TOURINHO TURNS IT ON IN LATIN AMERICA 

AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
NEWS RELEASE
Brazil's Andre Tourinho fired a 6-under 66 in the second round of the inaugural Latin America Amateur Championship today  to grab a one-shot lead at Pilar Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The 24-year-old, who played collegiately at Tulsa, now sits at eight-under-par 136 while Chile's Matias Dominguez and Argentina's Joaquin Bonjour are tied for second on 137
Dominguez, senior at Texas Tech, was even par after one round before shooting a 65
Bonjour had a three-shot lead late in his round before a quadruple bogey at the par-3 17th hole dropped him back into a share of second. He shot 68 with nine birdies.
The winner of the inaugural Latin American Amateur receives an invitation to the 2015 Masters.
Other notables in the top 10 include Florida's Alejandro Tosti of Argentina (139), Arkansas' Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico (141) and Texas Tech's Guillermo Pereira of Chile (141).
NEXT YEAR'S VENUE 
 Casa de Campo’s Teeth of the Dog in the Dominican Republic has been confirmed as the host venue for the 2016 Latin America Amateur Championship. 

Founded by the Masters Tournament, The RandA and the United States Golf Association (USGA), the Latin America Amateur Championship  was established todevelop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Each year, the Latin American Amateur champion will receive an invitation to compete in the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. In addition, the winner and the runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The Open and U.S. Open Championships

Finally, the champion will receive full exemptions into the British Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Andre Tourinho (Brazil) 70 66
137 Joaquin Bonjour (Argentina) 69 68, Matias Dominguez (Chile) 72 65
138 Juan Alvarez (Uruguay) 68 70
139 Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) 69 70, Juan Sebastian Munoz (Colombia) 69 70.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

  CASEY SHARES HAWAII LEAD WITH A 62

FROM BBC SPORT.COM

England's Paul Casey shot an opening round of 62 to help set the pace at the US PGA Tour's Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The 37-year-old shares the lead with former US Open champion Webb Simpson after both shot eight-under rounds of 62 at the Waialae Country Club. 
They were a shot ahead of Robert Streb and Camilo Villegas with Inverness-born Russell Knox on 66.
Luke Donald had a  two-under 68
Casey has won 13 times on the European Tour but his sole win on the US PGA Tour came at the 2009 Houston Open.
"I'm loving being in Hawaii but I had no idea what to expect today so I'm over the moon with that," he said.
Casey, who began on the back nine, started with a birdie at the 10th and then picked up another shot at the 14th before making five straight birdies from the 17th.
Although he dropped a shot at the sixth, the three-time Ryder Cup player finished his round with his ninth birdie at the last.
Simpson, who has used a belly putter for more than a decade, switched to the short putter for the first time in his US Tour career and it paid dividends.
"Today was a big day for me," he admitted. "It was one of the best putting rounds I've ever had to be honest.
"I made a lot of putts. I didn't hit it great on the back nine, my first nine holes, but then I started driving it well. If you drive it well around this golf course, you're going to give yourself opportunities."
FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 70. players from USA unless stated
62 Paul Casey (England), Webb Simpson
63 Robert Streb, Camilo Villegas (South America)
64 Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 

SELECTED SCORES
66 Russell Knox (Scotland), Brian Davis (England).
68 Luke Donald (England)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES, INCLUDING
LIVE SCORING FROM THE SECOND ROUND

CLICK HERE

 ANSTRUTHER ALLIANCE CANCELLED

This week's Midland Golfers' Alliance fixture at Anstruther Golf Club was called off because of the bad weather forecast for that area of Fife.
The next Alliance competition is again in Fife - at Lundin Golf Club on Tuesday, January 20.

    Left to right: Wayne Tucker, Jim Hardie, John Cramond and Sir Bob Charles.

 North-east pair beat Sir Bob Charles and 

partner 3 and 1 in NZ summer warmth

JIM HARDIE'S E-MAIL FROM NEW ZEALAND

Greetings from a somewhat warm Christchurch, where as you will see in the picture, my golfing partner from yesteryear, John Cramond, has arrived 

The photo was taken at the redesigned Russley Golf Club course,  where John and myself rolled back the years with a birdie blitz to beat the mighty Sir Bob Charles and another great friend of mine, Wayne Tucker, by 3 and 1.

The new Russley lay-out is already receiving  justifiable rave reviews, which must be sweet music to the ears of an often criticised course designer, Greg Turner !

John and I finished four under par over a windswept Russley.

Today John and I visited Christchurch Golf Club, in the middle of a new clubhouse build after being condemned in the recent year's 
earthquakes

We played an ex-president, and still a very handy five-handicapper in Ken Fergus and Wayne Tucker, ex-Canterbury district player, and whilst blustery, but very hot at 30 degrees, yours truly and the Cram finished five under for another victory, albeit only 2 and 1, due to the amazing play of the opposition!

The ball travels immense distances in the heat, such a difference from windswept, cold and dreary places like Royal Aberdeen and Peterculter!

The very thought of pegging it up in typical North-east of Scotland conditions appeals very little!

We have numerous challenges ahead to maintain our excellent start, but we hope to remain unbeaten for some time

Speaking to John in some detail, he was of the opinion that the two best "royal" golf club courses he has played so far on his trip have been Adelaide and Sydney, but he was also very impressed with Paraparmumu Beach in Wellington!

Hopefully your readers will at least be enjoying some winter alliance golf

Regards to all 

Jim Hardie
PS In answer to a reader who asked if there were any strokes given in the match involving Bob Charles, Jim says: "Well. John Cramond gets 1 and I get 3.After all, Sir Bob is a past Open champion!"

 

ONLY THREE SCOTS MAKE ABU DHABI CUT Only three Scots made the halfway cut in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship today.
Paul Lawrie (68-73), Craig Lee (73-68) and David Drysdale (70-71) are T41 on three-under-par 141. Out went Richie Ramsay (74-69), Marc Warren (69-75), Scott Jamieson (70-75) and Chris Doak (76-75).

Martin Kaymer leads with 13-under-par 131 

while Rory McIlroy has his first tour ace

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
US Open champion Martin Kaymer matched his 36-hole scoring record of 13 under par at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship to enter the final two rounds of this year’s event a stroke clear of Thomas Pieters on a day when World Number One Rory McIlroy had the first hole in one of his European Tour career.
The German’s 67 on day two saw him equal the mark he set back in 2008 en route to the first of three titles so far at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, and thanks to a flawless round of five birdies in the desert sunshine, he is in pole position to make it four this weekend.
Only 30 himself, Kaymer will be the elder statesman in the final group on Saturday when he tees it up alongside Pieters, who is some eight years his junior.
The Belgian, who is in only his second season as part of The Race to Dubai, dropped a shot at the ninth, his last, but that did little to dampen an exemplary day on which he signed for a 67 to lie a shot adrift with two rounds to go.
As a result of his ace at the par three 15th hole, thanks to a pin-point nine iron from 177 yards, McIlroy carded a 66 to earn a place in the penultimate group on Moving Day.
He will play alongside England's James Morrison, who will start two shots further adrift on Saturday, as he looks to improve on an Abu Dhabi record that has seen him unable to make the cut in three previous starts.
Morrison is alongside America's Peter Uihlein in a tie for fourth, with the pair a shot clear of Australia’s Richard Green, and two-time 2014 tournament winner Alexander Levy, who are both five strokes adrift of Kaymer’s leading mark.
Playing alongside McIlroy on day two, America’s Rickie Fowler carded a triple-bogey on the par five eighth, which, alongside two bogeys and a couple of birdies, saw him round in three-over 75 for a two-under tally of 142. He made the cut with a shot to spare.
 
QUOTES
Martin Kaymer (-13)
“I guess it's the greens that I love here, as I can read them very well and my stroke always feels good when I come here.
“Again, today, I didn't miss many fairways, which gives you the opportunity to go for a lot of flags, and to be honest, I really believe the golf course plays two or three shots tougher in the morning than in the afternoon. 
Once you miss the fairway you're in that thick, wet grass and then it's almost impossible to get home in two on the par fours, so I was therefore very happy to shoot five under today.
“When you start in the morning you have to shoot a good score because the greens are good and there's no wind, but I see it the other way around, and I don't see anything. I just see it as a bigger challenge, and therefore I don't expect myself to shoot five or six under par.
“I don't know what they are going to do with the golf course (tomorrow), maybe they will change a few tee boxes and make it a little bit more scorable tomorrow. Obviously you expect yourself to make even more birdies in that case though.
“What I said yesterday, though, is that it's important you don't compare yourself to the last two rounds and just keep playing the weekend.”

Thomas Pieters (-12)
“It was a solid day, and I started off well, just struggled coming in a little bit. I rolled it well with my putter though, so that was nice. I'm just trying to do all the little things right and hopefully it comes together with a good score.
“I got to see the course when I played last year, however, I wasn't really prepared but at least I got to play three or four rounds last year which has helped me a little bit.
“For the weekend, I want to win, that's for sure. I wouldn't be in this position if I didn't want to win, so it's simple. I just need to be patient, drive it well, drive it straight and make some putts.
“I think that I showed last year at the Open de Espana that I could do it on this Tour, so I’m just looking forward to the challenge tomorrow and this weekend.”

Rory McIlroy (-11)
“I felt really good today, as I went to the range yesterday and worked a little bit on a couple of things, so I drove the ball much better today, which you need to around here.
“Ball striking wise, I couldn't really fault it. I played really well from tee to green, and felt like I was hitting some good putts that just weren't dropping. I'm not going to complain with a 66, and it's a great position to be going into the weekend.
“The hole in one definitely made up for the two previous holes. It was a perfect number, straight downwind, 177 yards, and I had a nine iron. The 12th hole was playing sort of similar and I hit the same club there, so I knew it was a pretty good number.
“As soon as it left, it looked like it had a chance, and took a nice little hop to the right. It’s my first one ever in competition as a pro, so obviously the beers are on me tonight.
“It's always tough giving Martin Kaymer a two-shot advantage over 36 holes around this place, but I'll try my best. He's obviously playing very well, and I feel like I'm playing good too, so I’ll see if I can put some pressure on him.
“You look at Martin and he has got a phenomenal record around here. I couldn't think of a better way to start the season than to test yourself against one of the best players in the world, a two-time Major Champion, who plays this course really, really well, so I'm looking forward to the weekend.”

Scores after round two
Par 144 (2x72)
131 M Kaymer (Ger) 64 67,
132 T Pieters  (Bel) 65 67
133 R McIlroy  (NIr) 67 66
135 J Morrison  (Eng) 68 67, P Uihlein  (USA) 67 68
136 R Green (Aus) 68 68, A Levy (Fra) 66 70
137 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 72 65, M Madsen  (Den) 68 69, T Hatton (Eng) 66 71, G Stal  (Fra) 68 69
138 R Karlsson (Swe) 67 71, E Pepperell (Eng) 70 68, S Hansen (Den) 69 69, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 69 69
139 N Fasth (Swe) 69 70, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 72 67, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 68 71, R Paratore (Ita) 70 69, M Nixon (Eng) 68 71, C Schwartzel  (RSA) 71 68, M Jiménez (Esp) 72 67, A Cañizares  (Esp) 69 70, O Fisher  (Eng) 69 70, G Tian-Lang (Chn) 70 69
140 R Jacquelin (Fra) 69 71, S Khan (Eng) 73 67, A Lahiri (Ind) 72 68, S Hend (Aus) 70 70, D Van Der Walt (RSA) 70 70, D McGrane (Irl) 71 69, M Fraser (Aus) 72 68, Y Yang (SKor) 70 70, B Grace  (RSA) 66 74, R Fisher (Eng) 71 69, S Webster (Eng) 73 67, J Donaldson (Wal) 73 67, G Bourdy (Fra) 66 74, K Broberg (Swe) 69 71, E Grillo (Arg) 70 70
141 P Lawrie (Sco) 68 73, A Hansen (Den) 68 73, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 70 71, A Johnston (Eng) 73 68, R Sterne  (RSA) 71 70, M Kieffer (Ger) 70 71, M Ilonen  (Fin) 66 75, G Coetzee (RSA) 68 73, C Lee (Sco) 73 68, D Drysdale (Sco) 70 71, T Olesen (Den) 72 69, J Singh (Ind) 68 73, A Wall (Eng) 70 71, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 69 72, D Willett  (Eng) 70 71
142 R Fowler  (USA) 67 75, O Wilson (Eng) 71 71, R Rock (Eng) 69 73, J Kruger (RSA) 74 68, E Els (RSA) 70 72, R Bland (Eng) 69 73, B An (Kor) 67 75, J Campillo (Esp) 72 70, A Noren  (Swe) 67 75, J Rose (Eng) 73 69, J Carlsson (Swe) 70 72, A Sullivan (Eng) 71 71, J Palmer (Eng) 71 71, B Dredge (Wal) 72 70, O Farr (Wal) 73 69, S Benson (Eng) 69 73, D Fichardt (RSA) 69 73
MISSED THE CUT
143 P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 72, R Ramsay  (Sco) 74 69, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 71 72, D Lipsky (USA) 72 71, M Hoey  (Nir) 69 74, D Clarke (Ni
ir) 72 71, D Howell (Eng) 72 71, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 74 69
144 P Waring  (Eng) 68 76, L Slattery (Eng) 70 74, H Stenson (Swe) 76 68, P Maddy (Eng) 72 72, E Espana (Fra) 73 71, R Finch  (Eng) 75 69, M Warren (Sco) 69 75, T Lewis (Eng) 69 75, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 70 74, L Bjerregaard  (Den) 74 70, T Aiken (RSA) 70 74, M Foster (Eng) 74 70
145 G Storm  (Eng) 74 71, S Dyson  (Eng) 73 72, S Jamieson  (Sco) 70 75, E Molinari  (Ita) 72 73, M Tullo (Chi) 73 72, M Manassero (Ita) 72 73, A Quiros  (Esp) 69 76
146 M Lampert (Ger) 72 74, M Crespi  (Ita) 72 74, G Mulroy (RSA) 73 73, J Quesne  (Fra) 74 72, R Wattel  (Fra) 73 73, G Havret  (Fra) 71 75, D Foos (Ger) 71 75, D Horsey (Eng) 71 75
147 A Tadini (Ita) 76 71, S Kapur (Ind) 76 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 73 74, B Rumford (Aus) 73 74
148 S Hutsby  (Eng) 73 75, W Ormsby (Aus) 75 73, S Kjeldsen (Den) 74 74
149 F Aguilar (Chi) 76 73, M Carlsson  (Swe) 75 74, F Zanotti (Par) 76 73
151 C Doak (Sco) 76 75, B Hebert  (Fra) 76 75, O Schniederjans  (USA) (am) 76 75
152 C Shinkwin (Eng) 77 75
153 D Brooks (Eng) 76 77
154 C Dimarco (USA) 78 76
155 A Al Musharrekh (Uae) 78 77
166 J Jeong (SKor) 80 86
** M Campbell (Nzl) retired


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Fife and Scotland MGRanking file for Week 2015/02

Remi Passiatore is MGR Fife Golfer of Week

The MGR Fife Golfer of the Week is Remi Passiatore of Dunfermline Golf Club. He climbs 10 places to No 3 in the Fife Men’s Top 15.

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

www.mygolfranking.net, Fife Men, Week 2015/02

1 Colin Campbell (Aberdour) 1317pts

2 Barry Logan (Dunnikier Park) 1117

3 Remi Passiatore (Dunfermline) 1113

4 Ryan Brown (Dunfermline) 1105

T5 Paul Hobbin (Balbirnie Park) 1092

T5 *Bobby Wallace (Canmore) 1092

*New entry this week

www.mygolfranking.net, Fife Clubs, Week 2015/02

1 Dunfermline 936 pts

2 Canmore 881

3 Dunnikier Park 877

4 Balbirnie Park 873

5 Kirkcaldy 828 

MyGolfRanking, Scotland Men, Week 2015/02

1 Jamie Lownie (Montrose Mercantile) 1400pt,

2 Colin Campbell (Aberdour) 1317

3 Graham Clarke (Mortonhall) 1258

4 Alasdair Hastie (Prestonfield) 1208

5 John Hunter (Liberton) 1264

MyGolfRanking Scotland Clubs, Week 2015/02

1 Mortonhall 959 pts

2 Dunfermline 936

3 Carluke 893

4 Kingsknowe 892

5 Falkirk Tryst 884

LEADING FIFE and SCOTLAND LADIES' MYGOLFRANKINGS ARE ON www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

For up-to-date ranking lists of participating clubs, the full Regional, National and International Rankings and how it works, visit www.mygolfranking.net.

The MyGolfRanking service is free to clubs and members. Clubs wishing to participate should register on www.mygolfranking.net or email info@mygolfranking.net for information.

 

David Moir

MyGolfRanking

In League with Golf Ltd

info@mygolfranking.net

 

SGU Squad Target South Africa Success

NEWS RELEASE

Craig Ross, pictured below, hopes to use his first experience of competitive winter performance training in South Africa to boost his Walker Cup hopes for this year, as an exciting young nine-player Scottish Golf Union squad prepare to journey to the Rainbow Nation on Sunday, January 18. 

Thanks to the continued support of national team sponsor Aberdeen Asset Management, South African businessman Johann Rupert and the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation, coupled with funding from sportscotland, the youthful group, featuring five teenagers, will travel to South Africa for competition and training to mirror previous programmes.

Their schedule will include four major events on the South African circuit, the annual Test Match against the host nation and a triangular match against the South African Golf Development Board and the South African Golf Association, as well as a training camp to allow players to work on short game, swing and general fitness with support staff.

The squad will also work with the South African Golf Development Board, who help children from underprivileged areas into golf, with the SGU intnding to send surplus clothing to South Africa for their use. 

Twelve months ago the performance programme proved hugely beneficial to Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil who credited his efforts in South Africa, including a tie for second at the Amateur Stroke Play, as a reason for going on to enjoy a successful season, including his Amateur Championship victory at Royal Portrush.

With Neil, who has just turned 19, preparing to travel to the US later this month for practice and a run of events in the lead up to his invite to The Masters at Augusta National in April, his fellow Scots will seek to shine in South Africa.

Kirkhill’s Ross is one of them, with the 21-year-old looking to build on his own impressive season in 2014. The Lanarkshire player outshone the professionals to win the PGA EuroPro Tour’s Glenfarclas Open at Mar Hall, as well as securing his full Home Internationals bow, winning five-and-a-half points from six at Southerndown.

Ross, who hopes to build on his work with the SGU in the Middle East late last year, said: “It’s my first time going out to South Africa and it would be awesome to win one of them, but I’m looking to post some good results overall, really, and come back ready for the start of the season here.

“I think winning on the EuroPro gave me more confidence. It’s a Walker Cup year now, so I’m going to try for that. I’ve got a schedule for the year and some good results in South Africa will help definitely towards it. I’ve got goals to make certain teams this year, so we will see what happens. 

“I’ve been busy this winter playing, practising and training. I’m now looking forward to getting out to South Africa to play in tournaments, as I feel like I’m hitting the ball well.”

Five players from last year’s South Africa programme make the return journey, including Ewen Ferguson, twice a national champion in 2014, with Ross, Greig Marchbank, Calum Fyfe and Murray Naysmith – the latter two first and second on last season’s Scottish Hydro Boys Order of Merit – included for the first time.

The winter training programme in South Africa follows the great success of past trips, with Scots regularly returning with silverware, including Michael Stewart, David Law and Brian Soutar.

This year, the players begin their competitive action at the Gauteng North Stroke Play on January 23, before the South African Amateur Stroke Play commences on February 3. 

A Test Match between the hosts and the visiting nation takes place on February 18-19, before the Sanlam South African Amateur follows at the start of March. The Scots finish their programme at the Northern Amateur from March 8.

Steve Paulding, Scottish Golf Performance Manager, added: “Returning to South Africa provides valuable experience for our players, especially the younger ones, on and off the course. It also gives them competitive opportunities at this time of year ahead of the new domestic season.

“We have an exciting group of players in 2015 with a number of them looking to challenge for a Walker Cup place in September at Royal Lytham. We are hugely grateful to all our supporters who effectively fund this whole trip.”

Meanwhile, Calum Hill and Euan Walker will fly the saltire flag when they compete in the South American Amateur Championship in Peru later this month, seeking to deny England a hat-trick of victories.

Hill from Tantallon and Kilmarnock Barassie’s Walker will tee up at Lima Golf Club from January 22-25, competing over 72 holes of stroke play for the championship and the Arturo Calle Cup. The pair are currently based at colleges in the US and will head for Peru with the support of the SGU and the R&A.

 

South Africa competition calendar:

 

·         23 – 25 January: Gauteng North Stroke Play, Pretoria Country Club

·         3 – 6 February: South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Port Elizabeth

·         18 – 19 February: South Africa vs. Scotland Test Match, Leopard Creek

·         1 – 6 March: Sanlam South African Amateur Championship, Silver Lakes

·         8 – 13 March: Northern Amateur, Randpark

 

SGU Squad for South Africa (home club & age in brackets):

 

·         Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) (18)

·         Calum Fyfe (Cawder, 17)

·         Scott Gibson (Southerness, 22)

·         Ben Kinsley (St Andrews, 18)

·         Greig Marchbank (Thornhill, 20)

·         Murray Naysmith (Marriott Dalmahoy, 17)

·         Craig Ross (Kirkhill, 21)

·         Connor Syme (Dumfries & County, 19)

·         Daniel Young (Craigie Hill, 23)

NOTE:

Calum Fyfe and Murray Naysmith not competing in Gauteng North Stroke Play and South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship, with Naysmith also not playing in the Test match due to school commitments.

 

PAUL HOWARD, BEN STOW BREAK 70 DOWN UNDER

LAKE MACQUARIE MEN'S
AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
THIRD-ROUND REPORT

From the Australia Golf website
“Moving Day” as they say, got underway in very light conditions for the third day in a row, with a light northeaster prevailing at Belmont Golf Club, Newcastle, New South Wales.
Canada’s Corey Conners has set himself up for a real tilt at the title with one round to go. One under on the front nine today, he sunk birdie putts on 10, 16 and 18 for a second consecutive 68, 13 under par heading in to the last day with a three shot buffer over Cameron Davis from Monash with a third round 67 including seven birdies, to go with his 69 and 70.
Andrew McCain from the United States fired six birdies in a bogey free round of 66 (the best round of the day) and together with previous rounds of 73 and 68, sits 9 under par heading in to the final round. 
He is joined by New Zealand’s Jason Gulasekharam who shot 68 today including 5 birdies and the very consistent Simon Vitikangas from Queensland who fired a third consecutive 69.
Luke Toomey, last year’s runner up followed rounds of 67, 72 with a 69 today including an eagle on the 9th and birdies on 10, 11 and 12 to be eight under along with fellow Kiwi, Ryan Chisnell who was two under today following previous rounds of 70 and 68. One stroke back is Kade McBride from Queensland on seven under following rounds of 70, 68 and 71.
Kevin Yuan from The Australian had two front nine birdies and was three under on the back nine for a solid 68 and coupled with his previous rounds of 70 and 72, sits six under par. He is joined by Jake McLeod 69 (six birdies and three bogeys), England's Paul Howard (five birdies and two bogeys), Tylor Hodge (four birdies, one bogey) and Justin Warren who unfortunately had three over today following his 67 yesterday.
Lucas Herbert from Commonwealth Golf Club enjoyed the conditions to fire an eagle to go with 3 front nine birdies and 3 back nine birdies for a very solid 67 to go with his 70 and 74 to be 5 under after three rounds.
 Ben Stow from England found some touch with 6 birdies and two bogeys for a fine 68 to go with his previous two par rounds and is four under for the three rounds.
There are a number of players “in the mix” but Conners is playing some very solid consistent golf and will be hard to chase down.

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72) players from Australia unless stated
203 Corey Conners (Canada) 67 68 68
206 Cameron Davis 69 70 67 
207 Andrew McCain (USA) 73 69 66, Jason Gulasekharam (NZ) 69 70 68, Simon Viitakangas 69 69 69

SELECTED SCORES
210 Paul Howard (Southport and Ainsdale) 73 68 69 (T9)
212 Ben Stow (Rushmere) 72 72 68 (T16)
218 Jimmy Mullen (Royal North Devon) 71 73 74 (T33)
220 Nick Marsh (Huddersfield) 75 73 72 (T40)