Joel and Ben are front-runners in NE Alliance Merit tables

Joel Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen) leads the North-east Golfers' Alliance Scratch Order of Merit after winning today's fixture at Fraserburgh. He is 42pt clear of Peterculter's Jim Scott, both having played in 15 competitions during the 2014-2015 season.
Ben Lumsden (Northern) leads the Handicap Order of Merit ahead of Hamish McNaughton (Cruden Bay).
These tables will be updated and displayed after every week's competition.
The Scratch Order of Merit is being sponsored by the Brimond Bistro, the restaurant which is open to non-members within the Craibstone Golf Club clubhouse whether you want just a cup of tea and scone or a tasty lunch.

The top three in the Scratch Order of Merit at the end of the championship meeting at Craibstone will receive £120, £75 and £50, either in cash or vouchers if they happen to be amateurs.

The Handicap Order of Merit is being sponsored by teaching pro Willie McKenzie, pictured left. He is putting up £100.



 

 HOW THEY STAND IN NORTH-EAST
ALLIANCE ORDERS OF MERIT
+corrected on January 29 SCRATCH - LEADING 50
1 Joel Hopwood 1114pt, played in 15 competitions
2 John Duff 1097 14
3 Andrew Campbell 1005 14
4 David Leslie 923 14
5 Stewart Finnie 914 13
6 Alistair Graham 781 14
7 Jim Duncan 763 13
8 Kimberley Beveridge 737 14
9 Lee Vannet 734 10
10 Charlie Cassie 732 14
11 Keil Beveridge 728 11
12 Tony Robertson 720 11
13 David Fleming 714 12
14 Fergus Bisset 688 10
15 Billy Fyfe 683 10
16 Kevin Duncan 676 9
17 David Mackay 675 14
18 John Borthwick 667 12
19 Jim Scott 654 15
20 Harry Roulston 638 13
21 Gary Esson 618 9
22 Chris Law 591 8
23 Gordon Milne 587 12
24 \Nick Macandrew 577 7
25 John Nicolson 576 8
26 David Nelson 569 13
27 Gary Craig 551 9
28 Jim Emslie 547 7
29 Les Fowler 539 11
30 Cameron Grant 534 8
30 Paul Lawrie 534 6
32 Albert Smith 521 8
33 Brian Nicolson 520 7
34 Patrick McKenna 513 8
35 Robbie Stewart 509 8
36 Alan Gall 507 9
37 Steve Lawrie 502 9
38 David McKay 500 11
39 David Law 499 6
40 Willie Shaw 485 11
41 Kamran Zeynalov 478 8
42 Craig Lawrie 474 6
43 Sam Kiloh 465 6
44 Colin Nelson 460 6
45 Craig Carnegie 454 7
46 Mike Duncan 451 9
47 Richie Davidson 447 10
48 Brian Harper 434 9
49 David Lane 422 11
50 Willie Skene 422 10
HANDICAP - LEADING 50
1 Ben Lumsden 704pt, played 17 competitions
2 Hamish McNaughton 620 14
3 Leslie Roger 588 15
4 Mike Winton 478 13
5 Gary Homer 441 11
6 Jim Murray 437 13
7 Derek Craigie 399 9
8 Robert Masson 381 11
9 Allan Benton 368 12
9 Bob Skene 368 11
9 Graham Allan 368 9
12 Peter Walker 337 9
13 Michael Rendall 336 12
14 Stephen Dillon 332 12
15 Mike Smith 321 11
16 P Low 287 8
17 Raymond Brown 286 12
18 Dick Wright 274 9
19 Robbie Duncan 268 9
20 Donald Lawrie 262 10
21 Graham Mackie 256 8
22 Mike Booth 246 9
23 Lenny Duncan 230 8
24 S Davidson 227 8
25 Alistair Clark 219 8
26 Derek Townsley 211 6
27 Norman Stewart 187 7
27 John Sunlie 187 4
29 Charlie Tawse 186 4
30 Gibbie McDonald 177 10
31 Grant Leslie 175 5
32 Nigel Parker 155 4
33 W Beattie 154 6
34 John Jessamine 149 5
35 Stuart Thomson 146 5
36 Neish Chisholm 139 4
37 Mike Rogers 125 4
38 Paul Cornfield 121 3
39 M Murray 111 4
40 Derek Randall 103 3
41 John Hosie 101 3
42 G Thom 96 2
43 Mike Brown 89 5
44 J Smith 76 3
45 I.D. Smith 73 2
46 Ian Grant 55 2
47 Graeme Moir 48 1
48 Scott Melvin 40 1
49 Doug McMillan 29 1
50 A Hedley 22 2
 

JOEL HOPWOOD BATTLES BROCH WIND

TO WIN NE ALLIANCE WITH 73 (three over)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Joel Hopwood, pictured, on the professional staff at Royal Aberdeen, had just about everything on his three-over-par 73 scorecard as he gave a battling performance at windswept Fraserburgh to score a second win on the North-east Golfers' Alliance this season (he shared first place with Greig Hutcheon at Cruden Bay on November 5).

Hopwood had an eagle 3 downwind at the sixth and birdies at the first, seventh, eighth and 10th in halves of 35 (level par) and 38 (three over)
But he was also blown astray to run up a triple bogey 7 at the ninth. Hopwood also had six bogeys, four of them over the last eight holes by which time the wind was almost gale-force.
The Balgownie man headed a field of only 50 - the bad-weather forecast persuaded many entrants to stay at home - by one stroke from former professonal, Tony Robertson, now an amateur member of Peterculter Golf Club. He had three birdies in halves of 35-39.

Two more amateurs, John Duff (Newmachar) and David Leslie (Northern) shared third place on 75, both with halves of 36-39.

It was a day for the Jolly Rogers!

Zander Roger from Fraserburgh won the Handicap Class 1 with a net 72 off eight (with a better inward half than Oldmeldrum's P Morrison, playing off five.

And Leslie Roger (Royal Aberdeen) headed the Class 2 returns with a 71 off 10.

SCRATCH SCORES
Par 70
73 J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen)
74 T Robertson (Peterculter)
75 J Duff (Newmachar), D Leslie (Northern)
77 P Morrison (Oldmeldrum), A Campbell (Murcar Links)
78 A Smith (Turriff), A Gall (Deeside), D Buchan (Kemnay).
79 R McConnachie (Peterculter), K Beveridge (Kippie Lodge)
80 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), A Roger (Fraserburgh), G Milne (Newburgh), J Borthwick (Craibstone)
81 L Roger (Royal Aberdeen), D Mackay (Hazlehead), S Shand (Kemnay), S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen)
82 G Leslie (Newburgh), D Fleming (Portlethen)
83 B Lumsden (Northern), J Scott (Peterculter), F Bisset (Banchory)
84 K McGillivary (Craibstone), Miss K Beveridge (Aboyne), W Shaw (Banchory), D McKay (Caledonian)
85 A Graham (Aboyne)
86 B Harper (Newburgh)
87 M Smith (Newmachar), D Nelson (Aboyne).
88 R Masson (Auchmill) 
89 M Winton (Caledonian), J Murray (Banchory)
90 M Rendall (Stonehaven), N K Parker (Murcar Links)
94 M Brown (Kemnay), D Wright (Northern), B Skene (Peterculter).
95 A Benton (Kemnay), S Dillon (Kemnay)
96 R Brown (Kemnay)
HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - A Roger (8) bih, P Morrison (5) 72; C Cassie (7) bih, S Shand (8) 73; A Gall (4) 74 bih.
Class 2 - L Roger (10) 71; G Leslie (10) 72; M Smith (14) bih , B Lumsden (Northern) 73; M Brown (18) 76.

Jim Hardie's Email from New Zealand

The Cramond/Hardie golf tour rolls on in the blistering South Island heat, the latest as the photo shows, against the much travelled Peter Smith (first left in picture), and scratch partner Scott Ritchie (second from right). John Cramond is second from left and Jim Hardie on extreme right.
To say it was no quarter asked or given would sum up the duel at Cromwell golf course, a testing par 72 and the game played off the back tees in 33 degrees, thankfully with a breeze !
Game started with a birdie 4 from yours truly, immediately countered with a birdie 3 at second from Scott who then birdies the next two. 
 I respond with birdie 2 at long par 3 a bit of a beast at 212 metres, then I also birdie the next to  square the match. Then Cram gets in the act with a birdie 3 for us to go one up, only till the next where Peter stiffs his approach
With the opposition in all sorts of bunker trouble, Cram and look certain to go one up after 9, only for Scott to chip in from 30 yards range for a half in par
Back nine was similar, halves in birdies, till the most basic error by not only a pro, but his scratch partner. The BOTH played each other's ball, and did not notice until after holing out! Cram and Hardie one up again.
 Next hole Peter holes a raker for birdie, all square, which carries on to the 16th, a monster par 4 over 450 yards. Cram chips in from an impossible place fpr us to regain the lead.
Not to be outdone, Scott birdies the par 3 17th, and it's all square again.
The last hole at Cromwell is a huge par 4 and in the heat after some long tee shots, yours truly had the chance with a six-footer to win the day, but missed, and all square was just about correct for the final outcome.
Lost count of better-ball score but in region of 10 under !
Last week in Christchurch the mighty Sir Bob and partner Geoff Saunders, a three-handicapper, simply put Cram and me to the sword.
Sir Bob was simply unbelievable, a 69 round his home course at Clearwater. Cram and I lost 6 and. Ouch!
Weather has been amazing, with John wishing he could stay longer in New Zealand !
On another point, Peter Smith will be leaving Cromwell late February to take up the post of Director of Golf at Millbrook, one of the top golf jobs in the South Island, if not indeed New Zealand !
Regards to all
Jim Hardie

McIlroy won't settle for less than a win

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Rory McIlroy insists anything less than victory will qualify as a disappointment when the Ulsterman returns to the scene of his maiden European Tour win at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The World Number One registered his first triumph in this event in 2009, and has since gone on to add four Major Championships in his rise to the pinnacle of the game.
McIlroy's last six starts on The European Tour read first-first-first-second-second-second, but with the last of those victories coming five months ago at the US PGA Championship, McIlroy is keen to end his runner-up streak this week.
To do so, he will have to overcome a star-studded field which includes the man just behind him in second place in the Official World Golf Ranking, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, as well as the reigning US Open Champion Martin Kaymer, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell.
All players will wear black ribbons on the opening day of the tournament as a mark of respect to the late Ashok Bakshi, a founding Member and Past Captain of the Emirates Golf Club, who suffered a cardiac arrest while warming up for Wednesday’s pro-am on the driving range at the Emirates Golf Club.
The European Tour, in conjunction with tournament promoter golf in DUBAi and the Emirates Golf Club, took the decision to cancel the pro-am and close the golf course, as well as all golfing facilities at the Emirates Golf Club on Wednesday afternoon, as a mark of respect to Mr Bakshi, who was a hugely popular figure throughout the golfing community in Dubai.
Player quotes:

Rory McIlroy – “I’d be disappointed if I don't win, to be honest. But I think everyone should feel that way, I don't think that's just me. You come here to try to win events, you're not here to try to finish in the top five.
“Sometimes you walk away from a week and you're satisfied with the top five because you haven't played that well, so you've got the best out of the week, even if you're still disappointed that you couldn't perform better. So I guess that's a benchmark, you're trying to go in there and win every event you do play.
“I'd definitely like to break the runners up duck the right way rather than the wrong way. We'll see, but I'm comfortable on this golf course and I have good memories here. I seem to play the course very well, so hopefully I can continue to do that this week.”

Graeme McDowell – “It’s my first start of the year, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s just a great place to come and start the season. I guess my thinking was that there would be sunshine and a perfect golf course and I've been certainly rewarded with both this week.
“The golf course is in phenomenal condition, and I’m looking forward to the year. I'm feeling fresh and things are certainly good in my life off the golf course, which I feel is giving me the mental space and mental energy to remotivate and refocus on my game and certainly concentrate on the next four or five years ahead and try to be the best I can be.
“I'm excited about it. I've got a great schedule this year, very similar to last year. Every tournament is very, very important to me. This one's certainly no different, and I'm here to compete and to do the job if I can.”


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Rain hits New South Wales men's and women's events

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 Rain has had a significant impact on play in today's first round of the New South Wales international men's and women's amateur championships. 

At Killara, the women's stroke-play competitors managed to complete nine holes while the men failed to commence play at all.  At Monash, play was suspended with the first groups having played six holes only.

 The stroke play component of the tournament will now be 36 holes only.

 

North-east Alliance tee times for next Wednesday

Montrose Links
8-15 C Cassie, G Leslie, B Harper, R Masson
8-23 A Smith, A Campbell, C Campbell, G Esson
8-31
8-39 H Roulston, M Rendall, L Roger, P Morrison
8-47
8-55

9-03
9-11 A Benton, S Davidson, R Brown, M Brown
9-19 J Duff, M Winton, S Thompson, S Dillon
9-27 C Nelson, J Forrest, N Stewart, S Shand
9-35 W Beattie, L Duncan, K McGillivary, D Mackay
9-43 B. Skene J. Scott
9-51 T. Robertson D. Wright B. Lumsden G. McDonald
9-59 A. Gall L. Vannet I. Clark D. Fleming

10-07
10-15
10-23
10-31 J. Hopwood, Miss K. Beveridge, K. Beveridge, Miss L Murray
10-39 D. Lain G. Thom D. Townsley G. Thom
10-47 G. Homer D. Leslie W. Shaw H. McNaughton
10-55 S. Allisson R. Davidson G. Mackie

11-03 J. Duncan G. Milne A. Graham D. Nelson
11-11 J Borthwick, N K Parker
11-19 J. Murray F. Bisset D. Bisset
11-27 J. Nicolson B. Nicolson S. Mackie G. Allan
11-35 S. Finnie M. Booth D. McKay C. Duffus
11-43
11-51
11-59

PGA in Scotland Winter 4-ball tee times for Craigielaw

February 2

  1   8:40 AM   Michael McAllan
                Brian Mason
                Patrick Walker
                Calum Lawson

  1   8:50 AM   Ross Dixon
                Jamie Fraser
                Mark Loftus
                Simon Payne

  1   9:00 AM   Neil Fenwick
                Iain Colquhoun
                Graham Fox
                Paul McKechnie

  1   9:10 AM   Andrew Oldcorn
                David Russell
                Paul Wardell
                Fraser Mann

  1   9:20 AM   Christopher Billows
                Matthew Galley
                Paul Brookes
                Paul Wytrazek

  1   9:30 AM   Ian Anderson
                Samuel Cairns
                Gary Lister
                Stephen Gray

  1   9:40 AM   Craig Everett
                Stewart Savage
                Keir McNicoll
                Jonathan Cliff

  1   9:50 AM   Alan White
                Ronan Rafferty
                Jonathan Porteous
                David Laing

Complete information is available at PGA in Scotland Tournament Information Page (TIP)