Duncan Stewart has no regrets about not  

staying on in USA as Russell Knox

By COLIN FARQUHARSON  

Duncan Stewart and Russell Knox spent four years together at Jacksonville University and during that time were the stars of the college golf team.

Both have since become tour professional golfers, Duncan (pictured) in Europe, Russell staying on at Jacksonville, Florida and rising through the American mini-tours to this weekend's outstanding victory in the HSBC Champions event in China. 

Here's Duncan's reaction to his old sparring partner's victory:
"Absolutely incredible win and one that has been coming for a couple of years now. I am totally ecstatic for him and his family. They have worked so hard for this."
I suggested that during their golfing years at Jacksonville University, Duncan was rated as slightly the better of two very good players. 
Duncan does not agree.
"I wouldn't say I was rated any better than Russell, to be honest. It was always who performed better on the day/week. Ever since we were juniors from about the age of 12/13 we were rivals and friends and that continued when we were room-mates and team-mates in Florida. 
"I could look back with regrets that I didn't stay out there as Russell did,  but I have had a great opportunity to do the same over here. I actually stayed out in the States until the summer of 2008 after graduating in 2007 and played some mini tour events but for one reason or another I came home and decided to compete in Europe. 
"I would say I use Russell's success as motivation rather than looking at it as a negative. It would be very easy to say "What if I had stayed on over in the States ..?" but we can all say "What if?"
"The simple fact is I'm playing in Europe and I need to do what I can here. Ever since we were kids it was Russell's dream to play on the US PGA Tour - and win. 
"Now he has achieved this and will mark off another dream/goal when he plays in the Masters next year. Hopefully I can use his success to turn my game around and perhaps we can be rivals again on the big stage."

Day loses World No 1 spot to Spieth

Australian golfer Jason Day has lost his world No.1 ranking to Jordan Spieth after a top-ten finish at the WGC event in Shanghai was enough for the American to reclaim top spot. 
Day didn't have a chance to stop Spieth's charge after he decided to skip the Shanghai event to attend the birth of his second child. 
Spieth - who finished seventh behind the eventual winner, Scotsman Russell Knox, in China - was delighted to be top of the pile again. 
"(Getting back to number one) was certainly a goal coming into this week," Spieth said after his round.
"When that No.1 ranking slips away, it leaves some unrest in you and you really want to get back at it."
Spieth, 22, has become the poster boy of American golf in light of his two major successes this year - the Masters and US Open. 

Chris Doak loses battle against injury - and European Tour card

By John Barnes

BBC Scotland

 Chris Doak says his "nightmare 2015" was complete after he had to concede defeat in his battle to retain his European Tour card for next year.

The 37-year-old Scot started the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School despite suffering from a trapped nerve in his neck.
After carding 77 on the opening day, Doak was forced to retire midway through his second round in Valencia.
"Time for rehab injections or surgery," he wrote on Twitter. "2015 you have been a nightmare."
Doak will campaign on the Challenge Tour next year and rely on sponsors' invites to participate in tournaments on the main European Tour in 2016.
He had started his latest tournament in Spain despite the nerve condition that has affected his grip for the past two months.
After carding a first-round five-over-par 77, he was forced to retire midway through his second round at El Saler.
It is the sixth time this year that Doak has had to retire or withdraw from a tournament prior to completion of his second round.
Doak took the gamble of heading to Spain days after undergoing an MRI scan to determine the full extent of the ailment and receiving the results on the way to the airport.
"It's a nerve that's pinching the route of my neck," he said. "I'll either have to undergo rehab, take a possible injection or possibly require surgery.
"I'll try rehab first before considering the other options."
The problem, which has left him with pins and needles in his left hand, means he swings only with 30% of his normal grip.

 

Round 3 at European Tour Q School Stage 2 in Spain

Good day for Law, Shields, Kellett and Neil

A very good day for Scots David Law, Paul Shields, Ross Kellett and Bradley Neil in the third round of the 72-hole European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 event at four Spanish venues.
Law shot a six-birdie 67 for a tally of nine-under 207 and is now lying fifth in field of 70 at El Saler.
England's Jimmy Mullen leads here after a 70 for 204.
Also at El Saler, Ayrshire's Michael Stewart is T40 with a 71 for 218. Chris Doak retired after one round.
A total of 18 players from each venue to advance to the Final Q School at PGA Catalunya, Girona from November 14 to 19.
At Las Colinas, Ross Kellett boosted his chances with a six-birdie 69 for  207 and is T14, seven behind joint leaders, Swedish amateur Marcua Kinhult and England's Jamie Rutherford.
At Lumine, Paul Shields had bogey-free, three-birdie 68 to be T12 on 204, five bheind joint leaders, England's Daniel Givens and Matt Wallace.
Also at this venue are Daniel Young, playing as an amateur, and Neil Henderson. Young shot 70 for 212 (T54) and Henderson 74 for 217 (T66).
At Panoramica, Bradley Neil moved into the top-18 qualifying zone with a 66 (one eagle, six birdies) for 207 and T15 position, 
12 shots behind the leader, Spanish amateur Scott Fernandez.
Mark Hillson is T39 on 213 after a 72.
Craig Lawrie, watched by his dad, Paul, had another day of missed birdie putts. After another 72, Craig is only one over par 216 but T60 in afield of 71 players.
Duncan Stewart is T69 after a 74 for 220.

SCOREBOARD

EL SALER, Valencia
Par 216 (3x72)
204 J Mullen (Eng) 69 65 70
205 C F Nielsen (Swe) 67 72 66, M G Palmer (SAf) 70  68 67
Scots' scores:
207 D Law 68 762 67 (5th)
218 M Stewart 73 74 71 (T40)
Retired: C Doak 77

LAS COLINAS, Alicante
Par 213 (3x71)
200 M Kinhult (Swe) (am) 67 66 67, J Rutherford (Eng) 67 65 68

Scot's score:
207 R Kellett 71 67 69 (T14) 

LUMINE, Tarragona
Par 213 (3x71)
199 D Givens (Eng) 68 67 64, M Wallace (Eng) 66 66 67

Scots' scores:
204 P Shields 67 69 68 (T12),
212 D Young (am) 72 70 70 (T54)
217 N Henderson 72 71 74 (T66)

PANORAMICA, Castellon
Par 216 (3x72)
195 S Fernandez (Spa) (am) 62 66 67
197 B Casey (Ire) 65 68 64

Scots' scores:
207 B Neil 70 71 66 (T15)
213 M Hillson 68 73 72 (T39)
217 C Lawrie 73 72 72 (T60)
220 D Stewart 70 76 74 (T69)

Byrne makes top 50 in Panasonic Open India

Banchory's James Byrne finished 49th with an aggregate of five-over-par 293 in the Panasonic Open India tournament at Delhi Golf Club today (Sunday).
The Singapore-based player had rounds of 70, 72, 80 and 71 to finish 18 strokes behind the winner by three, India's Charagh Kumar (67-66-72-70 for 275).

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Lockhart and McCauley best at Dalmahoy West
 
FROM WALTER BURNS
Scottish Junior Golf Tour

Here are the results from yesterday's Scottish Junior Golf Tour event over the Dalmahoy West Course..  The format was 9:9Golf where only your best nine holes count, a very popular version of golf for our juniors.

It was a very wet day but the course and the juniors held up well under the, at times, torrential rain.

Jack Lockhart and Roddy McCauley had the best scores of the day with two-under-par 32ss to win their respective age groups. Callum Waugh won the U11 section with a card of 38.

Leading Scores

Under 15 years

32 Jack Lockhart (Pitreavie)

33 Craig Jackman (Dunblane), Ewan Wheat (Royal Montrose), Liam Kirkham (Troon Welbeck), Callum Leeson (Pitreavie)

Under 13 years

32 Roddy McCauley (Fereneze)

33 Toby Appleyard (Dalmahoy), Gregor Johnston (Bridge of Allan)

34 Aamar Saleem (Ladybank)

Under 11 years

38 Callum Waugh (Cambuslang)

40 Brodie Cunningham (Bothwell Castle)

41 Alexander Farmer (Kilmacolm), Rory McKinney (Pitreavie)

The handicap prize was won by Gordon Cronshaw (Dalmahoy) with a net 26.

Callum Leeson won the skills competition.

 

Walter Burns

Scottish Junior Golf Tour

 

Mob: 07951 103 827

Email: walter@scottishjuniorgolftour.co.uk

Web: www.scottishjuniorgolftour.co.uk

Montgomerie T18 with round to go in Charles

Schwab Cup Championship

Michael Allen retained lead position in the Champions Tour's season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship, with playing partner Bernhard Langer just one stroke behind.

Allen shot a one-under 69, making six birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in breezy conditions on Desert Mountain's Cochise Course. He had a 12-under 198 total.

The 56-year-old birdied the par-3 11th to open a six-stroke lead, before playing the next four holes in 4 over. He rebounded with a birdie on the par-3 17th and parred the par-5 18th.
"I didn't really know what my lead was," Allen said. "It probably would have been a good idea to look at a board at that point, but I was just trying to do what I've been doing all week, which is just try and hit good shots, make birdies and pars. I don't think my strategy would have changed any."
Langer birdied the final two holes for a 68. The German is competing with Colin Montgomerie (currently T18) and Jeff Maggert for the Charles Schwab Cup points title and a $1m annuity.
The 58-year-old began the week third in the standings, 66 points behind Montgomerie and 27 behind Maggert, in a bid to win the title for the second straight year and record third time overall.
"Obviously, I'm in a unique situation this week where I'm sort of keeping one eye on what's happening there with Monty and Maggert and I'm trying to win the tournament at the same time," Langer said.
With players receiving a point for every $500 earned in the $2.5m tournament, Langer started $33,000 behind Montgomerie and $13,500 behind Maggert.
Allen made a double bogey on the par-4 12th after driving into the desert. He bogeyed the par-3 13th, then topped a long-iron approach into the water on the par-4 15th and holed a 10-footer to escape with bogey.
"I was a little out of sorts and probably just didn't go through the routine quite properly," Allen said. "I don't know because it was a perfect number. I guess it happens once in a while in golf."
Allen made an 18-foot birdie putt on 17, and missed a birdie chance on 18 when he pulled his 8-footer to the right.
Mark O'Meara, Stephen Ames and Billy Andrade were tied for third at 8 under. O'Meara shot 66, Ames 67, and Andrade 70. Ames was the last player to get into the field, jumping from 31st to 30th on the money list with a ninth-place tie last week at Newport Beach.

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD
 Par 210 (3x70)

1	Michael Allen	65	64	69					198
2	Bernhard Langer	63	68	68					199
T3	Billy Andrade	65	67	70					202
T3	Stephen Ames	68	67	67					202
T3	Mark O'Meara	68	68	66					202
6	Joe Durant	69	66	68					203
T7	Olin Browne	66	67	71					204
T7	Jeff Sluman	69	64	71					204
T7	Fred Couples	66	69	69					204
T7	Kirk Triplett	70	68	66					204
T11	Tom Lehman	69	65	71					205
T11	Kevin Sutherland	68	67	70					205
T11	Duffy Waldorf	68	68	69					205
T14	Kenny Perry	66	66	74					206
T14	Tom Pernice Jr.	70	68	68					206
16	Jerry Smith	74	63	70					207
17	Woody Austin	71	64	73					208
T18	Bart Bryant	68	67	74					209
T18	Colin Montgomerie	70	68	71					209
T18	Wes Short Jr.	68	72	69					209
T21	Russ Cochran	70	68	72					210
T21	Lee Janzen	72	67	71					210
T21	Jeff Maggert	72	67	71					210
24	Ian Woosnam	70	72	69					211
T25	Marco Dawson	73	66	75					214
T25	Paul Goydos	68	68	78					214
T25	David Frost	72	68	74					214
T25	Esteban Toledo	72	73	69					214
29	Scott Dunlap	71	70	74					215
30	Gene Sauers	73	72	76					221

 

SCOT SCORES BIGGEST SUCCESS OF PRO GOLF CAREER

Russell Knox wins HSBC Champions title

to collect 1,264,450 euros

 

Inverness-born, Florida-based Russell Knox claimed the biggest win of his pro golf career, worth 1,264,450 euros and a lot more in prestige value, after a dramatic final day of the World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions.
The Scot, who was at the course at 7.45am to complete his second round with a birdie, came into the final round in a share of the lead and a closing 68 around Sheshan International Golf Club took him to a 20 under par total of 268 and a two-shot victory from long-time leader, American Kevin Kisner.
In his final round, Knox kept his cool to birdie the second, third, short sixth, 10th, 11th and 16th in halves of 35-33. He bogeyed the short fourth  and ninth.
England's Willett surged up the leaderboard into a share of third in stunning fashion early in the day, posting ten birdies in an unblemished 62 which proved to be the round of the week and moved him closer to Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy.
Knox becomes the first Scot to win a WGC event. He held his nerve on the back nine, opening a two shot lead with birdies on the tenth and 11th before a sixth birdie of the day on the 16th calmed any nerves.
For Kisner, it was another second-placed finish for the man who has been beaten in three play-offs on the US PGA Tour in 2015.
Ross Fisher was alongside Willett at 17 under after a closing 68 with Branden Grace and Dustin Johnson a further shot back.
Matthew Fitzpatrick, local favourite Li Haotong, Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth were then at 15 under, with McIlroy in the group of six players another shot behind.
Knox (with Duncan Stewart) left Scotland originally to spend four years at Jacksonville University, Florida where they were the stars of the successful college team.
When they graduated in 2007, Stewart came home (he's competing at the European Tour School Stage 2 in Spain at the moment),   but Knox stayed on in the States at Jacksonville where he turned professional and worked his way up through the mini tours to the US PGA Tour.
Knox became the first player to win a World Golf Championship in his debut when the 30-year-old  was flawless under pressure on the back nine of Sheshan International
Russell only found out a week ago Friday that he was in the HSBC Champions field, called up from the reserve list when J.B. Holmes withdrew. 
Knox was in Malaysia and had to scramble to get a Chinese visa, arriving in time for one practice round with his Mexican-born wife, Andrea (Hernandez), a former tennis pro, as his caddie.
Then, he held off a world-class field for his first US PGA Tour victory.

"I always thought I was going to win a big one for my first one," Knox said. "This is going to take a long time to sink in

“It’s incredible. I always hoped it (a win) was going to happen but you're just never sure. There’s just so many unbelievable players on tours all around the world and to win on this stage is a dream come true. I still can’t quite believe it.

“Deep down in my bones I felt I was capable of winning. I thought it was going to be maybe another year, but I’m glad it happened now.
 "Winning at any level is the hardest thing you can do, and especially because I've never won a big one like this. It was tough but I just kept holing putts, and golf is so much easier when that happens."
Knox earned $1.4 million, along with perks that include his first trip to the Masters in April.
''I got married on Saturday of the Masters,'' he said. ''What a great wedding anniversary we're going to have.''

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Forres players flourish in Alliance at home club

 

Two Forres Golf Club members, Robert McKerron and Bryan Fotheringham, and pro Alan Duncan (Elgin), were joint winners with three-under-par 67s in Saturday's North Scottish Alliance at Forres.

McKerron had birdies at the second, fourth, sixth , ninth, 15th and 17th but bogeyed three holes in a row from the tenth.

Playing partner Fotheingham birdied the first, sixth, ninth and 15th, dropping shots at the fourth and eighth holes.

 Duncan  birdied the first three holes and the last with a single dropped stroke at the 10th.

There were three home-club players in the top four of the scratch section, Jeff Wright finished fourth on 68.

Handicap Class 1 winner Willie Hutchison (Inverness) started eagle , birdie on his way to a gross 72 (less 7)

LEADING SCRATCH

67 R McKerron (Forres), B R Fotheringham (Forres), A J Duncan (Elgin) p

68 J Wright (Forres)

69 S Dingwall (Grantown on Spey)

70 R H Stewart (Torvean), J Shaw (Boat of Garten)

71 K Godsman (Moray)

72 W Hutchison (Inverness), W Donnelly (Moray), G H Hay (Grantown on Spey)

73 S Mullen (Elgin), D Grindell (Inverness) p

74 D Joel (Inverness), D Gordon (Inverness), D Hector (Elgin), L Duncan (Elgin), I Murray (Boat of Garten)

75 R Black (Inverness) p, D Johnston (Moray), A Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)

76 N McWilliam (Elgin), C C Macdonald (Elgin), A Hutchison (Inverness), D McGrouther (Inverness), R J Innes (Torvean)

77 A Jackson (Rothes), W R Duncan (Moray), Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey), A M Carr (Nairn Dunbar), M McDonald (Boat of Garten), A J England (Moray)

79 R R Adams (Moray), F MacKellar (Grantown on Spey), L Stewart (Grantown on Spey)

LEADING HANDICAP

Class 1 (7 and under)

65 W Hutchison (Inverness) (7)

67 R H Stewart (Torvean) (3), W Donnelly (Moray) (5)

69 A Huchison (Inverness) (7), D Gordon (Inverness) (5), I Murray (Boat of Garten) (5), C C Macdonald (Elgin) (7)

 Class 2 (8 to 18)

65 A Jackson (Rothes) (12)

66 V Mclaughlin (Boat of Garten) (14), L Duncan (Elgin) (8)

67 S Harper (Elgin) (18)

68 A Boxx (Boat of Garten) (14), R J Innes (Torvean) (8)