Homeless Deeside Juniors win at Murcar Links

                      Deeside Golf Club's Junior Pennant team looking rather smart in their 
                                              Toro-sponsored gear.

Deeside, without an 18-hole course to play their Aberdeen and District Junior Pennant golf matches because of the severe winter flooding at the Bieldside venue, gave up home rights against Murcar Links but still scored a 3-2 victory in their opening match today (Sunday).

It was a tight affair with three of the better-ball ties going to the 18th green.

Paul Lawrie's younger son Michael and Nicholas Black, elder son of Curtis Cup captain Elaine Farquharson-Black, scored a vital win by one hole in the top match against Michael Walker and Liam Strath.

The Deeside line-up included two girls, Sarah Black and Chloe Henderson.
The Junior Penant League is sponsored by the Paul Lawrie Foundation.

Results:

Deeside names first

DEESIDE 3, MURCAR LINKS 2

Michael Lawrie and Nicholas Black bt Michael Walker and Liam Strath 1 hole.

Sarah Black and Henri Charles bt Glen Urquhart and Ryan Munro 3 and 1.

Finley Symon and Ross Nicholson bt Ross Kane and Paul Kane 2 holes.

Chloe Henderson and Toby Mitchell lost to Max Hepburn and Steven McDonald 1 hole.

Michael Black and Maxwell Fawcett lost to Liam Urquhart and Jon Hepburn 5 and 4.

Duncan Stewart scores first Challenge Tour 

win with a last-round 66

FROM THE EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR WEBSITE

Duncan Stewart claimed an emphatic maiden victory on the European Challenge Tour after a fantastic final round at the Madrid Challenge Real Club Herreria in Spain's capital city
The Grantown-on-Spey player, who has moved his base to Edinburgh and plays out of Turnhouse Golf Club, was in magnificent form under  the Spanish sun, picking up five birdies on the way to carding a four under par 66 in the last round of the tournament for an eight-under aggregate of 272 over the par-70 lay-out.
His earlier rounds were 69, 66 and 71.
The victory earned 27,200 euros for Stewart who spent four years playing on the American college circuit with Russell Knox for Jacksonville University, Florida.
The 31 year old Stewart - he will be 32 on May 24 -  twice a winner of £10,000 first prizes on the EuroPro Tour, who was given an invite to play in the Challenge Tour event, went on to the 18th hole with a one shot advantage over England’s Ben Stow who was the clubhouse leader on seven under par.
But Stewart held his nerve to hold out for the biggest win of his career on the 2016 Road to Oman, and he was overwhelmed with his achievement
“I don’t think it will sink in for a couple of days but it was a massive relief,” said Stewart 
 “Not having full status this year I was on an invite this week and I can’t thank Bounce Sports enough for all their support.
“I was hoping the weather would be the same as yesterday as David Law and I know how to play in the wind so it was right up our street. I just wanted to get off to a good start and I made a birdie on the first hole both days so that set me up well.
“Then I just played absolutely fantastic – up there with the best I have ever played. I would have been pretty disappointed if I didn’t manage to sneak it over the line.
“I holed a really nice putt on 14 after missing a short one on 13 which got me two in front. I then hit two of the worst shots I had hit all day on 15 so I had to take a recovery drop under penalty but  I holed a ten footer for par which was massive. I think if I had missed that it would have changed things a lot.
“I wouldn’t say I didn’t see this coming but I am glad I took my chance to win as you get so few opportunities to win out here."
Only one  behind Stewart was Stow who set the pace on day four after signing for a four under par 66 to reach seven under par 273 overall.
Aberdonian David Law had rounds of 68, 66, 73 and 70 for joint ninth place on 277. He earned 3,400 Euros.
Kirkcaldy's Peter Whiteford, the only other Scot to beat the cut, finished tied 27th on 281 with rounds of 70, 67, 73 and 71. HE earned 1,438 euros.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70) prizemoney in euros
272 D Stewart (Sco) 69 68 71 66 (27,200)
273 B Stow  (Eng) 70 68 69 66 (18,700)
274 P Anges (Spa) 66 72 67 69 (11,900)
276 L Gagli (Ita) 69 66 71 70, C Hanson (Eng) 71 66 69 70, F Laporta (Ita) 64 69 77 66, M Pavon (Fra) 68 6 72 69, C Selfridge (Eng) 66 70 70 70 (7,140 each)
OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS
277 D Law 68 66 73 70 (T9) (3,400)
281 P Whiteford 70 67 73 71 (T27) (1,428)

Check out all the final totals and prizemoney

CLICK HERE

Alfie Plant wins Lytham Trophy by seven shots
 

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
 Alfie Plant, pictured above, from Sundridge Park Golf Club, Bromley, runner-up in several big amateur events in 2015 made it past the winning post today in the prestigious Lytham Trophy 72-hole tournament at Royal Lytham St Annes Golf Club, Lancashire.
Plant, who led by two shots after an opening round of three-under-par 67, spreadeagled the field in the end, heading a class field by SEVEN strokes with a four-over-par total of 284, made up of subsequent rounds of 73, 74 and 70 in sometimes, harsh cold conditions.
Jamie Savage (Cawder) shot 73, 71,73 and 74 for a total of 291, ttieing for second place with Bradley Moore (Kedleston Park) (72-68-72-79) and Ugo Coussard (France) (74-70-76-71).
Walker Cup player Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) and Stirling University student Mathias Eggenberger tied with James Walker (Oaks) for fifth place on 292.
Forrest had four steady rounds of 73, 72, 73 and 74.
Eggenberger scored 70, 78, 71 and 73.
Other Scots just outside the top 10 were Christopher Maclean (Balmore), tied 12th on 295 with rounds of 75, 69, 76 and 75.
Nairn teenager Sandy Scott, well placed after opening rounds of 70 and 72, was not at his Sunday best with rounds of 78 and 76 to finish tied 14th on 296.
Scott Gibson (Southerness) finished joint 24th on 301 with scores of 71,76, 80 and 74.
Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) shot 76, 73, 81 and 76 for 306 and a share of 37th place.
Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden), Calum Fyfe (Cawder) and Connor Syme (Drumoig) all missed the cut the 149 cut mark by one shot.

+SCROLL DOWN TO READ ALISTAIR TAIT'S REPORT
  FROM LYTHAM

 LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70)
284 A Plant (Sundridge Park) 67 73 74 70
291 J Savage (Cawder) 73 71 73 74, B Moore (Kedleston Park) 72 68 72 79, U Coussard (Fra) 74 70 76 71
292 M Eggenberger (Swi) 70 78 71 73, J Walker (Oaks) 74 66 79 73, G Forrest (Craigielaw) 73 72 73 74
SELECTED SCORES
293 A Turner (Kenwick Park) 76 73 73 71 (T7)
295 C Maclean (Balmore) 75 69 76 75 (T12)
296 S Scott (Nairn) 70 72 78 76 (T14)
301 S Gibson (Southerness) 71 76 80 74 (T24) 
306 M Smyth (Royal Troon) 76 73 81 76 (T37)
MISSED THE CUT (149 and better qualified)
150 E Ferguson (Bearsden) 77 73, C Fyfe (Cawder) 77 73, C Syme (Drumoig) 72 78.
151 C Howie (Peebles) 80 71, B Hume (Haggs Castle) 77 74
152 K Godsman (Moray) 73 79, C Ross (Kirkhill) 73 79
154 L Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 79 74, J Wright (Forres) 74 80
155 R MacIntyre (Glencruitten) 79 76
159 M Clark (Kilmacolm) 80 79, C Low (Tantallon) 80 79.
Field of 144 players


TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

CLICK HERE

 REPORT BY ALISTAIR TAIT
Alfie Plant took a step closer to his dream of playing in this year’s World Amateur Team Championships with an impressive victory in the Lytham Trophy.
Plant handled the tough conditions the Open Championship layout presented better than anyone else. He fought his way through strong winds and persistent rain to post scores of 67, 73, 74 and 70 for a 4-over-par 284 to win by seven shots.
Bradley Moore, Scotland’s Jamie Savage and Ugo Coussaud of France finished joint second on 11-over.
Plant posted three seconds and a third last year, including runner-up in the English Amateur Championship. Those experiences helped him conquer a strong field over one of the world’s hardest courses.
“I had a few seconds last year which builds your experience up, and I took all that in today,” Plant said.
“My long irons were great all week. I was really good at hitting it pin high, which is always helpful around here.”
Plant’s opening 3-under-67, 10 strokes better than the average first-round score, set him up for the next three rounds.
“I’ve been working to try to lead from the front because I’ve always struggled the first two rounds and had to drag myself back into tournaments. All the work I’ve been putting in is finally working.”
Despite his opening round, Plant began the final round trailing fellow England teammate Moore by two shots. The turning point came at the par-5, 11th hole.
Plant birdied the hole while Moore took a double bogey after blocking his tee shot into dense undergrowth to the right of the fairway. Subsequent bogeys followed at the next four holes to give Plant breathing space down the stretch. Moore’s collapse was complete when he added a bogey at 17 and double bogeyed the 18th to limp home in 44 strokes for a 79.
Moore’s score was pretty close to the average over the four rounds. The Royal Lytham scorecard reads par 70 but bears no resemblance to reality. Average scores for the four rounds were 77, 76, 77 and 76. Strong third round winds made scoring particularly tough. “It was brutal,” Plant said. “It was like a war out there.”
There were 63 scores of 80 or worse over the four rounds. The cut fell at 9-over-par. Plant’s opening 67 was one of only seven sub-par scores, with a 4-under 66 from England’s James Walker the lowest score of the week. In other words, the golf course was the winner in yet another Lytham Trophy.
Moore and Plant will contend for spaces in England’s three-man team to travel to Mexico for the World Amateur Team Championships September 21-24. Plant’s impressive showing over the testing Royal Lytham links puts him in pole position to take one of the spots.

MyGolfRanking Angus Players of Week 2016/17 areColin Brunton (Monifieth), who breaks into the higher echelon of the Angus Men's Rankings for the first time at No 10, and Julie Taylor of Kirriemuir Ladies, who enters the Angus Ladies Ranking at No 4

                                                                                                                                        

ANGUS MEN

1 Aidan Smith (Edzell) 1159 pts                                                                            

2 Dinish Bailwal (Piperdam Osprey) 1098

3 Louis Perera (Edzell) 1038

4 Blair McCombie (Brechin) 997

5 Donald Smith (Kirriemuir) 992

6  James Howe (Arbroath) 983

7 *Steven Geekie (Logie) 981

8 Gary Pyott (Arbroath) 935

9 Brian Melville (Caird Park) 925

10 *Colin Brunton (Monifieth) 906                                                                     

ANGUS CLUBS – MEN

1 Edzell 775 pts

2 Arbroath 709

3 Caird Park 688

T4 Kirriemuir 667

T4 Panmure 667

6 Brechin 652

7 Camperdown 612

6 *Ballumbie Castle 608

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 so

CLUB SECRETARIES, PLEASE EMAIL THIS TO YOUR MEMBERS in order that they may sign in.

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DAVID MOIR

US PGA TOUR report and scores

  Stuard still leading waterlogged Zurich Classic


FROM CBS SPORTS.COM
American Brian Stuard completed his second straight bogey-free round to take a one-shot lead in the waterlogged Zurich Classic at New Orleans.
Stuard played just six holes Saturday, completing his second round with a 4-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC Louisiana. Jamie Landmark and Jhonattan Vegas were tied for second. They finished the second round Friday.
The 33-year-old Stuard, winless on the US PGA Tour, continued his steady play with two birdies Some players were able to begin the third round on Saturday before thunderstorms swept through the area, but the leaders haven't teed off.
Top-ranked Day was five strokes behind Stuard after shooting a 68 in the second round.
Rain delays have interrupted two out of three days of the tournament. More rain is forecast for Sunday.
It's just the second time in Stuard's career that he's had the lead after 36 holes. He said the threat of impending rain won't affect how he plays when, or if, he's able to get on the course Sunday.
''I think you've just got to go out and play it one shot at a time and whatever happens, happens,'' Stuard said.
Lovemark and Vegas didn't play at all Saturday, getting some rest after a long Friday. Lovemark played 27 holes on Friday to jump into contention with a second-round 66. Vegas completed 30 1/2 holes and finished the second round with a 69.
Stuard, Lovemark and Vegas have a sizable jump on the rest of the field. Six players, including Charles Howell III, were four strokes back at 8 under.
Day was among a dozen players five shots behind Stuard. The Australian said the stop-and-start nature of the tournament can makes things difficult, but he's pleased with the way he's played through two rounds.
''You've got to try and stay in the right frame of mind mentally,'' Day said. ''Try and keep yourself loose. Because there is a lot of sitting around, a lot of eating, and all that other stuff. But you've got to try and remind yourself that you need to stay sharp.''
SCOREBOARD
Third-round play suspended Saturday
 Sunday tee times  (local time) listed

1

Brian Stuard

-12

8:25 am

T2

Jamie Lovemark

-11

8:25 am

T2

Jhonattan Vegas

-11

8:25 am

T4

Harold Varner III

-8

8:15 am

T4

Daniel Berger

-8

8:15 am

T4

Byeong-Hun An

-8

8:15 am

T4

Charles Howell III

-8

8:05 am

T4

Chad Collins

-8

8:05 am

T4

Patrick Rodgers

-8

8:05 am

T10

Scott Stallings

-7

4

-3

T10

Stuart Appleby

-7

3

-2

T10

Henrik Norlander

-7

3

-2

T10

Freddie Jacobson

-7

3

-2

T10

Ryan Ruffels

-7

1

-1

T10

Patton Kizzire

-7

7:55 am

T10

Thomas Aiken

-7

7:55 am

T10

Steve Wheatcroft

-7

7:55 am

T10

John Senden

-7

7:45 am

T10

Jason Day

-7

7:45 am

T10

Seung-Yul Noh

-7

7:45 am

T10

Derek Ernst

-7

7:35 am

T22

Retief Goosen

-6

4

-1

T22

Geoff Ogilvy

-6

3

-1

T22

Will Wilcox

-6

1

-1

T22

Gary Woodland

-6

1

E

T22

Chris Stroud

-6

1

E

T22

Bryce Molder

-6

1

E

T22

Lucas Glover

-6

7:35 am

T22

Chris Kirk

-6

7:35 am

T22

Spencer Levin

-6

--

--

T22

Cameron Percy

-6

--

--

T22

Bobby Wyatt

-6

--

--

T33

Danny Lee

-5

5*

-1

T33

Charley Hoffman

-5

4

-1

T33

Marc Turnesa

-5

4*

-1

T33

David Hearn

-5

4*

-1

T33

Robert Streb

-5

3

E

T33

Tyler Aldridge

-5

3*

-1

T33

Andres Gonzales

-5

3*

-1

T33

David Toms

-5

2

E

T33

Billy Horschel

-5

2

E

T33

Robert Garrigus

-5

2

E

T33

Cameron Tringale

-5

1

E

T44

Lucas Lee

-4

5

E

T44

J.J. Henry

-4

5*

E

T44

Chesson Hadley

-4

4*

E

T44

Jonas Blixt

-4

3

1

T44

Roberto Castro

-4

2*

-1

T44

Adam Hadwin

-4

2*

-1

T44

Ben Martin

-4

1*

-1

T44

Rickie Fowler

-4

1*

-1

T44

Bronson Burgoon

-4

1*

-1

T53

Michael Kim

-3

5

1

T53

Jeff Overton

-3

5*

1

T53

Jon Curran

-3

2*

E

T53

Chad Campbell

-3

2*

E

T53

Anirban Lahiri

-3

2*

E

T53

Russell Henley

-3

1*

-1

T59

Dicky Pride

-2

5

2

T59

Tim Wilkinson

-2

3*

1

T59

Aaron Baddeley

-2

2*

1

T59

Jamie Donaldson

-2

1*

E

T59

Ken Duke

-2

1*

E

T59

Troy Merritt

-2

--*

--

T59

Si Woo Kim

-2

--*

--

T59

Michael Bradley

-2

--*

--

T59

Benjamin Taylor

-2

7:35 am *

T59

Joe Affrunti

-2

7:35 am *

T59

Scott Langley

-2

7:35 am *

T59

Mark Hubbard

-2

7:45 am *

T59

Angel Cabrera

-2

7:45 am *

T59

Nick Taylor

-2

7:45 am *

T59

Brian Gay

-2

7:55 am *

T59

Steve Stricker

-2

7:55 am *

T59

Vijay Singh

-2

7:55 am *

T59

Morgan Hoffmann

-2

8:05 am *

T59

Marc Leishman

-2

8:05 am *

T59

Blayne Barber

-2

8:05 am *

T59

Erik Compton

-2

8:15 am *

T59

Sung Kang

-2

8:15 am *

T59

Rob Oppenheim

-2

8:25 am *

T59

Rhein Gibson

-2

8:25 am *