McNicoll and Zack Saltman tie with 66s

 at Winterfield Alliance

By ALAN GREENSHIELDS
Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance secretary

We were due to visit The Glen today but recent weather required us to switch to another venue. Winterfield came to the rescue at short notice which was much appreciated.

With Storm Henry departing, 74 East Alliance members were ready to clean the dust of their clubs to test their skills at Winterfield today and while the weather was cool it was good to see some blue sky and sunshine plus no rain.

Stalwart Willie Laing of Prestonfield claimed his second trophy of the season in winning The Pitreavie Trophy with a net 65 (72 less 7) on the par 65 (32-33) course with its demanding eight par 3s.

Top scratch prize was split two ways via Keir McNicoll (Gullane) and Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) on 66. Keir's split was 32-34 and Zack the other way round (34-32). Close on their heels on 67 was Joe Bryce (Bathgate) and Duncan Stewart (Turnhouse).

Willie Laing also gained the top handicap prize. The Peebles duo of Colin Fraser 66 (67 less 1) and Walter Forsyth 67 (73 less 6) claimed second and third prizes.

Top Trainee was Louis Gaughan from Bathgate on 68.

Top Senior prize was split four ways on net 68 via David Jeffrey (Longniddry) (76 less 8), Duncan McInnes (Longniddry) (79 less 11), Jimmy Rankeillor (Baberton) ( 78 less 10) and David Watson (Peebles) (81 less 13).

Both Order of Merits see some swapping of places and now are as follows -

Scratch Order of Merit

1. Craig Gordon (Edinburgh Golf Centre) - 301.5

2. Ross Neill (Drumpellier) - 292.5

3. Duncan J Stewart (Turnhouse) - 285.0

Handicap Order of Merit

1. Willie Laing (Prestonfield) - 101.0

2. Walter Forsyth (Peebles) - 92.5

3. Ron Grant (Baberton) - 82.0

Next week we stay on the east coast but move further south to Eyemouth.

 

Alan Greenshields

Secretary/Treasurer

Edinburgh & East of Scotland Golfers' Alliance

18 Woodfield Park

Edinburgh

EH13 0RB

Mobile:07730 007100

Alliance Mobile: 07814 983582

E-mail: secretary.eesga@talktalk.net

 Pitreavie Trophy            Winterfield        03.02.16
                  
Overall Winner        Willie Laing (Prestonfield)            65net
                  
Scratch    Prize    Surname    Forename    Club    Score
1st=    £90    McNicoll    Keir    Gullane    66
1st=    £90    Saltman    Zack    Archerfield Links    66
3rd=    £50    Bryce    Joe    Bathgate    67
3rd=    £50    Stewart    Duncan J    Turnhouse    67
5th    £20    Neill    Ross     Drumpellier    68
                  
                  
Handicap    Prize    Surname    Forename    Club    Net
1st    £100    Laing    William     Prestonfield    65
2nd    £80    Fraser    Colin     Peebles    66
3rd    £60    Forsyth    Walter     Peebles    67
4th=    £12    Boyle    Tony    Glenbervie    68
4th=    £12    Brown    Stuart     Dunbar    68
4th=    £12    Cockburn    Robin    Harburn    68
4th=    £12    Jeavons    Ian     Dunbar    68
4th=    £12    Nicolson    David    Craigielaw    68
                  
                  
Trainee     Prize    Surname    Forename    Club    Score
Professional    £15    Gaughan    Louis    Bathgate    68
                  
                  
Senior    Prize    Surname    Forename    Club    Net
    £15    Jeffrey    David    Longniddry    68
    £15    McInnes    Duncan    Longniddry    68
    £15    Rankeillor    James     Baberton    68
    £15    Watson    David     Peebles    68

ALL THE SCRATCH SCORES

           
No    Surname    Forename    Club    Category    Gross    Scratch O.of M.
1    McNicoll    Keir    Gullane    Professional    66    59.5
2    Saltman    Zack    Archerfield Links    Professional    66    59.5
3    Bryce    Joe    Bathgate    Amateur    67    57.0
4    Fraser    Colin     Peebles    Amateur    67    57.0
5    Stewart    Duncan J    Turnhouse    Professional    67    57.0
6    Gaughan    Louis    Bathgate    Trainee    68    54.5
7    Neill    Ross     Drumpellier    Professional    68    54.5
8    Culverwell    Alexander    Dunbar    Professional    69    53.0
9    Brian    Richard     Bruntsfield Links    Professional    70    51.0
10    Cantley    Kieran    Liberton    Amateur    70    51.0
11    Gordon    Craig     Edinburgh Golf Cen    Professional    70    51.0
12    Boyle    Tony    Glenbervie    Amateur    71    49.0
13    Brown    Stuart     Dunbar    Amateur    72    44.0
14    Imlah    Graig    Craigielaw    Professional    72    44.0
15    Kerr    Mark    Dalmahoy    Professional    72    44.0
16    Laing    William     Prestonfield    Amateur    72    44.0
17    Munro    Ross     Duddingston    Trainee    72    44.0
18    Nicolson    David    Craigielaw    Amateur    72    44.0
19    Owenson    Marc    Gullane    Trainee    72    44.0
20    Pennycott    Malcolm    Royal Burgess    Amateur    72    44.0
21    Strachan    Sandy    Deer Park    Professional    72    44.0
22    Cockburn    Robin    Harburn    Amateur    73    37.5
23    Forsyth    Walter     Peebles    Amateur    73    37.5
24    Morris    Chris    Kingsknowe    Professional    73    37.5
25    Porteous    Paul    Longniddry    Amateur    73    37.5
26    Donaldson    Cameron    Craigielaw    Trainee    74    32.0
27    Jeavons    Ian     Dunbar    Amateur    74    32.0
28    Louden    Michael     Glencorse    Senior    74    32.0
29    Marshall    Andrew     Houston G.R.    Professional    74    32.0
30    Martin    Duncan    Longniddry    Amateur    74    32.0
31    Munro    Donny    Kingsknowe    Amateur    74    32.0
32    Skinner    Grant    Glencorse    Amateur    74    32.0
33    Doyle    Steven     Dunbar    Amateur    75    25.0
34    Johnston    Graeme D    Glenbervie    Amateur    75    25.0
35    Johnston    Richard     Glenbervie    Amateur    75    25.0
36    Murphy    Kevin    Gifford    Amateur    75    25.0
37    Rennie    Martin    Uphall    Amateur    75    25.0
38    Robertson    Ewan    Longniddry    Senior    75    25.0
39    Sokolowski    Mark    Archerfield Links    Amateur    75    25.0
40    Bradbury    Paul    Kingsknowe    Amateur    76    19.5
41    Erskine    Andrew    Ratho Park    Professional    76    19.5
42    Grant    Ronald    Baberton    Senior    76    19.5
43    Jeffrey    David    Longniddry    Senior    76    19.5
44    Stewart    Duncan     Craigielaw    Senior    77    16.5
45    White    Justin    Harrison (Braids)    Amateur    77    16.5
46    Callan    Stuart     Bathgate    Professional    78    13.0
47    Dand    Steve    Pumpherston    Amateur    78    13.0
48    Fyfe    Ian    Musselburgh    Senior    78    13.0
49    Masterton    John     Mortonhall    Amateur    78    13.0
50    Rankeillor    James     Baberton    Senior    78    13.0
51    Bain    Mark    Cardrona    Amateur    79    9.0
52    McInnes    Duncan    Longniddry    Senior    79    9.0
53    Wither    George     Duddingston    Senior    79    9.0
54    Brydon    David    Torwoodlee    Amateur    80    6.0
55    Chrystal    Brian    Baberton    Senior    80    6.0
56    Leggate    Philip    Musselburgh    Amateur    80    6.0
57    Watson    David     Peebles    Senior    81    4.0
58    Brown    Gordon     Baberton    Amateur    82    2.0
59    Silvestro    James    Dalmahoy    Amateur    82    2.0
60    Wyse    Ian    Falkirk Tryst    Amateur    82    2.0
61    Davidson    Stuart     Archerfield Links    Amateur    83    0.0
62    Wilson    Gerry    Musselburgh    Amateur    83    0.0
63    Veitch    Michael     Peebles    Amateur    84    0.0
64    Wardlaw    Stuart     Harburn    Senior    84    0.0
65    Watson    James    West Lothian    Senior    84    0.0
66    Sinton    Jimmy    Musselburgh    Senior    85    0.0
67    Bell    Gordon     Gullane    Senior    86    0.0
68    Miller    William     Falkirk Tryst    Senior    88    0.0
69    Kay    Michael     Dalmahoy    Amateur    90    0.0
70    Allan    Bob    Cardrona    Senior    91    0.0
71    Wight    Andrew     Glencorse    Senior    DQ    0.0
72    Blaney    Anthony    Liberton    Amateur    NR    0.0
73    Denham    John    Torwoodlee    Senior    NR    0.0
74    Jervis    Derek    Prestonfield    Senior    NR    0.0 





                  

Ewen Ferguson shares halfway lead in South 

Africa after a superb 64 for 13-under 131

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Former British boys champion Ewen Ferguson from Bearsden is on the trail of the South African men's stroke-play title after a superb second round of 64 made him the joint leader on 13-under-par 131 at the halfway stage of the 72-hole event at Blue Valley Golf and Country Estate,
Ferguson covered the first nine holes in six-under-par 30 with an eagle 3 at the third and birdiesw at the second, fourth, long fifth and ninth.
He got two more birdies - at the long 13th and long 18th - in an inward half of 34. He did not have a single bogey.
Ferguson shares the lead with South African Aubrey Beckley who has had scores of 65 and 66. He had halves of 31-35 in the second round.
Connor Syme (68-68) and Grant Forrest (66-70) are tied 10th on 136, a shot ahead of Bob MacIntyre (67-70) who is tied 12th.
Nairn youngster Sandy Scott slipped from a 67 to 71 for joint 20th place on 138. Scott had four bogeys in his outward half of 38 but he came home strongly in three-under-par.
Craig Ross (69-70) is tied 27th on 139, a shot in front of Scott Gibson who plummeted from a 65 to a 75 in the second rouond. He is tied 34th.
Jamie Savage, with rounds of 70 and 72 for 142, is tied 53rd.
The projected cut is for scores of one-under-par 143 to qualify.
If confirmed, Calum Fyfe will miss out with a pair of 72s for 144.

SOUTH AFRICAN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Blue Valley Golf and Country Estate
SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
131 Ewen Ferguson (Sco) 67 64, Aubrey Beckley (SAf) 66 65.
Other Scots' scores
136 Connor Syme 68 68, Grant Forrest 66 70 (T10)
137 Bob MacIntyre 67 70 (T12).
138 Sandy Scott 67 71 (T20)
139 Craig Ross 69 80 (T27)
140 Scott Gibson 65 75 (T34)
142 Jamie Savage 70 72 (T53)
LIKELY TO MISS THE CUT
144 Calum Fyfe 72 72 (T74)

Kenny Hutton makes the cut but he has a lot of ground to make up to get vital fifth place

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS  with some extra words by Colin Farquharson

Magnus P Atlevi will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the European Senior Tour Qualifying School Final Stage as breezy conditions made for difficult third round scoring at Pestana Golf Resort’s Vale da Pinta course. The Swede shot a three over par round of 74 to sit on five under par heading into the final 18 holes tomorrow, after which the top five players will earn Senior Tour cards for the 2016 season, with a play-off for the fifth card if necessary. The 50 year old was not alone in struggling in the wind – only eight players managed to break par – but he knows he is in a strong position heading into the last day. “It was difficult today,” he said. “It’s a two-club wind and that makes a big difference on this course because you’re hitting uphill and downhill on uneven lies, and, in this wind, it is so much more difficult to get near the pin. “Making par is good on days like this, so it’s completely different, and I just had a poor finish. I would have been pleased with one over par but then I three putted the last two greens so I’m feeling a bit sick right now. “I’ve been putting beautifully the first two days but today I missed a few, which is a shame, but it’s all part of the game. “I’m leading and, even though it’s not quite what I was hoping for, it’s better than being behind. The way I try to see it, whether I’m leading or not – and it’s great if I’m leading – it’s all about when the tournament is done. It matters absolutely nothing right now, it’s all about tomorrow.” Hot on Atlevi’s heels on four under par are American Chris Hunsucker and England’s Gary Marks, with only three other players – Jimmy Carter of America, Canadian Ken Tarling, the winner here 12 months ago, and Ireland’s Brendan McGovern – under par after 54 holes. The best round of the day came from English amateur Brad Smith, whose three under par round of 68 moved him into the top ten on one over par, though the 50 year old was unsure he would even be able to tee up his third round. “To be honest I’m quite fortunate to be here because yesterday I couldn’t stand up,” he said. “I couldn’t bend down to read putts and I struggled on the greens – it’s ok swinging, it’s just when you bend down. I came in and saw the physio, took some painkillers and here we are today. “I actually thought I had eight birdies but it turns out it was seven. On the 11th, my second hole, I knocked it onto a path which we thought was an artificial path, so I played two balls and made a four with the one from the path and three with the dropped ball but had to card the four. “I think if I can shoot something like that tomorrow, or maybe slightly better, that shot on 11 could well cost me. “It’s taken me a little while to settle down. I was a professional but got my amateur status back about 20 years ago, in 1995, so I haven’t played in a professional event for 20-odd years – I’m quite pleased really, it was a good performance today.” The cut was made at the end of the third round, with players within eight shots of fifth place earning spots in the final round. 34 players were inside the mark at six over par or better. Downfield's Kenny Hutton's performance was affected by the wind. After two par rounds of 71, he was blown away to a 75 for four-over-par 217, but he did make the cut with two shots to spare. In joint 19th place, the man from Muir of Ord now needs the round of his life, something in the 60s at least, to challenge for one of the five Senior Tour places up for grabs over the final 18 holes. Stephen McAllister (74 for 223) and Hamilton amateur Stewart Henderson (74 for 229) missed the cut which fell at 219.   THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD Par 213 (3x71)  208 M Atlevi (Swe) 68 66 74,  209 C Hunsucker (USA) 66 72 71, G Marks (Eng) 69 68 72,  210 J Carter (USA) 72 68 70,  211 B McGovern (Irl) 67 74 70, K Tarling (Can) 71 71 69,  213 B Conser (USA) 69 70 74, M Wiggett (Eng) 70 70 73,  214 G Banister (Aus) 69 68 77, B Smith (am) (Eng) 72 74 68,  215 J Buendia (Esp) 72 71 72, W Grant (Eng) 72 71 72, M Bianco (Ita) 73 70 72,  216 C Dennis (USA) 68 71 77, C Swart (RSA) 70 72 74, A Fernandez (Chi) 71 71 74, F Lamare (Fra) 72 74 70, Y Nilsson (Swe) 70 69 77, N Sweet (Eng) 72 68 76,  217 B Cameron (Eng) 69 71 77, K Hutton (Sco) 71 71 75, S Bennett (Eng) 72 71 74, G Ryall (Eng) 72 71 74, A Sherborne (Eng) 69 73 75, D Westermark (Swe) 69 73 75, J Carriles (Esp) 75 72 70,  218 J Murphy (Eng) 69 73 76, F Grosset-Grange (Fra) 76 71 71, S McNally (Eng) 71 70 77,  219 J Romero (Esp) 73 76 70, R Sabarros (Fra) 74 69 76, J Sallat (Fra) 75 72 72, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 73 74 72, M Wharton (Eng) 73 77 69 MISSED THE CUT  220 J Harrison (Eng) 71 74 75,  221 M Haddock (am) (Eng) 72 69 80,  222 K Smith (Can) 75 74 73, J Sanchez (Mex) 73 74 75,  223 S McAllister (Sco) 76 73 74,  224 T Lawrence (Eng) 75 76 73, A Murray (Eng) 72 75 77, G Joyner (Aus) 77 73 74, P Jackson (am) (Eng) 74 75 75,  225 P Scott (Eng) 72 73 80, M Krantz (Swe) 73 76 76, P Scarrett (am) (Eng) 80 73 72,  226 J Lovell (Eng) 73 76 77,  228 D Edlund (Swe) 76 79 73, K Tenmark (Swe) 79 76 73, R Tlhabanyane (RSA) 76 74 78, M Deboub (Alg) 74 77 77,  229 J Klubb (Swe) 75 77 77, S Henderson (am) (Sco) 75 80 74,  231 D Ray (Eng) 80 77 74,  232 G Davies (Wal) 76 80 76,  233 E Kocs (USA) 77 75 81,  234 B Loome (Eng) 85 74 75,  237 N Mitchell (Eng) 76 80 81,  240 E Costa (Por) 76 80 84,  242 N Gassiebayle (am) (Arg) 81 82 79

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Laura Murray and Greg McBain tie for 

Alliance win with par 70s at Buckpool

By Colin Farquharson
Paul Lawrie Golf Centre professionals filled the first five places in today's North-east Alliance at Buckpool - with Ladies European Tour pro Laura Murray from Alford and Aberdonian Greg McBain joint winners with level par 70s.
They earned £90 each for heading a field of 67 players, finishing a shot ahead of stablemates Kris Nicol and Craig Lawrie and two ahead of fifth place Sean Lawrie.

It was McBain's third win of the NE Alliance season and his second in a row. For long-hitting Laura, pictured, who tied for second place at Oldmeldrum in November, it was a first victory this season but her third ovcr the years on the Alliance circuit.
Murray, who bogeyed the first two holes, got back into the picture with birdies at the fourth, seventh, 12th and 17th. Needing a par at the last for outright victory, Laura took a bogey 5 for an inward half of 34.
McBain deviated from par only four times in halves of 35. He birdied the first and 17th, and bogeyed the ninth and 10th. 
Nicol had seven birdies in his 71 (36-35). He would have won with ease but for a double bogey 7 at the third and a double bogey 6 at the 10th.
Craig Lawrie had a double bogey 6 at the ninth in his halves of 37-34 for a 71, which included three birdies. Craig and Laura Murray, of the leading finishers, were the only ones to get under the par of 35 for the inward half, both notching 34s.
Cousin Sean Lawrie had double bogey 6s at the seventh and 14th in halves of 37-35 for a 72.

ALL THE SCRATCH SCORES
par 70
70 G McBain (Paul Lawrie GC), Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie GC).
71 K Nicol (Paul Lawrie GC), C Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC)
72 S Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC)

73 G Munro (Fraserburgh), J Duff (Newmachar), K Zeynalov (Portlethen), S Kiloh (Paul Lawrie GC)
74 T Mathieson (Murcar Links), S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen)
75 B Ritchie (Inverallochy), F Bisset (Banchory), D Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen).
76 M Merchant (Newmachar),  R Brown (Kemnay), S Mackie (Kemnay)
78 L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), M Lawrie (Kemnay).
79 D Fleming (Portlethen), K Beveridge (Kippie Lodge)
80 R Reid (Tarland), S Allison (Deeside), D Leslie (Bon Accord), D Lane (Deeside), B Nicolson (Hazlehead).
82 D Booth (Tarland)
83 D Mackay (Hazlehead), R Blackmore (Tarland), R Davidson (Murcar Links), G Moir (Oldmeldrum), J Stewart (Banchory)
84 G Mackie (Northern), G Cochrane (Kemnay).
85 S Davidson (Northern), K McGillivary (Craibstone), P Low (Craibstone), R Ruddiman (Royal Aberdeen).
86 J Forrest (Northern), D Bisset (Banchory).
87 M Duncan (Murcar Links), W Skene (Deeside), T Boyle (Portlethen).
88 P Cheyne (Northern), R Duncan (Deeside).
89 D Nelson (Aboyne).
90 B Skene (Peterculter)
91 M Winton (Caledonian), J Scott (Peterculter), M Rogers (Kemnay), N K Parker (Murcar Links), J Murray (Banchory).
92 N Stewart (Northern)
93 M Brown (Kemnay) 
99 L Duncan (Craibstone). 
No Returns: M Rendall (Stonehaven), J Crawford (Craibstone), B Lumsden (Northern), A Gall (Deeside), D Wright (Northern), G Riley (Craibstone), J Morris (Craibstone), D Brown (Kemnay), T Collie (Kemnay), G Allan (Newmachar)
Field of 67 competitors.

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - M Lawrie (9) 69; S Mackie (5) bih, L Fowler (7) bih, M Merchant (5) bih, D Lane (9) bih 71.
Class 2 - G Moir (12) bih, R Ruddiman (14) 71; D Booth (10) bih, S Davidson (13)72; J Stewart (10) 73. 

BUCKPOOL PAR 70
OUT:  4-4-5 4-4-3 4-3-4: 35  IN: 4-4-4 3-4-3 5-4-4: 35

BEST CARDS
GREG McBAIN 70
OUT: 3-4-5 4-4-3 4-3-5: 35  IN: 5-4-4 3-4-3 4-4-4: 35 
LAURA MURRAY 70
OUT:  5-5-5 3-4-3 3-4-4: 36  IN: 4-4-3 3-4-3 5-3-5: 34 
KRIS NICOL 71
OUT: 4-4-7 4-5-3 3-3-3: 36  IN: 6-4-3 4-3-4 4-4-3: 35
CRAIG LAWRIE 71
OUT: 3-4-5  4-5-3  4-3-6: 37  IN: 4-4-3 3-4-4 5-3-4: 34
SEAN LAWRIE 72
OUT: 4-4-5 4-4-3 6-3-4: 37  IN: 4-4-3 3-6-3 4-4-4: 35 

Craig Watson to captain GB and I in 2017 

Walker Cup match in Los Angeles

Craig Watson, GB and I captain for 2016 St Andrews Trophy match and 2017 Walker Cup. Picture by courtesy of Kenny Smith.

 R and A NEWS RELEASE

Craig Watson has been appointed as Captain of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team that will face the USA at Los Angeles Country Club in 2017.

One of Scotland’s most successful amateur golfers, Watson succeeds Welshman Nigel Edwards, who led the GB and I team to a record 16 ½ - 9 ½ win in the 2015 match at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

Watson will also captain the GB and I St Andrews Trophy team as they take on the Continent of Europe in the 2016 match at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent on July 20 and 21.

Edwards, after captaining both the GB and I Walker Cup and St Andrews Trophy sides on three occasions, will join The R and A’s Men’s Selection Committee.

GB and I will be looking to defend the trophy at the 46th Walker Cup match in California in 2017 and achieve their first victory on American soil since 2001, when they secured a 15-9 win at Ocean Forest in Georgia.
The 49-year-old Watson won The Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s in 1997 with a 3 and 2 victory in the final over future Masters champion Trevor Immelman, from South Africa. He played in The Open that year at Royal Troon and the Masters Tournament in 1998.
The East Renfrewshire member represented GB and I in the 1997 Walker Cup match at Quaker Ridge in New York where he secured 1 ½ points from the three matches he played.
“Playing in the Walker Cup team is one of my proudest moments in golf,” said Watson. “I still remember the nerve-wracking moment when I teed it up on the first tee in the afternoon singles on the first day but I settled down and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 
"It is a privilege for me to take over the captaincy of the team and I have a hard act to follow as Nigel did a fantastic job.
“I am looking forward to getting started and to making sure we put out the strongest team we can next year in Los Angeles. It is a hugely exciting time for amateur golf and you only have to look at the performances of the amateurs in The Open at St Andrews last year to see how competitive the game is at the moment.”
Watson has enjoyed a long and successful amateur career. He represented GB and I in the St Andrews Trophy team which lost by 14-10 to the Continent of Europe at Villa D’Este in Italy in 1998.
He played for Scotland in the Home Internationals in all but one year from 1991 to 2003 and captained the side from 2001 to 2003, before serving as non-playing Captain in 2004. He played in the European Men's Team Championship in 1997, 1999 and 2001, captaining the side to victory in 2001 and, in 2003, serving as non-playing Captain.
A two-time winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy in 1992 and 1998 and winner of eight Scottish Golf Order of Merit titles, Watson was also runner-up in the Scottish Amateur Championship at Downfield in 2001.
Andy Ingram, the Chairman of The R and A’s Men’s Selection Committee, said, 
“Craig is a well-known and highly respected figure in the amateur game and will bring a great deal of experience and knowledge to the role of Captain. As a former Walker Cup and St Andrews Trophy player himself, he knows just what it means to represent GB and I and I’m sure he will relish the opportunity to work with the players in both teams. ”
The 2017 Walker Cup Match will be played on September 9 and 10  at Los Angeles Country Club in California.
*Craig Watson's appointment means that GB and I's representative men's and women's golf teams this year will both be captained by Scots for the first time in many years. Aberdeen lawyer Elaine Farquharson-Black (Deeside) will lead the GB and I team in the Curtis Cup match against the Americans at Dun Laoghaire GC, nr Dublin in June.

Strong England team will defend European Nations title in Spain England will field a strong team to defend the men’s title at the European Nations Championship in Spain later this month, while a women’s team will challenge for only the second time. The men’s team is: James Allan of Essex, Adam Chapman of Cumbria, Marco Penge of Sussex and Ashton Turner of Lincolnshire (image © Leaderboard Photography). England won the men’s championship last year for the sixth time, when the team held off a charging Spanish side to secure a one-stroke victory. All four members of that team have since turned professional. The women’s team is: Gemma Clews of Cheshire, Sammie Giles of Cornwall and Sophie Lamb of Lancashire, who were all in the winning England team at last year’s women’s Home Internationals.   The European Nations Championship will be played at La Reserva Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain, from 24-27 February. It is contested over 72 holes of stroke play, with the best three cards each day in the men’s event, and the best two in the women’s, counting towards the team event. An individual competition runs simultaneously with the Nations Championship. The players James Allan, 21, (Chelmsford) was runner-up on the 2015 England Men’s Order of Merit, having won the West of England stroke play and tied for the Hampshire Salver. He has just represented England in the South American Amateur where he finished 20th. Adam Chapman, 20, (Carus Green) is the 2015 North of England champion and has just completed an England Golf tour of Australia where he reached the matchplay stages of the Australian and New South Wales championships. Marco Penge, 17, (Golf at Goodwood) won the 2015 England Boys’ Order of Merit having won two junior titles and the Scottish men’s stroke play championship. He was sixth in the South American Amateur. Ashton Turner, 19 (Kenwick Park) also toured Australia where he had top 20 finishes in the Master of the Amateurs and the Lake Macquarie Amateur, reached the second round of the Australian Amateur and also made the matchplay in the New South Wales Amateur.  Gemma Clews, 21, (Delamere Forest) had top ten finishes in last year’s English women’s amateur and the Scottish and Irish stroke play championships. She tied 20th in the European Amateur and represented GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy.  Sammie Giles, 21, (St Mellion) is the English women’s stroke play champion, adding it to her win in the 2014 English mid-amateur. She was sixth in the English women’s amateur and won the Royal Birkdale scratch trophy. Sophie Lamb, 18, (Clitheroe) was runner-up in the 2015 England Girls’ Order of Merit for 2015 and sixth on the women’s table. She was also runner-up in the ANNIKA Invitational Europe 2015 in Sweden. She was England’s leading scorer in last week’s Portuguese Amateur, finishing 21st.  Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193

North-east Alliance tee times for 

Newburgh next Wednesday

8-15 D Macandrew, G Munro, C Goodwin.
8-23 A Campbell, G Esson, T Boyle. 
8-31 C Cassie B Harper C Nelson.
8-39 K Nicol, G McBain, T Mathieson.
8-47 M Merchant R Lamb D Mackay.
8-55 M Rendall H Roulston L Roger

9-03 D Lawrie S Ross.
9-11 S Davidson R Brown M Brown. 
9-19 R Reid D Booth R Blackmore. 
9-27 S Allison R Davidson G Mackie. 
9-35 G Chalmers D Adam D Craigie.
9-43 J Duff M Winton S Finnie.
9-51 J Scott, B Skene, H McNaughton. 
9-59 S Lawrie, K Zeynalov.

10-07 S Mackie L Duncan J Stewart.
10-15 K McGillivary J Crawford W Beattie.
10-23 D Fleming L Fowler A Gall.
10-31 J Forrest N Stewart M Duncan.
10-39 D Leslie G Homer J Murray.
10-47 D Wright P Cheyne M Rogers.
10-55 D Brown M Lawrie T Collie.

11-03 G Riley, J Morris, N K Parker.
11-11 K Beveridge L Murray J Hopwood. 
11-19 D Nelson A Graham M Forster. 
11-27 R Duncan R Ruddiman, D Lane. 
11-35 P Low D Buchan J Borthwick. 
11-43 J Thomas.
11-51 
11-59 B Nicolson J Nicolson S Scott.

12-07 
12-15