Wallace Booth in the mix after coach Ian Rae 

puts him back on track 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

A remarkable turnaround in fortunes saw Filippo Bergamaschi grab the lead with a stunning round of 61 on the opening day of the Challenge Tour's Kärnten Golf Open at Godersdorf, Austria.
The Italian is yet to record a top 100 finish in three appearances on the Challenge Tour so far this season, and failed to break 80 in his two rounds at last week’s Made in Denmark Challenge.
But in a vivid demonstration of the fickle nature of golf, Bergamaschi put his miserable run behind him in emphatic fashion with eight birdies and an eagle in a flawless display at Golfclub Schloss Finkenstein, where he finished in a tie for third last year.
His ten under par total gives Bergamaschi a one shot lead over American Daniel Im, who had posted a round of 62 earlier in the day.”
Like Bergamaschi, Im was also on a recovery mission in Gödersdorf, having slumped to a round of 86 – which included nine visits to the water – on the final day in Copenhagen last week.            
But he bettered that effort by 24 shots with a career-low round of 62 which featured a grandstand finish, with five straight birdies from the fifth hole.
Third place is shared between Comrie’s Wallace Booth (pictured above) and Swede Jens Dantorp, who both signed for rounds of 63.
Booth has endured a testing start to his campaign, having made just one cut in four appearances so far, but after returning to his native Perthshire for an intensive session on the range with his coach, SGU staffer Ian Rae, he seems to have rediscovered the right formula.
Six birdies and an eagle three at the 16th hole for a round of 63 was a huge step in the right direction for the 29 year old, whose sister Carly finished in the top ten in Turkey on the Ladies European Tour last week.     
He said: “My distance control with my irons has been way off this season, particularly in Denmark last week. I was hitting everything long, which is where you definitely didn’t want to miss. So I flew home to have a session with my coach at the weekend, we had a close look at how far I was hitting my irons and they were going further than I thought.
“So I had to make some readjustments with my club selection, and today was much more like it. I hit more greens in regulation after 13 holes than I’d hit over the first two rounds last week! So it took a lot of pressure off my putting, because I was putting for birdie most of the time instead of trying to save par and stay in the game.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
par 72
61 F Bergamaschi (Ita)
62 D Im (USA)
63 W Booth  (Sco) , J Dantorp (Swe) ,
64 K Subregis  (Fra) , J Hahn (USA) , N Elvira  (Esp) ,
65 P Figueiredo  (Por) , A Rota (Ita) , D Kemmer (USA) , C Arendell (USA) , S Gros (Fra), B Rusch (Sui) , R McGowan  (Eng) , T Murray (Eng) , J Simon De Miguel (Esp) , T Gornik (Slo) , P Howard  (Eng) ,
66 J Stalter (Fra) , N Ravano (Ita) , B Parker  (Eng) , G Porteous (Eng) , D Ulrich (Sui) , E Dubois (Fra) , J Fahrbring (Swe) , T Elissalde  (Fra) , R Evans  (Eng) , D Law (Sco) , A Björk (Swe) , M Søgaard  (Den) ,
67 T Pilkadaris (Aus) , H Bacher (Aut) , A Halvorsen  (Nor) , D Huizing (Ned) , B Neumayer (Aut) , M Rominger  (Sui) , R Gouveia (Por) , S Arnold  (Aus) , B Paolini (USA) , W Harrold (Eng) , B Åkesson (Swe) , G Shaw (Nir) , G Boyd  (Eng) , J Sarasti  (Esp) , P Widegren  (Swe) , B Virto Astudillo (Esp) , J Walters (RSA) ,
68 D Vancsik (Arg) , J Kunzenbacher (Ger) , K Phelan (Irl) , D Frittelli (RSA) , J Maurer  (Aut) , P Maddy (Eng) , S Kim (USA) , R Kellett (Sco) , S Wakefield (Eng) , H Joannes  (Bel) , J Guerrier  (Fra) , S Walker (Eng) , S Thornton (Irl) , R McGee (Irl) , S Heisele (Ger) , J Girrbach (Sui) , B Stow (Eng) , V Riu  (Fra) , B Etchart  (Esp) ,
 69 S Tiley (Eng) , R Davies (Wal) , E Bertheussen (Nor) , D Markle (Can) , M Kramer  (Ger) , M Delpodio  (Ita) , J Huldahl (Den) , D Stewart (Sco) , T Nemecz (Aut) , E Cuartero Blanco  (Esp) , S Echikson  (Bel), D Palm (Swe) , M Röhrig (Ger) , J Doherty  (Sco) , N Bertasio (Ita) , W Besseling  (Ned) , H Porteous (RSA) , J Gallegos  (Esp) , F Praegant (Aut) , C Aguilar  (Esp) , T Lawrence (RSA) ,
 70 E Myllymaki  (Fin) , J Rask (Swe) , J Watts (Eng) , M Trappel  (Aut) , C Ford (Eng) , N Geyger (Chi) , J Gonnet  (Fra) , A Snobeck  (Fra) , M McGeady (Irl) , N Wimmer  (Aut) , S Piaget  (Mon) , C Gloet  (Den) , S Henry  (Sco) , S Einhaus (Ger) , S Reeves (USA) , N Quintarelli (Ita) , R Santos  (Por) , F Payr (am) (Aut) , L Lipold (am) (Aut) ,
 71 S Manley (Wal) , L Tintera  (Cze) , J Carlota (Por) , O Stark (Swe) , A Hartø  (Den) , C Hanson (Eng) , T Remkes (Ned) , A Romano  (Ita) , A Tadini (Ita) , J Winther (Den) , L Astl (Aut) , A Ahokas (Fin), P Relecom  (Bel) , R De Sousa (Sui) , C Mivis  (Bel) , S Jeppesen  (Swe) , N Meitinger  (Ger) , G Woolgar (Eng) , A Domingo (Esp) , D Foos (Ger) ,
 72 A Saddier (Fra) , J Robinson (Eng) , M Wiegele  (Aut) , S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp), P Dwyer (Eng), D Coupland (Eng) , K Benz (Sui) , A Korinek (Cze) , L Motta (Ita) , T Linard (Fra) , P Archer (Eng) , J Sjöholm (Swe) ,
 73 L Nemecz (Aut) , P Tarver-Jones (Eng) , B Reiter (Aut) , C Brazillier  (Fra) ,
 74 A Eckhardt (Fin) , P Gal  (Cze) , N Kristensen  (Den) , L Gagli  (Ita) , F Becker (Ger) , J Frahs (am) (Aut) ,
 75 T Sluiter  (Ned) , M Lafeber (Ned) , R Hahn (Hun) ,
 76 O Rath (am) (Aut) ,
 78 M Novy  (Cze) , A Kaleka  (Fra) ,
 79 U Karatas (Tur) , P Hermann (am) (Aut) 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

King leads by seven shots at EuroPro Tour event

NEWS RELEASE BY NICK TEALE
SCROLL DOWN FOR SCOTTISH NEWS AND SCORES

Gary King will start the final round of the Buildbase Open at Frilford Heath Golf Club with a formidable seven-stroke lead over nearest challengers James Frazer and Luke Goddard after carding a second-round 70 to consolidate his course-record opening round 62.

King (Tyrrells Wood Golf Club), winner of the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour season opener at Celtic Manor last week, proved his sensational form with a ten-under-par 62 to shave four shots off the Red Course record in the opening round, and went two under par in round two to extend his lead to seven with a tournament score of 12 under par.

Frazer (Pennard Golf Club), who was five under for his first round, signed for a par 72 second round to share second on five under with Goddard (Hendon), who has shot rounds of 70 and 69 so far in the tournament, the second of the season.

Six players share fourth on four under and will be hoping to pounce should King make an unsteady start to his last 54.

“I felt really comfortable going out with that lead,” said King of his second round on a warm but windy day at Frilford Heath Golf Club.

“Saying that, I walked up to a tiny putt on the first and missed it, which kind of unsettled the round a little bit but I got it back pretty quickly with a couple of birdies.

“I was happy to get through the front nine at one under because I know it is that little bit trickier than the back and you can make some chances on the back. I came back in one under.

“I had the same goals as I did yesterday, I was just trying not to think about yesterday’s round or compare the two and I think I did that pretty well.

“Tomorrow I will have the same goals, mentally. I will maybe make some adjustments gameplan wise depending on how things are sitting. I have played quite aggressively over the first two days because I have been hitting the driver well off the tee, but I will maybe tone it down a touch depending on the situation in the final round.”

The Buildbase Open carries a £50,000 purse, with £10,000 going to the winner. The tournament will be filmed for a two-hour highlights show to be aired on Sky Sports on Tuesday, June 2.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

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ROSS CAMERON IN WITH CHANCE OF FOUR-FIGURE

PRIZE AT FRILFORD HEATH

Ellon's Ross Cameron, pictured above,  might not catch the leader by seven strokes, Gary King (Tyrrells Wood), but, lying joint fourth with only a round to go, the Saltire Energ-sponsored player has a chance of ending this week's PGA EuroPro Tour event at Frilford Heath Golf club,, Oxfordshire with a four-figure cheque.

Cameron has had rounds of 67 and 73 and is one of six men on the 140 mark.

Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), tied 19th on 143 (71-72) is the only other Scot in the top 20 after 36 holes.

Twelve Scots, including the Saltman brothers Lloyd (148) and Zack (149)  failed to make the cut at 146 and better.

Craig Lawrie missed out by with with scores of 71 and 76 for 147. Two other Paul Lawrie Golf Centre players, Kris Nicol (153) and Sam Kiloh (161) missed out.

LEADERBOARD

Par 144 (2x72)

132 Gary King (Tyrrells Wood) 62 67

139 James Frazer (Pennard) 67 72, Luke Goddard (Hendon) 70 69

140 Warren Bennett (Chestfield) 69 71, Darryn Lloyd) Eng) 73 67, Warren Harmston (Wentworth) 71 69, Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) 67 73, Connor Fletcdher (Chart Hills) 72 68

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES

143 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 71 72 (T19)

144 Neil Henderson (Renaissance) 73 71 (T23)

145 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 72 73 (T26)

146 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 73 73 (T41)

MISSED THE CUT (146 and better qualified)

147 Craig Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC) 71 76

148 Lloyd Saltman (Archerfield) 74 74

149 Zack Saltman (Archerfield) 74 75, Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm) 76 73

150 Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 78 72

153 Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) 73 80, Jordan McColl (Kingsbarns Pro Acad) 77 76, Craig Sutherland (Cherry Lodge) 75 78, Kris Nicol (Paul lawrie GC) 76 77, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 76 77

156 Danny Kay (Renaissance) 81 75

161 Sam Kiloh (Paul Lawrie GC) 85 76

Newmachar v Banchory in Maitland Shield Final

 

It will be a Newmachar v Banchory final in the City of Aberdeen men's double foursomes match-play tournament for the Maitland Shield, sponsored by the Douglas Hotel, at Hazlehead on Friday evening.

In the semi-finals, foursomes specialist Newmachar were just that little bit too strong for Craibstone, the surprise packet of the week.

The first string tie finished all square before Greg Ingram and Neil Melvin provided the overall winning margin for Newmachar by finishing two up on Stuart Milne and Justin Thomas.
Jack Harling and Adam Lindsay were the toast of the Banchory camp. They pulled the team through to victory with a par at the 19th against the Bon Accord second string of Matthew Greif and Matthew Dunn.

The first string tie between Banchory's Alasdair Ramage and Scott Larkin and Barrie Edmong and Chris Somers had finished all square after 18.

Friday night's final will tee off at 4.47pm.

 

SEMI-FINALS

Newmachar bt Craibstone by 2 holes

Jamie Wilson, Chris Simpson 0, Craig Wilkinson, Alan Bloice 0

Greg Ingram, Neil Melvin 2, Stuart Milne, Justin Thomas 0

Banchory bt Bon Accord at 19th 

Alasdair Ramage, Scott Larkin 0, Barrie Edmond, Chris Somers 1 hole

Jack Harling, Adam Lindsay bt Matthew 

 Grieg. Matthew Dunn 1 hole.

The Maitland Shield tournament is sponsored by the Douglas Hotel's Molly's Bistro in the Market Street establishment.
The Douglas Hotel also sponsors the Aberdeen Pennant League through its Malones Bar

Flawless Frankie (65) moves two clear at Wentworth, leading 

Scot Warren has a 68
 
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Francesco Molinari established a two-shot lead in the opening day of the BMW PGA Championship, The European Tour’s flagship event, thanks to a seven-under-par 65 over the West Course at Wentworth Club.
The Italian enjoyed a flawless first day with seven birdies, including consecutive fours at the par five 17th and 18th holes, to finish two shots clear of Swede Robert Karlsson, whose five under par 67 was his best round since starting his 2015 campaign with the same number in Abu Dhabi in January.
One shot further back on four under par were Spaniards Jorge Campillo and Miguel Angel Jiménez, England’s Chris Wood, Scot Marc Warren and Y E Yang of South Korea. World Number One and defending champion Rory McIlroy opened with a one under par 71, while 2013 US Open Champion Justin Rose replicated that score to join the Northern Irishman in a share of 23rd place.

Player quotes:

Francesco Molinari (65,-7)
“It was obviously very good, steady. I think I missed only one green and got it up and down and managed to hole a few putts. I managed to stay positive on the round and just play shot by shot and everything went well.
 “I love this place. I've played well in the last few years and it's very good to be back. I just like the course, obviously. I think it rewards accuracy more than others, so it suits my game. But just in general, I come here every year and just enjoy the week and have fun. I managed to do that again today.”

Robert Karlsson (67, -5)
“It was nice to put a good round together. I’ve been struggling a little bit lately so it was nice to keep it going through the whole 18 holes.
“I was probably a little bit more careful off the tee. I hit a lot more 3 woods. It's important around here to keep the ball in play and it became the main focus.
“I've had some good runs but I haven't played 72 holes well - hopefully this is the start of a good run.”

Chris Wood (68, -4)
“I played really solid today. I had one bad shot on 17, left and out of bounds, which when you've got two par fives to finish - you're looking to pick up at least a shot there and I finished six, five - is disappointing.
“But I've been fighting a left shot for over a year now and that was the only one I today, so I feel like I'm starting to make a bit of progress with the swing.
“I broke a bone in my hand playing tennis in October and I was out for five months. It's not been great since I've come back. It's been a struggle and I’ve been working hard to finish 30th.  I was third in Morocco, but it's been a bit of a battle.
“We're coming into the meat of the season now, so hopefully I can find my form.”

Rory McIlroy (71, -1)
“I played okay, it was all right. There weren't really any aspects of my game I thought were really good, but at the same time I don't feel any aspect of my game was really off. So the score is probably a fair reflection of how I played.
“Physically I'm all right. Mentally I feel myself getting a bit angry out there which I haven't been doing the last few weeks.
“I just need to stay in control of my emotions because I feel like that's one of the things, if I'm a little tired or a little fatigued mentally, I'll start to be hard on myself and start to get down on myself. I’ll try not to do that over the next few days. I’ll just try to get as much rest as I've been getting and I should be okay.”
SCOTSWATCH: Full marks to Marc Warren for getting in the first-day mix with a four-under 68 and Richie Ramsay did not do too badly with a one-under 71 for a share of 23rd place. He birdied the second, fourth, eighth and 16th in halves of 36-35.
Greig Hutcheon is T38 on 72 alongside Chris Doak. Hutcheon birdied the fourth and 15th in halves of 36. Doak had an eagle at the fourth but gave it right back with a double bogey 5 at the short fifth He went on to birdie the 12th in halves of 36
Scott Jamieson had a 74 for joint 81st place. He birdied the 14th, 17th and 18th but also bogeyed the 15th and 16th. A kind of mixed bag finish.
For the second tournament in a row, Paul Lawrie had a 79.He had three double bogeys - at the short second, the par-4 third and par-4 eighth in an outward 40 which included a birdie at the fourth.
Coming home in 39 with bogeys at the 13th, 14th and 17th with a second birdie at the 18th for 39 home.

Paul wrote in his blog:

Shot 79+7 drove it lovely 11/14 fairways but only 11 greens and 1/7 up-and-downs tells the story. Not sure why but short game was awful today which is odd as not something I struggle with. Our group put on the clock on 13th hole as one of my playing partners taking forever on every shot then ref arrives and he starts to hit it on the run as so many slow players do , so so frustrating and selfish but no surprise - See more at: http://www.paullawriegolf.com/blog#sthash.sPWsXiKh.dpuf

Shot 79+7 drove it lovely 11/14 fairways but only 11 greens and 1/7 up-and-downs tells the story. Not sure why but short game was awful today which is odd as not something I struggle with. Our group put on the clock on 13th hole as one of my playing partners taking forever on every shot then ref arrives and he starts to hit it on the run as so many slow players do , so so frustrating and selfish but no surprise - See more at: http://www.paullawriegolf.com/blog#sthash.sPWsXiKh.dpuf

 Shot 79 +7. Drove it lovely, (hit) 11/14 fairways but only 11 greens and 1/7 up-and-downs tells the story. Not sure why but short game was awful today which is odd as not something I struggle with. Our group were put on the clock on 13th hole as one of my playing partners was taking forever on every shot. Then ref arrives and he starts to hit it on the run as so many slow players do. So so frustrating and selfish but no surprise.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
65 F Molinari (Ita) 
67 R Karlsson (Swe) 
68 Y Yang (Kor) , J Campillo (Esp) , M Jiménez (Esp) , C Wood  (Eng) , M Warren (Sco)
69 T Fleetwood  (Eng) , T Bjørn (Den) , P Larrazábal (Esp) , N Colsaerts  (Bel) , P Lawrie (Irl) , J Lando Casanova  (Fra) ,
70 A Levy (Fra) , T Jaidee (Tha) , J Donaldson (Wal) , F Aguilar (Chi) , S Kapur (Ind) , D McGrane (Irl) , I Ellis (Eng) , G Havret  (Fra) , L Donald  (Eng)
71 V Dubuisson  (Fra) , A Sullivan (Eng) , B An (Kor) , D Willett  (Eng) , R Ramsay  (Sco) , S Hansen (Den) , J Morrison  (Eng) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , J Palmer (Eng), P Meesawat  (Tha) , J Rose (Eng) , E Grillo (Arg) , I Garrido (Esp) , R McIlroy  (Nir) , B Dredge (Wal) 72 S Hend (Aus) , N Kearney (Irl) , M Tullo (Chi) , O Farr (Wal) , S Hutsby  (Eng) , R Green (Aus) , M Kaymer (Ger) , T Pieters  (Bel) , C Doak (Sco) , T Lewis (Eng) , J Quesne  (Fra) , A Noren  (Swe) , A Cañizares  (Esp) , R Rock (Eng) , J Luiten (Ned) , G Hutcheon (Sco) , K Aphibarnrat (Tha), B Rumford (Aus) , L Westwood (Eng) , E Els (RSA) , A Lahiri (Ind) , E Espana (Fra) , G Coetzee (RSA) , M Carlsson  (Swe) , E Pepperell (Eng) , J Singh (Ind) , G Bourdy (Fra) , P Hanson (Swe) ,
73 M Fraser (Aus) , R Fisher (Eng) , M Kieffer (Ger) , T Hatton (Eng) , T Fisher Jnr (RSA) , D Van Der Walt (RSA) , K Broberg (Swe) , O Fisher  (Eng) , S Chawrasia (Ind) , B Grace  (RSA) , F Zanotti (Par) , R Finch  (Eng) , W Ormsby (Aus) , J Barnes (Eng) , R Bland (Eng)
74 A Quiros  (Esp) , S Lowry  (Irl) , H Otto (RSA) , M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) , L Hao-Tong (Chn) , J Van Zyl (RSA) , S Jamieson  (Sco) , D Horsey (Eng) , D Clarke (Nir) , G Mulroy (RSA) , A Hansen (Den) , D Fichardt (RSA) , T Aiken (RSA) , G Stal  (Fra) , M Siem  (Ger) , G McDowell  (Nir) , M Cort (Eng) , R Wattel  (Fra) , S Khan (Eng) 
75 J Roos (RSA) , S Drummond (Sco) , C Lee (Sco) , C Gane (Eng) , L Bjerregaard  (Den) , B Koepka  (USA) , T Olesen (Den) , M Ilonen  (Fin) , D Lipsky (USA) , M Manassero (Ita) , M Lundberg (Swe) , M Hoey  (Nir)
76 M Nixon (Eng) , M Ford (Eng) , M Madsen  (Den) , M Baldwin (Eng) , J Kruger (RSA) , P Uihlein  (USA) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , J Carlsson (Swe) , N Fasth (Swe) , D Howell (Eng) , F Fritsch  (Ger) ,
77 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) , B Wiesberger  (Aut) , D Dixon (Eng) , S Benson (Eng) , A Dodt (Aus) , R Gonzalez (Arg) , A Belt (Eng) , A Johnston (Eng) ,
78 G Storm  (Eng) , J Levermore (Eng) ,
79 D Brooks (Eng) , R Dinwiddie  (Eng) , J Garcia Pinto (Esp) , O Wilson (Eng) , M Lampert (Ger) , R O'Hanlon (Eng) , P Lawrie (Sco) , M Crespi  (Ita) , B Barham (Eng) ,
80 R Paratore (Ita)
81 S Webster (Eng) , L Slattery (Eng) , M Foster (Eng) , B Hebert  (Fra) 
85 J Jeong (SKor) 
Disqualified - D Drysdale (Sco)
Retired - P Harrington (Ire), E Molinari (Ita)
*
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Ronnie Clark  leads North Seniors Open 

By GORDON THOMSON

Ronnie Clark ( Erskine), who won three times on last year’s circuit, is the first round leader in the North Seniors Open at Elgin with a fine score of  one-over-par 70.

This gave him  a three-stroke advantage over Keith Bruce (Edzell ) and Doug Imrie (Turnhouse ) with no fewer than six players just one shot further back.

The highly rated Elgin course was in fine condition and presented an excellent test for the high quality field.

NORTH OF SCOTLAND SENIORS OPEN
Elgin Golf Club.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
par 69 CSS 73
70 Ronnie Clark  (Erskine)
73 Keith Bruce  (Edzell), Doug Imrie.  Turnhouse
74 Calum Wilson. (Ladybank), Alasdair Macgregor (Hazlehead), David Imrie (Stirling), Duncan Hamilton (Mortonhall), David Gardner (Broomieknowe), Graham Bell (Downfield).
75 William Irvine (Lanark), Jim Emslie (Royal Aberdeen), Bill Erskine (Kilsyth), Ken Thomaon (Bramall Park), Joe McManus (Uphall).

Scots wiped out in Alps Tour's Italian event

Fifer Scott Stewart-Cation, joint third after an opening round of five-under 66, plummeted to a second-day 77 for 143 and missed the cut by one shot in this week's Alps Tour event, the Frassanelle Open in North-east Italy.
It was a total wipe-out for the Scots with John Henry (73-71 for 144) and James White (73-74 for 147) also missing the cut.
Spain's Gerard Piris leads with 65-67 for 10-under-par 132.

Stewart-Cation in the mix in Alps Tour event

Scott Stewart-Cation from Fife was lying joint third with a five-under-par 66 after the first round of this week's Alps Tour event in North-east Italy - the Frassanelle Open.

LEADING SCORES
Par 71
65 Gerard Piris (Spain), Sidney Wolf (France)
66 Andrew Maestroni (Italy), Scott Stewart-Cation (Scotland), Cristiano Terragni (Italy).

OTHER SCORES
67 Matt Wallace (England) (T6)
68 Harry Casey (England) (T11)
73 John Henry (Scotland), James White (Scotland) (T7)

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