REPORT FROM RAIN-INTERRUPTED FINAL DAY AT QUINTA DO LAGO

LOPES AND CLYBURN ARE TELEGRAPH

JUNIOR CHAMPIONS ON ALGARVE

 

Vitor Lopes, the sponsors’ invite, produced a fine performance to claim the 2014 Telegraph BMW Junior Championship boys’ title at the prestigious Quinta do Lago resort in Portugal, holding off a stiff challenge from Rhys Nevin-Wharton.

Lopes, Portugal’s number one, fought off first-round leader Nevin-Wharton to clinch victory on the resort’s redeveloped North Course, while India Clyburn’s success in the girls’ event was far a tighter affair.

Clyburn was chased all the way by Lily Downs, who finished just two shots shy of the current English Girls Amateur champion, having started the day six shots adrift.

“I knew I had to focus and be cold-blooded when he got two behind,” said Lopes. “I know how big it is to win this tournament and I’m thrilled the way I played.

“We had a great final group and I just tried to focus on myself. I tried not to speak too much.”

Meanwhile, Nevin-Wharton, the Cheshire 16-year-old, rose to the challenge on the testing North Course.

He finished with a course record-equalling four under par 68, as did Lopes and Ashton Turner, the defending boys’ champion.

Turner was suffering from a snapped tendon in his knee and finished on level par for the week, one behind Ollie Farrell in third place.

On a rain-interrupted day, North Yorkshire’s Downs soon closed the gap to two shots in the girls’ event.

A returning finalist, she played with rhythm and consistency at Quinta do Lago, notably on her up and downs.

She was also helped by Clyburn’s two double bogeys on Friday.

The late drama unfolded on the 15th where she overcooked and found that her ball had landed by a root.

Moments later Clyburn, sister to Ladies Tour player, Holly, held a one-stroke lead.

“It was so tough out there, especially with two doubles,” admitted Clyburn.

“I was getting angry with myself and in the end I lost count  of my score and didn’t know what to do. I just tried to do something in the final three holes.”

She secured a fine birdie on the 16th before relief sunk in two holes later.

“It’s great to add my name on the trophy and all the things that come with winning this,” she added.

Both junior winners will now play in next year’s BMW Championship Pro-Am at Wentworth, an initiative first revealed by Paul McGinley at last year’s Finals.

“I actually thought about this on the way round,” admitted Clyburn. “Now that I’ve won, it will be awesome experience to play alongside the professionals.”

For more details about the 2014 Telegraph BMW Golf Championship, visit www.telegraph.co.uk/juniorgolf

For further information on Quinta do Lago and its facilities, phone + 351 289 390 700 or visit www.quintadolago.com .

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ALEXANDER LEVY LEADS AFTER A 61 BUT VERY FEW HAVE COMPLETED 36 HOLES SO FAR

PORTUGAL MASTERS REDUCED TO


THREE ROUNDS AFTER MORE RAIN

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Alexander Levy stormed into the lead on day two of the Portugal Masters with a stunning ten under par 61, but the Frenchman was one of only two groups to complete the second round after thunderstorms and heavy rain severely disrupted play, forcing the tournament to be reduced to 54 holes.
The Frenchman’s sublime haul of ten birdies to follow his first-round 63 left him three shots clear of Nicolas Colsaerts, who was four under through 16 holes and 15 under in total after coming close to carding the first 59 in European Tour history on day one.
The majority of players will now have to complete – and, for half the field, start – their second rounds on Saturday morning, and Levy faces a strange situation where he will now not play until the third and final round on Sunday.
“I will go to the gym, work a little bit and rest in my room tomorrow,” said Levy, who birdied the last from 20 feet in near darkness. “Today was a very long day. I woke up at 6.30 and I’m finishing in the dark. Three times we went from the players’ lounge to the practice range.
“But I managed to play really good golf and I’m very happy with my game. I have been working on my iron shots a lot with my coach the past few weeks. And I think if you can hit it long, you have a big advantage on this golf course.”



EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

ALPS TOUR MASTERS IN FRANCE REPORT, LEADING SCORES

KRIS NICOL ONLY SCOT SURVIVE CUT

Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol was the only Scot to survive the second-round cut in the Alps Tour Masters at Golf de Pont Royal in France.

The Paul Lawrie Golf Centre player shot a pair of 74s for four-over-par 148 and a share of 34th place. He beat the cut by one shot but Michael Stewart (74-76 for 150), John Henry (76-74 for 150) and James White (80-74 for 154) were not so fortunate.

Nicol put pressure on himself with a double bogey 7 at the 18th

Spain's Eduardo Larranga leads by four shots after rounds of 65 and 72 for seven-under-par 137

LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES

Par 144 (2x72)

137 E Larranga (Spa) 65 72

141 B Virto (Spa) 75 66, A Snobeck (Fra) 72 69, C Bernardo (Fra) 71 70, A Cooley (Eng) 69 72, M Milord (Ita) 70 71

SCOTS' SCORES

148 K Nicol 74 74 (T34)

MISSED THE CUT (149 and better qualified)

150 M Stewart 74 76, J Hendry 76 74

154 J White 80 74

USA NARROWLY WIN GRAND HICKORY MATCH AT MONIFEITH

American Rick Woeckner, WHO chairman Lionel Freedman and American Captain Dave Brown
with the Grand Match Trophy

NEWS RELEASE issued by Carnoustie Country

DATE: Friday, October 10, 2014

Team USA Win Grand Hickory Match at Monifieth

After two days of near-perfect hickory golf conditions on Monifieth Links, Team USA was declared the victor of the inaugural Society of Hickory Golfers International Hickory Cup’s Grand Hickory Match, after narrowly winning by 22½ points to The Rest of the World Select’s 21½ points.

The Grand Hickory Match, which was held on October 9/10, followed a similar format to the Ryder Cup. However, the 22 players in the two teams were playing with traditional hickory golf clubs and dressed in outfits very similar to those worn by golfers almost 100 years ago.

“This is the first time the International Hickory Cup has been held and the resulting Grand Hickory Match has certainly proved just how competitive and popular hickory golf has become across the globe,” said Lionel Freedman, chair of the World Hickory Open and one of the organisers of the Grand Hickory Match, which was held on the Carnoustie Country courses of Monfiieth Medal and Monifieth Ashludie.

“The standard of play was incredibly high and I am thrilled to congratulate Team USA on their win. And I can only console The Rest of the World Select with the fact that they might be able to obtain their revenge at the second SoHG International Hickory Cup, which is to be held in the USA in 2016.”

Foursomes
USA (SOHG) 5.5  Rest of the World 5.5

Fourballs
USA (SOHG) 4.5 Rest of the World 6.5

Singles
USA (SOHG) 12.5 Rest of the World 9.5
(USA names first)
Dave Ellis lost to David Kirkwood 2/1
Jim Rohr bt Jorgen Mueller 6/4
Rick Woeckner lost to Andrew Marshall 4/3
Ben Hollerbach bt Joe Smith 3/2
Mike Stevens halved with Jorgen Isberg
Cliff Martin bt Rymer Smith 1 hole
Scott McAllister lost to Colin Sinclair 2/1
Mark Hollingsworth bt John Smith 3/1
Joe Hollerbach bt Jake Anema 1 hole
Deal Hudson bt Ian Hislop 6/5
Michael Shiff bt Dieter Pulvermueller 7/6
Dave Brown bt Rob Downie 3/2
Breck Speed bt Andrew Redgment 2 holes
Chris deinlein lost to Liam Cameron 3/2
Ed Ronco lost to Geoff Bleasby 5/4
Neil Cowne bt John Still 1 hole
Jim Clawson lost to Willie Tanner 5/4
Mike Just lost to George Pledger 3/2
Rick Schmidt halved with Czelaw Kruk
Matt Dodds bt Andrew Buchan 3/2
Hamp Munsey bt Robin Morris 3/2
Scott Bowles lost to Ross McLean 3/2

Photos of the Monday dinner, World Hickory Championship and Grand match can be found on Flickr

Full Results of the World Hickory Open can be found here scratch.xls

BAD WEATHER HALTS PLAY AGAIN AFTER LEVY CATCHES COLSAERTS

THE RAIN IN PORTUGAL IS STAYING 

MAINLY ON THE ALGARVE

 FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Alexander Levy shot six birdies in his first ten holes to overtake runaway leader Nicolas Colsaerts before heavy rain meant play was suspended midway through their second round at the Portugal Masters at Oceanicao Victoria's par-71 course at Vilamoura on the Algarve..
Colsaerts on Thursday was inches from carding The European Tour’s first 59 as his 18-foot birdie putt slid by the 18th hole.
That put the Belgian, ranked 85th on The Race to Dubai, three shots ahead of his nearest challengers although some players were to complete their first rounds on Friday morning due to a torrential downpour the previous evening.
More rain delayed proceedings on the second morning, but once play began Levy flew out of the traps on the back nine.
The Frenchman, 28th on The Race to Dubai, carded three consecutive birdies from the 13th hole, including with two brilliant approach shots that almost found the hole.
Colsaerts also started on the tenth and made two gains to sit on 13 under alongside Levy who then recorded his sixth birdie, on the first, as the rain returned at the Oceånico Victoria Golf Club.
The next nearest challenger was Spain’s Adrian Otaegui, who completed his first round on the second morning and then began his second, four shots behind Colsaerts on nine under.

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FRYS.COM OPEN REPORT AND LINK TO SCORES

MARTIN LAIRD IN THE MIX AS 2014-15 

US PGA TOUR STARTS IN CALIFORNIA

FROM SKYSPORTS.COM

Sang-Moon Bae and Andres Gonzales share the lead after the opening round of the Frys.com Open in California.

The tournament at Silverado in Napa Valley marks the opening of the 2015 US PGA Tour season, and a number of high-profile players including Ryder Cup stars Jimmy Walker and Matt Kuchar struggled badly.

First-round leaderboard

(US unless stated)
-6 SM Bae (Kor)
-6 A Gonzales
-5 M Laird (Sco)
Nine players at -4

Defending champion Walker opened with a three-over round of 75 to sit nine shots off the pace, while Kuchar managed a 71 and a third US Ryder Cup player Hunter Mahan fared a little better in his two-under par 70.
Lee Westwood also struggled with his form, the Englishman opening up with a 73 to leave less heralded players to take centre stage.
Among them is Gonzales, who had seven birdies in a round of 66 as he looks to improve a PGA Tour record that includes just one top-10 finish in 44 starts.
He has won on the Web.com tour, and believes he has the game to succeed on the US PGA Tour.
"I've always felt that I've been good enough to be at this level, whether or not I've proven that each year," said Gonzales, whose seven birdies included two in a row to finish. "I've felt that each year I have improved."
South Korean star Bae, who won the 2013 Byron Nelson Championship, birdied his last three holes - and four of his last five - to grab his share of the lead in the afternoon.
"I had a really, really good round, a pretty solid round, and I made a lot of putts and just one bogey today," Bae said. "It was a pretty nice round."
Scotland's Martin Laird sits in third place after an opening round of 67, with nine players including Aaron Baddeley and Brooks Koepka starting their tournament with rounds of 68.
The second Scot in the field, Russell Knox is back in joint 63rd place in the final of 140+ with a level par 72.
Australian Jarrod Lyle, in his first tour event since overcoming leukaemia for the second time, double-bogeyed the 17th hole and signed for a level-par 72.
"It was obviously a little disappointing to finish that way, but, even par, I haven't shot myself in the foot, so it's a good start to the week," Lyle said.

LEADING SCORES
Par 72
66 S-M Bae, A Gonzales
67 M Laird
68 B Koepka, A Baddeley, K Reifers, T Van Aswegen, J Curran,C Beljan, L Guthrie, D Lingmerth, C Knost

SELECTED SCORE
72 R Knox (T63)

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