Tim Clark drops out of Masters - but will not be replaced

South African Tim Clark has been forced out of next week’s Masters because of injury.
 The 39-year-old, who finished runner-up to Phil Mickelson at the 2006 event, has been struggling to overcome an elbow problem. Clark was eligible for Augusta National thanks to his victory at the Canadian Open last summer but has not teed up since finishing in a tie-for-30th at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.
 The world No 59 has competed in 13 previous Masters Tournaments and breaks a run of 12 successive appearances dating back to 2003. 
Thomas Parker, his agent at Professional Advisory Group, said in a text message that Clark's elbow is feeling better but that he had not had enough time to prepare properly for the first major of the season. 
 The winner of the 2010 Players Championship at Sawgrass, Clark will not be replaced in the tournament as the Masters is an invitation-only event.

MORE MASTERS NEWS

Arnold Palmer will not participate in the Par 3 Contest next week at Augusta National, but he is still scheduled to hit the ceremonial tee shot before the first round of the Masters, Golf Channel has learned.
Palmer, 85, usually plays the Par 3 Contest alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, but he is recovering from a dislocated shoulder, an injury he sustained when he tripped and fell in December.
It is unclear whether Nicklaus and Player will play as a twosome or welcome a third member to the group.
Palmer has been an honorary starter at the Masters since 2007
 Watch all four rounds of this year’s Masters live on Sky Sports 4 HD.

Northern Open prize fund gets a £30,000 boost

FROM THE PGA WEBSITE
The stage is set for another great season the PGA in Scotland's Tartan Tour:
   * Prizefund continues to increase year on year - in 2014 it was £626k v £592k in 2013 – in 2015 it is projected at £652k
   * 2015 will continue to drive the Ladies Tour, the Assistants’ Tour and Seniors Tour.
   * Impressive calendar of Pro-Ams running the length and breadth of the country.
   * New: Scotland’s Finest 4-Ball Series well underway and well received.

The PGA in Scotland has unveiled a packed Tartan Tour schedule with increased prize funds expected to reach £625,000.
Among the Order of Merit highlights are the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship, P and H Championship and the Northern Open which has received a £30,000 boost from the Ryder Cup Legacy fund.
In addition the Paul Lawrie-supported Ladies Tour returns as does the WL Gore and Associates backed Assistants’ Tour.
Meanwhile for members aged 45 plus there will be another Seniors Tour with four events already announced for 2015 in a variety of formats to encourage participation, especially from those pros who do not play regular, competitive golf throughout the season.
Already up and running is the new Scotland’s Finest 4-Ball Series which has included stops at Archerfield, Crail and Carnoustie.
All the above are complemented by an impressive calendar of pro-ams featuring old favourites and some new ones.

Brian Mair, pictured right, secretary of The PGA in Scotland, commented: “We remain grateful for the continued support of our partners and sponsors including Gleneagles, WL Gore and Associates, Palmer and Harvey, The Paul Lawrie Golf Centre and Foundation, Deer Park and Kerr Investments.
“The Tartan Tour continues to have depth and strength reflected in six different winners in the eight Order of Merit evens in 2014.
“2015 represents another very important year in the history of The PGA in Scotland. We built some momentum during the historic 2014 season and we are now entering our 40th anniversary year.
“Our opportunity is to ensure we have a domestic schedule, which is not only appropriate for the Home of Golf, but also enables us to get our message across that the PGA Professional is very much at the Heart of Golf.”

Click here to see the schedule confirmed to date.

GREAT SCOTT! BORROWMAN HEADS EUROPRO
 
TOUR QUALIFIERS AT SLALEY HALL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Rookie pro Scott Borrowman from Dollar maintained his record of having won money in every event he has played since he left the amateur ranks three or four weeks ago when he headed the 33 qualifiers from Slaley Hall, one of the five Stage 1 venues of the PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School.

Borrowman's rounds of 76-71 for a three-over-par total of 147 saw him finish three shots clear at the Hexham course in Northumbria and collect the lion's share of the £1,000 prize fund. Scott won his first event as a pro last month in Egypt and was in the money in his other outings on the PGA Mediterranean Tour.
Second to Borrowman, pictured right, was another Scot - Kent-based Craig Sutherland (Cherry Lodge) who shot 78-72 for 150.
On the whole, Scots did well at Slaley Hall. Other qualifiers for next week's Final Stage at Frilford Heath GC, Oxfordshire included
former Walker Cup player Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) whose pro career has never got off the round - so far. He had scores of 81-74 for 155 and a joint fourth place.
Gavin Hay (Nairn Dunbar) finished tied 10th on 157 (82-75) and Newmachar amateur John Duff, the North-east Alliance champion, shot a pair of 79s for a share of 13th place on 158. Duff still playing as amateur until he sees how he fares at the Final Stage.
Two Paul Lawrie Golf Centre players, Philip McLean from Peterhead and Portlethen's Sam Kiloh, former Scottish amateur
champion Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) and Danny Kay (Renaissance) also gained pass marks.
Seven players on the 161 mark were involved in a play-off for the last four places plus three reserve positions.
Kevin Duncan (Cruden Bay) and Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm) made it through. 
Louis Gaughan (Bathgate) is first reserve for a place in next week's final stage at Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire.
The most notable failure was .former Scottish amateur champion John Gallagher (Duddingston) who shot 85-78 for 163.
Scots who qualified at other venues included Mark Hillson (Tandridge) at Burhill, where compatriot Jay Taylor  missed out, and Alyth's Mark Pirie (Aberdeen Door Systems) came through at the Players Club.

SLALEY HALL FINAL TOTALS
 STAGE 1
LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 144 (2x72)
147 S Borrowman (unatt) 76 71
150 C Sutherland (Cherry Lodge) 78 72
154 J Thomson (Lindrick) 77 77
155 M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 81 74, A Cryer (West End) 77 78, I
Cumberland (Coxmoor) 80 75
156 J Steven (Bothwell Castle) 76 80, K Gray (Slaley Hall) 79 77, R
Crowe (Westerhope) 79 77.
157 G Hay (Nairn Dunbar) 82 75, G Winstanley (Town Moore) 79 78, B Rawsthorne (Bamburgh) 87 70.158 J Duff (Newmachar) (am) 79 79, S Robinson (Market Rasen) 82 76, A Sager (San Roque) 79 79, K Holmes (Hunstanton)
Other Scottish qualifiers:
159 C Smith (Royal Musselburgh) 80 79, P McLean (Paul Lawrie GC) 79 80
160 S Kiloh (Paul Lawrie GC) 85 75, I Redford (St Andrews New) 82 78, A Culverwell (Dunbar) 82 78, G O'Neill (unatt) 77 78, D Kay (Renaissance) 79 81.
161 K Duncan (Cruden Bay) 86 75, M Patterson (Kilmacolm) 82 79.
Reserves: 1 L Gaughan (Bathgate) 84 77, 2 J Alexander (United Sports) 84 77.
NON-QUALIFIERS INCLUDED
162 B Craggs (unatt) 85 77
163 J Gallagher (Duddingston) 85 78
164 C Marr (Musselburgh) 78 66
167 C Baird (Bothwell Castle) 90 77
168 B Alexander (Renaissance) 86 82
169 N Huguet (Musselburgh) 83 86
170 C McMaster (Panmure) 90 80.
171 G Forbes (Greenock) 87 84
173 M Stokes (Cawder) 81 79
174 J Dick (Duddingston) 86 88
177 R Colsh (Bearsden) 91 86
183 S Macneil (Aboyne) 95 88.

FROM THE PGA EUROPRO TOUR WEBSITE
 At Burhill a four-way play-off between those who finished +10 decided the final three qualifiers. Ryan Evans (Wellingborough Golf Club) was the tournament winner on -3 (70, 71)
– Six players competed for one final spot at The Players Club, having all finished tied 36 on +15. The winning score was Matthew Swales’ +4 (74, 72)
– Jordan Godwin (Barnehurst Golf Club; 73, 68) and Benjamin Martin (Worthing Golf Club 72, 69) shared the lowest score at Woldingham, both finishing -1. Seven players contested the play-off, from which two proceeded to Final Stage
– Marcus Mohr (72, 69) finished the winner at Mottram Hall on -2. A five way play-off of players on +11 determined the final four qualifiers. *The course at Mottram Hall had been played as a par-71 in the first round due to a fallen tree blocking the 17th fairway, forcing the tee to be moved up and the hole played as a par-three. However, the obstruction was cleared in time for the course to return to a par 72 for the second round.
Final Stage at Frilford Heath Golf Club in Oxfordshire begins on Wednesday, April 8.

COMPLETE LEADERBOARDS (Number of qualifiers in brackets) Click on the venues to find out the scores

Burhill (37)

Mottram Hall (36)

Slaley Hall (33)

Players Club (36)

Woldingham (37)

SCOTLAND BOYS' TEAM FOR U16 QUADRANGULAR

MATCHES AT ARCHERFIELD
An eight-player Scottish Golf Union boys' side has been named for the Under-16 Quadrangular Match against Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands
at Archerfield Links, East Lothian from Friday to Sunday (April 3-5)
Peebles’ Darren Howie, brother of 2012 Scottish boys champion Craig, is included, along with Marc Watt from Inverallochy, joint winner of the Under-16 Junior Tour event at Forfar last year.
Scotland team is:
Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal)
Callum Burns (Balmore)
Rowan Carey (Auchterarder)
Darren Howie (Peebles)
Aiden Hussene (Haggs Castle)
Alex Simpson (Strathmore)
Jamie Stewart (Old Ranfurly)
Marc Watt (Inverallochy).

For news of Scots on US college golf circuit

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