Duncan Stewart plays only three holes before 

rain stops Challenge Tour play in France

FROM THE CHALLENGE TOUR WEBSITE
Andrea Pavan stormed clear of the field on another rain-affected day at the Challenge Tour's Najeti Open, firing a fine five under par round of 66 to take a three-shot lead, with half the field still to complete their second rounds when darkness fell on Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club in France
Overnight weather delayed the start of play by two hours before a further deluge flooded the course, preventing a resumption until well into the afternoon.
Pavan then made the most of the softer conditions, finding six birdies in his first 12 holes to reach ten under par, two bogeys and another birdie ultimately leaving him three shots clear of overnight leaders Victor Riu and Duncan Stewart, who had only completed three holes when play was stopped for the day.
The Italian, a four-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, showed his pedigree once again in handling the testing conditions in northern France and was pleased with his position at the halfway stage.
“I think it’s a very good round, especially on top of all the weather and delays,” he said. “We’ve been out here since early, it’s a long day, but I tried not to think too much about it.
“It was especially good since I would say I’m not very comfortable off the tee, and this is not the course where you can mishit it off the tee and get away with it, but I hit some good ones today.
“My iron game was very good today as well and, of course, I had to make a few putts, but I hit it course – on this course you have to hit it close.
“Luckily the conditions are soft which, even though it was windy, made it a bit easier, but this course is so tricky that you can hit a good shot and end up off the green with a tough chip.
“It’s that kind of golf course where you just have to trust your yardage and hope it goes close and when you miss, hopefully it doesn’t go on the wrong side – as long as when you miss you only make bogeys round here, limit the damage, that’s important.
“This is a course where patience is important. You can have a good day and go low, but if it’s not your day it’s very easy to drop shots around here.”
Matthieu Pavon, the highest-ranked player on the Road to Oman in this week’s field, delighted French fans with a second sub-70 round which moved him into the top five on five under par.
Northern Ireland’s Chris Selfridge matched Pavan for the low round of the day, his 65 featuring six birdies and an eagle as he climbed into the top ten.

To view the scoreboard

 CLICK HERE

SIR HENRY COOPER JUNIOR MASTERS HIT BY RAIN

A rainstorm which flooded the Nizels Golf Club course in Kent meant that nobody completed a round on the first day of the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters tournament.

There are several leading Scots boys in the field for this prestigious event.

 Greg 'Mr Consistent' McBain wins by

 three at Kirkhill with a 64

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Newmachar's Greg McBain, pictured, shot a bogey-free, six-under-par 64 to win the £1,417 first prize by three strokes from a big field at the £7,650 Kirkhill Golf Club pro-am at the Cambuslang venue today.
It was McBain's second win of the season and he has only once been out of the top 10 in seven Tartan Tour competitions this year.
McBain birdied the fourth, par-5 fifth, short eighth and ninth to turn in four-under 31. He gained his fifth and sixth birdies at the 13th and short 16th to come home in two-under 33.
It was his biggest cash reward of the 2016 campaign.
Five players were co-runners-up on 67 and earned £711 each - Alan Welsh (Cathkin Braes) 34-33, Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) 34-33, Stephen Gray (Lanark) 32-35, Chris Currie (Caldwell) 33-34 and Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey) 34-33.
Currie also led amateurs Stuart Nelson (handicap 3), Craig Dumigan (18) and Glen Thomas (10) to victory in the pro-am team event with a net score of 13-under-par 57.

KIRKHILL PRO-AM
Pro scores
par 70
64 G McBain (Newmachar)
67 A Welsh (Cathkin Braes), G Fox (Clydeway Golf), S Gray (Lanark), C Currie (Caldwell), G Hay (Grantown on Spey).
68 G Brown (Montrose Links).
70 A Forsyth (Mearns Castle), P O'Hara (Clydeway Golf), M Hillson (Kilconquhar Castle), S Henderson (Kings Links), N Fenwick (Dunbar), I Colquhoun (Loch Lomond), J Lomas (Caprington), G Wright (West Linton).
71 G Paxton (Ralston), P Robinson (Largs), P McKechnie (Braid Hills), J McGhee (Whitehill House), C Kelly (unatt), A Fullen (Largs).
72 R Arnott (Bishopbriggs), G Hutcheon (PLGC Inchmarlo).
73 J McCreadie (Largs), G Robertson (Airdrie), C Gordon (Edinburgh GC), S Binning (Mearns Castle), K Monaghan (Linlithgow).
74 S Catlin (Affordable Golf)
75 J Gallacher (unatt)
76 C Ronald (Carluke), J Fraser (Renaissance), F Rummins (Canmore).
77 C Lawson (Gleneagles)
78 A McCandlish (Kingsbarns), S Williamson (Clydeway Golf), N Cameron (Blairgowrie), S Clelland (Hayston).
79 I Deacon (Loch Lomond)
80 D Williamson (Kirkhill), V Brown (Logos Golf Ministries), N Huguet (Musselburgh) 
81 M Mackenzie (Edzell)
82 C McMaster (Wellsgreen)
85 P Scanlan (Playsport Golf).

 






TO VIEW ALL THE SCORECARDS

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Scotland (Robert MacIntyre) v England (Scott Gregory) in Saturday's 36-hole final

   Paul McBride (left) and Robert MacIntyre at the conclusion of their semi-final.

                          Picture by courtesy of the R and A

R and A News Release

Porthcawl,  South Wales: England's Scott Gregory (Corhampton) will face Scot Robert MacIntyre from the Oban club, Glencruitten in the Final of The 121st Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl tomorrow.

Gregory played steady golf and was never behind in the Semi-Final as he eliminated Poland’s Adrian Meronk by 3 and 2 to secure his place in the 36-hole Final.
MacIntyre came through a tense contest with Irishman Paul McBride at the second extra hole to set up the first Anglo-Scottish Final since 2004 when Stuart Wilson defeated Lee Corfield at St Andrews.

Gregory, who was runner-up in this year’s Spanish Amateur Championship, seized the initiative from the outset, winning the first hole with a par four after a slightly delayed start while surface water was cleared from the 1st green following a downpour.

Although he slipped up with a double bogey six on the 3rd, the 21-year-old England A international took control of the match around the turn winning three out of five holes from the 8th to go 4 up as Meronk, who is part of the European Arnold Palmer Cup team which will face the USA at Formby next week, struggled to find the form which had taken him to the Semi-Final. Gregory, who was a finalist in the English Amateur Championship in 2014, sealed the win with a half in four at the 16th.

In the second Semi-Final, MacIntyre, the 2015 Scottish Amateur champion, trailed for most of the front nine but moved in front with birdies at the 11th and 12th holes and when McBride bogeyed the next it looked difficult for him to find a way back. The Irishman battled back to win the 17th, however, and took the match down the last. When the left-handed MacIntyre (19) failed to get down in two with a putt from the back of the 18th green, the match was all square.

On the first extra hole, McIntyre’s 10 ft birdie putt just missed on the left and the hole was halved. On the 20th, the Scot found the green in two but McBride was short and right of the green. He chipped to 35 ft and when he failed to hole the putt coming back, it left MacIntyre with two putts for the match and he duly took his place in the Final.

In the morning Quarter-Finals, Gregory saw off the challenge of Spain’s Javier Sainz by 5 and 4 while MacIntyre ended the run of another Spaniard, Ivan Cantero, with a 2 and 1 win. Meronk defeated Frenchman Nicolas Maheut by 5 and 4 and McBride edged out Scotland’s Walker Cup player Ewen Ferguson by two holes.

Key quotes:

Scott Gregory

“I’m pretty chuffed – my game is in good shape. I’m hitting it really solidly tee to green. If I can just maintain that, keep hitting it close, and giving myself chances, I think I’ve got a good chance of getting something good tomorrow.

“I knew I had to play well. If I didn’t play well I knew I wasn’t going to win. I just had to go out there and stick to my game plan – try and hit fairways and greens and give myself putts. Fortunately I was able to do that and apply some pressure and move on from there. I got things rolling and just held onto it really.

“I’ve got a job tomorrow – I just need to take it one shot at a time – one hole at a time. If I play the best golf that I can play then I’ll be at The Open. But I’m not going to think too much about it.”

Robert MacIntyre

“It feels amazing to get to this point. It’s 36 holes tomorrow so we’ll see what happens.

“I’ve never felt better, getting to this point is unbelievable. If I can go one better tomorrow that’ll be the icing on the cake.

“Words can’t really describe how it would feel to win, not just to me but my family at home, my friends, and the small golf club that I come from, it would just be unbelievable.

“My attitude is never say die, it was two up with two to play, if I was two down with two to play, I’d always say I can win this match. Paul’s a great player, I’ve known him for a while now. I have just got to keep going in the Final now.

The 36-hole Final gets underway at 8.30am at Royal Porthcawl. For scoring and results visit championships.randa.org.

FRIDAY RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS
Adrian Meronk (Poland) bt Nicolas Maheut (France) 5 and 4.
Scott Gregory (Corhampton) bt Javier Sainz (Spain) 5 and 4.  
Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) bt Ivan Cantero (Spain) 2 and 1. Paul McBride (The Island)  bt Ewen Ferguson (Bearsen) 2 holes.

SEMI-FINALS
Gregory bt Meronk 3 and 2.
MacIntyre bt  McBride at 20th.

Daniel Young's tied 27th finish in Italy

Daniel Young from Perth earned 504 euros for a tied 27th place finish in the Alps Tour's Open La Pinetina in Italy today.
The Scot could not have been more consistent, shooting three one-under-par rounds of 69 for a three-under final total of 207.
He finished 12 shots behind the Italian winner, Stefano Pitoni who had scores of 64, 64 and 67 for 16-under 195.

 LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
195 Stefano Pitoni (Ita) 64 64 67.
197 Enrico de Nitto (Ita) 68 65 64.
200 Gavin Moynihan (Ire) 67 68 65, Tom Shadbolt (Eng) 69 61 70, Luca Galliano (Swi) 64 68 68.
SELECTED TOTAL
206 Daniel Young (Sco) 69 69 69 (T27)

Scottish Amateur Championship at

 Balgownie: Entries close on June 23

 

Golfers in the North and North-east are reminded the closing date for this year’s Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen is on Thursday (23 June).

The most prestigious title in the amateur game in Scotland, golfers with a handicap of 2.4 or below can tee up over the famous venue in search of glory.

The renowned Balgownie links of Royal Aberdeen, founded in 1780, is hosting the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship for the first time since 1980 when local player Donald Jamieson (Nigg Bay) beat the legendary Charlie Green by 2 and 1 in an 18-hole final.

The venue played host to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in 2014, while the course will also stage the British Amateur Championship in 2018, along with neighbouring Murcar Links.

Past winners of the Scottish Amateur include Eric Brown, Ronnie Shade (five in a row!), Colin Montgomerie, Stephen Gallacher and Aberdeen native David Law, who won the title in both 2009 and 2011.
Other North and North-east players who have been Scottish champions include Hugh Stuart (Forres) at Prestwick in 1972, Angus Moir (Ellon) in 1984 at Renfrew, and Graham Gordon (Newmachar) at The Duke's in 2003.

Glencruitten’s Robert MacIntyre became the first left-hander in living memory to win the event at Muirfield in 2105.

The Scottish Amateur spans a full week, with a field of 256 players representing more than 130 different clubs across Scotland.

With a long history stretching back to 1922, when the Old Course hosted the inaugural event, the Scottish Amateur Championship has been taken to some of the world's most famous golfing venues, including Royal Troon, Muirfield, Prestwick, Carnoustie, Nairn and Western Gailes.

 

Enter here: 

https://www.scottishgolf.org/events/listings/scottish-mens-amateur-championship/

Stephen East shoots tournament-low 67 in 

final round to win Scottish Seniors title

        Leading prizewinners at the Scottish senior open amateur championship Left to right players,  RW Smith (second from left), Bob Stewart, Ronnie Clark and Stephen East.
By COLIN FARQUHARSON  
Yorkshireman Stephen East,  a member at Moortown Golf Club, Leeds, added the Scottish seniors open amateur championship at Glasgow Golf Club's Killermont course today to his formidable list of tournament triumphs over the past decade or two.

East, pictured below with the championship trophy, came from behind over the last round with a tournament-best, three-under-par 67 for a final total of three-under 207. His earlier rounds were 68 and 72 over a par-70 course.

East had two strokes to spare at the finish from runner-up Ronnie Clark (Erskine) who scored 70-68-71 for 209.
Nairn's Robert Smith played very steadily over the three rounds - 70, 71 and70 - to fill third place with an aggregate of 211.
Robert Stewart (Tulliallan), who finished tied fourth overall on 212 alongside David Shields (Glenearn), earned the award for the highest finish by a player in the 65 years and over category.
Second in this category was the man who formed the Scottish Senior Golf Society, Glenbervie's Gordon MacDonald, on 215 with Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse) third in the 65years+ section with a 217 total.
East won a cluster of mid-amateur titles, including the European, British and English championships, before he was eligible to play in the senior ranks when he reached 55.
He had a memorable first season which ended with him winning the English senior order of merit in 2014, Stephen has kept on winning over the last two years.
It looked long odds against East winning at Killermont when he bogeyed the second, third and eighth after birdieing the first.
But he was five under par for his last 10 holes, birdieing the ninth, short 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th, coming home in a brilliant 31 shots.
East had a bag of 12 birdies over the three rounds.
Clark, joint leader at the start of the day, was still ahead of East after reaching the turn in 35 to the Englishman's 36 and the Erskine man did birdie the first, eighth, 12th and 17th but bogeys at the 10th, 15th and 18th by Clark saw him overtaken by East's  home run.
FINAL TOTALS
PAR 210 (3x70). SSS 69. CSS 71 71 70
207 S East (Moortown) 68 72 67
209 R Clark (Erskine) 70 68 71
211 R W Smith (Nairn) 70 71 70
212 R Stewart (Tulliallan) 70 70 72, D Shields (Glenearn) 68 70 74
213 A Mew (Stoneham) 69 72 72
214 M H Jones (Boyce Hill) 74 68 72, S Burke (Remedy Oak) 72 73 69, N Evans (St Mellons) 72 69 73, N Chesters (Hawkstone Park) 71 69 74, G Bell (Downfield) 71 69 74, L Blair (Grangemouth) 70 73 71, J Lawrence (Moor Allerton) 69 74 71. 
215 A J Waddell (Glasgow) 75 72 68, R Latham (Woodhall Spa) 75 69 71, R Elmes (Stoneham) 74 71 70, M Mercier (Jupiter Hills) 73 73 69, T Whittaker (Beaconsfield) 71 74 70, G McDonald (Glenbervie) 70 73 72
216 R Craw (Glenbervie) 74 74 68, I Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 72 72 7.
217 L Gordon (Turnhouse) 74 69 74, S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen) 73 69 75, R Jordan (Hacienda) 71 72 74, A Belford (Prestwick St Nicholas) 71 72 74, A Stracey (Denham) 71 71 75.
218 J Fraser (Royal Burgess) 74 74 70, L Bruckner (Hindhead) 74 74 70, W K Anderson (Cardross) 74 73 71, D Nelson (Northenden) 74 70 74, D Logie (Craigie Hill) 73 74 71, I Angus (Duff House Royal) 72 74 72, D Alexander (London Hunt) 71 75 72.
219 D Hamilton (Mortonhall) 72 75 72, L Chancellor (Inverness) 72 74 73, J Wright (Wildernesse) 70 76 73.
220 G C Barrie (Callander) 73 74 73, P Wharton (John O'Gaunt) 73 74 73, D Gardner (Broomieknowe) 73 71 76
221 C Banks (Stanton on the Wolds) 76 72 73, D Lane (Goring and Streatley 72 73 76
222 A K Helm (Merchants of Edinburgh 73 72 77, TMcLevy (Blairgowrie) 70 77 75.
223 P Simpson (Alnmouth) 77 71 75, R Barnes (East Kilbride) 75 73 75, A Brewer (Denham) 73 72 78, I Attoe (Worplesdon) 72 74 77, K Yuille (Luffness New) 71 77 75.
224 D Wilson (Blairgowrie) 74 74 76, G Wilson (Calcot Park) 72 76 76.
225 K Morris (Camberley Heath) 75 73 77
229 B Harris (Denver) 76 71 82, B J Bingham (Royal Troon) 71 77 81.
234 B Brooks (Meldrum House) 74 74 86.

PROM, PETERSON AND PIGEM SHARE 

LEAD IN RAIN-HIT QUEEN’S CUP

 

Samui, Thailand: Thai favourite Prom Meesawat earned the joint clubhouse halfway lead at the Queen’s Cup on Friday following his career best round of six-under-par 65 at Santiburi Samui Country Club. 

The man nicknamed the “Big Dolphin” joined American Paul Peterson and Spaniard Carlos Pigem on seven-under-par 135 atop the leaderboard at the weather-hit US$300,000 Asian Tour tournament after snaring six birdies, including four on the trot on his homeward home.

Peterson also enjoyed a flying 65, highlighted by a superb eagle from 30 feet on the par five 18^th hole while Pigem propelled into contention for a maiden Asian Tour title with a solid 69. 

Two weather disruptions, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, meant that 67 players, including overnight leader Thaworn Wiratchant and title holder Prayad Marksaeng, will return at 7am Saturday to complete their second rounds. Round three will commence no earlier than 9am.

The 31-year-old Prom, who is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, was delighted to post his lowest card at Santiburi Samui, a venue which he has two top-10s previously. 

“I didn’t know it was my best round here,” beamed Prom. “I played good, especially on the par threes where I was three under par today. It was playing easier as there was no wind and it was also preferred lie. So I just tried to put the ball on the fairway, that’s the key on this golf course.”

With his family in town at the famous holiday isle, Prom believes a relaxed approach could be the key to winning the Queen’s Cup for the first time, an event that has been dominated by Thai players since it joined the Asian Tour Schedule in 2009.

“It’s quite relaxing and I feel comfortable here. Four birdies in a row also helps. It’s always special to win in your home country. I’ll be trying my best to do this. Next two days, I won’t change anything. On this course, the fewer mistakes you make, you’ll win,” said Prom, who has a two-day total of seven-under-par 135.

Peterson, who finished an impressive fifth on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit last season, produced his season’s low round to charge into contention for a first Asian Tour victory. The lefthander has struggled to hit top form this year, with only one top-20 to his name, but a telephone conversation with his coach last night did wonders for the amiable American.

“It was a fun round, fun to play some good golf again. That’s good. I just got into a good rhythm,” said Peterson, who finished sixth in the Queen’s Cup last season.

“I had a nice chat with my coach about some putting stuff. Yesterday, I felt like I was banging my head against the wall as nothing went in. We had a nice chat about some things and the hole opened up. Hopefully we’ll have more of that this weekend. It made a huge difference,” added the American, who needed only 25 putts in his second round compared to 31 in the opening round. 

Pigem, 25, was delighted to move into the hunt, especially when Santiburi Samui has not been kind to him in the past where his best finish was tied 38^th and two missed cuts.

“The last two rounds here, I shot like 79 and 74 and I didn’t have good memories. But I always come here as I like the place and I like the country. This year, the first two rounds, I’ve played good, so I’m happy,” he said.

“Before I came this time, I know this course is very tough and if you miss a shot, it can cost you a lot. So I said let’s just play and if you miss a shot, don’t care about it as you have other opportunities for birdies,” added Pigem.

Thai youngster Jazz Janewattananond returned a fine 67 to lie one back of the leading trio while big-hitting Aussie Scott Hend moved into contention with a 69 to lie three shots off the pace.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD

par 142 (2x71) Yardage 6,808

135 - Carlos PIGEM (ESP) 66-69, Paul PETERSON (USA) 70-65, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 70-65.

136 - Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 69-67.

137 - Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 70-67.

138 - Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA) 70-68, Scott HEND (AUS) 69-69, Wanich PETCHARIT (THA) 65-73, Junseok LEE (AUS) 71-67.

139 - Mithun PERERA (SRI) 71-68.

140 - Quincy QUEK (SIN) 71-69, Javi COLOMO (ESP) 69-71, Juvic PAGUNSAN (PHI) 72-68, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 70-70, Rahil GANGJEE (IND) 68-72.

141 - Sam CHIEN (USA) 68-73, Himmat RAI (IND) 71-70, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 70-71.

142 - Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 72-70.

143 - Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 70-73, S.S.P. CHAWRASIA (IND) 73-70, Michael WRIGHT (AUS) 72-71, Josh YOUNGER (AUS) 73-70.

Note: 67 players will resume round 2 on Saturday, 7am.

Aberdeen Pennant League match details

ROYAL ABERDEEN 2, HAZLEHEAD 3
at Balgownie
Mark Halliday and Nick Macandrew bt Greg Ingram and Marc Vass 2 and 1.
Steven Buchan and Don Macandrew lost to Richard Hyland and Grant Cheyne 2 and 1.
Daniel Sim and Duncan Raitt lost to John Nicolson and Jack Pirie 4 and 3.
Austen Buchan and Douglas Purdie bt Mike Winton and Mike Angus 2 holes.
Findlay McPherson and Colin Shaw lot to Phil Lawrence and Alistair MacGregor 3 and 2.

EARLIER RESULTS 
MAY 31
Section A
Royal Aberdeen 5, Auchmill 0.
Section B
Murcar Links 5, Northern 0
Portlethen 3.5, Bon Accord 1.5
Section C
Newmachar 3,Stonehaven 2
Nigg Bay 5, Craibstone 0.

JUNE 2
Section A
Caledonian 1.5, Hazlehead 3.5

JUNE 7
Section A
Auchmill 2, Caledonian 3
Deeside 1.5, Royal Aberdeen 3.5
Section B
Northern 1, Bon Accord 4
Section C
Newmachar 2.5, Banchory 2.5
Stonehaven P, Nigg Bay P

JUNE 14
Section A
Auchmill P, Deeside P
Section B
Northern 5, Peterculter 0.
Section C
Banchory P, Nigg Bay P
Craibstone P, Stonehaven P

JUNE 16
Section A
Royal Aberdeen 2, Hazlehead 3
Section B
Bon Accord P, Murcar Links P.

P indicates match postponed 

HOW THEY STAND

LEAGUE A

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Royal Aberdeen	3	2	0	1	10½	4½	6
Hazlehead	2	2	0	0	6½	3½	6
Caledonian	2	1	0	1	4½	5½	3
Deeside	1	0	0	1	1½	3½	0
Auchmill	2	0	0	2	2	8	0

LEAGUE B

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Portlethen	2	2	0	0	6½	3½	6
Murcar Links	1	1	0	0	5	0	3
Bon Accord	2	1	0	1	5½	4½	3
Northern	3	1	0	2	6	9	3
Peterculter	2	0	0	2	2	8	0

LEAGUE C

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Newmachar	2	1	1	0	5½	4½	4
Nigg Bay	1	1	0	0	5	0	3
Banchory	1	0	1	0	2½	2½	1
Stonehaven	1	0	0	1	2	3	0
Craibstone	1	0	0	1	0	5	0

     

The Aberdeen Men's Pennant League is sponsored by Molly's Bistro and Malone's Bar at The Douglas Hotel, Market Street, Aberdeen.

 

Why not pay them a visit, next time you are in town for the night?