FICHARDT WINS ABU DHABI INVITATIONAL

NEWS RELEASE 
South African Darren Fichardt produced a classy display in blustery conditions to win the 2015 Abu Dhabi Invitational at Yas Links today.
The 2003 Qatar Masters winner was in top form as he rattled off nine birdies on his way to an 8 under 64, which was good enough to win the individual professional section of the event by a stroke from Thongchai Jaidee, Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Ross McGowan.
“It’s been a fantastic day, great company. It’s an unbelievable event on a great golf course,” said the South African, a four-time winner on The European Tour, who won US$100,000m, US $50,000 of which will be distributed to charity through the Tournament Players Foundation.
“When I initially got asked to play this event I thought, ‘It’s just a Pro-Am’ but I must say from the moment we arrived the people have been unbelievably hospitable and accommodating.
"They’ve put us up in a fantastic hotel, the Yas Viceroy, and we got brought to the course in a Bentley! It’s been really fantastic and the course is in wonderful condition.”
The 39 year old was delighted to show some good form having endured a frustrating time at the Qatar Masters last week. Starting on the 10th hole, he reached the turn at 2 under before a scintillating performance saw him play the front nine in just 30 blows with six birdies and no dropped shots.
“This gives me a huge boost to the confidence,” said Fichardt who came close to making aces on both the eighth and the 17th, which would have won him a Bentley Continental GT Speed and a Sunseeker Manhattan 63 luxury yacht respectively. 
“Yesterday in Qatar I shot level par in the final round and made one birdie and one bogey. It was a mess and left a bitter taste in my mouth. So coming here and shooting 8 under to win this beautiful event, it’s definitely done a lot for my confidence.”
Meanwhile World No.1 Rory McIlroy, predictably, drew the biggest crowds of the day playing alongside Dad Gerry, Stephen Gallacher, and tournament co-host Mohammed Farooq, as the Northern Irishman finished in a share of 25th place with a 2 under 70.
“It was an enjoyable day, and it was nice to play 18 holes,” said McIlroy who had a mixed bag of a round with five birdies and three bogeys. “I haven’t actually played 18 holes since Abu Dhabi so it was nice to get back on the course.
“I’ve played this course before and it’s great. I think they’ve done a really good job in making a links course in the middle of the desert.
“It’s great for the amateurs, getting to play with us in events like this. There are a lot of guys we know already from the Pro-Am circuit so it’s good to catch up with them. You always enjoy it more when you play with people you know and you can have a laugh.
“You’re always trying to play well and shoot the best score you can but you’re trying to have a bit of fun out there at the same time – especially playing out there with my dad, and Mohammed who’s become a pretty good friend over the past couple of years.”
McIlroy also came close to a hole in one on the 17th, knocking a six iron that came to a stop just two inches right of the hole.
“I was nearly there,” he smiled. “That would have been nice, to go way with a little yacht for my troubles!”
In the team section of the event it was the pairing of Thongchai Jaidee and Argentinean football legend Gabriel Batistuta who came out on top after a wonderful combined performance that saw them shoot 11 under 61 to win by one from Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Dino Varkey.
 
The Abu Dhabi Invitational is supported by Host Partner, Abu Dhabi Sports Council; Founders, Al Naboodah and Farooq Investments; Premium Partners Bentley, Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group, GEMS Education, International Petroleum Investment Company; Official Partners Luke Sport, Yas Links, Invest Africa, Hublot, Yas Viceroy; Support Partners San Pellegrino, Roberto Coin, Links Insurance Brokers, Golf Gamebook and Titleist; Media Partners Sport 360, Worldwide Golf, Golfing World and Event Partners IMG and The European Tour.

About the Abu Dhabi Invitational:
The ABU DHABI INVITATIONAL Founded in 2007 was contested by 58 European Tour professionals, each partnering an amateur guest from the world of elite business and entertainment in a Pro-Am Golf Tournament at Yas Links Golf.

The Professionals played for a prize fund of US$500,000 of which US$125,000 will be donated to charity by the top 4 professionals (donated to the charities of their choice). The Abu Dhabi Invitational has raised and donated over $1.2m to many charities in the UAE and around the world. Our target for 2015 is to raise $500,000 and continue to make a difference.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL SCORES, PRIZEMONEY
Par 72 Prizemoney in USA dollars
1 Darren FICHARDT RSA 64  $50,000
T2 Thongchai JAIDEE THA 65  $25,000
T2 Rafa CABRERA-BELLO ESP 65  $25,000
T2 Ross McGOWAN ENG 65 $25,000
5 Peter LAWRIE IRL 66 $15,000
T6 Tom LEWIS ENG 67  $9,000
T6 Shiv KAPUR IND 67  $9,000
T6 Renato PARATORE ITA 67  $9,000
T6 Thomas PIETERS BEL 67  $9,000
T10 Michael HOEY NIR 68 $4,200
T10 Richard GREEN AUS 68  $4,200
T10 Oliver WILSON ENG 68  $4,200
T10 David HOWELL ENG 68  $4,200
T10 Brett RUMFORD AUS 68  $4,200
T15 Andy SULLIVAN ENG 69  4,000
T15 Seve BENSON ENG 69 4,000
T15 Matthew NIXON ENG 69  4,000
T15 Ricardo GONZALEZ ARG 69  4,000
T15 David HORSEY ENG 69  4,000
T15 David LIPSKY USA 69  4,000
T15 Thomas AIKEN RSA 69  4,000
T15 Bernd WIESBERGER AUT 69  4,000
T15 Simon DYSON ENG 69 4,000
T15 Wade ORMSBY AUS 69  4,000
T25 Rory MCILROY NIR 70  4,000
T25 Oliver FISHER ENG 70 4,000
T25 Romain WATTEL FRA 70 4,000
T25 Peter STOJANOVSKI AUS 70 4,000
T29 Johan CARLSSON SWE 71  4,000
T29 Matthew BALDWIN ENG 71  4,000
T29 Peter UIHLEIN USA 71 4,000
T29 Steve WEBSTER ENG 71 4,000
T29 Dawie VAN DER WALT RSA 71  4,000
T29 Robert ROCK ENG 71 4,000
T29 Scott HEND AUS 71  4,000
T29 Jeev Milkha SINGH IND 71  4,000
T29 Marco CRESPI ITA 71  4,000
T29 George COETZEE RSA 71  4,000
T29 Lee SLATTERY ENG 71  4,000
T40 Paul WARING ENG 72  4,000
T40 Tommy FLEETWOOD ENG 72  4,000
T40 Matteo MANASSERO ITA 72  4,000
T40 Edoardo MOLINARI ITA 72  4,000
T40 Pablo LARRAZÁBAL ESP 72 4,000
T40 Magnus A CARLSSON SWE 72 4,000
T40 Branden GRACE RSA 72  4,000
T47 Miss Amy BOULDEN WA 73  4,000
T47 Mark FOSTER ENG 73 4,000
T47 Felipe AGUILAR CHI 73  4,000
T47 Emiliano GRILLO ARG 73  4,000
T51 Chris DOAK SCO 74  4,000
T51 Richard FINCH ENG 74  4,000
T51 Matthew FITZPATRICK ENG 74  4,000
T51 Richie RAMSAY SCO 74 4,000
55 Jorge CAMPILLO ESP 75  4,000

LIGHTNING FORCES ABANDONMENT OF FINAL 

ROUND IN S AFRICA, EWEN FERGUSON PLACED 6th

Bearsden's Ewen Ferguson finished sixth in the Gauteng North Open stroke-play championship at Pretoria Country Club, South Africa after lightning forced the abandonment of the fourth round with the Scot having only two holes left to play.
The third-round aggregates became the final totals and Ferguson, who was in the mix with a pair of 70s,  totalled level-par 216 after slipping to a four-over-par 76 in the third round on Sunday morning. 
The Bearsden player had two double-bogey 5s at the short 14th and 16th.

He finished 10 shots behind the winner, South African Theunis Bezuidenhourt who shot a third-round 67 for 10-under 206 to win the title by five shots.

Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Co) (74) and Connor Syme (Drumoig) (77) shared 12th place on 220.

Craig Ross's third-round 73 left him joint 23rd on 223.

The only other Scot to survive the halfway cut was Scott Gibson but the Southerness man slumped to a third-round 78 with double bogey 6s at the first and third and a double bogey 7 at the long sixth in an outward half of 42.

GAUTENG NORTH OPEN STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Pretoria Country Club, South Africa.

FINAL TOTALS

Tournament cut to 54 holes because of lightning near

finish of fourth round.

par 216 (3x72). players from South Africa unless stated otherwise

206 Theunis Bezuidenhout 67 72 67

211 Jovan Rebola 72 69 70

213 Kyle McClatchie 69 76 68, James du Preez 70 72 71

215 Teaghan Gauche 68 72 75

216 Ewen Ferguson (Sco) 70 70 76

OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS

220 Greig Marchbank 75 71 74, Connor Syme 72 71 77 (T12)

223 Craig Ross 77 73 73(T22)

226 Scott Gibson 73 75 78 (T27)

MISSED THE CUT (154 and better qualified)

156 Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) 80 76.

159 Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) 82 77.

FOURTH ROUND TOTALS THAT WERE
COMPLETED BUT DIDN'T COUNT
291 Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Co) 75 71 74 71
295 Connor Syme (Drumoig) 72 71 77 75
301 Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 77 73 73 78
303 Scott Gibson (Southerness) 73 75 78 77 (T31)
+Ewen Ferguson had the 17th and 18th holes to play when the lightning storm caused the tournament to be abandoned and the
results declared on the 54-hole aggregates.

MONTY IN THE MIX ON US SENIORS TOUR

Colin Montgomerie is lying joint fourth with one round to go in the US Champions Tour's Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Hawaii.
The Scot has had rounds of 70 and 66 for 136 to be three behind joint leaders, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spai) 69-64 and American Rocco Mediate 66 67.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
133 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 69 64, Rocco Mediate (USA) 66 67
135 Olin Browne (USA) 68 67
136 Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) 70 66, Mark O'Meara (USA) 69 67, Fred Couples (USA) 72 64

SELECTED SCORE
137 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 72 65 (T7) 

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

  CAMERON DAVIS WINS AUSSIE TITLE AT 37th
FROM GOLF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE
What a difference a year has made for Cameron Davis – the new men’s Australian Amateur champion.
Davis, 19, won an epic match-play final on the 37^th hole against New Zealand Tyler Hodge at The Australian Golf Club, Sydney today with a birdie on the first extra hole to seal the biggest crown of his burgeoning career.
It was the second win of the day for both the Golf Australia national squad and Golf New South Wales after fellow Sydneysider Shelly Shin earlier won the women’s title.
Davis admitted afterwards that he was exhausted from a long and sapping week, but said it was all worthwhile.
“I wanted to play less (matchplay holes) than what I’ve done, but it doesn’t matter what hole you finish on if you win. It feels good,” he beamed after match that featured 11 birdies and some incredible escape shots, particularly by Hodge.
“A good mindset for matchplay is to expect anything, so I was expecting him to hole long putts and things, so when he did do a crazy shot, I didn’t let it affect me,” Davis said.
“I knew if I stuck to my game plan, kept hitting the shots I was hitting I’d make birdies and keep myself in there.”
In an extra hole that almost summed up the gripping match, both players found the fairway bunker with tee shots on the par-5 first, but the match looked headed for a result when Hodge miscued a hybrid into the trees on the left.
A couple of feisty cockatoos did their best to distract the Kiwi as he played his recovery shot through the trees to again find trouble.
When Davis all but holed his approach shot, a miraculous hole-out was required to extend the match.
As he had done so superbly all day, the left-handed Hodge made a remarkable attempt only to see the ball run past and leave Davis victorious.
It’s a far cry from the gentle giant who was knocked out at the quarter-final stage of the national championship last year who left confident he had the game to compete in the United States in the northern summer.
But after Davis endured a string of underwhelming American results, Golf Australia high performance director Brad James said it was a testament to the drive and determination of the Monash Country Club member that he returned a different man.
“Last year was a great learning experience for Cam – his trip to the US helped him rededicate himself and approach his game with a different dedication level,” James said.
“He has come back with a whole different perspective on what work is. He hits the gym and has worked with 100 per cent effort on the process of making himself a better player for the long term.
“You can see that by the fact he was runner-up in the strokeplay section this week, then going on to be so consistent in the matchplay, too.
“It showed the class of player who can compete in both formats because there’s nowhere for him to hide out there.
“It’s a great tribute to him, but for both him and Shelly, it’s a huge achievement by Golf New South Wales to have both winners.
“Golf NSW national coach Dean Kinney has been absolutely brilliant with these guys and it’s a great tribute to them.”
The vastly improved Davis recently won the Victorian Amateur Championship and set a course record-equalling 63 on Royal Melbourne’s West Course during the Australian Master of the Amateurs earlier this month.
Earlier, Hodge made a flying start in the oppressively hot conditions.
Hoping to become the second consecutive New Zealander to win the title after Tae Koh last year, Hodge started with two birdies to go 2-up.
Holes were then halved until the ninth, when Hodge displayed the sublime short game that would be a feature of his day.
Davis would have been pleased with his bogey after finding both the fairway bunker and the water hazard, but Hodge played a wonderful chip shot from the back bunker to make par and snare the momentum, 3-up at the turn.
The Kiwi then played arguably the shot of the tournament on the uphill par-4 13th hole after his drive clipped the trees on the right and left an awkward long approach.
With Davis safely in the fairway, Hodge went for broke and took a line few spectators even considered an option. 
Facing a downhill lie, he struck a hybrid through and over then over trees to carry the greenside bunker and find the green. The two-putt par matched Davis’ more conventional one, and must have left the Australian wondering when he would win a hole.
Davis was left shaking his head again on the following hole when his ball moved as he removed a stick in the rough. Forced to replace it with a one-stroke penalty, he wasn’t able to match Hodge’s par and went 4-down.
But Davis eventually won his first hole after playing the better of the two pitch shots from the back of the par-3 15th green.
His surge back into the match was complete when Davis played a spectacular wedge into the breeze on the 18^th hole to within centimetres from 110m for a conceded birdie that meant Davis had won the four holes on the trot to square the match.
Both players led at times throughout the second 18, but never by more than one hole and it was fitting that extra time was needed to separate the pair.
Scores: http://www.golf.org.au/australian-amateur

WALKER JUST OUTSIDE TOP 20 IN PERU

Scots Euan Walker and Calum Hill were lying joint 21st and 45th in a field of 70 players with one round to go in the South American men's amateur golf championship at Lima, Peru.

Walker, pictured, a member at Kilmarnock Barassie and a student at the University of Missouri, has had scores of 72, 73 and 74 for three-over 219 - 13 shots behind the American leader, Scott Harvey.

He had two birdies but four bogeys in his fourth round.

Tantallon member Hill, a student at the University of Louisiana-Monro, has scored 80, 72 and 74 for 226. He had three birdies and five bogeys.

Leading British players are Jack Davidson from Wales and England's Ashley Chesters in joint fifth place on 211.

SOUTH AMERICAN MEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Lima, Peru

LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES

Par 216 (3x72)

206 Scott Harvey (USA) 66 70 70

207 Matias Simaski (Arg) 71 68 68

208 Andres Schonbaum (Arg) 73 66 69.

SELECTED SCORES

211 Jack Davidson (Wal) 70 69 72, Ashley Chesters (Eng) 74 68 69 (T5).

216 Chris Selfridge (Ire) 73 71 72 (T14)

219 Euan Walker (Sco) 72 73 74 (T21)

220 Owen Edwards (Wal) 80 72 68(T27)

226 Calum Hill (Sco) 80 72 74 (T48)

227 Lee Jones (Wal) 78 73 76 (T47)

229 Michael Saunders (Eng) 75 77 77 (T51)

230 Evan Griffith (Wal) 71 80 79 (T54)

Disqualified: Luke Johnson (Eng)

Field of 70 players

MARTIN LAIRD SHARING NINTH PLACE

Martin Laird is in the top 10 as the US PGA Tour's Humana Challenge goes into Sunday's fourth round at La Quinta, California.
The Scot (pictured below) has had scores of 68, 66 and 68 for a 54-hole tally of 202 and joint ninth place - three shots behind the quartet sharing the lead, Americans Erik Compton, Bill Haas, Justin Thomas and Michael Putnam.

Russell Knox missed the cut by three shots with rounds of 69,70 and 72 for 211.
Englishman Brian Davis is T24 on 204.
Brits who are now on the sidelines alongside Knox include, Paul Casey (209), Luke Donald (214) and Greg Owen (225).

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Three different courses used. Par 216 (3x72)
Players from USA unless stated
199 Erik Compton 66 66 67, Bill Haas 67 63 69, Justin Thomas 68 63 68, Michael Putnam 63 67 69.
SELECTED SCORES
200 Matt Kuchar 65 64 71 (T5)
202 Martin Laird (Scotland) 68 66 68 (T9)
204 Brian Davis (England) 67  69 68 (T24)

MISSED THE CUT (208 and better qualified)
209 Paul Casey (England) 70 69 70
211 Russell Knox (Scotland) 69 70 72
214 Luke Donald (England) 75 69 70
225 Greg Owen (England) 74 74 77 

To view all the scores

CLICK HERE 

CBS SPORTS.COM SUMMARY
 
KUCHAR'S LATE BOGEYS LEAVE DOOR OPEN
 
LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Matt Kuchar stumbled late in the third round of the Humana Challenge, handing the lead to Erik Compton, Bill Haas, Justin Thomas and Michael Putnam.
Two strokes ahead after a birdie on the par-5 14th, Kuchar bogeyed three of the final four holes Saturday for a 1-under 71 on PGA West's Arnold Palmer Private Course.
"It's too bad, but it's what happened," Kuchar said. "I still got one more day left to try to make some birdies and still pull this thing out."
Two-time heart transplant recipient Compton shot a 67 on the Jack Nicklaus Private Course to join Haas, Thomas and Putnam at 17-under 199. Haas, the 2010 winner, had a 69 on the Nicklaus layout. Thomas shot 68 on the Palmer course, and Putnam had a 69 at La Quinta Country Club.
Kuchar was a stroke back along with Ryan Palmer, Scott Pinckney and Steve Wheatcroft.
The highest-ranked player in the field at No. 11, Kuchar lost a shot on the par-3 15th when he drove to the right, sent his second to the back edge and missed a 14-footer.
"Just nearly an impossible up-and-down if you miss the green right," Kuchar said.
Kuchar bogeyed the par-3 17th after his tee shot went right, bounced sideways off the rocks at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains and raced across the green into the All-American Canal.
"With a pitching wedge, you're looking to hit a good shot," Kuchar said. "Unfortunately, I let it hang too much and it caught a rock and went in the water."
The seven-time tour winner closed with another rocky bogey, ending his birdie-eagle string on the par 5s. On the first 12 pars 5 of the week, he had an eagle and 11 birdies.
On 18, his 235-yard approach sailed long and left into the rocks and water. After his ball rolled away on a penalty drop, he placed it deep in the dormant grass, blasted out to 8 feet and two-putted.
"I hit a great drive and was in between a 3- and 4-hybrid," Kuchar said. "I went with a 3-hybrid, trying to get it back to the hole and hit a solid shot that just didn't fade."
Compton birdied three of his last five holes in breezy, warm conditions.
"I had a couple shots that were loose on the drives, but I salvaged the round," Compton said. "Tomorrow's a new day."
On the final day of the pro-am competition, Compton played in a group with amputee Chad Pfeifer and Baltimore Orioles pitcher Bud Norris. Pfeifer lost his left leg in Iraq.
"On the third hole, he said, `Hey, listen, you know, you really inspired me learning about your story,'" Compton said. "And I'm kind of speechless, because I see him with a huge adversity that he's gone through and it speaks volumes."
Haas is making his first start since November. He took the long break to rest his left wrist, injured when he fell down stairs at Hilton Head.
"So far, something to build on, but I also know in the back of my head I don't think I'm a hundred percent," Haas said. "So, I'll go on the range and work on it. I just got to stay in the moment and try not to hit too many foul balls tomorrow."
Thomas birdied two of the last three holes. The 21-year-old former Alabama player hit a 91-yard shot to a foot for birdie on the par- 4 16th and two-putted for birdie on the 18.
"I'm pleased where I'm at going into tomorrow," Thomas said.
Palmer followed his 61 on Friday on the Nicklaus course with a 68 on the Palmer layout. Wheatcroft had a 68 on the Nicklaus course, and Pinckney shot 69 in the Palmer.
Defending champion Patrick Reed, paired with Kuchar, was tied for ninth at 14 under after a 67. He's coming off a playoff victory two weeks ago in Hawaii in the Tournament of Champions.
Phil Mickelson was 11 under in his first start since the Ryder Cup in September. He had eight birdies and four bogeys in a 68 on the Palmer course.
"It was a day that could have been really low," Mickelson said. "It had a lot of potential and I ended up making too many bogeys and letting some birdie opportunities slide."
The 44-year-old Mickelson won the event in 2002 and 2004.