Friday, April 03, 2015

 Putnam makes late charge to take

 Houston Open lead, Mickelson shot back

CBSSports.com wire reports
HOUSTON -- Andrew Putnam made a late charge to pass three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson and take a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Houston Open.
The 26-year-old Putman, who made his PGA Tour debut here a year ago, birdied six of his final nine holes on the Golf Course of Houston's front side for a 7-under 65. That matched the lowest score of the day and put him at 12-under 132.
"Solo lead ... that's pretty cool," said Putnam, who pointed out that he'd shared the lead in Las Vegas tournament last fall.
However, he hardly saw it coming.
"I haven't been playing good or scoring well," Putnam admitted. "Both have been bad. But (I'm) doing both well this week."
Mickelson, who won the event in 2011, shot 67 for a share of second place at 133. Another late finisher, qualifier Austin Cook, matched Putnam with a 65 to tie Mickelson.
"It was unbelieavable," said Cook, who played the final nine holes at 5 under and birdied the last one. "It was great. I'm really, really comfortable with my swing and my game right now and it's kind of showing."
Graham DeLaet (67) and Luke Guthrie (68) were tied for fourth at 134.
Six players are in the next group another shot back, including 21-year-old Jordan Spieth -- who came in at a career-best No. 4 in the World Golf Rankings. Spieth, who had a win and a second place in his two previous starts, shot a 66.
Scott Piercy, who had a two-shot lead after a tournament course record-tying 63 in the first round, had a 74.
Mickelson made a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-5 15th hole to get to 12 under, but he hit a rare errant drive on the par-4 17th and took a bogey.
"I just blocked it a little bit, not a very good swing," he said. "I certainly let that one get away. But I've driven it very well this week. .. hit a lot of fairways. My short game has been sharp, too. I've hit some good pitches. The putter feels a lot better, but it's felt better for a while. I'm excited about this weekend. It's going to be a shootout."
Weather conditions were perfect for scoring low and the cut would be 4-under.
"It's a fun tournament and it's fun to have put myself in a (good) position to have a chance," Mickelson said. "That's an important thing for me heading into next week, to get into contention, to feel the pressure. Because the pressure that you feel trying to win the Masters is greater than just about anything we have."
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No place like home for Spence Trophy

 winner Rory Franssen

Playing over his home course at Inverness, Rory Franssen, pictured below, today won the North of Scotland boys' championship for the Spence Trophy and the A Paterson Trophy.
The Scratch Aggregate prize list was sponsored by The Clubhouse Hotel, Nairn.
The CSS was 71 for Round 1 and 70 for Round 2

PRIZE LIST
141 Rory Franssen (Inverness) 69 72
142 Sandy Scott (The Nairn) 69 73
150 Gregor Munro (Reay) 75 75
155 Euan Gill (Inverness) 82 73
155 Finlay Asher (The Nairn) 81 74
156 Euan Munro (Reay) 82 74 

LOWEST SCRATCH UNDER-16 AGGREGATE
147 Andrew Moir (Elgin) 76 71
151 Jake Carpenter (Forres) 77 74
155 Jamie Penwright (Inverness) 79 76

LOWEST HANDICAP AGGREGATE 
139 Logan Gillies (Loch Ness) (11) 70 69
140 Fraser Owensen (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (24) 70 70
143 Gino Stirrat (Forres) (12) 75 68. 

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 Scots' Under-16 boys held to draw by Irish at Archerfield

Scotland's Under-16s boys' team drew 6-6 with Ireland on the opening day of the quadrangular international at Archerfield Links.
Netherlands lead the table going into Day 2 after beating Wales 7 1/2- 4 1/2.
Details of the Scots' match:
Foursomes (2 1/2-1 1/2)
Jamie Stewart (Old Ranfurly) and Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal) bt Reece Black and Jack Madden 1 hole.
Aiden Hussene (Haggs Castle) and Darren Howie (Peebles) lost to Mark Power and Jordan Logue 2 and 1.
Callum Burns (Balmore) and Rowan Carey (Auchterarder) bt Allan Hill and Sean Dowling 3 and 2.
Marc Watt (Inverallochy) and Alex Simpson (Strathmore) halved with Cameron Raymond and Jack Hearn.
Singles (3 1/2-4 1/2)_
Stewart bt Power 3 and 2.
Bruce bt Black 4 and 3.
Hussene lost o Madden 1 hole.
Carey halved with Heart
Simpson lost to Dowling 3 and 2.
Burnsd bt Hill 1 hole.
Watt lost to Raymond 1 hole.

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A wet final day for Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Ladies Open

                                            ...  and the winner is .....
Michele Thomson swoops to conquer 
 
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Ellon's Michele Thomson staged a last-round swoop with the tournament's only sub-par round, a one-under 70, to snatch the £2,250 first prize from overnight leader and fellow Aberdeenshire  tour pro, Laura Murray in a notable climax to the £5,000 Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Ladies Open at Murcar Links Golf Club.

The second-day weather was worse than the first - it never stopped drizzling, the wind came from the south rather than the north, and the chill factor - it was only 4 degrees at the start of play - had several English competitors shivering with the cold  as  they checked in their scorecards at the PGA recorder's table.
Thomson, pictured on left with Laura Murray above after it was all over, the 2008 Scottish women's amateur champion and a GB and I  Curtis Cup team player at St Andrews that same year, is maturing and  improving after a slowish start to her pro career.
Her second-round 70 was an eight-shot improvement on her first round and her six-over-par aggregate of 148 saw her win by three shots from Alford's Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), another former Scottish champion, who had rounds of 74 and 77 for 151 to gain the £1,000  runner-up prize.
Tour Director Nicola Melville moved several tees forward after
complaints that the course was too long for the lady pros in the
northerly wind of Thursday. So, on paper at least, it was an easier
course, possibly less than 6,000yd, but the non-stop rain killed any feel-good factor among the competitors.
It was Thomson's second win on the Ladies' Tartan Tour - she won at Cardrona last year - and she feels she is gaining a higher level of consistency through competing with and  against players like former Solheim Cup star Trish Johnson who was her playing partner throughout the 36 holes at Murcar Links. 

Johnson, from Wiltshire, collected the £650 third prize with scores of 78 and 74 for 152.
"There's no doubt that playing with Trish both days helped me
tremendously. She was and still is a great player and she certainly
spurred me on," said 27-year-old Michele whose shot of the round was a holed pitch from 35yd range for a birdie at the 13th.
She had four birdies in all, making a flying start with a 3-3 start,
followed by the gains at 11th and 13th. Her only bogeys came at the
seventh, eighth and 10th in halves of 36-34

That birdie-birdie start by Michele actually wiped out Laura Murray's three-shot overnight lead with six shots for the first two holes compared to nine by Laura who began bogey-par
"In contrast to the first round, I was never in any trouble," said Thomson.
Laura Murray was philosophical about losing her overnight lead.
"Great that a North-east player still finished up winning the
tournament," she said. "I still hit the ball well but holed nothing. I
reckon I must have had 36 putts. I cannot remember single-putting any green."
Beth Allen, the American-born LET player who has made Falkirk her European base, finished fourth on 153 (77-76).
The Ladies Tartan Tour moves on to Montrose Links on Monday and Tuesday.

PAUL LAWRIE GOLF CENTRE LADIES OPEN
Murcar Links Golf Club.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
148 Michele Thomson (unatt) 78 70 (£2,250)
151 Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie GC) 74 77 (£1,000)
152 Trish Johnson (Wiltshire) 78 74 (£650)
153 Beth Allen (Falkirk) 77 76 (£325)
154  Gabriella Cowley (Hanbury Manor) 78 76, Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) 78 76 (£202 each).
157 Becky Brewerton (Wiltshire) 81 76, Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth) 78 79  (£110 each)
158 Maria Tulley (Eastbourne Downs) 79 79,  Heather MacRae (Gleneagles) 78 80 (£75 each)
159 Jane Turner (West Linton) 84 75, Lucy Goddard (Hanbury Manor) 81 78, Kelsey MacDonald (Carrick on Loch Lomond) 77 82
160 Chloe Rogers (Celtic Manor) 79 81
162 Tracey Boyes (Corhampton) 85 77, Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) 77 85.
164 Emilee Taylor (Holmhall) 85 79
165 Lisa Shervill (The Shropshire) 83 82
166 Keely Chiericato (Manston) 81 85
170 Jess Wilcox (Blankney) 84 86, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 84 86
171 Gillian Paton (Royal Montrose) (am) 88 83
173 Nichola Ferguson (American Golf) 84 89
175 Kirstin Scott (Gleneagles) 88 87, Rachel Drummond (Buckinghamshire)
85 90
176 Jorden Ferrie (Hilton Park) 87 89
191 Fiona Wait (Bathgate) (am) 96 95

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Scottish Champion of Champions, hosted by Leven GS


SATURDAY'S FIRST AND SECOND ROUND TEE TIMES
Match Time Bag No.               Player                             Club
1 8.00  14 Andrew Davidson Charleton
12.30  41 Richard Johnston Glenbervie
2 8.08  36 Greig Marchbank Thornhill
12.38  11 Craig Hamilton Ballochmyle
3 8.16  42 Daniel Young Craigie Hill
12.46  40 Fraser Moore Glenbervie
4 8.24  56 Matthew Clark Kilmacolm
12.54  48 Graham Davidson Winterfield
5 8.32  21 Barrie Edmond Bon Accord
13.02  27 Ed Wood Crow Wood
6 8.40  18 Ewen Ferguson Bearsden
13.10  1 John Shanks Irvine
7 8.48  28 Michael Brodie Strathmore
13.18  12 Simon Fairburn Torwoodlee
8 8.56  33 Andrew Farmer Kilmacolm
13.26  34 Christopher Maclean Balmore
9 9.04   2 Barry Hume Haggs Castle
13.34  6 Kenneth Gallacher East Kilbride
10 9.12  16 Craig Watson East Renfrewshire
13.42  29 David Mitchell Leven Thistle
11 9.20  8 Steven Stewart Clydebank Overtoun
13.50  39 Steven Rennie Drumpellier
12 9.28  55 Fraser Carr Crail Golfing Society
13.58  54 Ross Benvie Braehead
13 9.36  26 Daniel Kirk Drumoig
14.06  38 Kyle Godsman Moray
14 9.44  15 Stewart Smith Downfield
14.14  17 Fraser Grant Ralston
15 9.52  4 Dan Lawrence Ballumbie Castle
14.22  44 Michael Daily Erskine
16 10.00  7 Connor Syme Drumoig
14.30  9 Maurice Lindsay Broughty
17 10.08  3 Nick MacAndrew Royal Aberdeen
14.38   37 Jeff Wright Forres
18 10.16  51 James Muir Braehead
14.46  43 Scott Gibson Southerness
19 10.24  52 Blair Carnegie Glenbervie
14.54  32 Scott Robertson Hazlehead
20 10.32  23 Ben Kinsley St Andrews
15.02  19 Iain MacCalman Clober
21 10.40  22 Douglas Thorburn Tain
15.10  20 Jamie Tinlin Hawick
22 10.48  50 Graeme Robertson Glenbervie
15.18  46 Ryan Campbell Falkirk
23 10.56  25 David MacFarlane Greenock
15.26  31 Gordon Sangster Cathkin Braes
24 11.04  53 Ronnie Clark Erskine
15.34  35 Craig Ross Kirkhill





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Piercy out front at Houston Open,

 Mickelson three shots back




Scott Piercy was off the PGA Tour for six months last year while recovering from elbow surgery. (USATSI)
FROM CBS SPORTS.COM HOUSTON -- After his record-tying round Thursday, Scott Piercy, pictured above, let his thoughts drift toward qualifying for the Masters with a win this week.
Piercy tied a tournament record with a nearly flawless 9-under-par 63 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Houston Open.
"It's the first round," he said. "If I'm sitting here Sunday, then I'll be super-excited. If I (keep playing) like I did today, I would say there's a pretty good chance of that."
Alex Cejka, in an afternoon group, made four birdies on his back nine -- the course's front nine -- to finish tied with J. B. Holmes at 7-under 65.
Holmes got to 8-under with four holes to play before finding a fairway bunker with his first shot at No. 6. After badly missing the green, Holmes had to scramble for a bogey.
Phil Mickelson, Luke Guthrie, Charles Howell III and Houston's Shawn Stefani each shot a 66 and trail Piercy by three strokes.
Piercy, who made five birdies in a row over one torrid stretch during the middle of his round, became only the fifth player to card a 63 since this PGA Tour stop moved to the Golf Club of Houston Tournament Course in 2003. Two of the others, Mickelson in 2011 and Johnson Wagner in 2008, went on to win the championship.
The 36-year-old Piercy, a pro from Las Vegas, missed only one green in regulation and needed just 26 putts. Two days earlier, however, feeling so discouraged by the way he'd been playing of late that it crossed his mind while he was out grinding on the driving range "to go home and not waste my time."
Piercy, instead, decided to keep practising. He wound up hitting golf balls for "12, 13 hours. ... In the 13th hour, something kind of clicked and I kind of figured it out. On Wednesday, I kind of engrained it, kept working and got pretty good. Today was awesome. It really was."
Piercy was off the PGA Tour for six months last year while recovering from elbow surgery and said he still hadn't felt quite right before arriving in Houston. But he liked his form Thursday the moment he first swung his driver. He began the day with a birdie on No. 10 and capped it by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the No. 9, his final hole.
"Everything went right," said Piercy, who last won on the Tour at the Canadian Open in 2012. "I hit the ball so good. It's been building. I kept hitting good shot after good shot. By the end, I was (only) trying to make birdies."
Teeing off 20 minutes before Piercy, Mickelson made himself the early front-runner by chipping in for birdie on his first hole, then turning the corner at 3-under, about the time Piercy began his birdie run. Mickelson reached 7-under at one point but bogeyed the par-three ninth, his final hole.
The three-time Masters champion, one of at least 36 players in the Houston field who are headed to Augusta National next week for the season's first major, had skidded to a final-round 76 Sunday in the Texas Open. So, his late lapse here notwithstanding, Mickelson called his effort "a good round, a good start to the tournament. I got off to a quick start, birdieing three of the first four holes, and kept it going.
"The course is in pristine condition. The greens being soft are going to allow us to get more aggressive (aiming for) the pins and make some more birdies. The scores are going to be low" he said. "I'm just glad I was one of them." 

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