Monday, May 25, 2015

My Golf Ranking updates



MyGolfRanking, Scotland Men, Week 2015/20
1 *Kevin Christie (Torrance Park) 1144 pts

2 Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy) 1130

3 Ryan Brown (Dunfermline) 1125

T4 David Boyd (Blairbeth), *Andrew Williamson (McDonald) 1100,

MyGolfRanking Scotland Clubs, Week 2015/20
1 McDonald 1056 pts
2 Leven GS Ladies 1019
3 Ladybank Ladies 1013
4 Strathtay 1005
5 Innellan Ladies 917

*New entry

The MyGolfRanking service is free to clubs and members.

For up-to-date ranking lists of participating clubs, the full Regional, National and International Rankings and how it works, visit www.mygolfranking.co.uk . Clubs wishing to participate should register on www.mygolfranking.co.uk  or email info@mygolfranking.net for information.

David Moir

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North District top eight match-play draw

The leading eight players in the weekend North District stroke-play golf championship make up the field for the match-play championship for the Robin Thomson Trophy.
Competitors will arrange dates and venues for their own ties until it gets to the final stage which will be be arranged by the North District secretary.
Quarter-finals (to be played by July 12)
Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) v Chris Mailley (Royal Dornoch).
Sandy Scott (Nairn) v Bruce Thomson (Nairn)
Rory Franssen (Inverness) v Douglas Thorburn (Tain)
Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) v Steven Rendal (Orkney).

Semi-finals to be played by August 23.

+If ties have not been played by the specificd dates, both players will be disqualified

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Levy leads qualifiers for US Open as 

Harrington fails at Walton Heath

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Alexander Levy earned a debut appearance in next month’s US Open Championship after finishing one shot clear of India’s Shiv Kapur at the International Sectional Qualifier at Walton Heath, as one-handed chipper Jason Palmer secured a Major championship debut.

Two-time European Tour winner Levy followed a six under par round of 66 on the Old Course in the morning with a five under par 67 on the New Course in the afternoon to finish on 11 under par 133, heading the 11 players to earn a spot at Chambers Bay Golf Club, in Washington.
A birdie on the final hole ensure he finished a stroke clear of Kapur at the top of the 82-player leaderboard to seal his second appearance in a Major championship, after sharing 30th position in last year’s US PGA Championship.
Englishman John Parry, who finished tied 28th at Merion two years ago, finished a further shot back on nine under par, while Sweden’s Alex Noren, who was one over par after 19 holes of the 36 hole qualifier, surged up the leaderboard with eight birdies and an eagle in the space of 15 holes to earn his third US Open appearance with a closing 64 to take fourth spot on eight under par.
Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard shared fifth position on seven under par with Englishman Palmer, who ensured there will be another notable storyline to emerge from Walton Heath, ten years after New Zealand’s Michael Campbell qualified and went on to win the US Open at Pinehurst.
After turning to chipping one handed to overcome the ‘yips’, Palmer is in his rookie season on The European Tour and he has vowed to continue using his unorthodox method when he tees it up in a Major Championship for the first time.
Germany’s Marcel Siem finished on six under par to take the seventh spot and the final four spots were decided by a play-off after Tjaart Van Der Walt carded a birdie and two eagles in his last six holes to make it a five-way tie for eighth place on five under par.
Australian Marcus Fraser progressed at the first extra hole, before the South African trio of Van Der Walt, Thomas Aiken and Garth Mulroy secured their spots at the third play-off hole, with Welshman Oliver Farr the man to miss out on a Major debut.
Farr had to settle for the one of the two alternate spot available for Chambers Bay, with Fabrizio Zanotti coming through a separate five man play-off to claim the second, with three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington, who had bogeyed his final hole in regulation play to slip out of the play-off for the final four US Open spots, again missing out.
Said the Irishman:
“It was disappointing to bogey the last. I nearly walked off after four holes this morning so I was surprised to have a chance at all. It was nice to get a run going on the back nine. It’s one too many, so it is disappointing, especially after making a few birdies and getting inside the mark.
“I struggled badly this morning (with the shoulder injury) and really struggled to hit it. It’s hard to play golf one handed. It did ease out though, but it hurt me again out of the heather on the 18th. I wouldn’t like to be teeing it up on Thursday that way, but it showed some good signs. It’s eased off quite a bit since last week though, which is good. Hopefully I will be healthy and fit and ready to go on Thursday (at the Irish Open).”
 

QUALIFIERS FOR US OPEN
Par 144 (2x72) 
133 A Levy (Fra) 66 67
134 S Kapur (Ind) 67 67
135 J Parry (Eng) 66 69
136 A Noren  (Swe) 72 64
137 J Palmer (Eng) 69 68; L Bjerregaard  (Den) 67 70
138 M Siem  (Ger) 70 68
139 (after play-off) G Mulroy (RSA) 73 66; T Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 67; T Aiken (RSA) 71 68; M Fraser (Aus) 69 70.


FAILED TO QUALIFY
139 (lost play-off) O Farr (Wal) 72 67
140 K Broberg (Swe) 73 67; P Harrington (Irl) 72 68; E Grillo (Arg) 71 69; P Uihlein  (USA) 71 69; F Zanotti (Par) 71 69; S Walker (Eng) 70 70; E Goya (Arg) 68 72
 141 R Fisher (Eng) 74 67; L Jensen (Den) 72 69; A Dodt (Aus) 71 70; J Singh (Ind) 69 72; T Lewis (Eng) 69 72; B Evans  (Eng) 67 74;
 142 T Hatton (Eng) 72 70; W Ormsby (Aus) 72 70; S Lewton (Eng) 71 71;
 143 G Havret  (Fra) 74 69; R Rock (Eng) 74 69; R Karlsson (Swe) 73 70; A Hortal  (Esp) 73 70; T Pieters  (Bel) 73 70; M Orrin (Eng) 73 70; D Lipsky (USA) 72 71; C Shinkwin (Eng) 72 71; P Lawrie (Irl) 72 71; O Fisher  (Eng) 72 71; L Slattery (Eng) 72 71; R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 74;
 144 R Karlberg  (Swe) 75 69; R Kakko  (Fin) 74 70; J Carlsson (Swe) 73 71; G Maybin (Nir) 70 74; N Colsaerts  (Bel) 70 74; J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 69 75; J Edfors (Swe) 67 77;
 145 V Riu  (Fra) 73 72; D Brooks (Eng) 70 75; R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 70 75
 146 A Pavan (Ita) 76 70; J Scrivener (Aus) 76 70; K Ferrie (Eng) 73 73; J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 71 75
 147 M Ilonen  (Fin) 72 75; J Heath  (Eng) 72 75;
 148 S Hend (Aus) 76 72; P Martin Benavides (Esp) 76 72; J Walters (RSA) 71 77; M Crespi  (Ita) 71 77;
 149 M Madsen  (Den) 75 74; R McGowan  (Eng) 74 75;
 150 T Pilkadaris (Aus) 75 75; M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 74 76;
 151 M Ford (Eng) 72 79;
 152 L Weber (Fra) 78 74;




EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

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PandH Tournament at Renaissance Club

Flyaway Paul comes home in 29 to lead by three

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Paul Robinson (Largs) left the bigger names of the Tartan Tour trailing in his wake after a first-round, six-under-par 65 gave him a three-stroke lead at the end of the opening day in the P and H Championship at The Renaissance Club, next door to Muirfield and Archerfield, in East Lothian.
Robinson did not look the likely leader when he bogeyed the first hole but he turned in level par 36 with birdies at two long holes, the third and the seventh, cancelling out a second bogey, at the ninth.
It was after the turn that Robinson stepped up a gear to power away from the huge field.
He covered the last six holes in six under par with an eagle 3 at the 13th and birdies at the 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th in an inward 29.
His nearest challengers going into Day 2 are David Orr (Eastwood) and Stephen Gray (Hayston) on the 68 mark.
Orr was joint second, only a shot behind last year's winner of the £7,300 first prize, Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) when the inaugural tournament was played at Dundonald Links
Orr birdied the first, fourth, ninth, 13th, 14th and 16th in halves of 35-33.
Gray, a pro-am winner last week, had bogey-free halves of 34-34 with birdies at the first, third and 15th.
Defending champion Arnott is joint 11th on 71.
Not all of the pre-tournament favourites did well. Paul O'Hara chalked up a 79, nine more than his Clydeway Golf team-mate Graham Fox.

The field will be cut to the leading 40 players and ties after the second round.

FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
65 P Robinson (Largs)
68 D Orr (Eastwood), S Gray (Hayston)
69 C Currie (Caldwell), P McKechnie (Braid Hills), C Gillies (unatt), P Shields (Kirkhill), P Wardell (North Berwick), G Wright (West Linton), S Henderson (Kings Links)
70 G Fox (Clydeway Golf), R Arnott (Bishopbriggs), G Hay (Nairn Dunbar), S Binning (Mearns Castle), G Paxton (Ralston)
71 K McNicoll (Gullane), M Isaacs (Gamola Golf), J McGhee (Bishopbriggs), L Gaughn (Bathgate), C Everett (Caldwell), C Elliott (Haggs Castle), C Kelly (unatt), S McAllister (S McAllister Golf), G Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie GC).
72 M Hillson (Tandridge), A McDonald (Dunnikier Park), G McBain (Paul Lawrie GC), C Marr (Musselburgh), S Williamson (Clydeway Golf)
73 F Mann (Carnoustie GC), A Reid (West Lothian), J Lomas (Caprington), J Gallagher (Douglas Park), S Taylor (Bothwell Castle), C Gordon (Edinbugh GC), A Welsh (Cathkin Braes).
74 R Neill (Drumpellier), N Huguet (Musselburgh), R Clarke (Gamola Golf), S Morrison (Tain), I Deacon (Loch Lomond), R Munro (Duddingston), C Farrell (Cardross), Brian Marchbank (unatt), G Brown (Montrose Links), T Dingwall (Kemnay).

PROJECTED CUT MARK AFTER 36 HOLES (leading 40 and ties)
75 D Ramsay (Moray), C Goodwin (Duff House Royal), P Walker (Ballumbie Castle), I Taylor (Drumpellier), S McLaren (Blairgowrie), L Vannet (Craibstone)
76 N Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh, S Grieve (Turnhouse), N Fenwick (Dunbar), G Law (Uphall), C McMaster (Panmure), C Beveridge (West Kilbride), S Costello (Strathaven), M Kanev (Bruntsfield), L Anderson (Colville Park), C Robertson (Elie Links), S Speirs (Swanston), S Maxwell (Eastwood), M Mackenzie (Edzell)
77 J Fraser (Renaissance), J Dick (Duddingston), R Dixon (Renaissance), S Craig (Craig Golf), C Smith (Royal Musselb urgh), C Sutherland (Cherry Lodge), D Wood (Hirsel), G Robertson (Airdrie), B Harvey (Glasgow), K Walker (unatt).
78 P Edgcomb (Forrester Park), A Mackrell (Playsport Golf), P Brookes (Pitreavie), D Snodgrass (Crail GS) S Savage (Dalmuir), A Hutchison (Douglas Park), F  Cramb (Crieff)
79 A Forrow (Whitecraigs), I Brown (Newent), R Rushford (Glenbervie), M Huish (North Berwick), K Mc Niven (Gleneagles), M Burt (Helensburgh), F Dunlop (Gleneagles), P O'Hara (Clydeway Golf), C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), E Macpherson (Auchterarder)
80 R Buckley (Royal Musselburgh), C Tierney (Bishopbriggs), C Haugh (Cawder), S Walters (Balbirnie Park)
81 G Mackay (Melville GR), D Williamson (Kirkhill), C Lawson (Elmwood) D Swinley (Prestonfield)
82 P Kerr (Hayston), P McKenna (Paul Lawrie GC), P Scanlan (unatt)]
84 P Malone (Braid Hills), A Munro (Elie Links), O Leslie (Piperdam)
89 F Thomson (Turnberry Hotel)
93 I Howieson (Howieson Golf)

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Paul Lawrie Foundation Goes West


NEWS RELEASE
The Paul Lawrie Foundation, established in 2001 following on from Paul’s victory in the 1999 Open Championship, today began a new chapter in its history as it announced an expansion of activities in to the Highland Region of Scotland.
In the 14 years since its inception, the Foundation has assisted children from Paul’s native North-East to experience and enjoy golf through the provision of Flag & Stableford competitions in the Under 10s, 12s & 15s age groups, as well as supporting U18s Junior Opens and offering Professional coaching to a large number of children through the Foundation’s Academy, today based at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre. 
Over time, and thanks to the support of the Foundation’s existing sponsors, the programme has grown to include a stable of 11 playing professionals and also lends backing to football teams, a rythmic gymnastics club, and talented individuals involved in swimming, tennis & table tennis, amongst other sports.
The four Founding Sponsors of the Paul Lawrie Foundation (Highlands) are Cairngorm Windows, Clubhouse Hotel, Hawco Group and The Nairn Golf Club.  The backing of these local businesses will allow the Foundation to stage a number of events similar to those provided by PLF as part of the North-East programme’s activity and also provide expert coaching, led by PGA Professionals, in a number of locations throughout the Highland Region.
Speaking at The Nairn Golf Club, on the decision to extend the activities of his Foundation in to the Highland Region, Paul said: “It’s an exciting development for the Foundation.  I’m grateful, of course, to the Founding Sponsors of the Highland programme for their backing and understanding of what it is we want to do.
“I sat down with representatives of each of the organisations here at The Nairn Golf Club a few weeks ago to outline our plans, ideas and aspirations.  All of them could see straight away the benefits of what we do and our vision for the Foundation in the Highlands.  They are all locally based companies and organisations who want to see more opportunities for the children in the area.  I am looking forward to working with them to get more kids participating in and enjoying this great game.”
Fraser Cromarty, CEO of The Nairn Golf Club and Chairman of the Highland Golf Links partnership organisation, said: “The Paul Lawrie Foundation has done a fantastic job promoting and supporting junior golf in the north east of Scotland and moving into the Highlands is great news for everyone involved in the sport here.
“Junior golf needs all the encouragement it can get and having the support of such an iconic figure and Major champion like Paul Lawrie gives everyone a tremendous lift.  The help from the Foundation will go hand in hand with the work that clubs and other bodies are doing to help young players.
“I strongly believe that sport in general, and golf in particular, can teach young people so much, like discipline and etiquette, which will help them for the rest of their lives.
“With the help of professional coaches, our juniors will get the best opportunity to develop their talent, compete at the highest level and, hopefully, one day we can produce a champion from this area.”

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Tartan Tour shock - Brian Mair leaving to 

become SGU commercial manager

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The Tartan Tour is looking for a new leader for the second time in a couple of years.

Brian Mair, pictured, secretary of the PGA in Scotland since April 2013, is leaving the post to become the Scottish Golf Union's commercial manager at the end of June
Former Glenmuir marketing director Mair (50) will ake a wealth of business expertise to his SGU role, notably with his marketing and sales experience with leading golf apparel companies Sunderland of Scotland and more recently Glenmuir and helped successfully integrate both.
Mair also oversaw the marketing activities for Glenmuir relating to the Ryder Cup 2010 and 2012, The Open Championship 2010 and 2011 and the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championships.



As the Tartan Tour supremo, Mair was steadily bringing in new tournament ideas and he was responsible for the Ladies Tartan Tour becoming part of the PGA in Scotland programme.
No other PGA region runs tournaments for female professionals.
A little over two years ago, Sandy Jones, the PGA's Scots-born supremo, appointed Mair to succeed Michael MacDougall who had been made an offer he could not refuse to become manager of the Paul Lawrie Foundation.


NEWS RELEASE FROM SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
The Scottish Golf Union (SGU) is delighted to announce the appointment of Brian Mair as its new Commercial Manager. He will begin his role at the end of June.
One of the Scottish golf industry's most respected figures having previously worked with Glenmuir, Sunderland of Scotland, Lyle and Scott and Wilson Sporting Goods, Mair is to leave his role as Secretary of The PGA in Scotland to take up his new position.
The 50 year-old will be charged with growing the Scottish Golf Union’s commercial revenue through sponsorship and other revenue streams, working with existing partners and targeting prospective new sponsors.
The SGU’s current portfolio of partner brands includes Aberdeen Asset Management, Adidas, Belhaven, Carrick Neill, GolfKings Travel and SSE Scottish Hydro, with cash sponsorship revenues representing 13% of the organisation’s income in the last financial year.
Since joining The PGA at their Gleneagles base in April 2013, Mair has helped drive several new sponsorship deals for the domestic Tartan Tour circuit, while during his Sales and Marketing role at Glenmuir, the Ayrshireman was responsible for successfully activating the brand’s Ryder Cup partnership in 2010 and 2012, as well as the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.
"I am delighted to take up the new role of Commercial Manager and look forward to using my business experience, knowledge and network to attract further investment for growing and developing the game in Scotland,” said Mair.
“It is a fantastic new challenge for me and I am excited by the opportunities that lie ahead in attracting more brands to work with the Scottish Golf Union through the many platforms built up by the team in recent years.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with The PGA of Scotland and its members, notably during an exciting time for the game in 2014, and it continues to play a pivotal role in developing golf."
Hamish Grey, Chief Executive of the Scottish Golf Union, added: “We are delighted that someone of Brian’s experience and reputation is joining us, given the commercial and partnership opportunities that exist as we move to a new amalgamated governing body, Scottish Golf Limited, from 1 October.
“Brian will bring a great understanding of what is required to attract new investment both domestically and overseas and his experience of working within golf and the private sector will be of great value to Scottish Golf.”

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Rickie Fowler joins Scottish Open field

EUROPEAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE
Rickie Fowler, who captured the Players’ Championship in sensational style earlier this month, will bring his thrilling talents to Gullane Golf Club in July when he returns to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
The exciting Californian will be making his second pilgrimage to the east coast of Scotland, having played in last year’s event at Royal Aberdeen in which Fowler finished a highly respectable tied eighth behind winner Justin Rose.
With the great and good of the golfing world set to descend upon St Andrews for the year’s third Major a week later, there can be little surprise that Fowler is excited to be heading back to the Home of Golf.
Fowler, 26, who has climbed to World Number Nine, enjoyed a top ten finish in Aberdeen last year and followed that up with a tie for second place behind his close friend Rory McIlroy in The Open at Hoylake.

A season ticket for the 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open can be purchased for £70 in advance of the tournament, a saving of £10 on admission at the gate. Adult day tickets are currently priced at £25, rising to £35 on the gate.
Concessions (60 and over) start at £50 for a season ticket and £20 for any one day tickets, if purchased in advance. Under-16s accompanied by an adult are admitted free of charge, and all car parking is also free. 
Entry to the Pro-Am on Wednesday is £12 in advance, and £15 on the day.
To book tickets, visit www.europeantour.com/tickets or call 0800 023 2557.
Corporate Hospitality Packages are also available, please contact Robert Gordon on 01344 840538 or email rgordon@europeantour.com to request a brochure.

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Jimmy Mullen finishes nine shots clear of Ashburnham field

              Jimmy Mullen and the Welsh stroke-play trophy. Picture from Welsh Golf union website


Runaway win for Mullen in Welsh stroke-play
England international Jimmy Mullen was the runaway winner of the Welsh open stroke play championship at Ashburnham – finishing 15-under par and nine shots clear of his closest rivals.

He led the event from start to finish and remarked afterwards: “It’s my biggest win to date, which means a lot, and being in Walker Cup year it’s even better.”
Now, he says, his challenge is to put the win behind him and concentrate on amassing more results to help him make the GB and I team for September’s home match against the USA. 
Mullen, from Royal North Devon, set the early tournament pace with a pair of five-under 67s, which saw him share the lead after the first round and hold a one-stroke advantage at the halfway stage.
Then, he charged away from the field: he was four ahead after returning a third-round 70; seven ahead with six holes to play and finally secured his nine-shot victory with a closing 69.
Second place on six-under par was shared by England’s double European champion, Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park), who had a final round 68, and by Ben Westgate of Wales. One shot behind in fourth place were two more English players, Joe Dean (Lindrick) and Nick Marsh (Huddersfield), together with Ireland’s Alex Gleeson.
Mullen (image © Leaderboard Photography) had predicted at the start of the week that the winning score would be double figures under par, but he was surprised by his margin of success. “I knew I had a four-shot lead going into the final round, but the course record had already been broken twice in the week and I expected people to come at me. But it didn’t happen.”
The 21-year-old from the England Golf men's squad added: “I just stuck to what I had been doing in the first three rounds, kept trying to make birdies and hoped it would be good enough in the end.”
“It’s the first time I have led from start to finish and it’s very nice to know I can do that. It’s also good to get back that winning feeling.”
Mullen’s strengths were his determination to stick to his game plan and his accurate driving. 
“Off the tee I was the best I’ve been all year. I hit a lot of fairways and gave myself the opportunity to hit at the right part of the greens and leave myself birdie chances.
He was also pleased with his putter over the closing stages, notably holing an eight-footer for bogey on 15 and grabbing the shot straight back by holing a 15-footer for birdie on the 16th. 
“I didn’t know what the lead was and I thought that could be really crucial,” he said. “It’s really nice to know I can hole putts late on.”
This is Mullen’s second 72-hole win, following his success in the 2014 Duncan Putter, also held in Wales. This season he’s been third in the Duncan Putter and won all four of his games in the recent England v Spain international.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) CSS 74 74 73 74
273 Jimmy Mullen (Royal North Devon) 67 67 70 69
282 Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park) 72 71 71 68, Ben Westgate (Trevose)70 68 72 72
283 Joe Dean (Lindric) 71 72 71 69, Nick Marsh (Huddersfield) 70 71 72 70, Alex Gleeson (Ireland) 68 72 71 72
SCOTS' TOTALS    
284 Craig Howie (Peebles) 67 72 70 75 (T7)
286 Ryan Campbell (Falkirk) 71 72 68 76 (T16)
290 Daniel Hendry (Emirates) 71 72 75 72 (T27) 

MISSED THE CUT (146 and better qualified)
147 Jeff Wright (Forres) 71 76, Chris MacLean (Balmore) 71 76
148 Nick Macandrew (Royual Aberdeen) 72 76
149 James Wilson (Balmore) 73 76, Kyle Godsman (Moray) 73 76
152 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 72 80
153 Callum Cochrane (Marriott Dalmahoy) 79 74.
154 Angus Carrick (Douglas Park) 80 74
156 Alastair Thurlow (Murrayfield) 82 74
166 Sean Walker (West Linton) 82 84.  
  
Click here for the full scores. 


Lyndsey Hewison
Press Officer
England Golf
pr@englandgolf.or

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