SACKED PRESIDENT WILL RETAIN PGA MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES

PGA OF AMERICA CLARIFIES ITS 

PUNISHMENT OF TED BISHOP

By JIM McCABE

They are calling it a "clarification," though it also could be filed under the heading of “a matter of semantics.” 

But it’s the latest entry into the Ted Bishop saga as the fall-out continues days after he was removed as president of the PGA of America.

Monday morning, the PGA of America issued a statement addressing the particulars to Bishop’s ouster in the aftermath of his Twitter comment in which he called Ian Poulter a “Lil’ girl” after the Englishman's criticism of former Ryder Cup captains Nick Faldo and Tom Watson.
The release read: “The PGA of America would like to clarify that Ted Bishop will retain his status as a member of the PGA of America. As such, he will enjoy the same rights and privileges of all PGA members, including the ability to attend PGA of America events.”
There had been published reports claiming that Bishop would not be recognised in the PGA of America record books as its 38th president or be welcomed at future events such as the PGA Championship or Ryder Cup. 
Those reports were made based on Bishop’s statement, which read this way and which Golfweek.com posted: “The PGA has also informed me that I will not become the honorary president nor will I ever be recognised as a past president in our association’s history.”
In essence, the PGA of America is clarifying Bishop’s statement. But in its clarification, the group is a bit misleading to suggest that the former president “will enjoy the same rights and privileges of all PGA members, including the ability to attend PGA of America events.”
That was never suggested. Instead, what was at the heart of published reports was that Bishop would lose his title of “honorary president” (that’s true) and what comes with that is the opportunity to travel to future events such as a PGA Championship or Ryder Cup as a dignitary or official (also true), which is what Bishop meant by saying he wouldn’t be “recognised as a past president.”
Yes, Bishop can still attend a PGA Championship or a Ryder Cup as a PGA of America member, but losing the perks that come with being an “honorary president” is seen as part of his punishment. 
It’s only a matter of semantics to see it as otherwise or to surmise that the PGA of America’s Board of Directors was seriously aligned against Bishop.
“Drastic consequences for the offence I have committed," Bishop said, "but I must live with them.”

JOSHUA WHITE LEADS WITH BRILLIANT NINE-UNDER 62

PAUL DOHERTY'S 66 ON MENA TOUR 

STILL LEAVES HIM  FOUR OFF LEAD

Paul Doherty, 29-year-old former Scottish boys' match-play champion, was one of six players to score five-under-par 66s in the first round of this week's MENA Tour's Golf Citizen Masters at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates.

But that was good enough for the South Wales-based Scot, pictured, to share second place behind Englishman Joshua White who shot a brilliant nine-under-par 62 to lead by four.

Second-best Scot on the opening day was Tom Buchanan in joint eighth place with a 67.

Portlethen rookie Sam Kiloh had a 74 for a share of 40th place while Clark Lutton's 77 left him in joint 47th place.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 71

62 J White (Eng)

66 A Marjane (Mor), J Housby (Eng), P Doherty (Sco), M Swales (Eng), J B Gil (Spa), Z Puig (Spa).

SELECTED SCORES

67 T Buchanan (T8)

74 S Kiloh (T40)

77 C Lutton (T47).

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE AT PETERCULTER NOT ELLON THIS WEDNESDAY

This week's North-east Golfers' Alliance venue is PETERCULTER Golf Club, not Ellon as stated erroneously on the fixture card.
McDonald Ellon will be the venue on Wednesday, November 19.
All the scratch scores at the last Alliance fixture - Kintore, last Wednesday - are now available on this website if you scroll back to Wednesday, November 22.

COULD YOU PLAY 18 HOLES IN 46min WITH A SCORE OF 76?

Former Tiger team-mate ELI CRUM wins Speedgolf World Championship

FROM THE GOLF CENTRAL WEBSITE

By NICK MENTA

Image courtesy BandonDunesGolf.com.

With a round of four-over 76, achieved in 46 min and 1sec play,, Eli Crum of Boise, Idaho, headed a field of 31 competitors to win the  2014 Speedgolf World Championship on Sunday at Brandon Dunes in Oregon.
With Saturday's round rained off, the 36-hole event was sized down to just 18 on Sunday. 
Crum didn't make any birdies, but did par 15 of 18 holes in an average of 2min 30 sec per hole.
“I’ve found you need to be more than just a golfer to win an event like this – you have to be an athlete,” said Crum. 
“It’s a big deal to win a world championship, but to win the Speedgolf World Championship at a golf mecca like Bandon Dunes really means a lot.”
Crum was actually a four-year member of the Stanford University, California golf team and in the same class as some guy named Tiger Woods.
Speedgolf scores are determined by adding a player's time taken and total number of strokes. Crum's combined "score" of 122.01 (76 + 46.01) just edged that of Ireland's Rob Hogan (122.57). The man from Galway shot 83 in a remarkable 39:57, posting the only round under 40min. 
It was the closest finish in the event's three-year history.
Hogan won last year's event over two rounds with a score of 236.55. In 2013, the Irishman shot a first-round 77 at Old Macdonald in only 39min 31sec and followed with a 79 in 41:24 at Bandon Dunes.

+EDITOR'S NOTE: No mention of the competitors being able to use buggies. Presumably not but an average course is between three and four miles long. I read once that an average walking speed covers a mile in 9min. Work it out from there ... not much time left to hit the ball!

USA CHAMPIONS TOUR REPORT AND LINK TO SCORES

Allen wins in San Antonio; Langer wraps up Schwab Cup title

CBSSports.com wire reports

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- American Michael Allen shot a 6-under 66 for a two-stroke victory Sunday in the Champions Tour's AT and T Championship, and Bernhard Langer wrapped up the Charles Schwab Cup title.
Allen birdied three of the final four holes on TPC San Antonio's AT and T Canyons Course, holing a 5-footer on No. 18. He finished at 15-under 201 for his second victory of the season and seventh overall on the 50-and-over tour. He won the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Florida, in February.

Champions Tour

 

 CLICK BELOW FOR SCORES

San Antonio leaderboard

''I felt like I really needed a birdie on the 15th hole,'' Allen said. ''It was right in the center, a beautiful putt. You always wonder if you can win again. It's nice to get over that hurdle.''
Marco Dawson was second after a 71. He bogeyed Nos. 16 and 18.
''I hit the best shot of the tournament (into the 18th green) and it ends up past the hole in a terrible lie,'' Dawson said. ''The lie was so bad when I hit the chip it came out sideways. I had a thought before I hit it that I might double-chip it, the lie was so bad.''
Woody Austin had a 71 to finish third, three strokes back.
Langer closed with a 69 to tie for sixth at 10 under. He has a tour-high five victories - two of them majors - and leads the money list.
''I'm a guy who tries his best whenever I tee it up, and I'm still going to tee it up next week hoping to win the tournament,'' Langer said. ''There's still a lot of money on the line. But there's a little less pressure now. I get to enjoy it.''
The top 30 on the money list qualified for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Esteban Toledo, 31st on the money list entering the week, birdied the final three holes for a 68 to tie for 12th at 8 under and move to 27th. Toledo made a 20-foot birdie putt at 16 and hit approach shots at 17 and 18 with 4 feet.
He bumped Mark Calcavecchia, 30th entering the week, from the Schwab field. Calcavecchia tied for 72nd in the 81-player field at 4 over with rounds of 77-72-76.
Rocco Mediate started the week 32nd in the money earnings and gave himself a chance at advancing to next week even though he opened his back nine with two-straight bogeys. Following a par at No. 12, Mediate rolled off five birdies over his closing six holes for a 66, but he finished 31st in the money standings.
''I haven't done that in a while,'' Mediate said. ''It was like a do-or-die situation. I can take that to next year."
Colin Montgomerie finished T47 in a field of 81 players. He shot level par 216 with scores of 68, 76 and 72.

SCOT THREE PLACES AWAY FROM TOP-15 PROMOTION ZONE ON CHALLENGE TOUR

          ANDREW McARTHUR ... not happy with his driving. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

ANDREW McARTHUR'S CADDIE FLIES 

OUT FOR LAST TWO EVENTS 
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
With just two events to go, Andrew McArthur is within touching distance of the top 15 promotion zone on the European Challenge Tour Rankings, a position he knows all too well, ahead of the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic this week.
He heads to the Greg Norman-designed Almouj Golf The Wave fresh from a share of sixth place at the Foshan Open in China, although that result left him with mixed feelings, describing his swing as “horrific”.
Erratic form with the driver led to some high numbers throughout the four rounds at Foshan Golf Club, but some exemplary work with the putter made up for much of that - although his decision-making could have been better at times.
Exasperated by the occasional shot choice that cost him valuable places on the leaderboard, the Scot will hope that the arrival of his caddie for the final two weeks of the season will put him right, as he prepares to tee it up on a golf course he loves.
“I’m delighted with how I played last week as I was swinging it absolutely horrifically,” said the 35 year old former Scottish amateur champion from Windyhill, Glasgow, who moved up three places to 18th in the Rankings.
“I played some good stuff fighting my swing, but when you are doing that and trying to get in the mix, the pressure accentuates the “badness” of certain shots.
“I’ve got no idea where the driver is going at the moment, so I will need a miracle cure this week. I played half-decent here last year, but it is one of those courses where the wind gets up most afternoons. It is really hot and the course is brilliant, you’ve just got to keep your head.
“I had a couple of calamities last year that cost me a good finish, instead of just a decent one. I just need to play well and make good decisions. There’s nothing more to it, it is the same as every other week. It is criminal to have those big numbers, but when you’re playing well, you don’t do that.
“When it comes to doubles and triples, without doing anything different you can get those back to only a bogey.
"It just comes from not taking your medicine when you hit a bad shot, and not getting it back in play. Half the time when you chip out to 100 yards you get up and down to save your par anyway. 
"My caddie is coming out for the last two events, which should help.”
McArthur will be part of a star-studded field for the penultimate event of the season, which carries a prize fund of US $330,000, as the second tier welcomes back three-time winner Moritz Lampert for the final two tournaments.
The German picked up a trio of titles in just nine starts this campaign, and after a hard-earned automatic promotion to The European Tour, he returns in Oman to chase down Rankings leader Andrew Johnston, who will also tee it up in the Middle East.
Kazakhstan Open winner Sam Hutsby returns to action too, while Byeong-hun An will look to sign off a stellar season in style.