Rory McIlroy is singing in the rain at Irish 

Open, leads by three in a downpour

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Rory McIlroy surged to the top of the leaderboard on a weather-delayed day three of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation as he attempts to win his home event for the first time.

The Northern Irishman, pictured, will head into the final day's play with a three-shot lead over Masters Tournament champion Danny Willett, but both men will have to complete three holes of their third round on Sunday after nearly four hours of play was lost to the weather.
McIlroy had picked up two shots in his third round to get to nine under when play was suspended due to darkness on Saturday, with Willett also stood on the 16th tee with three bogeys and a birdie on his card.
The Englishman is playing in his first European Tour event since his sensational win at Augusta in early April and all eyes were on the two top ranked players in the field coming into this week at The K Club.
That may remain the case on Sunday but they will have some pressure applied from a strong chasing pack, with Scotland's Russell Knox having set the clubhouse target at five under after a third round 70.
South Africa's Richard Sterne was also at five under and playing the 16th when the horn sounded, with Englishman Tyrrell Hatton a further shot back on the 17th.
McIlroy had spoken all week of his desire to at last lift a trophy on home soil and this week represents a change in fortune after missing the cut the past three seasons at this event.
Willett dropped a shot on the second after going right off the tee and dropped into a three-way tie for the lead with McIlroy and overnight co-leader Marc Warren - who would drop off the pace with a further five bogeys against a single birdie.
The Scot is only three under par with his third round still to complete so, after that excellent 66 on Friday, he has dropped dramatically to five shots off the pace.
McIlroy then took advantage of the par five fourth to get his nose in front before Willett joined him at eight under with a birdie of his own on the same hole.
Willett found some trouble down the right on the sixth and did well to get up and down to drop just a single shot but then found the water off the seventh tee to make it two bogeys in a row.
Play was then suspended for two hours and 18 minutes with McIlroy on the tenth green and upon the resumption the leader tapped in from three feet to extend his advantage to three shots.
Sterne had been one over for his round when the horn sounded but he birdied the 11th and then holed an excellent long putt on the 12th to move four off the lead.
Knox joined him with a birdie on the 16th after a fortunate bounce off the rocks before another hour and 31 minutes was lost. Play did resume but it was not long until darkness descended with the rain hammering down in County Kildare.
Frenchmen Grégory Bourdy and Romain Wattel, Spaniards Rafa Cabrera Bello and Jorge Campillo and Welshman Bradley Dredge were all in the clubhouse at three under.

THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD
+several players have still to complete their third rounds

1	Rory McIlroy	67	70	34	.			-8	171
2	Danny Willett	65	71	37				-6	173
T3	Rafa Cabrera Bello	72	71	64				-4	207
T3	Russell Knox	75	66	57				-4	198
T3	Sebastien Gros	71	70	53				-4	194
T3	Tyrrell Hatton	72	68	44				-4	184
T7	Gregory Bourdy	72	73	68				-3	213
T7	Romain Wattel	75	70	68				-3	213
T7	Stephen Gallacher	71	71	57				-3	199
T7	Bradley Dredge	71	70	54				-3	195
T7	Jorge Campillo	72	69	54				-3	195
T7	Richard Sterne	72	68	41				-3	181
T7	Jaco Van Zyl	68	72	41				-3	181
T7	Matthew Southgate	70	69	37				-3	176
T7	Marc Warren	70	66	40				-3	176
T16	Gary Boyd	72	73	69				-2	214
T16	Pablo Larrazabal	74	70	70				-2	214
T16	Lee Westwood	72	72	70				-2	214
T16	Richard Bland	70	74	70				-2	214
T20	James Morrison	70	76	69				-1	215
T20	Mikko Korhonen	72	73	70				-1	215
T20	Maximilian Kieffer	77	68	70				-1	215
T20	Oliver Fisher	73	71	71				-1	215
T20	Hao Tong Li	73	70	72				-1	215
T20	Nicolas Colsaerts	72	71	72				-1	215
T20	Brett Rumford	69	72	56				-1	197
T20	Jamie Donaldson	71	70	53				-1	194
T20	Callum Shinkwin	68	73	46				-1	187
T29	Trevor Fisher Jr.	73	73	70				E	216
T29	Nacho Elvira	70	75	71				E	216
T29	Thongchai Jaidee	71	72	73				E	216
T29	Raphael Jacquelin	73	69	60				E	202
T29	Eddie Pepperell	71	70	50				E	191
T34	Ricardo Gouveia	75	71	71				+1	217
T34	Shane Lowry	71	75	71				+1	217
T34	Adrian Otaegui	73	69	61				+1	203
T34	Chris Wood	71	70	55				+1	196
T34	Richie Ramsay	70	71	51				+1	192
T39	Rikard Karlberg	73	73	72				+2	218
T39	Craig Lee	73	73	72				+2	218
T39	Ashun Wu	72	74	72				+2	218
T39	Kevin Phelan	75	70	73				+2	218
T39	Thorbjorn Olesen	72	72	74				+2	218
T39	Gary Hurley	73	71	74				+2	218
T39	Darren Clarke	73	71	74				+2	218
T39	Soren Kjeldsen	69	74	66				+2	209
T39	Martin Kaymer	69	73	67				+2	209
T39	David Lipsky	72	71	66				+2	209
T39	Kristoffer Broberg	74	68	62				+2	204
T50	Matt Ford	72	74	73				+3	219
T50	Richard Green	75	70	74				+3	219
T50	Alejandro Canizares	73	72	74				+3	219
T50	Ross Fisher	69	75	75				+3	219
T50	Graeme McDowell	71	72	76				+3	219
T50	Gavin Moynihan	72	71	71				+3	214
T50	Niclas Fasth	70	73	67				+3	210
T50	Felipe Aguilar	71	71	63				+3	205
T58	Ross McGowan	73	72	77				+6	222
T58	Paul Dunne	70	75	77				+6	222
T58	Roope Kakko	71	73	78				+6	222
T61	Borja Virto Astudillo	74	72	77				+7	223
T61	Bernd Wiesberger	71	75	77				+7	223
T61	Robert Dinwiddie	72	72	79				+7	223
T61	Paul McGinley	72	71	80				+7	223
65	Renato Paratore	72	72	80				+8	224

 

Barry Hume leads, Calum Fyfe jt 2nd in Wales

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Barry Hume (Haggs Castle) leads and Cawder's Calum Fyfe is joint second at the halfway stage of the 72-hole Welsh men's open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal St David's Golf Club, Harlech.
Hume is on five-under-par 133 after rounds of 67 and 66.
In his second round the former Scottish amateur champion and reinstated professional had an eagle 3 at the long eighth and birdies at the first, second and 16th. Barry dropped shots at the third and sixth.
He is one ahead of Calum Fyfe (66-68) and England's Harrison Woan (67-67) on 134
Fyfe look on course to lead at the end of the day but he ran up a triple bogey 7 at the par-4 13th in his second round. He had birdies at the second, sixth, eighth and 17th.
Other Scots in the top 20 are Craig Howie (Peebles), tied seventh on 136 (71-65) and last year's Scottish boys' champion Will Porter (Carnoustie) who is tied 18th on 140 after rounds of 67 and 73.
The only other Scots in a veritable "Tartan Army" of competitors were Chris Maclean (Balmore), tied 23rd on 141 (69-72) and young Sandy Scott (Nairn), sharing 31st place with scores of 68-74 for 142.
The cut fell at 143 and the Scots who missed out were K Cantley (Liberton) 74-70 and Kyle Godsman (Moray) 73-71, both on 144; M Clark (Kilmacolm) 74-71 and J Wright (Forres) 72-73, both on 145; A Davidson (Charleton) 73-74 on 147; J Harling (Banchory) 77-71 on 148; S Roger (Cruden Bay) 74-75  and J Stewart (Old Ranfurly) 74-75, both on 149, and D Howie (Peebles) 74-76 on 150; M Pennycott (Royal Burgess) 79-72, A Thurlow (Murrayfield) 75-76 and A Carrick (Douglas Park) 74-77, all on 151; C Cochrane (Marriott Dalmahoy) 83-71, C Neil (Blairgowrie) 80-74, J Shaw (Boat of Garten) 79-75 and N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 77-77, all on 154; C H Macneal (Prestwick) 77-78 on 155, and R Franssen (Inverness) 78-81 on 159.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES, CHECK THE CARDS

CLICK HERE

Hutcheon and Brown (£1,237 each) share 1st 

place on 63 at West Dunbartonshire pro-am

 By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Greig Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Inchmarlo) extended his hot streak by sharing first place with Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) in the 30th West Dunbartonshire Council pro-am at Dalmuir muncipal course today.
They both shot five-under-par rounds of 63 to finish two shots clear of Stephen Gray (Lanark) and Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) and earn £1,237 piece each out of the £7,425 prize fund.
Hutcheon won the £1,250 first prize in the Largs pro-am on Friday.
His 63 at Dalmuir was bogey-free and studded with birdies at the first, second, seventh, 10th and 12th. He could not get a birdie putt to drop over the last six holes.
Brown, in contrast, shot an eagle 2 (at the 10th) and six birdies (first, second, third, sixth, seventh and 17th), dropping shots at the 12th, 14th and 18th. 
David Stein (Ranfurly Castle) led the "Tam Ryan Memorial" team of Brian Biggins (handicap 11), Derek Mitchell (12) and Alan Brown (8) to victory in the team event with a net score of 16-under-par 52.
They had a better net inward half than the "West and East" team of Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills). 
Graeme Brown's "Anton Rogan Memorial" team finished third with a 53

 PRO SCORES
Par 68
63 G Hutcheon (PLGC Inchmarlo), G Brown (Montrose Links)
65 S Gray (Lanark), P O'Hara (Clydeway Golf).
66 C Currie (Caldwell), S Henderson (Kings Links), C Kelly (unatt)
67 D Flannery (Caldwell), C Elliott (Haggs Castle)
68 G McFarlane (Clober), G Hay (Grantown on Spey), S Binning (Mearns Castle).
69 G Paxton (Ralston), P Robinson (Largs), J Lomas (Caprington), N Huguet (Musselburgh), D Stein (Ranfurly Castle), J McGhee (Whitehill House), R Arnott (Bishopbriggs), M Mackenzie (Edzell).
70 C McMaster (Wellsgreen), S Savage (Dalmuir), D McKay (Wellsgreen), G Fox (Clydeway Golf), S Catlin (Affordable Golf).
71 C McQueen (Dalmuir), P McKechnie (Braid Hills), C Farrell (Cardross). 
72 G Forbes (Mar Hall)
73 M Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), C Brown (Carrick on Loch Lomond), J McCreadie (Largs), C Lawson (Gleneagles), G Mackay (Loretto School), M Hillson (Kilconquhar Castle).
74 S Clelland (Hayston), F Smith (Great Western Golf).
77 A McIntyre (Mar Hall)
NR C Tierney (Bishopbriggs). 

James Byrne now T4 in Chinese Taipei

Banchory's James Byrne has moved up to to joint fourth place with a third-round 67 for seven-under 209 in the Ambassador ADT (Asian Development Tour) 72-hole event at Hsin Feng Golf and Country Club at Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei.

Lin Wen-ko (41)  of Chinese Taipei leads by 11 shots with a 19-under-par 54-hole tally of 197.

 

Leading third round scores:

197 - LIN Wen-ko (TWN) 65 67 65

208 - Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 71 69 68, Johannes VEERMAN (USA) 69 71 68

209 - James BYRNE (SCO) 70 72 67, CHEN Hao-sen (TWN) 72 68 69, Sam CYR (USA) 71 68 70

210 - HUNG Chien-yao (TWN) 75 68 67, FAN CHIANG Hao Chuan (TWN) 72 70 68, Feroz Singh GAREWAL (IND) 72 69 69, Paul HARRIS (USA) 70 70 70, HSU Hao-sheng (TWN) 68 69 73, Itthipat BURANATANYARAT (THA) 70 66 74

211 - Pijit PETCHKASEM (THA) 72 71 68, Ben LEONG (MAS) 74 69 68

212 - Pasamet POGAMNERD (THA) 73 70 69, Donlaphatchai NIYOMCHON (THA) 72 68 72

213 - LIN Wen-tang (TWN) 74 69 70, Christopher CANNON (ENG) 69 74 70, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 71 72 70, LEE Cho-chuan (TWN) 71 69 73, LU Wei-chih (TWN) 71 68 74

214 - George GANDRANATA (INA) 74 67 73, LU Wen-teh (TWN) 73 66 75

215 - Oscar ZETTERWALL (SWE) 73 70 72, HUANG Tao (TWN) 72 70 73, KAO Shang-hung (TWN) 74 70 71

216 - WENG Young-tien (TWN) 69 74 73, CHAN Shih-chang (TWN) 70 71 75

 

For more information on the ADT, please visit www.asiandevelopmenttour.com

The MGR Fife Golfer of the Week is our new Men's Number One, Robert Skene of Thornton GC.

MGR Week 2016/20

Fife Men

1 Robert Skene (Thornton) 1206 pts                                                                                                 

2 Roddy Malcolm (Dunfermline) 1205

3 Ryan Mackie (Balbirnie Park) 1194

4 Michael Lindsay (Pitreavie) 1128

5 Ross Gribbens (Dunfermline) 1085

6 *Dean Robertson (Lundin) 1080

7 Graham Finlay (Glenrothes) 1064

8 *Andrew Davidson (Charleton) 1058                                                                                                      

9 *Ian Sturrock (St Michaels) 1044

T10 Brian McKenna (St Andrews New) 1030

T10  Steven Ovens (Canmore) 1030

Fife Clubs - Men

1 Dunfermline 908 pts

2 Balbirnie Park 871

3 Dunnikier Park 869

4 Lundin 854

5 Kirkcaldy 817

6 Canmore 816

7 Ladybank 782

8 Aberdour 779

*Entry this week

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David Moir

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