Rafa riding high again in Germany

Rafa Cabrera-Bello sits at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway mark of BMW International Open for the second consecutive year following a five under par second round of 67 in Munich.
The Spaniard was part of a four-way share of the lead 12 months ago before being defeated by Fabrizio Zanotti in a play-off, but he holds the outright lead this time round, as he attempts to go one better at Golfclub München Eichenried.

Cabrera-Bello, a two-time European Tour winner, fired six birdies in his opening 11 holes, including chipping in from the drop zone on the 18th hole (having started on the tenth tee) after finding the water with his approach. He made his only bogey of the day on the eighth hole – his penultimate of the day – but a par on the last meant he finished on 12 under par, the same 36-hole total he posted last year.

He is a shot clear of Englishman James Morrison, the Open de España champion, who signed for a round of 66, having carded only one bogey - on the 14th hole – in his first two rounds.

Joint first round leader Lasse Jensen of Denmark is a further shot back on ten under par following a round of 69, alongside Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey, who surged up the leaderboard with nine birdies in his impressive round of 65.

But home favourite Martin Kaymer missed the cut after finding the water on the 18th hole. The two-time Major Champion would have needed a closing birdie to make the weekend, but his resulting bogey for a round of 71 meant he finished on one under par and fell two strokes short.

Key player quotes

Rafa Cabrera-Bello – 67 (-12 total)

“I'm pleased with the score.  I do feel like the score could have been a little better especially after being 13‑under and seven holes to play.  I didn't play so good on the last few holes.  I made a few sloppy swings but nothing really to worry about.  I will just take it that I got my chances earlier in the round, I made the mistakes in the end and that's the way it works sometimes.

“This course is very scorable.  There are tons of great players here and they are all trying, as I am, to take the trophy home.  I'm just going to try to keep playing the same way I've been playing.  If that is aggressive, that is aggressive.  If it comes to the point where I need to play a little bit smarter, I'll try to do that, but at the moment, just keep playing the way I've been doing.”£

Michael Hoey – 65 (-10 total)

“I knew the greens would be better today, and I putted well.  It was an opportunity today to shoot seven under, which I did.  I’m very happy with my putting which is the main thing.  I scored really well, and obviously in pro golf on this golf course, you have to score well.”

Lasse Jensen – 69 (-10 total)

“I think you get used to having this feeling when you are out there.  You get more experience about playing in the last group, and obviously that helps me.  Some boys are there every week, so they feel like they should be there every week. But for a guy like me, it's very important that I have a slow progress each week and in the end of the day, that will give me some confidence.  So I'm just going to have a nice weekend here in München.”

Martin Kaymer – 71 (-1 total)

“Of course it's very disappointing, especially on the last hole. The last three or four holes, I gave myself very good chances.  I hit a lot of edges today, as well.  I hit good putts but the ball didn't want to go in.”

Complete round two scores (par 72)

132 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 65 67,

 133 J Morrison  (Eng) 67 66,

 134 L Jensen (Den) 65 69, M Hoey  (Nir) 69 65,

 135 T Jaidee (Tha) 68 67,

 136 P Larrazábal (Esp) 70 66, A Cañizares  (Esp) 70 66, C Paisley  (Eng) 69 67,

 137 B Dredge (Wal) 69 68, P Hanson (Swe) 69 68, P Lawrie (Irl) 70 67, J Lagergren (Swe) 68 69,

 138 D Horsey (Eng) 70 68, L Bjerregaard  (Den) 71 67, M Schneider (Ger) 68 70, J Carlsson (Swe) 69 69, J Van Zyl (RSA) 70 68, R Goosen (RSA) 68 70, A Johnston (Eng) 66 72, M Carlsson  (Swe) 70 68, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 67 71, H Stenson (Swe) 67 71, D Gaunt (Eng) 65 73, A Hansen (Den) 69 69, E Espana (Fra) 69 69,

 139 P Lawrie (Sco) 68 71, A Wall (Eng) 70 69, E Pepperell (Eng) 69 70, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 71 68, T Bjørn (Den) 71 68, S Lowry  (Irl) 72 67, D Howell (Eng) 69 70, J Quesne  (Fra) 68 71, M Ford (Eng) 70 69, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 72 67, T Olesen (Den) 71 68, K Phelan (Irl) 68 71,

 140 M Madsen  (Den) 71 69, V Riu  (Fra) 67 73, R Fisher (Eng) 71 69, F Fritsch  (Ger) 68 72, C Del Moral (Esp) 69 71, G Stal  (Fra) 70 70, J Luiten (Ned) 72 68, G Mulroy (RSA) 69 71, J Campillo (Esp) 69 71, O Farr (Wal) 69 71, A Velasco (Esp) 71 69, K Broberg (Swe) 71 69, H Otto (RSA) 71 69, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 68 72,

 141 M Kieffer (Ger) 72 69, J Roos (RSA) 71 70, G Bourdy (Fra) 75 66, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 67 74, M Siem  (Ger) 71 70, S Wakefield (Eng) 71 70, A Kirstein (Ger) 70 71, P Oriol (Esp) 70 71, C Doak (Sco) 71 70, S Kjeldsen (Den) 73 68, D Clarke (Nir) 70 71, M Foster (Eng) 76 65, T Hatton (Eng) 71 70, D McGrane (Irl) 69 72,

MISSED THE CUT
 142 R Santos  (Por) 70 72, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 71 71, R Karlberg  (Swe) 70 72, B Hebert  (Fra) 72 70, L Slattery (Eng) 74 68, S Kapur (Ind) 72 70, D Brooks (Eng) 72 70, O Fisher  (Eng) 71 71, F Zanotti (Par) 71 71, T Lewis (Eng) 73 69, R Kakko  (Fin) 71 71, M Tullo (Chi) 74 68,

 143 J Scrivener (Aus) 73 70, D Drysdale (Sco) 71 72, M Kaymer (Ger) 72 71, M Bremner (RSA) 75 68, M Crespi  (Ita) 71 72, R Bland (Eng) 72 71, C Lloyd (Eng) 70 73,

 144 M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 69 75, J Barnes (Eng) 76 68, B Virto Astudillo (Esp) 73 71, J Parry (Eng) 74 70, N Fasth (Swe) 70 74, D Fichardt (RSA) 74 70, M Lampert (Ger) 73 71, D Woltman (USA) 72 72, S Benson (Eng) 71 73, M Korhonen (Fin) 71 73, F Aguilar (Chi) 74 70,

 145 S Henry  (Sco) 72 73, E De La Riva  (Esp) 73 72, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 69 76, J Kunzenbacher (Ger) 75 70, S Jamieson  (Sco) 73 72, I Garrido (Esp) 71 74, J Hahn (USA) 73 72, D Lipsky (USA) 75 70,

 146 J Walters (RSA) 76 70, G Green  (Mas) 71 75, J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 75 71, B Ritthammer (Ger) 71 75, E Molinari  (Ita) 68 78, G Storm  (Eng) 77 69, W Ormsby (Aus) 72 74, J Singh (Ind) 71 75, R Jacquelin (Fra) 72 74, A Quiros  (Esp) 74 72, G Havret  (Fra) 71 75, D Foos (Ger) 74 72, C Wood  (Eng) 73 73, Y Paul (am) (Ger) 76 70, M Rottluff (am) (Ger) 75 71,

 147 C Villegas (Col) 73 74, J Edfors (Swe) 72 75, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 75 72, R Echenique (Arg) 75 72, A Dodt (Aus) 73 74, J Kruger (RSA) 75 72, P Maddy (Eng) 70 77,

 148 A Otaegui  (Esp) 75 73, C Lee (Sco) 71 77, T Murray (Eng) 75 73, S Hutsby  (Eng) 75 73, R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 72 76, A Pavan (Ita) 69 79,

 149 S Hansen (Den) 76 73, M Nixon (Eng) 71 78,

 150 M Manassero (Ita) 75 75, R Karlsson (Swe) 79 71, P Edberg (Swe) 73 77,

 151 Y Yang (Kor) 77 74, A Hortal  (Esp) 68 83, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 79 72,

 152 R Gonzalez (Arg) 75 77, R Green (Aus) 76 76, N Dougherty  (Eng) 74 78, R Finch  (Eng) 79 73, A Tadini (Ita) 74 78, C Bouniol (Fra) 74 78, S Jäger (Ger) 75 77,

 153 S Hend (Aus) 75 78, P Mejow (Ger) 77 76,

 155 O Wilson (Eng) 76 79, B Evans  (Eng) 81 74,

 156 M Lundberg (Swe) 74 82, T Levet (Fra) 73 83,
 166 J Jeong (Kor) 81 85,
 ** J Palmer (Eng) 81 WD, R McEvoy  (Eng) 73 RT, T Pieters  (Bel) 80 WD,

Birdie blitz sees Boyd charge ahead Scotland

A stirring finish of three consecutive birdies for the second day in a row helped Gary Boyd stretch his lead at the top of the leaderboard at the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts at Spey Valley, Aviemore.
Twelve holes into his second round, the 28 year old Englishman was tied for the lead on ten under with compatriot Robert Coles, but a birdie on the par five 13th, followed by a six-foot par-saving put on the 14th inspired him to that flawless finish and saw him to open up a four-stroke advantage over Coles at the halfway stage.
Another Englishman, Max Orrin, moved into third spot on nine under after a second round 66 saw the man who won the recent Made in Denmark Challenge move into weekend contention, while William Harrold, Boyd revealed after his opening 64 on Thursday that a new coach, as well as some priceless advice from Ryder cup stars Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, had helped refocus his mind and realise he still had the talent and discipline to succeed at the highest level after a two and half year form slump.
Chris Selfridge and Joël Statler will feel very much in the tournament on eight under with 36 holes to play.
Scotland’s Ross Kellett leads the home challenge, alongside England’s Jack Senior, on seven under, but it was all about that man Boyd on day two at the Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club as he charged into a commanding position at the business end of the leaderboard.
“It was a very nice finish again – I did the same yesterday and it would be nice to do that on Sunday,” said Boyd, who won the 2009 Kenya Open on the Challenge Tour to help make his initial breakthrough to The European Tour.
“I have done well with sticking to the processes this week. I have played the tough holes well around here and I’m six under for the par threes which always helps. The irons and putting were the keys today. I made a crucial par putt on 14 from six feet which kept me going – I probably wouldn’t have had such a good finish today if I had missed that putt.

 “I’m quietly confident – I feel the game is in good shape and I have won from the front before so hopefully this can be my week.”

Boyd revealed after his opening 64 on Thursday that a new coach, as well as some priceless advice from Ryder cup stars Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, had helped refocus his mind and realise he still had the talent and discipline to succeed at the highest level after a two and half year form slump.

Like so many top players who rediscover their confidence, Boyd has quickly gone from wandering where his next best shot will come from to seeking out pins with dangerous regularity.

“I won from the front in Kenya in 2009 so I do feel comfortable up there. The guys have to chase me and it’s up to me to try and stay there tomorrow and then finish it off on Sunday,” he said. “I feel I am a better player than I was before just because of the experiences I have been through. I have had a lot of lows and obviously now the highs are starting to come back but I am just trying to prepare as best I can every week and the results will follow.

“You have to take a lot of confidence from playing the way I have been. How couldn’t you? When I was playing my worst golf all I can see is bad shots, but when the game comes back a bit you start attacking flags and not being defensive.

“When I was playing poorly I was always trying to shoot level par but that’s just not good enough out here. The standard of play on the Challenge Tour is getting stronger every year and you have to shoot low scores to have success.”

Complete Second Round Scores:
par 142 (2x71)
128 G Boyd  (Eng) 64 64,
132 R Coles (Eng) 66 66,
133 M Orrin (Eng) 68 65,
134 J Stalter (Fra) 67 67, P Meesawat  (Tha) 65 69, C Selfridge  (Nir) 69 65, W Harrold (Eng) 68 66,
135 J Senior (Eng) 66 69, R Kellett (Sco) 68 67,
136 B Åkesson (Swe) 69 67, M Lafeber (Ned) 65 71, J Hansen  (Den) 68 68, R Evans  (Eng) 68 68, T Remkes (Ned) 69 67, C Ford (Eng) 70 66, D Burmester (RSA) 66 70,

137 T Linard (Fra) 70 67, R McGowan  (Eng) 66 71, F Calmels  (Fra) 72 65, R Fox (Nzl) 68 69, S Heisele (Ger) 68 69, A McArthur  (Sco) 70 67, D Coupland (Eng) 72 65,

138 N Elvira  (Esp) 71 67, J Makitalo  (Fin) 69 69, C Shinkwin (Eng) 69 69, J Gonnet  (Fra) 70 68, H Porteous (RSA) 67 71, E Bertheussen (Nor) 67 71, M Röhrig (Ger) 68 70, S Walker (Eng) 71 67, J Heath  (Eng) 68 70, S Jeppesen  (Swe) 68 70, J Lima  (Por) 65 73,

139 P Archer (Eng) 72 67, S Griffiths (Eng) 72 67, O Bekker (RSA) 70 69, T Pilkadaris (Aus) 68 71, D Dixon (Eng) 68 71, N Quintarelli (Ita) 68 71, M Delpodio  (Ita) 71 68, S Arnold  (Aus) 70 69, A Dunbar (Nir) 69 70, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 70 69,
140 J Huldahl (Den) 71 69, C Gloet  (Den) 69 71, J Sarasti  (Esp) 71 69, D Huizing (Ned) 69 71, G Lockerbie  (Eng) 72 68, S Gros (Fra) 71 69, M Søgaard  (Den) 72 68, A Knappe (Ger) 69 71, J Byrne (Sco) 70 70, B Etchart  (Esp) 69 71, N Kimsey (Eng) 70 70, C Hanson (Eng) 72 68, E Saltman  (Sco) 66 74, J Guerrier  (Fra) 70 70, J Billing (Swe) 71 69, D Im (USA) 71 69, C Arendell (USA) 70 70, A Bernadet  (Fra) 70 70, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 73 67, J Fahrbring (Swe) 68 72, R Davies (Wal) 68 72, R Gouveia (Por) 70 70, P Dwyer (Eng) 69 71, N Henderson (Sco) 68 72, G Forrest (am) (Sco) 73 67, J McDonald (am) (Sco) 70 70,
MISSED THE CUT
141 J Doherty  (Sco) 68 73, D Law (Sco) 69 72, G Porteous (Eng) 75 66, C Evans (Eng) 73 68, N Geyger (Chi) 69 72, S Hodgson (Eng) 71 70, J McLeary  (Sco) 68 73, S Brown (Eng) 74 67, J McColl (Sco) 70 71, H Joannes  (Bel) 74 67, A Marshall (Eng) 69 72,

142 J Dantorp (Swe) 70 72, P Whiteford (Sco) 69 73, J Ross (Sco) 71 71, S Soderberg (Swe) 73 69, J Sjöholm (Swe) 71 71, B Stone (RSA) 71 71, G Murray  (Sco) 69 73, N Bertasio (Ita) 73 69, P Widegren  (Swe) 68 74, C Farrelly (Eng) 70 72, K Hesbois  (Bel) 70 72,
143 R McGee (Irl) 71 72, G Woolgar (Eng) 72 71, A Snobeck  (Fra) 68 75, W Booth  (Sco) 75 68, E Dubois (Fra) 69 74, S Kim (USA) 72 71, D Palm (Swe) 70 73, A Forsyth (Sco) 74 69, B Barham (Eng) 72 71, D Young (am) (Sco) 75 68,
144 C Gane (Eng) 68 76, Z Lombard  (RSA) 73 71, J Robinson (Eng) 70 74, E Cuartero Blanco  (Esp) 76 68, N Lemke (Swe) 68 76, E Goya (Arg) 73 71, T Sluiter  (Ned) 71 73, R Russell (Sco) 70 74, B Hemstock (Eng) 70 74, F Bergamaschi (Ita) 72 72, A Ahokas (Fin) 75 69,
145 S Fallon (Eng) 75 70, A Belt (Eng) 71 74, P Gal  (Cze) 74 71, S Grant  (Irl) 74 71, P Tarver-Jones (Eng) 78 67, C Berardo (Fra) 70 75, P Relecom  (Bel) 71 74, F McKenna (Sco) 74 71, J Watts (Eng) 72 73,
146 P McKechnie (Sco) 72 74, M McGeady (Irl) 71 75, J Glennemo (Swe) 73 73, D Kay (Sco) 74 72, S Manley (Wal) 70 76, D Stewart (Sco) 71 75, C Kelly (Sco) 70 76, S Piaget  (Mon) 73 73, C Aguilar  (Esp) 72 74, C Ross (am) (Sco) 70 76,
147 C Suk (Cze) 73 74, J Timmis (Eng) 74 73, A Saddier (Fra) 71 76, J Savage (am) (Sco) 73 74,
148 S Borrowman  (Sco) 71 77, C Currie (Sco) 74 74, A Hartø  (Den) 77 71, L Gagli  (Ita) 73 75,
149 S Einhaus (Ger) 73 76, A Gee  (Eng) 76 73, R Kilpatrick (Nir) 76 73, N Ravano (Ita) 71 78, A Bruschi  (Ita) 76 73,
150 K Ferrie (Eng) 72 78, B Neil (Sco) 74 76, P Doherty (Sco) 75 75,
151 H Satama (Fin) 75 76, G Hay (Sco) 74 77, J Gallegos  (Esp) 80 71,
155 T Elissalde  (Fra) 71 84,
156 J Shim (am) (Tur) 80 76,
160 M Guner (am) (Tur) 82 78,
** S Tiley (Eng) 71 RT, J Rask (Swe) 82 WD,

Newmachar highlight for man from Lancashire

Rookie Howard earns £10,000 with first pro

 win in PLF Granite City Classic

By NICK TEALE

Paul Howard won his first professional title four months after leaving the amateur ranks when he claimed the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour’s Paul Lawrie Foundation Granite City Classic title at Newmachar Golf Club on Friday.

The 24-year-old Lancastrian carded a final-round 70, two-under-par, to conclude the 54-hole tournament at 15 under, one ahead of Kirkhill Golf Club’s Paul Shields, who shot a six-under 66 in his final round for second place.

Shields would have forced a play-off had he not bogeyed the 17^th after amassing seven birdies in his last 18, but the result equals his best finish on Europe’s third-tier golf tour.

Howard began the day with a one-stroke lead on 13 under par but faltered at the par-five 2^nd when he dropped only his second shot of the tournament. He moved ahead on -14 with an eagle at the 8^th but Shields, playing three pairs ahead of Howard, made three birdies on the first six holes of the back nine to take control.

However, the Glaswegian bogeyed the par-four 17^th shortly before Howard made birdie at 16. That left the former England international needing to par the remaining two holes for victory, something he achieved with a smart up and down on 18.

Howard wins £10,000, a brand new Motocaddy S1 trolley, Bushnell Tour X Range Finder, Bolle sunglasses and £500 to spend at HotelPlanner.com.

Daniel Gavins, the Pontefract golfer who won on the EuroPro in 2013, shared third with three-time Challenge Tour winner Greig Hutcheon on -13. Gavins (Walton Driving Range) shot a final-round 66 while Hutcheon signed for a three-under-par 69 in his closing 18.

Darren Wright consolidated his place in the Race To Desert Springs top five with a fifth-place finish. The top five at the end of the season will earn a Challenge Tour card for 2016.

Highlights of the Paul Lawrie Foundation GranLEAite City Classic will air on Sky Sports on Tuesday, July 7. The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour remains in east Scotland for the Eagle Orchid Scottish Master at ontrose Links, which begins next Tuesday, June 30

 LEADING FINAL TOTALS
 par 216 (3x72)
201 P Howard (Eng) 65 66 70 (£10,000)
202 P Shields (Sco) 71 64 66 (£6,000)
203 D Gavins (Eng) 69 68 66, G Hutcheon (Sco) 68 66  69 (£2,
2,500 each)
204 D Wright (Eng) 67 71 66 (£1,750)S
205 G King (Eng) 70 70 65, S Mallon (Eng) 69  67 69, S Ward (Ire) 65 67 73  (£1,333 each)
SELECTED TOTALS
206  G Wright (Wal) 67 67 72 (T9) (£1,050)
209 R Cameron (Sco) 69 68 72 (T12) (£607)
210 L Saltman (Sco) 72 70 68 (T22) (£450) 
212  I Redford (Sco) 71 71 79, C Robb (Sco) 68 71 73 (T31) (£387 each)
213 P McLean (Sco) 70 72 71, N Fenwick (Sco) 71 68 74, M Stewart (Sco) 65 72 76 (T35) £365 each.
214 M Isaacs (Sco) 70 72 72 (T40) (£345  
215 C Sutherland (Sco) 71 71 73 (£332
220 M Patterson (Sco) 68 72 80 (51st) (£300


 TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
 CLICK HERE

ABERDEEN PENNANT LEAGUE

Sponsored by:

Molly’s Bistro/Malones Irish Bar

(Aberdeen Douglas Hotel)

LEAGUE A

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Royal Aberdeen	3	2	1	0	10½	4½	5
Deeside	3	2	0	1	10	5	4
Hazlehead	3	1	1	1	7	8	3
Caledonian	3	1	0	2	4½	10½	2
Auchmill	2	0	0	2	3	7	0

LEAGUE B

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Portlethen	3	3	0	0	10	5	6
Murcar Links	3	2	0	1	9½	5½	4
Bon Accord	3	2	0	1	1	6	4
Peterculter	4	1	0	3	8	12	2
Northern	3	0	0	3	3½	11½	0

LEAGUE C

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Banchory	3	2	1	0	12	3	5
Nigg Bay	3	2	1	0	10	5	5
Newmachar	3	2	0	1	9½	5½	4
Stonehaven	4	1	0	3	5½	14½	2
Craibstone	3	0	0	3	3	12	0

     

 Thursday night result

Peterculter 4, Northern 1