PLAY-OFF FOR GIRLS' TITLE AT CORAL GABLES

 CHILEAN BOY, SOUTH KOREAN GIRL 

ARE JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL WINNERS

REPORT FROM DAVID MACKINTOSH

Coral Gables, Florida: Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and South Korea’s Juwon Jeong secured their place in history as champions of the 51^st edition of the Junior Orange Bowl International golf tournament over the Biltmore course. 

Jeong took the title in a three-hole play-off with Sweden’s Linnea Strom. Both players birdied the 18^th on the first two play-off holes but Jeong’s third consecutive birdie proved decisive.  

Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela powered into joint third place with a closing 70, tied with overnight leader, Colombia’s Maria Hoyos, who carded a closing 77 to lose her big advantage at the start of the final round.

Niemann’s final round of 67 outlasted overnight leader, Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti, and the U.S.’s Carl Yuan. Yuan carded 68 for outright second place at 279, 5-under par, Tosti solo third with a closing 70 for 280.

Highest credit to Niemann, (67, 71, 72, 67: 277) who withstood the back-nine pressure of charges by both Tosti and Yuan, birdies at the 16^th and 18^th completely closing all opportunity windows.

“I played very solidly all day, only one bogey, five birdies, and was very pleased with my back nine because I made the shots I needed to make when I had to,” the 16-year old from Santiago said, with a wide smile of contentment.    

Yuan began his round with a superb eagle-3 and although he caught, he could never pass Niemann. An opportunity to advance his cause came with birdie two at the 12^th but Niemann responded in kind and when Yuan power lipped a short birdie opportunity at the next hole, the momentum moment was gone.

“After I made that birdie on 12 I thought I might be able to push,” Yuan said, “but my putter didn’t really co-operate on the closing holes. I played well but not well enough, I guess. 

"I tried very hard to make my eagle chip at the 18^th, hoping that I could squeeze into a play-off, but the ball rimmed out and in the end, as Joaquin made a birdie, it wasn’t that important.”

“To come third in such a strong field is a great feat and I played well,” said Tosti.        

Final round highlight scoring featured five-under-par 66s by South Africa’s Tristen Strydom and Germany’s Maximiliam Bodel.

England's Jamie Dick (Forest Hills) from Coleford, Gloucestershire finished with a 71 - his second best effort over the four days - for a total of eight-over-par 292 and a share of 27th place in a  field of 51 boys. 

BOYS' LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71) Yardage 6,742
277 Joaquin Niemann (Chile) 67 71 72 67
279 Carl Yuan (USA) 71 68 72 68
280 Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) 68 72 70 70
281 Tony Gill (Canada) 72 66 74 69
282 Tristen Strydom (South Africa) 73 73 70 66

SELECTED TOTAL
292 Jamie Dick (England) 70 77 74 71 (T27)
Field of 51 players

TO VIEW ALL THE BOYS' FINAL TOTALS

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TO  VIEW THE GIRLS' FINAL TOTALS AND  

FIND OUT HOW INDIA CLYBURN AND 

FIONA  LIDDELL FARED, SWITCH OVER TO

www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk  

IAN WOOD FUNERAL SERVICE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 12 AT MORTONHALL CREMATORIUM

The funeral service for Ian Wood, former sports editor and golf columnist of The Scotsman newspaper, will be held at Mortonhall Crematorium, Edinburgh on Monday week (January 12).
Time to be advised later.

To read some touching tributes to Ian Wood

CLICK HERE



Colin Farquharson writes:
When I think of Ian Wood, I cannot resist smiling. He was that kind of guy. 
I played with Ian in the once-upon-a-time Embassy golfwriters'
competition at Gleneagles. He startled me by taking out his driver to putt on the first green.
"I've been putting badly and I'm desperate to try anything that will change it. My driver has a straight face so .." said Ian, also wearing a straight face.
No, he wasn't joking and, I have to say, putting with a driver seemed to work for him. He used it all the way round.
I have little doubt that it became a topic for his offbeat golf column although that was not the object of the exercise.
Norman Mair, Ian Wood ... the ranks of the Old Guard of Scottish golfwriters are thinning out. We will not see their likes again.

 

HAPPY 39th BIRTHDAY, TIGER WOODS

This is Tiger Woods' 39th birthday, one year away from the big 4-0 and 11 years away from the US Seniors' Tour.

LANARKSHIRE'S PLAYER OF 2014

MEMORABLE YEAR FOR CRAIG ROSS

By WILLIE SHARPE
Craig Ross has had a fantastic 2014 when his golfing talent was finally recognised at national level. Craig, pictured below, has been outstanding since he was 16 when he won the Lanarkshire men's champion of champions' tournament at Carluke Golf Club. 

This, plus superb performances in 72-hole amateur tournaments and quarter-final and semi--final achievments in the Scottish amateur championship did not bring the deserved rewards until this year. 
A scratch 66 in the Scottish area team championship qualifying, which helped Lanarkshire to a silver medal brought him some national attention. 
However a fourth place in the English open amateur stroke-play, a course record 62 at Kirkhill Golf Club, and many other outstanding scores got him into the Scotland team for the Home Internationals where he was top scorer with five and a half points out of six. 
Craig followed this up with victory in a Europro tournament at Marr Hall with a 16 under par total for the 54-hole professional event. Craig's eyes are now set on a Walker Cup place in 2015. Playing off plus five and displaying his obvious talent ,it is well within his reach. Safe to say he has been Lanarkshire Golfer of the Year.

WILLIE SHARPE