Porter, Fyfe, Naysmith and Curran Scots' four 

for World Junior Championship in Japan

NEWS RELEASE FROM SGU

Newly-crowned Scottish boys champion Will Porter, pictured, has been named in a four-strong Scotland team who have earned a place in this summer’s Toyota World Junior Golf Team Championship in Japan. 

Having claimed bronze medals at last year’s European boys' team championship in Norway, the Scots have qualified for next month’s event for the first time since 2007.

Only three other European countries are taking part -  Italy, Sweden and the defending champions, Norway.

Japan, South Korea, China, USA and several other countries from South America, Oceania, North America and Africa are also teeing up in the prestigious junior event.

Carnoustie’s Porter, 17, who won the Scottish boys' championship at Dunbar last month by beating Ross Callan in the final, is joined in the side by Calum Fyfe from Cawder, the 18-year-old who topped last year’s Scottish Hydro Boys Order of Merit rankings.

Marriott Dalmahoy’s Murray Naysmith, 17, runner-up to Fyfe in last year’s merit standings, and Harburn’s Christopher Curran, 18, joint-winner with Porter of the SGU Junior Tour event at Longniddry in March, make up the side.

“I’m over the moon to get into this team,” admitted Porter, who is currently sitting school exams at Glenalmond College. “I knew about the event, but it’s still a bit of a shock to get in. It continues a great start to the season for me and has given me a nice distraction from my exams!

“Going and playing in Japan is going to be different to anything I’ve played in before. I’m excited and looking forward to it. It’s a cool event to play in, representing Scotland.”

Captain Scott Knowles leads the young Scots, with National Coach Ian Rae also travelling. The championship takes place from June 16 to 19 and is being staged at Chukyo Golf Club in Toyota, with the trip funded by the event sponsors. Three counting scores per round across all four days of play determine the event.

 

Ed Hodge

PR and Media Executive

Office Line: 01334 466477

Mobile No: 07850 772166

Nine-hole green fees for busy people:  Is this the answer? Golf Express – a campaign to encourage busy people to play all the game in half the time – has been launched in Staffordshire. This campaign, which has been welcomed by Ryder Cup hero Justin Rose, recognises the pace of modern life and offers nine-hole formats that most golfers can conveniently fit into a busy schedule. Golf Express has been backed by 19 clubs across the county, offering nine-hole green fees and a loyalty card to encourage golfers to play more often: if they play five rounds, they get the sixth free. Twelve of the clubs are also offering golfers the opportunity to play in weekly, after-work roll-ups.  These are open to non-members, a handicap is not essential and players will be paired up with other golfers for the fun competitions. England’s Justin Rose – the world number six – described Golf Express as: “A great way to play all the game in half the time.” Golf Express is part of an England Golf project which is trialling innovative ways of increasing golf club membership and participation in the sport. It recognises that most people’s leisure time is reducing and for many it can be as little as two hours a day. Research from Syngenta, the golf course turfcare specialist, shows that 31% of golfers are leaving the game because it takes too long to play and a nin-hole option would encourage then to play more often. David Joy, the Chief Executive of England Golf, commented: “We hope this new initiative will encourage more people to play more often because it makes golf more attractive and convenient for today’s lifestyles”. The clubs involved in Golf Express are: Bloxwich, Branston, Calderfields, Darnford Moor, Dartmouth, Druids Heath, Izaak Walton, Lakeside, Lichfield, Mark Butler Golf Academy, Newcastle, Onneley, Oxley Park, Stafford Castle, Stone, The Chase, Trentham Park, Three Hammers and Uttoxeter To find out more visit getintogolf.org/golfexpress or call 0800 118 2766 Share the conversation on Twitter: #golfexpress Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org

Ross Murray (Southerness) wins Kirkcudbright Championship at Brighouse Bay.

 By JEFF SUTCLIFFE

 Kirkcudbright GA championship secretary

The Kirkcudbright Golfers Association Championship was played at Brighouse Bay Golf Club on Sunday in difficult playing conditions which reflected in the scores.  

The course was in good condition and Jim Dougal, the professional, was on hand to make sure the competition ran smoothly.  

Thirty-two of the top golfers from the Stewartry took part.  Craig Smith (Dalbeattie) scored a hole in one on the par 3 14th hole but that still wasn't enough to help him win the championship.  

The winner was Ross Murray (Southerness) with a 77

Second was Stevie Thompson (Gatehouse) with an 80.

Craig Smith (Dalbeattie) was third  3rd Craig Smith (Dalbeattie), also with an  80.

William Squires (Kirkcudbright) was fourth and Kevin Adams (Dalbeattie) fifth.

 The winner of the handicap prize was S. Brown (Kirkcudbright) with a net 75 off 10.

The top 8 in the stroke-play championship now go through to play in the match-play championship, for which the draw:

Ross Murray (Southerness) v Derek Douglas (Southernesss)

William Squires (Kirkcudbright) v Kevin Adams (Dalbeattie)

W. Blayney (Southerness) v Stevie Thompson (Gatehouse)

The ties to be played by May 24 over the Brighouse Bay Course.

======= STILL TRYING TO DOWNLOAD THE FOLLOWING PICTURE. WILL POST IT WHEN WE SUCCEED

Photograph shows P.Barrett, President of the Kbt Golfers Association with the winner Ross Murray and Jim Dougal (Professional Brighouse Bay)#

Many thanks

Jeff

Championship Secretary.

Millar wins four-man play-off for last place in 

Galvin Green assistants championship qualifier

Ross Millar (Kings Acre) won a four-man play-off with a par at the fourth extra hole to claim the last of the 16 places at stake in the Galvin Green assistants' championship Scottish qualifying competition in high winds at Auchterarder Golf Club today.
Millar was one of four players on the limit mark of four-over-par 73.
In a sudden-death play-off, he outlasted Fraser Robertson (Lundin), Stuart Milne (Balbirnie Park) and Murray Patterson (Cruden Bay).
The 16 qualifiers go forward to the assistants championship at Coventry Golf club from August 5 to 7.
In the windy conditions and very soft underfoot fairways, two par rounds of 69 were good enough to top the qualifiers. They were achieved by Cameron Marr (Musselburgh) and Jordan Brown (Dumfries and County). Cameron had halves of 38-31, Jordan 36-33.
The surprise non-qualifier was Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) with a 77. He had a double bogey at the first and another one at the 15th in halves of 42-35 although Paul did birdie the second, 10th, 13th and 17th.

QUALIFIERS
69 C Marr (Musselburgh), J Brown (Dumfries and Co)
70 G Forbes (Mar Hall), A Welsh (Cathkin Braes), K Zeynalov (Portlethen).
71 K McNiven (Gleneagles), R Rushford (Glenbervie), L Gaughan (Bathgate), S Speirs (unatt), S Binning (Mearns Castle), C Beveride (West Kilbride), S Maxwell (unatt)
72 L Anderson (Colville Park), D Stein (Ranfurly Castle), C Farrell (Cardross)
73 (after 4-man play-off) R Millar (Kings Acre)
DID NOT QUALIFY

73 F Robertson (Lundin), S Milne (Balbirnie Park), M Patterson (Cruden Bay)
74 S Costello (Strathaven), P Mitchell (Stirling), A Hutchison (Douglas Park), K McNicoll (Gullane), A Todd (Downfield.
75 F Cramb (Crieff), K Moran (Balbirnie Park), C Robinson (Elie Links), J Gallagher (Douglas Park), C Adam (Linlithgow), J Dick (Duddingston), D Lee (unatt)
76 M Thomson (Panmure), S Watters (Balbirnie Park), N Free (Longniddry), R Mitchell (Paul Lawrie GC), O Robertson (Dunblane New), R Delaney (unatt), C Porciani (Turnberry Hotel), F Thomson (Turnberry Hotel).
77 S Fay (Royal Dornoch), D Swinley (Prestonfield), P O'Hara (Clydeway Golf), R Clarke (Gamola Golf).
78 J Bell (Craigmillar Park)
79 R Tinker (Piperdam), A Todd (Prestwick), F Smith (Loudon Castle).
80 S Smith (Scotscraig), C Fountain (Buchanan Castle), J Forbes (Hilton Park), N Cameron (Blairgowrie).
81 B Harvey (Glasgow), R Stirling (Lanark), C Billows (Gleneagles)
82 A Bain (Gullane), K Scott (Gleneagles), M Penny (Montrose Links)
83 N Ferguson (American Golf)
84 D Thorburn (Braid Hills)
85 S Wilson (unatt)

Ted Bishop's brand of humour still proves elusive 

for some, including Ian Poulter!

FROM GOLF DIGEST.COMBy Sam Weinman

You'd think if there's anyone who would understand how nuance can be lost on social media, it would be Ted Bishop.

It is Bishop, you'll recall, who was squeezed out as president of the PGA of America after referring to Ian Poulter as a "lil girl" in a post in October. 
The incident inspired all kinds of media outrage, not to mention conversation about how reckless tweeting can be costly, and also some soul-searching from Bishop. 

Which is what makes Bishop's tweet on Sunday all the more puzzling. In the wake of Rickie Fowler's stirring win at the Players Championship, Bishop made reference to a recent anonymous players' poll in which Fowler and Ian Poulter were ranked "the most overrated players on tour."
 Bishop's tweet

Ted Bishop ‏@tedbishop38pga

Rickie Fowler - the legend is made. Only one over rated player left.......

Naturally, Poulter, who is a hawk on social media, felt the need to respond to Bishop's latest barb. 


Ian Poulter retweeted Ted Bishop

Ian PoulterVerified account ‏@IanJamesPoulter

Oh Ted Ted Ted..... I thought you learnt you lesson the last time. Obviously not.
 (Edtor: Presumably the 11 trophy icons mean something?_

Then, in saying he was just kidding, Bishop managed to insult Poulter again.

 Second tweet from Bishop

Ted Bishop @tedbishop38pga

I guess my sarcasm on the "over rated" poll went right over some people's head like @IanJamesPoulter. Fowler proved it was a farce. #relax

    ========================

Yes, the old "I was just joking but you're not smart enough to figure that out" response always goes over well.

Brad Bannerman's 62 equals King James VI 

course record in P and K Schools'  ch/ship

NEWS RELEASE

Outstanding performance of the recent Perth and Kinross school championship at King James VI Golf Club, Perth was a round of eight-under-par 62, equalling the course record, achieved by Brad Bannerman (Blairgowrie High School), pictured

Brad's score could have been even better as he narrowly missed putts on the 17^th and 18^th greens. 

Scottish boys' match play champion Will Porter (Glenalmond College) was unable to play as he had exam commitments at school. The clash of these two players would have been very entertaining. Both players will represent Perth and Kinross at the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish schools’ championships on Monday, June 8  at Murrayshall GC.

Not surprisingly, Brad, who has a handicap of three, had a winning margin of 10 strokes from runner-up Alex Simpson (Perth HS)

The team championship was won by Glenalmond College without Porter’s help, showing the strength in depth at the College presently.

The girls championship was won by Katriona Taylor (Crieff HS), keeping the trophy in the school as it was won last year by Claire Gadsby.

The handicap event was won by George Smith (Kinross HS) with a net score of 63 off a handicap of 20.

SCOREBOARD

Par 70

Boys

Place	Name	School	Gross	Net
1	Brad Bannerman	Blairgowrie HS	62	59
2	Alex Simpson	Perth HS	72 (BIH)	68
3	Andrew Gibson	Glenalmond College	72	67
4	Rowan Carey	Strathallan School	73	70
5=	Sandy Shackles	Perth Academy	77	72
	Andrew Thornton	Kinross HS	77	67
	Campbell Gibson	Glenalmond College	77	66
8	Sean Davidson	Perth HS	78	74
9=	Jordan Chatt	Glenalmond College	80	74
	Tod Bannerman	Blairgowrie HS	80	70
11	George Smith	Kinross HS	83	63
12=	Martin Williamson	Perth HS	87	76
	Finlay Hamilton	Kinross HS	87	76
14	Patrick Freeman	Kinross HS	88	74
15	Duncan Lambie	Crieff HS	89	77
16=	Dominic Slaven	Strathallan School	90	78
	Rory Ottley	Strathallan School	90	75
18=	Jamie McPhee	Crieff HS	93	71
	Calum Draper	Crieff HS	93	78
20=	Niall Draper	Crieff HS	94	81
	Darral Cramb	Crieff HS	94	74
22	Andrew Montgomery	Crieff HS	97	78
23	Lucas Rodas	Glenalmond College	98	86
24	Charlie Stewart	Morrison’s Academy	101	88
25	Jamie Killoch	Strathallan School	107	79
	Callum Kinnear	Perth Academy	NR
	Robbie Pol	Blairgowrie HS	NR
	Iain McLaren	Blairgowrie HS	NR

Girls

Place	Name	School	Gross	Net
1	Katriona Taylor	Crieff HS	94	82
2	Zoe Morton	Morrison’s Academy	106	98
3	Shannon Pook	Strathallan School	107	87

Teams

Place	School	Gross
1	Glenalmond College	229
2	Perth HS	237
3	Kinross HS	247
4	Strathallan School	253
5	Crieff HS	275

Leading Handicap

Place	Name	School	Net
1	George Smith       Handicap 20	Kinross HS	63
2	Campbell Gibson Handicap 11	Glenalmond College	66
3	Rowan Carey       Handicap 3	Strathallan School	70