Daniel Young inside top 20 in Alps Tour event in Italy

Daniel Young from Perth is lying joint 19th after a pair of 69s for 138 in the Alps Tour's Open La Pinetina in Italy.

He is 10 strokes behind the leader by five, Stefano Pitoni who repeated his opening round of 64 for 128.

Royal Aberdeen lose home Pennant match to Hazlehead

Royal Aberdeen suffered their first defeat of the season and Hazlehead scored their second win when their Section A match in the Aberdeen Men's Pennant League was played at Balgownie tonight (Thursday).

Hazlehead won 3-2.

The Bon Accord v Murcar Links Section B match was postponed earlier because of excess water on parts of the Kings Links course.

           Duncan Stewart on his way to a six-under 65. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

 Duncan Stewart in three-way tie for lead on 

  65 in Challenge Tour event in France


FROM THE CHALLENGE TOUR WEBSITE
Daniel Gaunt, Victor Riu and Duncan Stewart drew on their past experience around Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club as they opened with six under par rounds of 65 to lead the Najeti Open after day one, despite afternoon thunderstorms delaying play for three hours.
On the European Challenge Tour’s first of three visits to France this season, the home crowds were thrilled by one of their own as Riu rose up the leaderboard with a bogey-free opening 18 holes, featuring an eagle and four birdies.
Stewart, winner of the Challenge de Madrid last month, also avoided any dropped shots, his six birdies coming as something of a surprise to the Scot after a miserable practice this morning.
“If somebody on the range had said to me I’d shoot level par before I went out, honestly I’d have taken it,” said the 32 year old. “I’ve been struggling and I was awful before my round this morning, but sometimes you practise badly and then are good on the course.
“I managed to get it round and play good golf without hitting any really good shots. I couldn’t hit it hard so I just had to nudge it round and I putted fantastically. It was a bit of a surprise but it’s a nice one.
“Putting well around here is important but I actually think it’s more about missing the greens in the right places because they’re so sloped – sometimes being 20 feet off the green is better than being six feet above the hole.
“I’ve played here the last couple of years and it’s a very tricky course where it’s all about giving yourself chances, not leaving yourself with downhillers, putting it in the right places – there’s a few times where you’re hitting shots not to get to the flag, to keep it short.
“The greens are fantastic, it’s probably up there with some of the best greens we’ve played on, and this course is the best condition I’ve ever seen it. We had perfect weather this morning too so it was almost as easy as this place is going to play, and it was nice to get a good score.
“You’ve got to be patient around here and be in the right frame of mind, and my head was in the right place before I went out even though I was hitting it poorly, I knew that I could get it round and put it in the right places to give myself chances.”
Riu echoed these thoughts, acknowledging that a return to form in his short game could not have come at a better time given the testing nature of the greens in Lumbres.
“I’ve played here many times, I think about five – I’m getting old!” said the 31 year old. “But that knowledge helps a lot on this course because I think it’s the trickiest course of the year on Challenge Tour.
“The greens are so tricky so I think you have to know your way around – it’s a bit like the Augusta of the Challenge Tour! The greens and fairways are so sloped so it helps to know your way around this course.
“I’m feeling very good with my game and I’m looking to carry on. I was struggling a bit with my short game but now it’s getting much better and I can see the scores are getting better as well.
“Of course you want to play well in France. When you do well in your home country, you can feel people are looking for the French guys and that’s a nice feeling.”

Australia’s Gaunt was similarly blemish-free, the six birdies in his round of 65 merely a continuation of the fine form that brought him a top five finish at the recent D+D REAL Czech Challenge.
Portugal’s José-Filipe Lima was one shot behind after an opening round of 66, including birdies at each of his first three holes, while Thomas Detry continued the eye-catching start to his professional career with a 67, the Belgian tied for fifth alongside Sweden’s Krister Eriksson and Andrea Pavan of Italy.

LEADERBOARD

Par 71

65 D Stewart (Sco), V Rui (Fra), D Gaunt (Australia)

66 J-F Lima (Portugal)

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES

71 P Whiteford (T41)

72 R Kellett, S Henry, D Law (T68)

74 J Doherty (T100)

75 P Shields (T115)

  
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

Clark and Shields lead Seniors into last day

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Erskine's Ronnie Clark and David Shields (Glenearn) are joint leaders, two shots ahead of the reduced field, as they enter the final day of the Scottish senior men's open amateur golf championship at Glasgow Golf Club's Killermont course.

Clark, pictured right, winner of the Scottish seniors' order of merit last year, has had rounds of 70 and 68 for a two-over-par tally of 138.

He had an up and down day with birdies at the third, fifth, eighth, ninth, 13th and 16th but bogeys at the second, fourth, 11th and 12th in halves of 33-35.

In contrast Shields,   had one birdie (short fourth), one bogey (par-4 fifth) and 16 pars in rock-solid halves of 35.

The only men with a reasonable chance of overhauling the leaders are the four sharing third place on 140, including Scots Graham Bell from Downfield and Robert Stewart (Tulliallan).

Only those with 36-hole totals of 148 and better qualified for the final day.

QUALIFIERS

Par 140 (2x70) 

SSS: 69, CSS: Round 1 = 71, Round 2 = 71

138 R A Clark (Erskine) 70 68, D Shields (Glenearn) 68 70.

140 N Chesters (Hawkstone Park) 71 69, G Bell (Downfield) 71 69, R Stewart (Tulliallan) 70 70, S East (Moortown) 68 72.

141 N Evans (St Mellons) 72 69, R Smith (Nairn) 70 71, A Mew (Stoneham) 69 72.

142 M H Stones (Boyce Hill) 74 69, S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen) 71 69, A Stracey (Denham) 71 71

143 L Gordon (Turnhouse) 74 69, A Belford (Prestwick St Nicholas) 71 72, R Jordan (Hacienda) 71 72, L Blair (Grangemouth) 70 73, G MacDonald (Glenbervie) 70 73, J Lawrence (Moor Allerton) 69 74.

144 R Latham (Woodhall Spa) 75 69, R Partridge (Wildernesse) 74 70, D Nelson (Northenden) 74 70, C Calkins (Hacienda) 73 71, D Gardner (Broomieknowe) 71 73, I Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 72 72.

145 R Elmes (Stoneham) 74 71, A K Helm (Merchants of Edinburgh) 73 72, D Lane (Goring and Streatley 72 73, S Burke (Remedy Oak) 72 73, T Whittaker (Beaconsfield) 71 74, A Brewer (Denham) 73 72.

146 M Mercier (Jupiter Hills) 73 73, S Black (cathcart Castle) 73 73, L Chancellor (Inverness) 72 74, I Attoe (Worplesdon) 72 74, I Angus (Duff House Royal) 72 74, D Alexander (London Hunt) 71 75, J Wright (Wilderness) 70 76.

147 B Harris (Denver) 76 71, A J Waddell (Glasgow) 75 72, W K Anderson (Cardross) 74 73, P Wharton (John O'Gaunt) 73 74, G C Barrie (Callander) 73 74, D Logie (Craigie Hill) 73 74, D Hamilton (Mortonhall) 72 75, T McLevy (Blairgowrie) 70 77.

148 D Dickson (Lochmaben) 77 71, P Simpson (Alnmouth) 77 71, C Banks (Stanton on Wolds) 76 72, K Morris (Camberley Heath) 75 73, R Barnes (East Kilbride) 75 73, D Wilson (Blairgowrie) 74 74, B Brooks (Meldrum House) 74 74, R Craw (Glenvervie) 74 74, L Bruckner (Hindhead) 74 74, J Fraser (Royal Burgess) 74 74, G Wilson (Calcot Park) 72 76, B J Bingham (Royal Troon) 71 77, J Yuille (Luffness New) 71 77.

SCOTS WHO MISSED CUT

149 S Meiklejohn (Aberdour) 77 72

150 G Crawford (Williamwood) 7 71, L Piriwe (Millport) 77 73, I Jean (St Andrews New) 74 76, T Stafford (Downfield) 74 76, P Dempsey (Tulliallan) 74 76, L L McLaughlin (strathaven) 74 76.

151 G Brown (Strathendrick) 78 73, D A Lamond (Glasgow) 77 74, J R Hunter (Newbattle) 77 74, R Stewart Millar (Cochrane Cstle) 75 76

152 I Gillan (Bishopbriggs) 76 76

153 A J Hogg (Turnhouse) 78 75, A G Ross (Deeside) 77 76, R P Ford (Scotscraig) 77 76, W Irvine (Lanark) 76 77, A Harkness (Southernss) 72 81

154 D Gillespie (Turnhouse) 81 73, T Sirel (Largs) 80 74, J Johnston (Lanark) 78 76, J Stuart Taylor (East Kilbride) 77 77, j McManus (Uphall) 77 77, R J Humble (Kilspindie) 75 79

155  Hardwick (Newbattle) 79 76, J W McDonald (Cowglen) 78 77, j J W Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) 73 82.

156 K Bruce (Edzell) 80 76, J Aman (Grangemouth) 79 77, M Reid (Sonning) 78 78.

157 S Montgomery (Glenbervie) 81 76

158 M Graham (Newbattle) 81 77, I Campbell (Cardross) 79 79, G MacLeod (Glenbervie) 78 80

159 J McArthur (St Andrews New) 76 83

160 C Christy (Kilmacolm) 79 81, G Mair (Glasgow) 79 81

161 H Thomson (Irvine) 82 79.

162 R Gray (Rowallan Castle) 81 81

165 S Chalmers (Balmore) 79 86

166 B Smith (Hamilton) 86 80.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND SCORECARDS

CLICK HERE

 Scots MacIntyre and Ferguson reach quarter-

finals at stormy Royal Porthcawl

RandA News Release

Porthcawl, South Wales: Adrian Meronk led from the front as he secured his place in the quarterfFinals of The 121st Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl today.

The Polish East Tennessee State University player took charge early in his match against Australia’s Dylan Perry, winning four of the first five holes as his opponent struggled to find his rhythm. 
Perry reduced the arrears to two holes with a birdie at the 10th but a bogey at the 13th left him with too much to do. Meronk, who was the leading qualifier at the 2013 Amateur Championship, holed a 12ft putt for par at the 16th to seal a 3 and 2 win and will face Nicolas Maheut of France tomorrow.

Maheut trailed for most of the match against leading qualifier Connor Syme and was two behind with three to play but the Frenchman birdied the 16th and 17th to get back to all square. The match went to the second extra hole and the 26-year-old from Rouen holed from 7ft to secure his place in the last eight.
Stormy weather once again buffeted the South Wales coast, with a threat of lightning forcing a one-hour suspension of play in the late afternoon, and the conditions were challenging for the players.
Bearsden's Ewen Ferguson was unperturbed by the weather and enjoyed a comfortable 4 and 3 victory over England’s Jamie Bower and will face Irishman Paul McBride, who edged out Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist by one hole.
Left-hander Robert MacIntyre, pictured above right, winner of the Scottish amateur championship last year,  became the second Scot to progress when he ended Australian interest in the championship with a 2 and 1 win over David Micheluzzi.
 His opponent tomorrow will be world number five Ivan Cantero, who showed his mettle in fending off the challenge of last year’s runner-up Grant Forrest to win by two holes. Trailing by one hole coming down the last, Forrest lost his ball from the tee and conceded the match.
Scott Gregory came out on top against his fellow Englishman Harry Hall. The 2016 Spanish Amateur Championship finalist won the first with a par and stayed in front for the remainder of the match to win by 4&3. He will face Spain’s Javier Sainz tomorrow after he defeated his compatriot Alejandro Del Rey at the second extra hole.
Key quotes:
Adrian Meronk
“I was 4 up through five and was just playing my game, hitting fairways and greens and that was enough. And then he started making some birdies, some putts and he came back to two. I was only 2 up after 11 holes and then they stopped the play. I had a little bit of time to slow down and eat something in the break and then I came back pretty strong and played very well in the last few holes. I’m very happy I advanced to the next round.
“I just want to focus one game at a time, stick to my strategy and play my game and we will see how far I can go.”
Robert MacIntyre

“At the end there it was just find the fairway and find the green. And put him under pressure. It is good players getting to this stage and he is going to do the exact same thing to you. If you have got the honour you have got to try to take advantage by finding the fairway and trying to make him work.

“I’m in the Quarter-Finals but it is just one more guy in front of you so you have just got to take care of them and hopefully it is enough. That is potentially three games away but I have just got to take one at a time just now.”

Ewen Ferguson (pictured on left)

“It was a really good win because it’s one of the biggest amateur events in the world and your whole season is based around this event. There is so much practising and hype around it. To go out and actually play well in the stroke play and qualify really comfortably – to go on and keep playing well it feels good knowing I can cope with the pressure.

“I drove really well this morning and this afternoon. It just puts the guy under pressure straight away. I managed to hole a few nice putts when I really had to.”

Ivan Cantero

“I’m very happy with this today because I play in the afternoon with a very good player and the win is important. I knew it was going to be difficult because he (Forrest) is a very good player.

“The putter has been amazing this week. It’s was the most important thing in my game today.

“Tomorrow I want more, another match – and when I’m finished that – another match.”

For the full fourth round results and the draw for the Quarter-Finals tomorrow visit championships.randa.org.

RESULTS Round 3
C Syme (Drumoig) bt J Savage (Cawder) 2 and 1.
N Maheut (Fra) bt W Enefer (Wrekin) 5 and 3.
D Perry (Aust) bt C Davis (Aust) 1 hole.
A Meronk (Pol) bt L Lipold (Aut) 1 hole.
H Hall (W Cornwall) bt L Allan (Alva) 1 hole. 
S Gregory (Corhampton) bt P Mazier (Fra) 1 hole
A Del Rey (Spa) bt B McKenzie (Rowlands Castle) at 21st
J Sainz (Spa) bt A Matlari (Ger) at 19th.

D Micheluzzi (Aust) bt J Yule (Middleton Hall) at 19th.
R MacIntyre (Glencruitten bt W Heffernan (Aust) 5 and 4 
I Cantero (Spa) bt Y Yuan (China) 3 and 2.
G Forrest (Craigielaw) bt J Freiburghaus (Swi) 4 and 3.
R Sciot-Siegrist (Fra) bt A Chapman (Carus Green) 2 nd 1
P McBride (The Island) bt C Rafferty (Dundalk) 2 and 1.
J Bower (Meltham) bt M Iten (Swi) 2 and 1.
E Ferguson (Bearsden) bt A McDougall (Elderslie) 4 and 2.

Round 4 
Maheut bt Syme at 20th.
Meronk bt Perry 3 and 2
Gregory bt Hall 4 and 3.
Sainz bt Del Rey at 20th.

MacIntyre bt Micheluzzi 2 and 1
Cantero bt Forrest 2 holes.
McBride bt Sciot-Siegrist 1 hole.
Ferguson bt Bower 4 and 3.

FRIDAY QUARTER-FINALS
8.15 Maheut v Meronk
8.30 Gregory v  Sainz
8.45 MacIntyre v Cantero
9.00 McBride v Ferguson

Paul Lawrie wins with eight-under 65 at Drumoig

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Paul Lawrie won today's Big Johnson's Tour event at Drumoig with a brilliant score of eight-under-par 65 over the par-73, 6956yd course.

The 1999 Open winner, chalking up his second win in two appearances on the circuit, shot three eagles in an inward half of six-under 30 - at the par-4 10th and par-5 15th and 17th.

He also had four birdies and two bogeys

Hard luck on Kevin McAlpine to score a seven-under 66 and finish second on a day when Lawrie was in top form.

Organiser John Henry would like to thanks Paul and The Paul Lawrie Foundation, Devel Golf , Golf Marker Systems and Bridge Golf Scotland for sponsoring the event over a Drumoig course which was in great condition.

Lawrie now tops the order of merit with 300 points. The top ten players qualify for the tour championship  at Dundonald Links on Sunday, October 9

SCOREBOARD

par 72

65 Paul Lawrie 
66 Kevin Mcalpine
68 Sean Lawrie
69 Ryan Campbell, Paul Robinson, Craig Lawrie 
70 James Hendrick, Bradley Neil 
72 James Steven, Mark Loftus
73 Kenny Hutton, Conor O'Neil
74 Callum Macaulay
75 Mike Patterson
76 Scott Gillies, John Henry 
77 Greg Walker
81 Chris McQueen
82 Ross Colsh 
NR Chris Kelly

r .

FORRESTER PARK PAIR WIN LOMBARD 

TROPHY TRIP TO ALGARVE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

The Forrester Park Golf Resort pairing of professional Paul Edgcombe and amateur member Jamie Taylor are heading for the Lombard Trophy Grand Final on the Algarve in September after winning the Scottish Qualifying competition at Crieff Golf Club today (Thursday).

They shot a net better ball score of 10-under-par 61 to head a field of 49 pairs by one stroke.

Edgcombe and Taylor reached the turn in seven-under 30 and came home in three-under 31 with their only bogey coming at the 12th.

Edgcombe earned £450 but will now have his eyes on a first prize of £12,000 in the Grand Final at Vila Sol Golf Club, Vilamoura on September 22-23.

Only the winners go forward from each of the regional venues so runners-up Simon Milne and Ian McPherson (Airdrie) had the hardest luck story of a nine-under-par round of 62 (33-29) which included THREE net eagles, at the par-5 sixth and the par-4 10th and 16th. Milne had the consolation of winning £375.

LOMBARD TROPHY SCOTTISH QUALIFIER No. 2

Crieff GC.

QUALIFIERS

Par 71

61 P Edgcomb (£450) and J Taylor (Forrester Park)

NON-QUALIFIERS

62 S McLean (£375) and I McPherson (Airdrie)

63 D Orr (£300) and C Taggart (Eastwood), R McConnachie (£300) and A Gibb (Peterculter)

64 D Vannet (£200) and B Milne (Banchory); A Cooper(£200_) and M Barclay (Newmachar).

65 C Dernie and M McKay (Blairgowrie); F Rummins and A Millar (Canmore); A Knox and L Grant (King James VI); S Morrison and K Mackay (Tain); A Reid and R Thomson (West Lothian). Pros £47 each.

66 M Rae and D Laing (Drumoig); A Erskine and R Ogilvie (Ratho Park); S Reekie and G Revill (East Renfrewshire).

67 G King and M McKenna (Easter Moffat); G McFarlane and J Darrell (Grangemouth); J Boyd and S McGill (Montrose Links).

68 J Montgomery and J Dickinson (Dunbar); C Nugent, B Montignani (Dunfermline); K Beveridge and M Stuart (Kippie Lodge); S Smith and G Lennie (Ladybank)' O Leslie and C Innes (Piperdam); G Bruce and R Chalmers (Westhill).

69 S McGrenaghan and G Angus (Elderslie); C Knowles and R Knox jun (Glenrothes); G Forbes and C Watt (Murcar Links), S Wilson and S Cassie (Portlethen); N Huguet and A Macdonald (Musselburgh); G Hillson and R Martin (Winterfield).

70 C Donnelly and G Scott (Balbirnie Park); A J Webster ande S Middleton (Edzell); S Dunsmuir and S Cuthbert (Falkirk Tryst); G McSporran and R Seivwright (Kinross); M Pirie and R Dowie (Pitlochry); A Skinner and A Farrar (Royal Dornoch); I Collins and S Duncan (Stirling).

71 W Yule and D Watson (Ballater); M Douglas and D Mitchell (Inverness); G Law and I Davidson (Uphall).

72 K Baxter and G Crombie (Buchanan Castle); P Wytrazek and V Philibin (Burnntisland); D Torrance and P McGillivray (Nairn Dunbar).

73 P Arthur and I Easson (Alyth); S Rennie and G Walker (Brechin)

74 S Moir and B Sutherland (Aboyne); G McFarlane and T Donaldson (Clober); R Walker and D Robertson (Lundin).

78 C Fairweather and J Stewart (Kirkintilloch).

 MacIntyre and Ferguson reach quarter-finals

RandA News Release

Porthcawl, Wales: Adrian Meronk led from the front as he secured his place in the Quarter-Finals of The 121st Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl today.

The Polish East Tennessee State University player took charge early in his match against Australia’s Dylan Perry, winning four of the first five holes as his opponent struggled to find his rhythm. Perry reduced the arrears to two holes with a birdie at the 10th but a bogey at the 13th left him with too much to do. Meronk, who was the leading qualifier at the 2013 Amateur Championship, holed a 12ft putt for par at the 16th to seal a 3&2 win and will face Nicolas Maheut of France tomorrow.

Maheut trailed for most of the match against leading qualifier Connor Syme and was two behind with three to play but the Frenchman birdied the 16th and 17th to get back to all square. The match went to the second extra hole and the 26-year-old from Rouen holed from 7ft to secure his place in the last eight.
Stormy weather once again buffeted the South Wales coast, with a threat of lightning forcing a one-hour suspension of play in the late afternoon, and the conditions were challenging for the players.
Bearsden's Ewen Ferguson was unperturbed by the weather and enjoyed a comfortable 4 and 3 victory over England’s Jamie Bower and will face Irishman Paul McBride, who edged out Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist by one hole.
Left-hander Robert MacIntyre, pictured above right, winner of the Scottish amateur championship last year,  became the second Scot to progress when he ended Australian interest in the championship with a 2 and 1 win over David Micheluzzi.
 His opponent tomorrow will be world number five Ivan Cantero, who showed his mettle in fending off the challenge of last year’s runner-up Grant Forrest to win by two holes. Trailing by one hole coming down the last, Forrest lost his ball from the tee and conceded the match.
Scott Gregory came out on top against his fellow Englishman Harry Hall. The 2016 Spanish Amateur Championship finalist won the first with a par and stayed in front for the remainder of the match to win by 4&3. He will face Spain’s Javier Sainz tomorrow after he defeated his compatriot Alejandro Del Rey at the second extra hole.
Key quotes:
Adrian Meronk
“I was 4 up through five and was just playing my game, hitting fairways and greens and that was enough. And then he started making some birdies, some putts and he came back to two. I was only 2 up after 11 holes and then they stopped the play. I had a little bit of time to slow down and eat something in the break and then I came back pretty strong and played very well in the last few holes. I’m very happy I advanced to the next round.
“I just want to focus one game at a time, stick to my strategy and play my game and we will see how far I can go.”
Robert MacIntyre

“At the end there it was just find the fairway and find the green. And put him under pressure. It is good players getting to this stage and he is going to do the exact same thing to you. If you have got the honour you have got to try to take advantage by finding the fairway and trying to make him work.

“I’m in the Quarter-Finals but it is just one more guy in front of you so you have just got to take care of them and hopefully it is enough. That is potentially three games away but I have just got to take one at a time just now.”

Ewen Ferguson (pictured on left)

“It was a really good win because it’s one of the biggest amateur events in the world and your whole season is based around this event. There is so much practising and hype around it. To go out and actually play well in the stroke play and qualify really comfortably – to go on and keep playing well it feels good knowing I can cope with the pressure.

“I drove really well this morning and this afternoon. It just puts the guy under pressure straight away. I managed to hole a few nice putts when I really had to.”

Ivan Cantero

“I’m very happy with this today because I play in the afternoon with a very good player and the win is important. I knew it was going to be difficult because he (Forrest) is a very good player.

“The putter has been amazing this week. It’s was the most important thing in my game today.

“Tomorrow I want more, another match – and when I’m finished that – another match.”

For the full fourth round results and the draw for the Quarter-Finals tomorrow visit championships.randa.org.

RESULTS

Round 3
C Syme (Drumoig) bt J Savage (Cawder) 2 and 1.
N Maheut (Fra) bt W Enefer (Wrekin) 5 and 3.
D Perry (Aust) bt C Davis (Aust) 1 hole.
A Meronk (Pol) bt L Lipold (Aut) 1 hole.
H Hall (W Cornwall) bt L Allan (Alva) 1 hole. 
S Gregory (Corhampton) bt P Mazier (Fra) 1 hole
A Del Rey (Spa) bt B McKenzie (Rowlands Castle) at 21st
J Sainz (Spa) bt A Matlari (Ger) at 19th.
D Micheluzzi (Aust) bt J Yule (Middleton Hall) at 19th.
R MacIntyre (Glencruitten bt W Heffernan (Aust) 5 and 4 
I Cantero (Spa) bt Y Yuan (China) 3 and 2.
G Forrest (Craigielaw) bt J Freiburghaus (Swi) 4 and 3.
R Sciot-Siegrist (Fra) bt A Chapman (Carus Green) 2 nd 1
P McBride (The Island) bt C Rafferty (Dundalk) 2 and 1.
J Bower (Meltham) bt M Iten (Swi) 2 and 1.
E Ferguson (Bearsden) bt A McDougall (Elderslie) 4 and 2.

Round 4 
Maheut bt Syme at 20th.
Meronk bt Perry 3 and 2
Gregory bt Hall 4 and 3.
Sainz bt Del Rey at 20th.

MacIntyre bt Micheluzzi 2 and 1
Cantero bt Forrest 2 holes.
McBride bt Sciot-Siegrist 1 hole.
Ferguson bt Bower 4 and 3.

FRIDAY QUARTER-FINALS
8.15 Maheut v Meronk
8.30 Gregory v  Sainz
8.45 MacIntyre v Cantero
9.00 McBride v Ferguson 

Thaworn uses old irons to shoot a 66 and lead 

Queen's Cup

ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE
Samui, Thailand: Thai veteran star Thaworn Wiratchant took his customary position atop the leaderboard at the weather-hit Queen’s Cup following an opening five-under-par 66 today.

The 49-year-old former double Asian Tour number one used an old set of irons at Santiburi Samui Country Club to propel his quest for an unprecedented third Queen’s Cup title and 19^th Asian Tour victory.

American rookie Sam Chien stood at five-under with one hole remaining when a thunderstorm halted play at 4.20pm. Round one will resume at 6.30am Friday with round two now starting at 7am.

Thailand’s Gunn Charaoenkul sank an opening eagle en route to a 67 to lead the chasing pack at the US$300,000 tournament while Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih was amongst those bunched a further shot back on 68 after he dropped three shots over his closing two holes.

South Korea’s Jeunghun Wang, the highest ranked player in the field, China’s Liang Wen-chong and title holder Prayad Marksaeng enjoyed solid starts with 69s.

The unorthodox swinging Thaworn has endured lacklustre form during the opening half of the year but returning to his happy hunting ground and reverting to old clubs proved to be the perfect riposte. 

“I’m always happy to come back and play well here,” beamed Thaworn, winner in 2012 and 2014.

“I’ve been trying hard to improve my game. I’ve been working hard on my irons, and have used many different sets recently. I’ve now gone back to old irons which I played well with before and won tournaments with. I have a good feeling with this old set,” added the Thai, who made five birdies on the card.

Gunn, 24,  sank his approach shot for an eagle two on the first hole to enjoy his lowest round at Santiburi Samui, which is nicknamed the Beast of Samui due to its difficulty.

“This is probably my best round here in five years. I had a great opening hole, hit an eagle on the first and I managed to keep the momentum going with a par save on two,” said Gunn.

“There was a (tree) branch in my line but I went for it. I thought if I hit a full 52 degree wedge, even if I hit it over, I would be safe as the pin was in front. My ball hit the branch a bit, and l saw it make the front of the green. When I walked up, I couldn’t find it … looked into the hole and there it was!” 

The 37-year-old Lu was poised to top the leaderboard as he was seven-under through 16 holes before errant drives proved costly as he dropped three shots to stumble home.

“I’m not happy,” said Lu, who underwent surgery to remove a non-malignant tumour in the brain in 2012. “Played well in the first 16 holes as I was hitting my second shots close and made some putts.”

Wang, winner of back-to-back tournaments in Morocco and Mauritius last month and ranked second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, launched his title quest with a solid 69 despite a lack of sleep.

“It’s a pretty good round considering I didn’t sleep too well last night. The greens are different compared to Europe, so I was quite confused initially. But I’ve played on this course many times before so I know the course,” said the 20-year-old.

The slender South Korean nearly produced the shot of the day on the par three fifth hole when a five iron tee shot hit the flagstick and the ball stayed out of the cup. A slight tweak of his backswing also proved effective for Wang.

“I think I hit it well today. I wasn’t hitting the irons on the sweet spot, so I just changed my backswing. I’m getting the right distances but the direction was a bit off. But this is a good start.”

 

 LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

 par 71. Yardage: 6,808

66 - Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA).

67 - Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA).

68 - Sorachut HANSAPIBAN (THA), LU Wei-chih (TPE), Nitithorn THIPPONG (THA).

69 - Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA), Jeunghun WANG (KOR), Prayad MARKSAENG (THA), LIANG Wen-chong (CHN).

70 - Wisut ARTJANAWAT (THA), Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA), Antonio LASCUNA (PHI), Natthapong NIYOMCHON (THA), Phanuvich ONCHU (THA), Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), Itthipat BURANATANYARAT (THA), Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA).

71 - Simon GRIFFITHS (ENG), Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Jbe KRUGER (RSA), Adam GROOM (AUS), Poom SAKSANSIN (THA), Wolmer MURILLO (VEN).

 

Royal Aberdeen v Hazlehead Pennant League tie still ON tonight with a 5.20pm start

This evening's Aberdeen Men's Pennant League match between Royal Aberdeen and Hazlehead at Balgownie is still ON.
It will tee off at 5.20pm.
Senior assistant pro Joel Hopwood says there is no excess water on the course which has drained very well since the two/three-day downpour earlier in the week.
The other match due to be played tonight at the Kings Links - Bon Accord v Murcar Links - was postponed earlier in the day.