SCOTS RALLY TO DRAW LEVEL AT HALFWAY

Scotland and South Africa are deadlocked at 6pt apiece at the halfway stage of the two-day golfing Test Match for the Leopard Trophy at Leopard Creek Golf Club, Malelane, South Africa today (WED).
The Scottish Golf Union squad did very pull themselves up level again after losing the opening foursomes 3-1.  The fighting Scots won the afternoon singles 5-3.
The omens are good if this is an action replay of the 2014 match. It was also 6-6 after the first day before the Scots went on to win 14-10.
"Our boys were pretty downtrodden after the Foursomes, but they came back with vigour in the Singles," said SGU coach and former European Tour player, David Orr.
"The set-up in the morning session caught them out, but they stuck to their strategies and game plans in the Singles to turn the tide. They executed really well to put us back in the contest.
"We'll have a chat about the Foursomes this evening and decide on some strategies for the final round. The games are going to be really tight and we will see some great battles unfolding down the home stretch on Thursday."
Scotland's winners in the singles were Connor Syme, Craig Ross, Scott Gibson, Greig Marchbank and Jamie Savage. Ewen Ferguson and Danny Young halved their games.
In the morning, the only Scots winners were Ferguson and Ross who took only 10 holes to win the top foursomes.

Day 1 results
SCOTLAND 6, SOUTH AFRICA 6
Leopard Creek, Malelane, S Africa
Scottish names first
FOURSOMES (1-3)
Ewen Ferguson & Craig Ross bt Tristen Strydo and Paul Boshoff 9 and 8
Connor Syme and Ben Kinsley lost to Teaghan Gauche and Jason Smith 4 and 3
Greig Marchbank and Scott Gibson lost to Matthew Spacey and Hendrikus Stoop 2 and 1
Danny Young and Jamie Savage lost to Stefan Cronje and Gerlou Roux 6 and 5.

SINGLES (5-3)
Ferguson halved with Strydom
Syme bt Jason Smith 1 hole
Ross bt Paul Boshoff 2 and 1
Gibson bt Gauche 2 and 1
Kinsley lost to Spacey 2 and 1
Marchbank bt Hendrikus Stoop 2 and 1
Young halved with Gerlou Roux
Savage lost to Stefan Cronje 5 and 4

JOHN DUFF JUST KEEPS ON WINNING AS HE WAITS

FOR A SPONSOR TO ENABLE HIM TO TURN PRO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Newmachar amateur John Duff would turn professional tomorrow if he could find a sponsor. But while he is marking time waiting for a backer to come his way, John continues to show his class on the North-east Alliance circuit.

His victory with a gale-taming round of three-under-par 67 at the classic Spey Bay links was his third since last October.
Duff won by one stroke from a reinstated amateur, Tony Robertson (Peterculter) with Craibstone teaching pro Lee Vannet finishing third on par 70. 
Duff had bogeys at the third and 18th but the meat  in the sandwich was a bag of five birdies - at the fifth, sixth, 10th, 15th and 17th in halves of 34 (one under par) and 33 (two under). 
Robertson, one of the most consistent performers in recent weeks with the kind of form that eluded him in the pro ranks, had five birdies and three bogeys in halves of 35-33, while Vannet must have been in the lead after a flying start with birdies at the second, third and fifth.
But the supply of birdies dried up. He got only one more, at the 13th, but bogeys at the sixth, 11th, 14th and 18th in an inward 37 cost him
at least second place, possibly a victory to add to the back-to-back successes he enjoyed at the start of the year.
Still a par 70 in a wind as strong as it was on the Moray Firth coastline was a very good performance by the former European Tour player and past British boys champion from Carnoustie.
Whether they scored high or low, the consensus of opinion wss that the Ben Sayers-designed Spey Bay course is a classic Scottish links of the highest calibre and in excellent condition.
It is short by present-day standards but still a fine test of golf.

SCRATCH SCORES
Par 70

67 J Duff (Newmachar) 34-33
68 T Robertson (Peterculter) 35-33.
70 L Vannet (Craibstone) 33-37
71 K Zeynalov (Paul Lawrie GC) 33-38, C Brechin (Portlethen) 37-34
73 A Campbell (Murcar Links) 37-36, S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen) 40-33, B Main (Murcar Links) 39-34
74 K Beveridge (Kippie Lodge) 40-34
75 R McConnachie (Peterculter) 37-38, B Nicolson (Hazlehead) 41-34.
76 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) 38-38.
77 H Roulston (Stonehaven) 36-41, B Fyfe (Paul Lawrie GC) 38-39, D Leslie (Northern) 36-41, M Patterson (Cruden Bay) 37-40
78 F Bisset (Banchory) 41-37, J Duncan (Oldmeldrum) 34-39, R Stewart (Newburgh) 40-38.

79 B Robson (Newmachar) 39-40, L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) 42-37, J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen) 38-41.
80 K Duncan (Cruden Bay) 38-42, G Milne (Newburgh) 38-42, C Cassie (Nigg Bay) 38-42, K McGillivray (Craibstone) 41-39, D Fleming (Portlethen) 42-38.
81 S Kiloh (Paul Lawrie GC) 36-45
82 J Sunley (Northern)  41-41
83 D McKay (Caledonian) 41-42
84 M Forster (Cruden Bay) 40-44, G Homer (Northern) 44-40, R Brown (Kemnay) 41-43, I Clark (Deeside) 43-41
85 S Allison (Caledonian) 41-44, R Duncan (Deeside) 42-43, J Borthwick (Craibstone) 44-41
86 N K Parker (Murcar Links) 45-41, D Craigie (Peterculter) 46-40
87 J Scott (Peterculter) 43-44

89 S Lawrie (Portlethen) 47-42, D Wright (Northern) 43-46, B Lumsden (Northern) 45-44, D Mackay (Hazlehead) 44-45
91 N Stewart (Northern) 48-43, J Murray (Banchory) 45-46, B Skene (Peterculter) 47-44.
92 J Forrest (Northern) 47-45, G Mackie (Caledonian) 50-42, D Nelson (Aboyne) 43-49.
93 W Skene (Deeside) 50-43, D Bisset (Banchory) 46-47, L Duncan (Craibstone) 48-45.
95 M Brown (Kemnay) 45-50, M Smith (Newmachar) 48-47
96 S Dillon (Kemnay) 49-47
97 H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) 49-48
98 J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum)  46-52
99 A Benton (Kemnay) 48-51
+ If your score is missing or your home club is wrongly stated, please E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview with the corrections.

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - H Roulston (7) 70; B Main (2) 71; K McGillivray   (8) bih; A Campell (1) 72; C Cassie (7) 73 (bih).
Class 2 - R Brown (14) 70; N K Parker (14) bih, N Chisholm (12) bih, J Sunley (10) 72; R Duncan (12) 73.

TOP SCORECARDS
Par 70
OUT 444 344 435 - 35
    IN 444 343 544 - 35

JOHN DUFF 67
OUT  445 333 435 - 34
    IN  344 342 535 - 33

TONY ROBERTSON 68
OUT 444 353 444 - 35
    IN 444 432 444 - 33

LEE VANNET 70
OUT 433 335 435 - 33
    IN 454 253 545 - 37

Darren Clarke named as 2016 Europe Ryder Cup captain

                                                                                        EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Darren Clarke has been announced as the European captain for The 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota, from September 30-October 2, 2016.
The 2011 Open Champion, picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c), becomes the first Northern Irishman to lead Europe against the United States, having played in the biennial contest five times, featuring on the winning side on four occasions. He was also a vice-captain under Colin Montgomerie and José María Olazábal in the European wins in  2010 and 2012 respectively, and succeeds Irishman Paul McGinley, who captained Europe to a 16 ½-11 ½ triumph at Gleneagles last September.
Clarke takes the reins for the 41st Ryder Cup with the aim of leading Europe to a record fourth consecutive victory in the biennial contest.
The 46 year old was chosen by a five man selection panel consisting of those three most recent European Ryder Cup Captains - McGinley, Olazábal and Montgomerie – as well as the Chief Executive of The European Tour, George O’Grady, and European Tour Tournament Committee member David Howell, which met at Wentworth Club today (Wednesday February 18).

Clarke said: “I am naturally extremely proud to be selected as European Ryder Cup captain for 2016. The Ryder Cup has been a massive part of my life and my career, so to have the chance to lead Europe next year is a huge honour.
“I am lucky to have played and worked under some fantastic captains in my seven Ryder Cups to date, and I look forward to the challenge of trying to follow in their footsteps and help Europe to a fourth consecutive Ryder Cup victory at Hazeltine next year.”
The 14-time European Tour winner made his Ryder Cup debut in 1997 at Valderrama in Spain under Seve Ballesteros, partnering Montgomerie to defeat Fred Couples and Davis Love III in the fourballs before losing narrowly to Phil Mickelson in the singles.
He then contributed two points at each of the next two Ryder Cups, at Brookline in 1999 and The Belfry in 2002, and three-and-a-half points in Europe’s record 18½-9½ victory at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2004.
But his most memorable, and emotional, Ryder Cup performance came two years later when he inspired Europe to victory by the same record equalling margin in front of passionate Irish galleries at The K Club, just six weeks after his first wife Heather passed away.
Clarke won all three of his matches in Co. Kildare, joining forces with Lee Westwood to defeat Mickelson and Chris DiMarco then Tiger Woods and Jim Fuyrk in the fourballs, before beating Zach Johnson 3 and 2 in the singles. His two victories alongside Westwood mean the duo are joint second in the all-time list of most successful Ryder Cup partnerships, with six points from their eight matches together, while overall Clarke has contributed a total of 11½ points in the blue of Europe.
He returned to The Ryder Cup fold four years later as a vice captain under Montgomerie at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales, as Europe beat the United States by 14½-13½, and he gained further experience as part of the backroom team under Olazábal at Medinah in 2012.
That came a year after the finest individual achievement of his distinguished career, when he held off Mickelson and Dustin Johnson to win The 140th Open Championship at Royal St George’s, adding the Claret Jug to the two World Golf Championship titles he won in the early 2000s, when he became just the second player after Tiger Woods to win more than one WGC crown.
George O’Grady, speaking on behalf of the Ryder Cup Europe selection panel, said: “We are delighted to announce that Darren has accepted the invitation from the panel to captain Europe at The 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National.
“Darren has an impressive Ryder Cup pedigree having featured five times as a player and twice as a vice captain, so he has a strong understanding of the attributes required to be a successful captain. He is also a popular figure among the players and has both the passion and knowledge to lead Europe in the quest for a record fourth consecutive Ryder Cup victory.”
Clarke is the first captain to be chosen using Ryder Cup Europe’s new selection process – the third method used to pick The Ryder Cup captain since players from Continental Europe joined the fold for the 1979 contest, under the captaincy of John Jacobs, at The Greenbrier in West Virginia.
From then until 1997, when the late Seve Ballesteros led Europe in his homeland at Valderrama, the European Ryder Cup captain was identified by the Ryder Cup Committee, who selected Jacobs again in 1981, Tony Jacklin in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989, and Bernard Gallacher in 1991, 1993 and 1995.
However, in 1999, Mark James was the first European captain to be nominated by the European Tour’s Tournament Committee and ratified by the Ryder Cup Board, a process which went on to select Sam Torrance (2002), Bernhard Langer (2004), Ian Woosnam (2006), Sir Nick Faldo (2008), Montgomerie (2010), Olazábal (2012) and McGinley (2014).
 
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

2017 European men's'amateur ch/ship at Walton Heath

2017 EUROPEAN MEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
                          AT WALTON HEATH

 The 10th hole on the Old Course at Walton Heath (image © cbkfoto.wix.com/photography)


ENGLAND GOLF NEWS RELEASE
England Golf will host one of amateur golf’s top events when it stages the 2017 International European Men’s Amateur Championship at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey.
The championship will be played on the Old Course from June 28 to July 1, 2017, and will be contested by 144 of Europe’s leading amateurs, representing around 20 countries. The winner is rewarded with a place in The Open Championship.
Former champions include world number one Rory McIlroy, Spain’s Sergio Garcia, Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, Victor Dubuisson of France – and England’s own number one amateur for 2014, Ashley Chesters. 
The 25-year-old from Hawkstone Park is the only player to have won back-to-back titles with victories in 2013 and 2014.
England Golf Championship Director James Crampton said: “We are delighted to host this prestigious event and thrilled to be able to hold it at Walton Heath.
“The Old Course is superb and one of the best inland courses in the country. It will provide a great test for the players and will be an excellent venue for spectators. Admission will be free to this event and we expect to welcome large crowds of visitors to watch fantastic golf from Europe’s top amateurs and the professional stars of the future.”
England Golf last hosted a European event in 2013, when the European Ladies’ Team Championship took place at Fulford Golf Club in York and attracted thousands of spectators.
“That was a highly successful championship and made us determined to bring more European golf to England,” said James Crampton. “It’s a great opportunity for players and spectators and hopefully will inspire more people to play the game.”
The Old Course at Walton Heath has hosted nearly 90 major amateur and professional championships, including the 1981 Ryder Cup, five European Opens and 23 News of the World Matchplay Championships which, in its heyday, had the biggest prize fund in British golf.
Amateur events include the English Amateur and the Brabazon Trophy, the British and English Ladies' Championships, the British Seniors' and the British Mid-Amateur, as well as no fewer than 24 Golf Illustrated Gold Vase tournaments.
More recently, the club has introduced the South of England Open Amateur Championship and also hosts the U.S. Open European qualifying event.
Stuart Christie, the Walton Heath Secretary, commented: “Walton Heath Golf Club has a proud history of hosting major amateur and professional tournaments and is delighted to have been chosen to host the European Amateur Championship in 2017. 
“We look forward to working closely with England Golf and welcoming the top amateur golfers from around Europe.”
The International European Men’s Amateur Championship was first played in 1986 and has been held just once in England, at Hillside Golf Club, Lancashire, in 1991 when England’s Jim Payne won the title. Lee Westwood lost a play-off for the title in 1993 in Scotland while another Englishman, Matthew Richardson, won the championship in 2004 in Sweden.
 
Lyndsey Hewison
Press Officer
England Golf
pr@englandgolf.org
07825 752 193

BELJAN APOLOGISES FOR SWEARING ON LIVE TV

FROM GOLF.COM

By WILL GRAY

Charlie Beljan has issued an apology for using 'inappropriate language' during the final round of the AT andT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Sunday.
Beljan played the final round alongside Jason Day, and as the pair left the 12th tee at Pebble Beach, Beljan's words were picked up by microphones during the live television broadcast.
"I used inappropriate language after tripping over television cables on the tee box," Beljan said in a statement. "I sincerely apologise for my words and to those who may have been offended."
Beljan went on to finish third after a final-round 66, while Day tied for fourth. Although it initially appeared that the foul language came from Day, Beljan reiterated that the Aussie was not to blame.
"At the time my fellow competitor Jason Day was hitting his tee shot, and some may have assumed, wrongly, that the words were said by Jason," Beljan said. 
"They were not. I said them, and take full responsibility. I have great respect for Jason Day as a player - and as a man - and I want to make it perfectly clear Jason had nothing to do with the situation."