Drummond and Ronald combine for 

nine-under 61 at Buchanan Castle seniors

Ross Drummond (unattached) and Carluke's Craig Ronald won today's PGA in Scotland four-ball, better-ball Buchanan Castle seniors' 18-hole competition with an outstanding score of nine-under-par 61.
They collected the £450 prize by a three-shot margin from joint runners-up Fraser Mann (Carnoustie GC) and David Russell (Archerfield Links), and Gerry Reilly (Lochwinnoch) and Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) who won £300 per pair for their better-ball 64s.
Fourth on 65 were Gordon Law (Uphall) and Colin Gillies (unattached) who earned the last cash prize of £150.

BETTER-BALL SCOREBOARD
Par 70
61 Ross Drummond (unatt) and Craig Ronald (Carluke) £450.
64 Fraser Mann (Carnoustie GC) and David Russell (Archerfield Links), Gerry Reilly (Lochwinnoch) and Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) £300 per pairing.
65 Gordon Law (Uphall) and Colin Gillies (unatt) £150.
66 Brian Marchbank (unatt) and Ronan Rafferty (Monte Rei).
67 Stephen Craig (Craig Golf) and Jacky Montgomery (Dunbar), Ian Howieson (Howieson Golf Services) and Graeme Leggat (Pitlochry Golf), Stephen McAllister (S McAllister Golf) and Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle), Nick Walton (Glasgow) and Jack Steven (unatt).
69 S Collins (Stirling) and Craig Maltman (Eyemouth)
73 Alastair McLean (Duddingston) and Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle).

Parnevik primed for Sunningdale success

Jesper Parnevik, who twice finished runner-up in The Open Championship, is hoping to go one better when he makes his debut in The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex at Sunningdale Golf Club next month. The colourful Swede, pictured by courtesy of Getty Images (c), turned 50 in March and after struggling with injuries towards the end of his European Tour career, he has returned to competitive action on the US Champions Tour, with a share of fourth place in April’s Greater Gwinnett Championship his best result to date. It is 12 years since Parnevik last played in The Open but he is looking forward to returning to Europe as a Senior rookie to compete in his maiden Senior Open, over the Old Course at Sunningdale from July 23-26. “It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Parnevik. “It’s been a few years since I’ve played in The Open Championship because of my injuries, but The Open was always one of my favourite events. “Sunningdale is a great place. As long as my body holds up, it is going to be a great week to come back and play on European soil again. “It is an old style golf course. You have to keep the ball in the fairway. It’s a traditional golf course. You need to play good golf around there. But the most special thing is that it is The Senior Open.” Renowned for his flamboyant dress sense, Parnevik boasts an impressive record in The Open, having finished in the top ten on five occasions, including being runner-up twice – in 1994, to Nick Price at Turnberry and at Royal Troon in 1997, when he shared second place with Darren Clarke behind Justin Leonard.  He also represented Europe at the 1997, 1999 and 2002 Ryder Cups and he will be joined at Sunningdale by some of his team-mates from those contests, including defending champion Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam. As well as catching up with old friends, Parnevik is also looking forward playing in front of European galleries again.  “I have so many great memories of playing in the London area, playing in the PGA Championship at Wentworth, the World Match Play, and playing at Sunningdale,” he said. “London was our hub when we played in Europe. It’s always great to go back. My family will be there too – we spend the summer in Sweden, so it will be a lot of fun.” Discounted tickets for The 2015 Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex at Sunningdale Golf Club are available in advance, with season tickets priced at £70 if purchased before July 1, while one-day tickets cost £25 and Wednesday practice day tickets are £12. Under 16s are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult and parking is also free. *News earlier in the day  that  Parnevik had withdrawn from the 2015 U.S. Senior Open Championship due to illness. =

This week's Molly's Bistro Aberdeen Pennant League fixtures

TUESDAY EVENING

A Caldonian v Auchmill
A Royal Aberdeen v Deeside

B Murcar Links v Bon Accord

C Banchory v Nwmachar
C Nigg Bay v Stonehaven

THURSDAY EVENING

B Peterculter v Northern

Email the results to Colin@Scottishgolfview.com ASAP after the matches and they will be displayed on www.scottishgolfview.com

The Aberdeen Pennant League is sponsored by the Douglas Hotel, Market Street, Aberdeen through its Molly's Bistro and Malone's Bar.

Parnevik withdraws from US Senior Open

Jesper Parnevik has withdrawn from the 2015 U.S. Senior Open Championship due to illness. Parnevik, who was fully exempt into the championship, has been replaced by amateur Pat Thompson, of Asheville, North  Carolina, who was the first alternate from the High Point, North Carolina sectional qualifying site. 

Bradley Neil pro debut this week as SGU name 

squad of six for European team championship

NEWS RELEASE FROM SGU

A six-strong Scotland side will seek Swedish success in next month’s European team championship, while last year's British Amateur champion Bradley Neil from Blairgowrie prepares to make his professional debut this week. 

Boasting a mixture of youth and experience,  the Scots will try to build on back-to-back top-five finishes in the European amateur team event at Halmstad GC in Sweden from July 7 to 11. 

Three members of last year’s side return, namely British amateur championship finalist Grant Forrest (Craigielaw), Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), runner-up in this year’s Carrick Neill Scottish open amateur stroke play championship, and Kilmarnock Barassie’s Jack McDonald, who helped Ayrshire to GolfKings Scottish area team championship glory and reached the British amateur semi-finals at Carnoustie.

SGU Men’s Order of Merit leader Connor Syme (Drumoig), Bearsden’s Ewen Ferguson, twice a winner on the men’s domestic circuit in 2015, and Thornhill’s consistent Greig Marchbank, a former Scottish boys' stroke play champion, will make their European men’s team debuts.

Scotland last won the European Team event in 2009 – memorably adding the European crown to the world title they won in 2008 – but came close as runner-up to England in 2013 and finished fourth 12 months ago.

Neil was part of those last two sides, but will not make a hat-trick of appearances as the ex-Scottish Golf Academy player makes his pro debut at Spey Valley this week in the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.

The 19-year-old, who won the British amateur championship at Royal Portrush last year, reached the top 10 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and has since competed in three Major Championships, has decided to pursue the pro opportunities set to come his way, having agreed a management deal with Excel Sports, who represent the likes of Tiger Woods and Justin Rose.

Neil, who faced a difficult decision, given his strong claim for a place in Nigel Edwards’ GB and I Walker Cup side to face the USA at Royal Lytham in September, could line up in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Gullane next month, among other invites.

“We wish Bradley all the best going forward,” said National Coach, Ian Rae. 

 “We now look forward as a team to the challenge in Sweden next month and building on the success we have enjoyed at the European Team event in recent years. We have a strong side, boasting youth with the likes of Ewen Ferguson and the experience of Graeme Robertson, and we’re confident of again competing well.” 

The Scotland national teams are supported by Aberdeen Asset Management and TaylorMade-adidasGolf.

 

Scotland squad for European men's

 team championship

Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) 18

Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 22

Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 22

Greig Marchbank (Thornhill) 20

Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 27

Connor Syme (Drumoig) 19

 

(Selection based on top 2 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, leading player on SGU Men’s Order of Merit and 3 selectors picks)

 

Meantime, a six-player Scotland side has also been selected for the European boys' team championship at Pickala GC in Finland, also from July 7 to 11.

Nairn’s Sandy Scott, recent winner of the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Trophy, has been rewarded with a place in the side, along with fellow 16-year-old Rory Franssen.

The quartet who represented Scotland in the Junior Golf World Cup in Japan, namely Calum Fyfe, Murray Naysmith, Christopher Curran and Will Porter, have also been chosen.

 

Scotland squad for European boys'

team championship

 

Christopher Curran (Harburn) 18

Rory Franssen (Inverness) 16

Calum Fyfe (Cawder) 18

Murray Naysmith (Marriott Dalmahoy) 18

Will Porter (Carnoustie) 17

Sandy Scott (Nairn) 16

 

Darren Howie and Jamie Stewart 

for European Young Masters

In a further team announcement, Peebles’ Darren Howie, 15, the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Schools winner, has been selected with Old Ranfurly’s Jamie Stewart, 15, to represent Scotland at the European Young Masters at Golf Club Domaine Imperial in Switzerland from 23 – 25 July.

t:

 

St Andrews pro Neil Paton comes to the end of his

 round after 32 years

 L-R "Neil Paton, accompanied by Mr and Mrs Herb Kohler, at his leaving reception in the Jigger Inn at the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa."

 NEWS RELEASE
One of St Andrews longest-serving and best-recognized golf professionals has retired after an incredible 32 years in the town. 

Neil Paton, who was born in St Andrews, says: “I grew up in and around golf – and fell in love with the game.”

He decided to become a professional golfer – and headed to London to join Scottish golf pro, Laurie Ayton Jnr. 

Neil explains: “I worked with Laurie for five years – he had been a member of the Ryder Cup team in his day and during my time with him, I learned many different aspects of being a professional golfer. He helped shaped my career.”

Neil won his tour card and played for three years. He adds: “I realised my talents lay outside the ropes and I was not cut out for the tour.” 

He moved back to St Andrews and began teaching the game he loved. “I taught so many people – in so many places: from primary school children to students at the University, from members at the local clubs to visitors coming into the town. I loved it.”

In 1983, the then owners of the Old Course Hotel approached Neil to work alongside fellow St Andrews professional, John Philp. Neil says: “John was great to work with – he taught me a great deal about the workings of the resort.” 

Neil adds: “It was a really good step to make. I loved the mix of work – meeting guests and members of the hotel’s team as well as getting the opportunity to play in pro-am events across Scotland. It was also fun to teach golf in the iconic green sheds alongside the Road Hole as they were then the golf school for the hotel.”

Six years later, the hotel was sold – and the new owners, Kohler, asked Neil to become a full time member of the team and ‘head pro’ at the hotel. 

Neil adds: “They were exciting times. The owners decided to create The Duke’s and whilst five times Open Champion Peter Thomson was working on the creation of the course, I was asked to help set up the entire golf operation.”

Stephen Ramage is MGR Fife men's golfer of the week

The MGR Fife Golfer of the Week is Stephen Ramage of Glenrothes GC who enters the Fife Men's MyGolfRanking for the first time at No 6.

 

www.mygolfranking.net, Fife Men, Week 2015/24

1 Andrew L Fernie (Thornton) 1150 points,

2 Ryan Brown (Dunfermline) 1100,                                                                                                   

3 Paul Manderson (Forrester Park Resort) 1094,

4 James Green (Canmore) 1061,

5 Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy) 1056,

6 *Stephen Ramage (Glenrothes) 1038,

7 *A Ho (Burntisland GHC) 1025,

8 * Colin Palmer Jnr (Kinghorn) 1019,

9 George Lorimer (Cupar) 1014,

10 G

www.mygolfranking.net, Fife Clubs Men, Week 2015/24

1 Dunfermline 705 points,

2 Scoonie 692,

3 Dunnikier Park 690,

4 Auchterderran 674,

5 Kirkcaldy 663,

For up-to-date ranking lists of participating clubs, the full Regional, National and International Rankings and how it works, visit www.mygolfranking.net.

The MyGolfRanking service is free to clubs and members. Clubs wishing to participate should register on www.mygolfranking.net or email info@mygolfranking.net for information.

 

David Moir

MyGolfRanking

In League with Golf Ltd

info@mygolfranking.net

Spieth wins US Open as Dustin Johnson

 suffers another agonising near-miss 

FROM SKY SPORTS.COM

Dustin Johnson refused to be too hard on himself as he reflected on another major near-miss at the US Open.

Johnson held a two-shot lead after birdies on the fourth and eighth in the final round, but he suddenly slipped down the leaderboard after the turn as he frittered away three shots in four holes.
He trailed Jordan Spieth by three with two holes to play, but a dramatic tournament turned on its head at the 17th when Spieth ran up a double-bogey before Johnson birdied moments later.

Spieth then set the target at five under with a birdie at the last, and Johnson earned himself a putt to win the title after knocking a superb second to 12 feet.
But his eagle attempt ran four feet past the cup, and the return putt to force an 18-hole play-off on Monday missed on the left to leave Spieth celebrating a second consecutive major victory.
"Whatever the putt did on the last hole, I don't know," said Johnson, who took a three-shot lead into the final round at Pebble Beach in 2010 but collapsed to a closing 82, while a two-shot penalty for grounding his club in a bunker on the 72nd hole of the US PGA Championship two months later cost him a place in the play-off.
"I might have pulled it a little bit. But still to me it looked like it bounced left. It's tough. It's very difficult. I played really well. I didn't make any putts today, I really didn't. I had all the chances in the world.
"If any putts go in the hole, I win this thing by a few shots, it's not even close. Other than that I had a damn good week. I had a chance to win again a major on a Sunday. I thought I handled myself very well. 
"I hit the shots when I needed to. So I know what it takes to get it done, it's really simple. I need to get in the hole faster."
Branden Grace was tied for the lead with Spieth until he tumbled out of contention when he blocked his tee-shot out of bounds at the 16th, and the South African was left to reflect on what might have been.
"I gave myself the opportunity to actually have a chance to win it and just one bad swing cost me at the end," Grace said. "I was hitting my 3-wood great the whole day. It was a straightforward shot, just spun out of it and that's costly.
"This is definitely the most pressure I've had to deal with in my professional career so far. It's a pity it came down to this."
Jason Day, who collapsed due to vertigo in the second round and battled symptoms over the last 36 holes, struggled to a 74 to share ninth with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
Day said: "I felt relatively good and felt strong after 12 holes. I'm guessing I'll take some time off and get a handle on this. I was taken by the fact that so many people supported me.
" I really made a lot of Jason Day fans out there this week, even though it didn't end up the way I wanted it to end up.
"I fought a good fight. And I think everybody that watched knows that I never gave up. It was a battle."
Day's fellow Australian Adam Scott shot the lowest round of the championship on Sunday as a six-under 64 left him just two strokes behind Spieth.
"I feel like I had nothing to lose today and everything to gain," said the 2013 US Masters champion.
"And I knew I was playing well and I just couldn't quite put it all together the first three days. It was a big effort for me today. To be honest, it's the kind of round I needed to get things going for me this year, hopefully.
"I've been working hard at it's been frustrating for sure. But this is the kind of event where you have to put all of that frustration aside and keep your patience, and I did that well this week.
"Every day I could have been a little upset with how things went, because I felt I played pretty good. Today I got all the reward."
Cameron Smith of Australia also shared fourth place on three under with Scott and Grace after closing with a 68.
"I'm speechless. I just want to sort of sit in the hotel room and let it all absorb," said the world No 167.
"I thought I was coming in playing pretty solid. I thought I could definitely compete and if I could get my way around the golf course pretty good I'd sort of have a shot.
"It wasn't to be, but I'm happy with where I finished, for sure." 

 Oosthuizen, back in 29, ties for 2nd place with Johnson ... despite opening round of 77

 Entering the final round of the U.S. Open, South African Louis Oosthuizen, a former Open champion, one of  many lurking at 1 under par, only three shots behind the leaders. He seemed to get lost in the shuffle of Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day, but the fact was, Ooshuizen had played the best golf of anyone over the previous two days.
After a terrible opening-round 77 while playing alongside struggling Tiger Woods and Rickie Fowler, Oosthuizen shot consecutive 66s to vault up the leaderboard.
Oosthuizen bogeyed Nos. 2-4 on Sunday at Chambers Bay and was immediately an afterthought. He made par on the next seven holes, then rattled off five consecutive birdies on Nos. 12-16 to move near the top. A birdie on the last hole gave him 67 for the round, including 29 on the back nine. He tied for second place with Johnson, a shot behind Spieth.

---

---

The highlight of the round was a holed wedge shot for birdie from 135 yards on the par-4 14th. After struggling off the tee, Oosthuizen hacked out into the middle of the fairway and dunked the third shot.
“I pushed myself the last few holes to be more aggressive on putts, just to see if I can get to some sort of number,” Oosthuizen said. “I think after my start the first round, I’m very happy for where I am now.”
Oosthuizen’s performance immediately places him higher on a list of favorites for the Open Championship next month at St. Andrews. He won the Open at the Old Course in 2010 to capture the Claret Jug for his first and only major.

United States Open final totals and prize money

1	Jordan Spieth	68	67	71	69			275	$1,800,000
T2	Louis Oosthuizen	77	66	66	67			276	$877,144
T2	Dustin Johnson	65	71	70	70			276	$877,144
T4	Adam Scott	70	71	72	64			277	$407,037
T4	Cameron Smith	70	70	69	68			277	$407,037
T4	Branden Grace	69	67	70	71			277	$407,037
7	Charl Schwartzel	73	70	69	66			278	$311,835
8	Brandt Snedeker	69	72	70	68			279	$280,482
T9	Rory McIlroy	72	72	70	66			280	$235,316
T9	Shane Lowry	69	70	70	71			280	$235,316
T9	Jason Day	68	70	68	74			280	$235,316
T12	Kevin Kisner	71	68	73	69			281	$192,925
T12	Matt Kuchar	67	73	72	69			281	$192,925
T14	John Senden	72	72	70	68			282	$156,935
T14	Patrick Reed	66	69	76	71			282	$156,935
T14	Tony Finau	69	68	74	71			282	$156,935
T14	Andres Romero	71	69	71	71			282	$156,935
T18	Geoff Ogilvy	69	72	75	67			283	$113,686
T18	Sergio Garcia	70	75	70	68			283	$113,686
T18	Brooks Koepka	72	72	70	69			283	$113,686
T18	Jason Dufner	68	72	73	70			283	$113,686
T18	Jamie Lovemark	70	68	75	70			283	$113,686
T18	Hideki Matsuyama	70	71	72	70			283	$113,686
T18	Charlie Beljan	69	75	69	70			283	$113,686
T25	Thomas Aiken	74	71	73	66			284	$85,622
T25	Billy Horschel	72	72	73	67			284	$85,622
T27	Morgan Hoffmann	71	74	74	66			285	$64,126
T27	Brian Campbell	67	72	78	68			285	-
T27	Tommy Fleetwood	74	69	73	69			285	$64,126
T27	Keegan Bradley	73	71	72	69			285	$64,126
T27	Daniel Summerhays	70	67	78	70			285	$64,126
T27	Jimmy Gunn	72	73	70	70			285	$64,126
T27	Justin Rose	72	70	72	71			285	$64,126
T27	Marc Warren	68	74	72	71			285	$64,126
T27	Francesco Molinari	68	73	72	72			285	$64,126
T27	Alexander Levy	70	69	73	73			285	$64,126
T27	Henrik Stenson	65	74	72	74			285	$64,126
T27	J.B. Holmes	72	66	71	76			285	$64,126
T39	Troy Kelly	72	73	72	69			286	$47,854
T39	Paul Casey	72	69	73	72			286	$47,854
T39	Joost Luiten	68	69	74	75			286	$47,854
T42	Robert Streb	74	70	73	70			287	$42,946
T42	Jim Furyk	71	73	73	70			287	$42,946
T42	Denny McCarthy	71	73	71	72			287	-
T42	Ollie Schniederjans	69	73	72	73			287	-
T46	Kevin Chappell	69	75	73	71			288	$37,090
T46	Brad Fritsch	70	74	72	72			288	$37,090
T46	Webb Simpson	72	73	71	72			288	$37,090
T46	Kevin Na	70	72	72	74			288	$37,090
T50	Sam Saunders	72	72	76	69			289	$31,633
T50	Lee Westwood	73	69	77	70	E	+9	289	$31,633
T52	Nick Hardy	70	75	77	68	-2	+10	290	-
T52	Ryan Palmer	74	70	73	73	+3	+10	290	$29,384
T54	Ernie Els	72	70	76	73			291	$27,272
T54	Mark Silvers	72	71	75	73			291	$27,272
T54	Cameron Tringale	75	68	74	74			291	$27,272
T54	Ian Poulter	72	73	69	77			291	$27,272
T58	D.A. Points	74	71	77	70			292	$25,358
T58	Brad Elder	76	68	76	72			292	$25,358
T58	Luke Donald	73	71	73	75			292	$25,358
T58	Jimmy Walker	72	73	72	75			292	$25,358
T58	Beau Hossler	71	72	73	76			292	-
T58	Jack Maguire	73	68	73	78			292	-
T64	Ben Martin	67	70	86	70			293	$23,822
T64	Phil Mickelson	69	74	77	73			293	$23,822
T64	Marcus Fraser	71	71	77	74			293	$23,822
T64	Cheng-Tsung Pan	71	72	76	74			293	$23,822
T64	Angel Cabrera	70	75	74	74			293	$23,822
T64	Colin Montgomerie	69	76	72	76			293	$23,822
T70	Andy Pope	74	71	77	72			294	$22,652
T70	George Coetzee	72	73	72	77			294	$22,652
T72	Zach Johnson	72	72	78	73			295	$22,067
T72	John Parry	72	73	71	79			295	$22,067
74	Camilo Villegas	72	73	80	75			300	$21,628
75	Chris Kirk	70	73	80	78			301	$21,332