WRIGHT, GODSMAN RENEW ALLIANCE BATTLE ON 

JANUARY 31 AT SPEY BAY

 

By ROBIN WILSON

The River Spey is the dividing line between the North District and the North East and it was on the West bank of the Spey at Garmouth and Kingston last October that the first North Scottish Golfers Alliance fixture of the season was played.

The resumption, after a two-month break, will be on the east bank of the river at the Spey Bay golf course on Saturday^, January 31, where Jeff Wright (Forres) and Kyle Godsman (Moray) will renew their challenge for scratch supremacy in the race to win the K M Cameron Trophy for the season's best six scratch score aggregate.

Both golfers have each won three individual fixtures in the first half and with his superb round of 60 on his last outing at Kinloss, Wight leads by four shots, 406 to Godsman's 410. 

They are both carrying mid-70 scores in their totals but these should easily be replaced over the shorter Spey Bay lay-out next weekend.

Other members with six qualifying totals who cannot be ruled out are David Joel (Inverness), 416,  and the trophy holder Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) with 423

Two nett aggregate trophies will also be decided upon over the remaining fixtures. In the low section playing for the Burnett Trophy scratch handicapper Joel is out in front with his 416 nett figure and holds a three shot lead over P Matheson (Grantown on Spey) 

The Bill MacQueen Trophy is the silverware for winning the high handicap section where currently only three members have recorded mandatory six scores. The leading six score nett aggregates are- J MacDonald (Inverness) 426, I Turner (Boat of Garten) 447 and I Hamilton (Elgin) 463.

PUTNAM SETS PACE WITH 63 IN CALIFORNIA

FIRST-DAY REPORT FROM SEAN MARTIN
US PGA TOUR

LA QUINTA, California – Patrick Reed didn’t work on his golf game last week.
“(I) worked on my forehead tan. Seemed like that got more attention than the actual golf game,” Reed joked in his pre-tournament press conference at this week’s Humana Challenge US PGA Tour event.
A picture of his pale forehead contrasted with his tan face made the rounds on social media during the final round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He won that event by beating Jimmy Walker in a play-off, then spent a week relaxing at Kapalua before defending the Humana title he won in 2014.
Reed estimated he played 13 holes last week with wife Justine at Kapalua.  
Today, Patrick picked up right where he left off, opening his defence with a seven-under 65 at La Quinta Country Club. He’s two shots behind leader Michael Putnam.
The Hyundai win was Reed’s fourth in his past 35 starts. That includes a record-setting performance at last year’s Humana, when he opened with three consecutive 63s. Reed is two shots off last year’s pace, but happy with the start.
“My confidence is as high as it could be, and the main thing is just not getting ahead of myself and not really being over-confident where I take too many unnecessary risks,” Reed said. "I feel like I did that really well today.”
Reed, who averaged 315yd off the tee today, is 28 under par for his first five rounds of 2015. He made birdies on La Quinta’s fifth and sixth holes, then rolled off five in a row on Nos. 9-13.
Michael Putnam's US PGA Tour career got off to a hot start. The 2005 NCAA runner-up, he finished four on his Tour debut at the 2005 Travellers Championship. Nine years later, that still ranks as his highest pro finish.

He’s off to a good start here as he tries to best that mark.
Putnam shot 9-under 63 on PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament Course to take the first-round lead. He made par on his first six holes before making birdie on nine of the last 12.
Holding the first-round lead, especially this week, is of little significance. Three courses – La Quinta Country Club and PGA West’s Palmer Private and Nicklaus Private – are in use, and the winning score will likely fall around 25 under par.
“You have to … mentally throw this one away because you’re not going to play the Nicklaus (again),” Putnam said. “The focus for me is on the Palmer tomorrow and then La Quinta on Saturday. There’s a lot of birdies going to be made in 54 holes by a lot of guys. So I have to make a lot of birdies.”
Phil Mickelson's one-under 71 at La Quinta Country Club was nothing to write home about, although he did hole a bunker shot. It is one of the easiest courses on the US Tour.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
+Three courses being used, all par 72 Players from USA unless stated otherwise
63 Michael Putnam
64 Francesco Molinari (Italy), John Peterson, Blake Adams, Scott Pinckney, Mark Wilson,
65 Matt Kuchar, Jason Kokrak, Patrick Reed

SELECTED SCORES
67 Brian Davis (England)
68 Martin Laird (Scotland)
69 Russell Knox (Scotland)
71 Phil Mickelson

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND, LATER THIS EVENING,
SECOND-ROUND UPDATES

CLICK HERE

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SPAIN BEAT ENGLAND 6-3 IN TITLE DECIER

Spain beat England 6-3 in the title-decider of the men's amateur international quadrangular tournament at Costa Ballena Golf Club, Cadiz today.
In the other concluding match, Germany and Finland drew 4.5pt each.
England's downfall were the morning foursomes. They lost them all to go into the six singles trailing 3-0.
Ashton Turner, Sean Towndrow and Scott Gregory won the top three singles for England but Spain took the last three ties for a 3pt victory.
England's most successful competitor over the three days was Towndrow with 4.5pt, followed by Turner 4pt and Burlison 3.5pt.
Spain's top scorer was Xabier Gosospe with 4.5pt followed by Mario Galliano with 4pt

DAY THREE RESULTS
ENGLAND 3, SPAIN 6
Foursomes: 0-3
Ashton Turner and Sean Towndrow lost to Ivan Cantero and Zabier Gorospe 3 and 2.
Scott Gregory and Jamie Bower lost to Mario Galiano and Pablo Rodriguez 4 and 2
Bobby Keebles and Rob Burlison lost to Victor Garcia and Victor Pastor 3 and 2.

Singles (3-3)
Turner bt Gosospe 1 hole
Towndrow bt Cantero 2 and 1.
Gregor bt Rodriguez 4 and 2.
Burlison lost to Galiano 2 and 1.
Bower lost to Pastor 4 and 2.
Keeble lost to Garcia 7 and 6.

GERMANY 4.5, FINLAND 4.5
    Foursomes: 1-2
Raphael Geissler and Timo Vahlenkamp lost to Ilari Saulo and Tuomas Nukari 3 and 2.
Yannick Schutz and Niklas Mattner halved with Olvier Lindell and Laurti Ruisska
Mattias Schmid and Michael Hirmer halved with Vaino Viitaharju and Sami Valimaki.

         Singles (2.5-2.5)
Geissler bt Saulo 2 holes.
Vahlenkamp lost to Nukari 1 hole
Mattner halved with Lindell
Schutz lost to Viitaharju 5 and 4.
Schmid bt Ruuska 3 and 1.
Hirmer bt Valimaki 1 hole.

FINAL PLACINGS
1 - Spain 2.5pt (D-W-W)

2 - England 1.5pt (D-W-L)

3/4 - Germany 1pt (D-L-D), Finland  (D-L-D) 1pt.

Walker, Hill mixed luck in South America
Scots Euan Walker from Troon and Tantallon's Calum Hill, both students at American colleges, had mixed fortunes in today's opening round of the South American men's amateur championship at Lima, Peru.

Kilmarnock Barassie member Walker, pictured, a student at the University of Missouri, shot an eventful, par-matching 72 to be joint 13th, six behind American leader Scott Harvey, while Hill, a student at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, slumped to an 80 which left him in joint 64th place in a field of 70.
Walker bired the long first, short fourth, short ninth, 14th and 18th in halves of 35 (one under) and 37 (one over). He had a double bogey 6 at the 16th and dropped single shots at the long second, sixth and 11th.
Hill had triple bogey 7s at the sixth and 18th in halves of 39-41. He did birdie the third and 14th but bogeyed the ninth, 11th, 12th and 13th.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
66 Scott Harvey (USA)
67 Juan Alvarez (Uru), Marcos Montenegro (Arg)
SELECTED SCORES
70 Jack Davidson (Wal) (T5)
71 Evan Griffiths (Wal) (T8)
72 Euan Walker (Sco) (T13).
73 Chris Selfridge (Ire) (T19)
74 Paul McBride (Ire), Joe Dean (Eng), Ashley Chesters (Eng) (T25)
75 Michael Saunders (Eng) (T34)
76 Luke Johnson (Eng) (T40)
78 Lee Jones (Wal) (T51)
80 Calum Hill (Sco), Owen Edwards (Wal) (64).
Field of 70 players.

MARC WARREN SHARES QATAR MASTERS LEAD
 
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Proven winners Branden Grace, Marc Warren and Bernd Wiesberger are standing between Emiliano Grillo and a debut European Tour title after the experienced trio joined the young Argentine at the top of the leaderboard on day three of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Grace, Warren (pictured) and Wiesberger have between them captured ten European Tour titles, and the trio will fancy their chances of adding another victory to their CVs after moving to 13 under par at Doha Golf Club.
Grace and Wiesberger both signed for rounds of 68 and Warren went one better, but the only bogey-free round amongst the leading quartet came from Grillo, who matched the Scot’s 67, courtesy of five birdies.     
South African George Coetzee currently shares fourth place on 11 under par with Spaniard Alejandro Cañizares, who is yet to drop a shot this week, and England’s Eddie Pepperrell, whose 65 was the lowest round of the tournament so far.
Key quotes:
Branden Grace (-13)
“It was nice to start off with a birdie, but I got a little bit greedy on the third and fourth, going for some pins I shouldn’t be going for. You learn the hard way through that.
“It was nice to bounce back the way I did though, and nice to finish off with a good birdie on the last. Today 18 is definitely not a gimme birdie, but I was very confident and got a nice lie in the rough. I thought ‘I'm definitely not laying up, I'm going for this’ – and I pulled it off and managed to make a good up-and-down.
“So I’m pretty happy with the round, and I’m still in the position I want to be.”
Emiliano Grillo (-13)
“The course was tougher today, but I played better. I hit the ball better, so I have a good feeling for tomorrow and I want to try to get my first win.
“This is what I play for. This is what I have practiced for my entire life. Tomorrow, I have a great chance of taking my first trophy home.
“You have to learn first how to win out here, and I think I’ve learned a lot. I think I’m ready.”
Marc Warren (-13)
“It was really solid golf today. I missed a few greens on the back nine, but my short game held it together and then I hit a few good iron shots now and again. Overall, it was a really pleasing day.
“The last few years I’ve shown a lot of progress  and come close (to winning) a couple of times. I didn’t quite get it over the line, and that was something that came quite easy at the start of my career, as every time I was in contention I seemed to win.
"I’m confident in my ability and it was nice to actually prove it again (last year). It’s one thing to be confident, but to actually do it is another thing. It has definitely put a spring in the step.”
Bernd Wiesberger (-13)
“I started quite nicely with two birdies on the second and third. I had a good front nine, a couple of grinding par putts on seven and ten, too, which was good to keep the momentum. I played all right, just not quite as good as yesterday.
“It will be nice to start the final day in the lead and to hang onto it. Everybody seems to be playing really well though, so it won’t be easy. I didn’t play as well as I did yesterday, but I took the chances when I could.
“I have a good chance (to win), but obviously there is a lot of talent up there on the leaderboard, and everybody knows that to stay up there, they will need to make a couple of birdies – and so do I. I’m looking forward to tomorrow."
Talking point
• Alejandro Cañizares has the chance to become the first man for 20 years to play four rounds on The European Tour without dropping a shot. Jesper Parnevik was the last man to achieve the feat when he won the 1995 Scandinavian Masters.

THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
203 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 69 66 68, B Grace  (RSA) 67 68 68, M Warren (Sco) 71 65 67, E Grillo (Arg) 67 69 67 
205 A Cañizares  (Esp) 67 70 68, G Coetzee (RSA) 68 67 70, E Pepperell (Eng) 69 71 65
207 O Fisher  (Eng) 65 73 69
208 J Carlsson (Swe) 74 65 69, G Bourdy (Fra) 70 68 70, R Paratore (Ita) 69 69 70, D Fichardt (RSA) 67 70 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 70 68 70, B An (SKor) 67 69 72
209 M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 70 70 69, A Sullivan (Eng) 71 68 70, P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 71 67, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 66 73 70, B Hebert  (Fra) 72 68 69, E Els (RSA) 67 72 70, T Pieters  (Bel) 73 68 68
210 M Carlsson  (Swe) 71 69 70, A Hansen (Den) 71 69 70, S Kapur (Ind) 70 68 72, A Noren  (Swe) 67 71 72, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 70 73 67, J Rose (Eng) 68 73 69, S Benson (Eng) 70 71 69, S Kjeldsen (Den) 73 70 67, M Foster (Eng) 67 73 70, K Broberg (Swe) 67 71 72
 211 E Molinari  (Ita) 71 70 70, F Aguilar (Chi) 71 68 72, P Lawrie (Irl) 70 68 73, E De La Riva  (Esp) 70 69 72, D Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 69 70, J Quesne  (Fra) 70 72 69, T Jaidee (Tha) 69 73 69
212 A Quiros  (Esp) 70 70 72, T Lewis (Eng) 72 71 69, M Kieffer (Ger) 71 68 73, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 73 65 74, R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 70 73, H Stenson (Swe) 70 71 71 
213 J Singh (Ind) 70 70 73, R Green (Aus) 70 67 76, E Espana (Fra) 70 73 70, S Jamieson  (Sco) 68 73 72, R Fisher (Eng) 70 70 73, J Morrison  (Eng) 68 70 75, P Uihlein  (USA) 69 73 71, P Lawrie (Sco) 67 73 73
214 D McGrane (Irl) 68 72 74, W Ormsby (Aus) 74 69 71, B Rumford (Aus) 69 72 73, M Hoey  (Nir) 71 69 74, T Aiken (RSA) 69 73 72, A Johnston (Eng) 69 73 72, J Barnes (Eng) 72 70 72, G Havret  (Fra) 70 69 75, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 68 71 75
 215 J Roos (RSA) 75 68 72, S Garcia  (Esp) 69 69 77, J Campillo (Esp) 72 70 73, S Gallacher (Sco) 68 75 72 
216 M Tullo (Chi) 69 74 73, A Otaegui  (Esp) 73 70 73, R Karlsson (Swe) 70 73 73, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 68 71 77 
217 M Nixon (Eng) 72 71 74
218 R Finch  (Eng) 71 72 75, P Waring  (Eng) 70 72 76, M Lampert (Ger) 67 74 77 
220 M Korhonen (Fin) 73 70 77

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

FIVE SCOTS IN GB and I WALKER CUP SQUAD
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R and A
 An initial 20-man squad for the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team to face the USA at Royal Lytham and St Annes, Lancashire in September has been announced by The R and A.
The 45th Walker Cup match will be played on the weekend of 12 and 13 September and will see GB and I bidding to win back the historic trophy after the USA’s convincing 17-9 victory in the 2013 match at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.
A get-together for the 20-man squad will be held on July 21 and 22 at Royal Lytham amd St Annes and the players will also meet ahead of the Lytham Trophy in May.
Nigel Edwards, captain of the GB and I team, said, “We have selected a strong squad of players and they will all know that they are in contention for a place on the team and it is up to them to perform this season. 
“As the season progresses I am sure that a number of players who do not form part of this current squad will challenge for places on the team as has happened in previous years with the likes of Steven Brown and Danny Willett playing their way on to the 2011 and 2007 teams. Players who do not form part of this squad can still play their way on to the team for September.”
Amateur Champion Bradley Neil leads a strong Scottish contingent in the squad, which also includes the 2014 St Andrews Links Trophy champion, Grant Forrest, and Jamie Savage, who won the Irish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
Ireland’s Gavin Moynihan is the only player in the squad with previous Walker Cup experience. The current Scottish Open Stroke Play Champion played in the 2013 match where he earned two points for GB and I. He is joined by fellow Irishmen Gary Hurley, who finished joint runner-up in the 2014 European Amateur Championship, and Paul Dunne, who came through Final Qualifying to play in last year’s Open at Royal Liverpool.
Double European Amateur champion Ashley Chesters, Adam Chapman, who won the South of England Open Amateur Championship last year, and Sam Horsfield, who recently successfully defended his New Year’s Invitational title in Florida, are among the English players in the squad.
David Boote, who enjoyed a top ten finish in last year’s European Amateur Championship, is the sole Welshman included.

The GB and I squad:
Tomasz Anderson (Brocket Hall)
Gary Hurley (West Waterford)
David Boote (Walton Heath)     
Nick Marsh (Huddersfield)
Daniel Brown (Bedale)     
Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock (Barassie))
Adam Chapman (Windermere)     
Gavin Moynihan (The Island)
Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park)     
Jimmy Mullen (Royal North Devon)
Paul Dunne (Greystones) 
Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie)
Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie)
Sam Horsfield (Davenport, USA) 
Jamie Savage (Cawder)
Paul Howard (Southport and Ainsdale)     
Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass)
Jack Hume (Naas)     
Ben Stow (Rushmore)

The final ten-man GB and I team will be announced in August.

Tickets for the 2015 Walker Cup match will go on sale at the beginning of May.

No Brits in Aussie amateur quarter-finals
There are no British players in the quarter-finals of the Australian men's amateur championship at The Australian Golf Club, Sydney following the exits today of Paul Howard (Southport and Ainsdale) and Richard Wale (Leicestershire).
Howard was beaten one hole by New Zealander Tae Koh in the morning second round (last 32) while Wale went out by 4 and 2 in the third round (last 16) to another Kiwi, Tyler Hodge. 

Australian men's amateur match-play results: 

 SECOND ROUND (last 32)
 T Koh (NZ) bt Paul Howard (Southport and Ainsdale) 1 hole.
 Richard Wale (Leicestershire) bt Douglas Klein (Quensland 1 hole.


 THIRD ROUND (last 16) 

CHISNALL, R (NZL) v PETERSEN, B (NSW):  RESULT: Petersen 1 hole.
 
RUFFELS, R (Vic) v WARREN, J (NSW): 
RESULT: Warren 1 hole.
 
SULLIVAN, J (Qld) v ECCLES, B (Vic):  
RESULT: Sullivan 2 holes.
 
DAVIS, C (NSW) v McLEOD, J (Qld):  
RESULT: Davis 1 hole.
 
CONNERS, C (CAN) v KOH, T (NZL):  
RESULT: Conners 2 holes.
 
COLLYER, B (Vic) v YUAN, K (NSW):  
RESULT: Yuan 7 and 5.
 
WALE, R (Leicestershire) v HODGE, Y (NZL):  
RESULT: Hodge 4 and 2.
 
KATAOKA, N (JPN) v GULASEKHARAM, J (NZL): RESULT: Gulasekharam 2 and 1.
 

Ironman Warren edges Ruffels as seeds tumble

23 January 2015

by Mark Hayes

Home-club hero Justin Warren joined the giant killers’ list today as the big names just keep on falling at the Australian Amateur Championship. Read more