshall) (11)

TEAM COMPETITION
59 F Mann (Carnoustie), C Westland (Alloa) (11), K Thomson (Alloa) (14)
60 (bih) R Brownhill (Edzell) (7), A Webster (Edzell). A Smith (Edzell) (8).
60 C Meddicks (Murrayshall) (11), A Duncan (Murrayshall) (4), D Redford (Murrayshall) (11).

Qualifiers for the JTC Kitchens Express Championship

D McKay (Wellsgreen) p                      

C Westland (Alloa) (11)

F Mann (Carnoustie) p

 

Qualifier for the McQueen Shield

C Westlan (Alloa) (11)

 

NEXT WEEK'S COMPEGTITION

Thursday 25th September:

ALYTH GC

Tee reserved: 8.30-12.30

 

Lee Sutherland

HANDA WALES OPEN AT CELTIC MANOR RESORT

McARTHUR IN THE MIX WITH A 66

BUT GALLACHER TAKES A 78 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Dutchman Joost Luiten made a flying start to the ISPS Handa Wales Open, firing a six under par 65 in the first round at The Celtic Manor Resort today.
The 28-year-old notched seven birdies – the pick of those a 75ft putt on the 16th green – to lead by one shot from Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, who muscled a 447-yard drive down the 18th for the longest tee shot recorded on The European Tour.
Colsaerts took full advantage by making eagle there, and he sits alongside former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur from Glasgow, who recovered from an early bogey with six birdies.
Home favourite Jamie Donaldson fared best of the four Ryder Cup players, posting a one under par 70, with Thomas Björn shooting 71, Lee Westwood 73 and Stephen Gallacher 78.
Key player quotes:
Joost Luiten
“I'm very happy. Six under in the opening round is always good.  I made some nice putts at the end and it was just a very solid round. I only missed one green and unfortunately made bogey there, at the 17th. The putt on 16 was one of those putts that if you hit a hundred, maybe one goes in.  It was a very good putt.  It looked in all the way, and sometimes it’s the bonus putts that you need to have.”
Nicolas Colsaerts
“I’m really pleased. It all seemed to come together today. It was downwind on the 18th. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone hits it 500 yards there. I actually thought it was too far right, but we were all smiling when we got down there. I think this is probably my longest drive.
" I think I might have hit drives that maybe in the air looked longer than this one, but this one just took that speed trap around the fairway and ran all the way down.”
Jamie Donaldson
“I didn’t score great but I was there or thereabouts. I hit a lot of shots where I wanted to, and then I hit quite a few shots 20 to 25 feet away. Over the course of the day, I didn't hit it close enough to make enough putts. So overall, it was a so‑so day, and one under was a pretty fair reflection of how I played.”
Lee Westwood
“It was basically just rusty. I hit a lot of good putts today that grazed the hole, and a few times I hit what I thought were good drives and the fairways were a bit pinched in in certain places. 
"I haven't got a lot of experience of playing this golf course, so I hit what I thought were good drives and they didn't turn out well. 
"This week's all about just getting competitive again. Obviously I would have liked to have shot better than two over par, but there were signs of good golf in there.”
Thomas Bjorn
“I've played a lot of golf, so it’s probably natural to have a dip (in form). That’s natural after an intense period. I just need to focus on the swing and focus on keeping my tempo and doing the right things on the golf course.”

   FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
 Par 71
 65 J Luiten (Ned)
 66 A McArthur  (Sco) , N Colsaerts  (Bel)
 67 S Walker (Eng) , J Walters (RSA) , R Rock (Eng)
 68 R Santos  (Por) , T Jaidee (Tha) , E Pepperell (Eng) , S Webster (Eng) , T Fleetwood  (Eng) , C Lee (Sco) , D Brooks (Eng) , S Lowry  (Irl) , S Wakefield (Eng) , J McLeary  (Sco)
 69 J Hansen  (Den) , J Carlsson (Swe) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , A Wall (Eng) , M Foster (Eng) , P Sjöland (Swe) , N Fasth (Swe) , R Ramsay  (Sco) , O Fisher  (Eng) , G Havret  (Fra) , R Wattel  (Fra)
 70 R Fisher (Eng) , D Howell (Eng) , T Nørret (Den) , J Donaldson (Wal) , N Holman  (Aus) , J Hahn (USA) , M Grönberg (Swe) , S Kim (SKor) , A Otaegui  (Esp) , M Warren (Sco) , D Gaunt (Eng) , D Im (USA) , E Grillo (Arg) , M Baldwin (Eng) , W Ormsby (Aus) , P Casey  (Eng)
 71 B Rumford (Aus) , F Molinari (Ita) , B Dredge (Wal) , J Morrison  (Eng) , T Björn (Den), P Price (Wal) , S Jamieson  (Sco) , P Archer (Eng) , K Broberg (Swe) , T Olesen (Den) , M Korhonen (Fin) , B Wiesberger  (Aut) , S Khan (Eng) , D McGrane (Irl) , S Benson (Eng) , N Elvira  (Esp) , P Uihlein  (USA) , R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) , R Karlsson (Swe) , S Thornton (Irl) , G Storm  (Eng) , E Goya (Arg) , L Bjerregaard  (Den) , M Kieffer (Ger) , G Bhullar (Ind) , D Boote (am) (Wal)
 72 L Zhiqun (Sin) , J Singh (Ind) , D Lynn (Eng) , D Willett  (Eng) , T Pieters  (Bel) , S Hansen (Den) , G Hutcheon (Sco) , M Nixon (Eng) , A Gee  (Eng) , V Riu  (Fra) , H Miyase (Jpn) , A Kaleka  (Fra) , A Pavan (Ita) , E Molinari  (Ita) , P Lawrie (Sco)
 73 E Dubois (Fra) , J Parry (Eng) , R Bland (Eng) , A Hartø  (Den) , J Kingston (RSA) , L Westwood (Eng) , A Saddier (Fra) , T Lewis (Eng) , R Derksen (Ned) , K Phelan (Irl) , P Lawrie (Irl) , P Whiteford (Sco) , N Dougherty  (Eng) , D Drysdale (Sco) , R Kakko  (Fin) , D Huizing (Ned) , L Slattery (Eng) , C Wood  (Eng) , M Hearne (am) (Wal)
 74 A Quiros  (Esp) , R Gonzalez (Arg) , H Otto (RSA) , D Fichardt (RSA) , F Calmels  (Fra) , J Heath  (Eng) , J Doherty  (Sco) , R Finch  (Eng) , J Quesne  (Fra) , L Bond (Wal) , A Sullivan (Eng) , J Campillo (Esp) , F Andersson Hed (Swe) , M Cort (Eng) , M Hoey  (Nir) , G Bourdy (Fra)
 75 P Larrazábal (Esp) , B Paolini (USA) , E De La Riva  (Esp) , M Lundberg (Swe) , J Lima  (Por) ,
 76 C Del Moral (Esp) , L Rooke (Wal) , P Waring  (Eng) , J Ferguson (Eng) , S Manley (Wal) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , M Carlsson  (Swe) ,
 77 T Hatton (Eng) , G Maybin (Nir) , M Crespi  (Ita) ,
 78 D Higgins (Irl) , J Jeong (SKor) , M Madsen  (Den) , S Gallacher (Sco) , E Griffith (am) (Wal) ,
 79 J Knutzon (USA) ,
 80 A Forsyth (Sco) ,
 81 T Innes Ker (Sco) ,
 82 J Olazábal (Esp) ,
 ** R Karlberg  (Swe) , C Doak (Sco) ,


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT AND SCORES

 

MURRAY WELL PLACED BUT LAW HAS

 A 79 AT KAZAKHSTAN OPEN



EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Eight birdies and a solitary dropped shot during the opening round at Zhailjau Golf Resort have Adrien Bernadet leading the way at the Challenge Tour's Kazakhstan Open.
The Frenchman shot a 65 to finish the day one stroke clear of playing partner William Harrold, who holed his second shot at the par five third hole from 241 yards for an unlikely albatross en route to an impressive score of 29 on the front nine in Almaty.
Just a shot further back at five under par is Spain's Alvaro Velasco, who won at this venue in 2010, and he rolled back the years on Thursday morning to enter day two in a tie for third alongside Fifer George Murray and Swiss professional Damian Ulrich.
Murray and Ulrich both need big weeks at 77th and 97th, respectively, on the season-long list. They will hope for more of the same on Friday, and over the weekend, if they are to push their way into the Final Swing and beyond.
It was not a good day for Aberdeen's David Law. He had a 79.
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

65 A Bernadet  (Fra) 
66 W Harrold (Eng)
67 G Murray  (Sco) , A Velasco (Esp) , D Ulrich (Sui)
68 C Shinkwin (Eng) , R Davies (Wal) , S Hutsby  (Eng) , P Widegren  (Swe) , P Oriol (Esp) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , M Delpodio  (Ita) , S Fallon (Eng) , M Tullo (Chi) , D Vancsik (Arg) , R Kind (Ned)
69 N Johansson (Swe) , F Bergamaschi (Ita) , B An (Kor) , T Remkes (Ned) , C Ford (Eng) , J Lagergren (Swe) , T Lee (USA) , E Espana (Fra) , M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra)
70 S Tiley (Eng) , A Marshall (Eng) , R Steiner (Aut) , D Frittelli (RSA) , C Brazillier  (Fra) , S Brown (Eng) , T Sluiter  (Ned) , M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) , P Dwyer (Eng) , M Pilkington (Wal)
71 M Wiegele  (Aut) , J Fahrbring (Swe) , J Legarrea (Esp) , A Domingo (Esp) , N Lemke (Swe) , R McGowan  (Eng) , P Maddy (Eng) , L Kennedy  (Eng) , J Stalter (Fra) , J Rask (Swe) , B Evans  (Eng) , A Björk (Swe) , J Barnes (Eng)
72 J Guerrier  (Fra) , A Snobeck  (Fra) , O Farr (Wal) , G Cambis  (Fra) , P Edberg (Swe) , T Linard (Fra) , J Senior (Eng) , N Kearney (Irl) , O Stark (Swe) , J Gonnet  (Fra) , J Garcia Del Moral (Esp) , J Lando Casanova  (Fra) , A Johnston (Eng) , N Quintarelli (Ita) , M Jonzon (Swe) , W Besseling  (Ned) , T Pilkadaris (Aus) , M Lafeber (Ned) , W Booth  (Sco) , J Huldahl (Den) , C Paisley  (Eng)
73 B Åkesson (Swe) , L Jensen (Den) , B Stone (RSA) , J Sjöholm (Swe) , G Woolgar (Eng) , O Wilson (Eng) , M Haastrup  (Den) , S Little (Eng) , N Kimsey (Eng) , C Bouniol (Fra) , L Gagli  (Ita) , L Nemecz (Aut) , C Aguilar  (Esp) , C Russo (Fra) , T Pulkkanen  (Fin) , B Hebert  (Fra) , A Rota (Ita) , T Murray (Eng) , J Roos (RSA)
74 H Bacher (Aut) , R Coles (Eng) , A Hortal  (Esp) , J Makitalo  (Fin) , L De Jager  (RSA), Z Scotland  (Eng) , P McKechnie (Sco) , D Stewart (Sco) , G Shaw (Nir), C Mivis  (Bel) , M Trappel  (Aut) , M Ford (Eng)
75 S Arnold  (Aus) , N Ravano (Ita) , D Coupland (Eng) , M Orrin (Eng) , J Kennegard  (Swe) , J Sim  (SKor) , K Clement (USA) , C Arendell (USA) , H Joannes  (Bel)
76 V Groenewald (RSA) , G Lockerbie  (Eng) , D Kemmer (USA) , P Gustafsson (Swe) , J Harrison (Eng) , J Winther (Den) , K Horne (RSA) , L Goddard  (Eng)
77 J Garcia Pinto (Esp) , R McEvoy  (Eng) , A Tadini (Ita) , A Mayorov (Rus) , S Henry  (Sco)
78 P Relecom  (Bel) , J Elson  (Eng) , O Floren  (Swe) ,
79 G Hall (Eng) , D Law (Sco)
80 J Edfors (Swe) , J Palmer (Eng)
85 A Vongay  (Kaz)
90 N Saldarov (am) (Kaz)
94 N Makulbekov (am) (Kaz)



EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

JOHN PATERSON LEADS FIFE BOYS' ORDER OF MERIT

2014 FIFE GOLFING ASSOCIATION BOYS' ORDER OF MERIT presented by www.MyGolfRanking.net

Positions after 22 events:

1 John Paterson (St Andrews New) 688pts, 2 Sam Nicholson (Ladybank) 645, 3 Niall McMullen (Lundin) 602, 4 Callum Giffen (Burntisland GHC) 360, 5 Ryan Brown (Dunfermline) 317, 6= Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) 280, Marcus Rickard (Cupar) 280, 8 Hamish Gorn (Aberdour) 205.

The last counting events for the 2014 FIFE BOYS ORDER OF MERIT is the ROMAC TROPHY at Thornton on 21 September.

EUROPEAN TOUR Q SCHOOL STAGE 1 AT FRILFORD HEATH

ROSS KELLETT - 11 UNDER PAR - SET

SET TO ADVANCE TO STAGE 2

Ross Kellett, lying eighth on 11-under-par 205 after three rounds of the European Tour Q School Stage 1 eliminator at Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire, is well placed to be one of those inside the top 20 who will advance to Stage 2 in Spain after Friday's final rounmd.

Kellett has had rounds of 68, 67 and 70 and is four shots behind the leader, England's Nick McCarthy who has scored 66, 68 and 67 for 15-under 201.

But Scott Stewart-Cation, joint 44th on 214 (72-70-72), and Mark Hillson, sharing 50th place on 215 (70-73-72) are unlikely to gain pass marks.

Michael Stewart from Ayrshire missed the cut to the leading 50 and ties. He was joint 79th on 221 (69-75-77).

ends

OVERWHELMING VOTE IN FAVOUR OF WELCOMING WOMEN MEMBERS

Statement from Peter Dawson, Secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

I am very pleased indeed to announce that the membership of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has voted overwhelmingly in favour of welcoming women members.

More than three quarters of the club’s global membership took part in the ballot, with a decisive 85% voting for women to become members.

This vote has immediate effect and I can confirm that The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is now a mixed membership club.

The membership has also acted to fast-track a significant initial number of women to become members in the coming months.

This is a very important and positive day in the history of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The R and A has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and I am confident that the club will continue to do so in future with the support of all its members, both women and men.

ASHER FAMILY - NAIRN 2 TEAM - BEAT ELGIN

SMOOTH START BY NORTHERN 

COUNTIES CUP HOLDERS AT TAIN

Newmachar, holders of the Northern Counties Cup, made a smooth start to their title defence in the annual foursomes match-play tournament with a second-round victory over the Tain 2 team at the latter's course today.

It was a family affair when Nairn 2  beat Elgin - all their players are members of the Asher family. George the father and his three sons, James, Rory and Finlay make up this team, which is probably a first for this tournament. They now  play Fortrose 1.

 Another surprise was last year's finalists Inverness 2 beating Cruden Bay 1 who were the strong looking line-up -on paper.
The scoreline in the Moray 1 v Royal Dornoch 1 tie had a bizarre look after 18 holes. Dornoch's first pair where seven up and their second pair seven down. Dornoch managed to win at the 19th. 

ALL THE RESULTS

FIRST ROUND

Fraserburgh bt Nairn Dunbar 2 by 5 holes

(G Munro, J Ritchie 5, R Johnson, G Anderson 0; J Ross, F Milne 0, D Lamb, D Bunker 0)

Moray 1 bt Duff House Royal by 8 holes

(M MacLeman, K Thomson 0, D Morrison, S Griffiths 0; C Stuart, K Godsman 8, G Buchan, I Angus 0)

Fortrose 1 bt Cruden Bay 2 by 3 holes

M MacDonald, C Gaittens 0, D Watson, K Duncan 1; A Cameron, L Reid 4, N Metcalf, D Milne 0;

SECOND ROUND

Newmachar 1 bt Tain 2 by 6 holes

(C Simpson, M McKeichnie 3, P Austin, G Tonge 0; R Barr, J Duff 3, F Mackie, C Ilett 0)

Grantown bt Strathpeffer by 13 holes

(J Campbell, G Hay 10, M Wilson, S Duff 0, S Dingwall, I Anderson 3, G Ross, A MacBean 0)

Banchory bt Royal Aberdeen 2 at 20th

(A Lindsay, J Harling 0, M Wilson, D Purdie 4; R Black, A Ramage 4, A Joss, I Middleton 0)

Nairn Dunbar 1 bt Eriskay by 6 holes

(W Barron, G Burnett 0, N MacDonald, R Stewart 0; B Watson, F Brown 6, W Rusk, R Stewart 0)

Inverness 1 bt Moray 2 by 9 holes

(J Forbes, D Sanderson 0, B MacLeman, J Hendry 0; B Fortheringham, D Joel 9 A Mair, G Bethune 0)

Orkney bt Nigg Bay by 4 holes

(J McGregor, J Sim 2, R Forbes, L O'Conner 0; E Donaldson, P McKinlay 2, S Jamieson, C Grimmer 0)

Tain1 bt Wick by 10 holes

(M Ferries, D Thorburn 9, G Steven jur, A MacKay 0; B Ferries, A Everett 1, N Klimas, J Harper 0)

Brora bt Turriff bt 5 holes

(J MacBeath, R Cameron 6, A Ogg, M Singer 0; I MacDonald, C Stewart 0, C Ironside, W Horn 1)

Nairn 2 bt Elgin by 2 holes

(R Asher, F Asher 0, N McWilliam, F Baillie 3; J Asher, G Asher 5, S Milne, M Paterson 0)

Nairn 1 bt Newmachar 2 by 6 holes

(F Fotheringham, B Thomson  2, C Cheyne, C Chellerd 0; S Scott, R Smith 4, B Robson, M Barclay 0)

Inverness 2 bt Cruden Bay 1 by 1 hole

E Forbes, L Chancellor 0, M Buchan, D King 0; J Keith, K MacKay 1, M Christie, S Roger 0;

Royal Aberdeen 1 bt Deeside by 6 holes

(M Halliday, W Barclay 2, A Ross, D Halliday 0; N MacAndrew, D MacAndrew 4, K Willox, J Pryde 0)

Fraserburgh bt Muir of Ord at 19th

(G Munro, J Ritchie 0, J Whittet, S Johnson 5; J Ross, F Milne 5, S Forbes, A Begg 0)

Royal Dornoch 1 bt Moray 1 at 19th

(N Munro, D MacKintosh 7, M MacLeman, K Thomson 0; D Pearson, B Urquhart 0, C Stuart, K Godsman 7)

Murcar Links bt Forres by 3 holes

(A Bews, A Styles 3, J Wright, G Stuart 0; A Campbell, I Galbraith 0, R Proctor, R McKerron 0)

Fortrose 1 bt Fortrose 2 by 7 holes

(M MacDonald, C Gaittens 2, P Cameron, K Fowler 0; A Cameron, L Reid 5, W Donnelly, K Gaittens 0)

ONE HUNDRED PER CENT RECORD OVER THREE DAYS

We are the champions! Scotland team with the Senior Home Internationals trophy. That's Barry Brooks closest to the camera. Picture by courtesy of the Scottish Golf Union.

SENIOR SCOTS BEAT ENGLAND TO 

CLINCH  TITLE AT NORTH BERWICK

Scotland beat title-holders England 5 1/2-3 1/2 to clinch overall victory in the Senior Men's Home Internationals at North Berwick Golf Club today.

The Scots had earlier beaten Ireland and Wales.

Only singles matches were played in the final day's programme due to the forecast of more fog which had halted play on Wednesday afternoon.

Scotland won four and England two of the six closing singles.

Ireland, who beat Wales 5-4, finished runners-up with two wins. England were third with one win and Wales last with no victories.

DAY 3 MATCHES

ENGLAND 3 1/2, SCOTLAND 5 1/2

Foursomes: Not played, declared three halved games

Singles (2-4)

S East bt D Gardner 2 and 1.

R Latham lost to I Brotherston 2 and 1.

|C Jones lost to G Bell 3 and 2.

T Carter lost to J Fraser 2 and 1.

A Mew halved with M Reid

A Stracey halved with B Brooks

IRELAND 5, WALES 4

Foursomes: Not played, declared three halved games.

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

A Morrow lost to D Evans 3 and 2.

M Kelly lost to R Broad 2 and 1.

T Cleary bt A Williams 5 and 4.

J Mitchell halved with J Thomas

A Quirke bt N Evans 2 and 1.

H Smyth bt M Edwards 6 and 5.

FINAL PLACINGS

1 Scotland 3 wins; 2 Ireland 2 wins; 3 England 1 win; 4 Wales 0 wins.

ends

THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS' TROPHY AT BALGOWNIE

ICELANDER GISLI WINS FOG 

SHORTENED TOURNAMENT 

NEWS RELEASE

There was no voting but eventually there was a result as Gisli Sveinbergsson became the third Icelander to be crowned Duke of York Young Champions Trophy winner in a weather-interrupted tournament at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club today.

The scheduled 54-hole stroke-play event for under-18 boys and girls’ national champions was reduced to 36 holes because a stubborn fog off the North Sea meant play was suspended due to poor visibility for a third and final time. 

Organisers and R and A officials simply ran out of time and had no option but to reduce the tournament for the first time in its 14-year history.

Sveinbergsson was the model of consistency despite the testing conditions and his rounds of 69, 68 for a five-under-par 137 aggregate over the famous Balgownie links was good enough to win by four strokes from Japan’s Ren Okazaki, who closed with a level par 71. Mexico’s Eduardo Carrete (71) and Italy’s Carlotta Ricolfi (72) shared third on level par 142. 

“I’m very tired but am absolutely delighted to have won,” enthused Sveinbergsson immediately after the claxon sounded to end play for a final time. “This is definitely my best achievement so far.”

“The last two Icelandic winners of this prestigious tournament showed us the way (Gudmundur Kristjansson in 2010 and Ragnar Gardasson in 2012). They showed me that it was possible and I came into this tournament believing I could win,” said the winner just as his mum was calling him on the mobile - presumably to congratulate her son.

For the 2014 champion it’s back to more “mundane” matters such as catching up on schoolwork next week and in autumn 2015 he starts a scholarship with Kent State University in Ohio.

Sveinbergsson made a fast start to his final round with four birdies on the front nine to reach the turn in four-under 32. Despite bogeys at 12, 15 and 17, he bookended the back nine with birdies at 10 and 18 to run out the clear winner.

Ewen Ferguson, playing alongside Sveinbergsson and Ricolfi in the final group, finished as the leading Scot.

Despite a final round 75 he still tied eighth on three-over 145, while Ricolfi finished as the top girl player.

“It’s been a long week,” said Ferguson, this year’s Scottish Boys Match-play and Stroke-play champion. “I think it was a case of whoever grinded it out the best wins and Gilsi was a deserved winner. I played with him yesterday and today and he was very impressive. He handled the conditions well and scrambled the best.

“It just didn’t happen for me. It’s fine margins, some weeks work better than others,” added the Bearsden player, who will travel to the States and Dubai for a month each then South Africa for six weeks to work on his game – presumably without fog interruptions.

Murray Naysmith was next of the Scottish trio after a 73 left the plus two golfer tied 11th on five-over. Calum Fyfe dropped back with a closing 78 to finish 30th on 154.

The conclusion of Fyfe’s round illustrated the difficulty of conditions when he ran up a quadruple bogey 8 at the 18th.

“I hit two tee shots and simply couldn’t see where they went,” said Fyfe after the second suspension of play.

 “I lost two balls off the tee and ended up taking eight. The most challenging thing was trying to judge the distances and no visibility at the end.”

Belgium’s Emma Kaper shot the low round of the week with a magical second round 67 (on Wednesday) that included a hole-in-one at the par-three eighth where her eight-iron found the bottom of the cup.

Next year’s tournament returns to England and will be played at Prince’s Golf Club, Kent from September 9-1

THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS' TROPHY TOURNAMENT
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.
FINAL TOTALS 

Par 142 (2x71). Scheduled 54-hole tournament reduced to two rounds because of fog over two days. 

137 Gisli Sveinbergsson (Ice) 69, 68

141 Ren Okazaki (Jpn) 70, 71

142 Eduardo Carrete (Mex) 71, 71, Carlotta Ricolfi (Ita) 70, 72

143 Viktor Hovland (Nor) 72, 71, Marco Penge (Eng) 72, 71, Paul Boshoff (Rsa) 71, 72

145 Tristen Strydom (Rsa) 70, 75, Ewen Ferguson (Sco) 70, 75

146 Jillian Hollis (USA) 73, 73

147 Jack Davidson (Wal) 76, 71, Murray Naysmith (Sco) 74, 73

148 Renate Grimstad (Nor) 75, 73, Jesper Svensson (Swe) 74, 74

149 Oskar Bergqvist (Swe) 78, 71, Edoardo Lipparelli (Ita) 73, 76, Roos Haarman (Ned) 71, 78

150 Dominic Jones (Fin) 79, 71, Jack Singh Brar (Eng) 75, 75, Kono Matsumoto (Aus) 75, 75

151 Cooper Dossey (USA) 75, 76, Oliver Jespersen (Den) 72, 79

152 Minami Hiruta (Jpn) 77, 75, Leonie Bettel (Aus) 71, 81

153 Emma Kaper (Bel) 86, 67, Marek Siakala (Cze) 81, 72, Kamilla Bang (Den) 79, 74, Elizabeth Prior (Eng) 78, 75, Evelyn Arguelles (Mex) 76, 77

154 Calum Fyfe (Sco) 76, 78

155 Azelia Meichtry (Swi) 80, 75, Julie McCarthy (Ire) 79, 76, Stefano Mazzoli (Ita) 79, 76, Wanjoo Lee (Tri) 79, 76

156 Elin Esborn (Swe) 81, 75, Cara Gorlei (Rsa) 81, 75, Ragnhildur Kristendottir (Ice) 81, 75, Tony Gil (Can) 79, 77, Daniel Grumberg (Lux) 79, 77

157 Anna Svanka (Lat) 84, 73, Ben Chamberlain (Eng) 78, 79, Yudika Rodriguez (Pur) 75, 82

158 Grace St. Germain (Can) 81, 77, Federico Zuckermann (Ita) 78, 80, Csilla Rózsa (Hun) 77, 81

159 Ana Belac (Slo) 85, 74

161 Lucas Becht (Bel) 84, 77, Luka Naglic (Slo) 81, 80

162 Davis Lamb (USA) 82, 80, Samarth Kumar (Ned) 82, 80, Sandra Salonen (Fin) 82,80, Alexander Ferlin (Aus) 78, 84

163 Hana Ryskova (Cze) 80, 83

171 Dominika Gradecka (Pol) 84, 87

LATE DRAMA IN PAUL LAWRIE INVITATIONAL AT DEESIDE

Greg McBain with the Paul Lawrie Invitational trophy after the Deeside play-off. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

McBAIN BEATS HAY WITH BIRDIE AT 

SECOND HOLE OF PLAY-OFF

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Aberdonian Greg McBain (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) led from start to finish to win the Paul Lawrie Invitational at Deeside Golf Club for the second time in three years ... but he had to play two extra holes before clinching the title and his biggest prize yet, £7,500.
McBain, 30, beat Grantown-on-Spey's Gavin Hay (Nairn Dunbar), this year's Scottish Young Professionals champion, with a birdie at the second hole of a sudden death play-off.
They had tied at the end of the regulation 54 holes on 10-under-par 200, 23-year-old Hay setting the clubhouse target after a closing round of 64, which matched McBain's opening-day score,  and McBain, thanks to birdies at the 16th and 17th in a closing, bogey-free 66, forcing a play-off.
Hay had a bogey-free final round with birdies at the third, fifth, sixth, ninth, 12th and 16th.
The par-4 18th was used for the sudden-death play-off. It was halved first time round in 4s. McBain holed a 12ft birdie putt the next time after Hay had been a touch strong with his approach and chipped downhill to within a yard of the hole. 
It was McBain's fourth win on the Tartan Tour this season and boosted his earnings for 2014 to £19,477. He is now second in the Order of Merit table behind Greig Hutcheon.
"I heard that Gavin Hay was back in the clubhouse at 10-under-par, which meant I had to birdie at least two of the last three holes, just to force a play-off," said McBain who had birdied the ninth and 11th to be eight under par for the tournament
"I got them at the 16th and 17th but couldn't get one at the 18th to win without a play-off. I came into this tournament playing well and was pleased with the way I kept the good form going.
"I know Deeside well from my junior days as a Newmachar member. I love the course and the tournament. Having won it twice now, I must rate it as my favourite on the Tartan Tour!"
McBain, with the help of the Paul Lawrie Foundation which added him to its "stable" earlier this year, hopes to make it up to the European Tour in the not too distant future.
"I will play EuroPro events next year and also have a go at the European Tour Q School but that doesn't mean I am turning my back on the Tartan Tour." 
Hay, whose £5,000 runner-up prize is the biggest of his fledgling pro career, was not too disappointed at being pipped for first place.
"If I had bogeyed the play-off holes, I might have been a little bit down but I did not have a bogey at any of the 20 holes I played today," said Gavin.
"It took a birdie to beat me in the end so there's some consolation in that. No, I'm delighted to have got as close as I did to winning the Paul Lawrie Invitational."
Former European Tour player Kenneth Ferrie from the North-east of England finished third, three shots behind the play-off participants. He closed with his best round of the three, a four-under 66 for 203.
That was an excellent performance by the 6ft-plus Geordie as he bogeyed the first two holes before birdieing the fourth, eighth, 12th and 15th, highlighting his scorecard with an eagle 2 at the 17th.That was crucial in earning him a £3,750 payday.
Ferrie, incidentally, was beaten at the sixth hole of a play-off by Andrew McArthur in the first Paul Lawrie Invitational in 2011
Craig Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), 19-year-old son of Paul, achieved the first top-10/top-5 finish in his rookie pro career by tieing for fourth place with Keir McNicoll (Gullane), son of former Dunfermline Athletic half back Dave McNicoll, and Christopher Currie (Caldwell). Each earned £2,083
Lawrie shot 69-67-69 for 205 and was obviously delighted to make his mark in his father's tournament and over his home course where he was junior champion before he turned pro.
"I've had good rounds, sometimes two good rounds but this is the first time I've strung three of them together in my pro career," said Craig who birdied the third, sixth, 13th and 16th in his closing round.
 "I bogeyed the first, 11th and the last hole or I would have finished fourth on my own but I'm pleased with the way I played over the three days. Hopefully, I can take it on from here."

The cream of the 2014 crop. Left to right: Craig Lawrie, Keir McNicoll. Gavin Hay, Kenneth Ferrie (at back, red shirt), Greg McBain and Christopher Currie. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.


4th PAUL LAWRIE INVITATIONAL
Deeside Golf Club, Aberdeen.  
Par 210 (3x70)
200 G Hay (Nairn Dunbar) 67 69 64, G McBain (Paul Lawrie GC) 64 70 66 (McBain won sudden-death play-off with birdie 3 at  second extra hole) McBain £7,500; Hay £5,000.
203 K Ferrie (unatt) 69 68 66. £3,750
205 K McNicoll (Gullane) 69 70 66, C Currie (Caldwell) 70 66 69, C Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC) 69 67 69. £2,083 each.
206 N Fenwick (Dunbar) 70 69 67, L Gaughan (Bathgate) 70 67 69, G Paterson (St Andrews) 70 66 70, S Henderson (Kings Links) 70 66 70. £1,318 each
208 G Wright (West Linton) 75 64 69, P O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) 69 70 69. £912 each
 209 K Nicol (Paul Lawrie GC) 74 66 69, R Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 68 70 71, G Fox (Clydeway Golf 70 66 73. £775 each
210 C Kelly (unatt) 68 72 70, S Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 73 67 70, Cameron Marr (Musselburgh) 71 67 72, P Robinson (Largs) 70 65 75. £606 each
211 G Brown (Montrose Links) 73 69 69, J McKinnon (Irvine) 70 70 71. £512 each
212 J Lomas (Caprington) 66 76 70, C Robinson (Portpatrick Dunskey) 68 74 70, P Wardell (Whitekirk) 68 72 72. £450 each
213 L Vannet (Craibstone) 71 69 73. £400.
214 G Paxton (Ralston) 71 72 71, M Patterson (Kilmacolm) 70 72 72, P Shields (Kirkhill) 71 72 71. £350 each
215 J McGhee (Bishopbriggs) 69 72 74. £300
216 C Gordon (Edinburgh GC) 71 72 73, S Gray (Hayston) 71 72 73, J McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 71 71 74. £258 each
217 T Mathieson (Murcar Links) 72 71 74. £250.
219 J Gallagher (Douglas Park) 71 72 7. £250.
221  N Cameron (Blairgowrie) 72 71 78. £250.