It was a tale of two courses today as strong winds marked the opening round of qualifying for the English Amateur Championship.
The
first 31 players on the leaderboard – who were all under par – all
played at Scarborough South Cliff where Yorkshire’s Ben Firth (Moortown)
led the way on five-under par 69.
Bad light stops play at Scottish Amateur. Five games to finish at 8am tomorrow
LATE NEWS: Bad
light stopped play (after earlier rain delay), with five games still on
the course. They will be asked to come back at 8am to finish their games Tuesday morning.
SCOTTISH GOLF NEWS RELEASE
By ED HODGE
with a few additional words by Colin Farquharson
Connor Syme, pictured right, lived up to
his pre-tournament billing to ease through on day one of the 89th Scottish men’s amateur championship, along with a number of other fancied
players.
Having lifted the Australian Amateur title at the start of the year, Syme recently celebrated his 21st birthday after helping Scotland secure back-to-back European Amateur Team titles
and last week played his part in GB and I’s defence of the St Andrews Trophy. Defending champion Robert MacIntyre (World No 23) and Syme (World No 29) are head and shoulders above the rest of the Balgownie field - on paper, at least - especially with Grant
Forrest and Ewen Ferguson missing out. While MacIntyre does not swing into action until 9.21 on Tuesday morning, Syme moved swiftly into round two
of Scottish Golf’s flagship match-play event with a comfortable 6 and 4
win over Aberdour’s Hamish
Gorn.
A challenging second-round tie awaits
against Alva’s Lawrence Allan, a player who has been performing
well on the US college circuit, but Syme hopes to maintain his form. “We
had a good match today. I managed to keep my ball out of trouble which is
key around this
course,” said the Drumoig man. “I’m looking forward to the match against Lawrence as he is having a good season.
“I’m enjoying the expectation this week, but you can only go out
and play one match at a time. I’ve never been past the last-16 in the
Scottish Amateur so it would be nice to do so this week.”
On a day when all four
seasons seemed to arrive, with play delayed for 35 minutes due to some
freak flooding, the top-ranked players weathered any storms.
Two other national title
holders, South African Amateur winner Craig Ross and Welsh Open Amateur
holder Barry Hume also progressed, with Haggs Castle’s Hume firing five
birdies in a “solid” 4 and 3 triumph over Troon Welbeck’s Ross McEwan.
Kirkhill’s Ross,
meantime, recaptured his early season form to ease through with a
5 and 3 success and the semi-finalist at Blairgowrie in 2013 found the
conditions to his liking.
“I’ve played well here, I
remember doing well in the Scottish boys' championship back in 2009,” said the
23-year-old. “The course suits my game and I played solidly, with not
much wrong. I didn’t make any birdies despite regularly gettng my approach shots in to
10 to 18 feet, but
got the job done. I’m away to practise my putting now.”
There were big 8 and 7
wins for Liberton’s Kieran Cantley and Craig Howie (Peebles), another
European Amateur team winner earlier this month, with Cantley noting:
“For me, it’s all about keeping it in play off the tee here, that’s
where you can score from.”
Cantley now faces
Deeside’s new boy cap Michael Lawrie, watched by his father and Ryder Cup
vice-captain Paul, as he edged through at the 19th against Stuart Houlden from East Kilbride.
Other winners included
Turnhouse’s former Scottish assistant professional champion Euan McIntosh, named in Scotland’s Home Internationals side
next month, and Howie’s younger brother, Darren. Colin Farquharson writes: But there are few local and near-local dark horses quite capable of giving the big names a run for their money.
Royal Aberdeen member Mark Halliday will be no pushover for anyone over his home links. He won by 5 and 4 today against Jordan Shaw (Boat of Garten).
Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), was capped for Scotland quite a few years ago, but he is a regular competitor and winner of open tournaments in the North-east. He won the Sinclair Cup over 36 holes at Royal Dornoch on Saturday and beat John Douglas (Leven Thistle) by 4 and 3 today.
Links specialist Barrie Edmond (Bon Accord), winner of the Aberdeen Links title four times, won his tie against Neil Cameron (Renfrew) by 4 and 3 and will fancy his chance of a good run.
Remember, the last time the "Scottish" was played at Balgownie, it was a local lad - Donald Jamieson (Nigg Bay) - who beat the favourite, Charlie Green in the 18-hole final.
SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW ALL OF TODAY'S RESULTS AND SOME
OF TUESDAY'S TOP TEE TIMES
To view the scores in the Nick Faldo Series Round 1 at the Duke's Course
McDOUGALL AND CURRIE FLY
HOME FLAG IN FALDO QUALIFIER
The
loose regulations that govern the Nick Faldo Junior Series allows boys
and girls from anywhere to take part in the three-day Scottish
qualifying competition at The Duke's Course, St Andrews even though all the home countries have qualifying events in their ares and there are qualifiers overseas as well..
The upshot is that the "locals," i.e. the Scots, are in danger of being crowded out on their own patch.
Only the age and gender category winners go forward to the Grand Final later in the year.
Brad
Robinson from Close House, Northumberland and Matthew Roberts from
Fulford, Yorkshire, are disputing the boys' lead on two-over-par 73 with
Alasdair McDougall (St Andrews New) and Jack Currie (Greenock).
In
the girls' section, Daphne Houten from the Netherlands is leading by
two with a four-over 75. Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) is in second
place.
NICK FALDO SERIES SCOTTISH QUALIFIER (54 holes)
The Duke's Course, St Andrews
FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 71
BOYS
73 B Robinson (Close House), A McDougall (St Andrews New), M Roberts (Fulford), J Currie (Greenock).
75 J Armstrong (The Lakes), K Bowman (St Andrews New)
76 C Giffen (Lundin)
77 L Fern (Dunbar), R J Thomas (Dubai) S Nicholson (Lundin), M Fullepp (NZ), A Simpson (Strathmore).
78 J McVey (Turnhouse), J Rogan (Longniddry), C Brown (Close House), P Singh Gill (India), M Dalrymple (Old Ranfurly).
79
T Simmons (Gullane), B Bannerman (Blairgowrie), C Burns (Balmore), A
Benson (West Lothian), N Moore (Long Ashton), M Dailey (Kintore), C
Barbour (St Andrews New).
80 T Loo (Abu Dhabi), C Carnegie (Kemnahy), L Courtney (West Hill, Surrey), H Gibbons (Rochford Hundred).
A first time winner of Royal Dornoch's Carnegie Shield last
season, Forres Golf Club's former international Bryan Fotheringham made a return visit to Dornoch at the weekend to record his first success in the Sinclair Cup before he set off to play in the Scottish amateur championship at Royal Aberdeen. That's Bryan pictured above with Royal Dornoch GC captain Jim Seatter
The best of local and North and North-east District golfers
were drawn to the world famous links celebrating this year 400 years of golf in
the Royal Burgh to take part in Dornoch's premier 36 hole stroke-play
competition.
Among them were John Forbes (Muir of Ord) and Fotheringham who
currently top the North's Order of Merit while Oldmeldrum's Graeme Hogg was
attempting to join several other Aberdeenshire golfers who have won the cup
six times in the past nine years.
But topping the scratch leader board after round one was the
local winner of 2014, Chris Mailley, with a level par 70 after coming home in
two-under 33.
Fotheringham, at +3 the highest rated golfer in the field, was in a
tie for second place with Easter Moffat's Mark English. Fotheringham put together
halves of 35 and 36 and in the mix just off the pace were locals Craig MacKay
and Bryan Urquhart alongside the Muir of Ord pair of Forbes and Jamie Whittet,
both 73.
At the start of the second round in a move to go top
Fotheringham and Forbes opened with birdies and both reached the turn in 34.
Oldmeldrum's Hogg matched the outward par of 35 but made his move over the
first four inward holes – par, par, birdie, birdie and with no dropped strokes
returned an inward card of 33 for 68 to add to his opening 75 (37-38),
eventually finishing runner-up.
Forbes came home in 36 to record a second-round 70 for 143
and drop to third place on second round countback while Mailley fell back to
fourth after dropping all his strokes in an outward nine of 39 for 74.
Mailley's "consolation" prize was the Taylor Bullock Salver for the best local performance. He is picture with the trophy and Jim Seatter on the right. Clubmate Bryan Urquhart recovered a second-round 72 from an inward 34 for fifth place.
English after a handicap-slashing net 67 in round one, where
the visitors' CSS was 74 was best nett with 140, off four
SINCLAIR CUP LEADING TOTALS
CSS: members - am 73, pm 73. Visitors - am
74, pm 73)
Scratch
142 B F
Fotheringham (Forres) 71 71.
143 G Hogg (Oldmeldrum) 75 68, J Forbes (Muir of Ord) 73 70, C Mailley (Royal Dornoch) 70 74.
145 B
Urquhart (Royal Dornoch) 73 72.
Handicap
140 M English (Easter Moffat (4) 67 73.
142 M Laird
(Hindhead) (2) 73 69, J Whittet (Muir of Ord) (3) 70 72; S Deery
(West Lancs/Royal Dornoch) (4) 69 73.
144 S Wylie (Mount Ellen) (3) 75 69.
Best scratch round: J Goodward (McDonald Ellon) 69.
Best net round:
A Russell (Clydebank Overtoun) (4) 68.
Taylor Bullock Salver (Confined): C
Mailley (Royal Dornoch ) 144 (70 74).
Although billed the as an open foursomes
competition the local members enjoyed an almost clean sweep in the G K MacKay
Foursomes.
A former double Carnegie Shield winner Gary Bethune
(1989 and 1991), partnering his son Graeme, matched the course par of 70 to win the G K MacKay Trophy with their net card of 66. Like the previous day's
winner they also received a specially crafted 400th anniversary
commemorative hickory putter each from the Royal Dornoch Golf Club. Gary Bethune, Jim Seatter and Graeme Bethune picture above.
G
K MacKay Trophy – Gary Bethune and Graeme Bethune
(Royal Dornoch) 70 (4) 66 bih
Scott
Aitchison and Alex Gunn (Royal Dornoch) 80 (14) 66
Gary
Gruber and Chris Welsh (Royal Dornoch) 75 (8) 67
David
Pearson and Sandy Morrison (Royal Dornoch) 80 (10.5) 69.5
Scratch Prizes
Darren Hexley (Golspie) and Craig
Sutherland (Royal Dornoch) 71 (bih)
Jim
Seatter and Bryan Urquhart (Royal Dornoch) 71
Craig Wilkie (Stirling) and Billy Mitchell (Royal Dornoch) 75
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club +Play was suspended from 15.15 to 15.50 because of flooding. + Bad
light stopped play (after earlier rain delay), with five games still on
the course. They will be asked to come back at 8am to finish their games
in the morning. FIRST ROUND S Buchan (Royal Aberdeen) bt C Malone (Baberton) 4 and 3. D Wilson (Troon Welbeck) bt R Alexander (Braehead) 3 and 1. L Reid (Craigielaw) bt D Butler (Grange) 3 and 2. G Burns (Williamwood) bt S Hedger (West Kilbride) 2 and 1. L Carruthers (Powfoot) bt S Walter (West Linton) 1 hole. F McKenna (Royal Aberdeen) bt G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) 1 hole. B Ferguson (The Vines, Australia) bt D Addison (Peterhead) 3 and 2. C Lamb (Newmachar) bt M De Vries (St Andrews New) at 19th. M Watt (Inverallochy) bt G Brown (Cathkin Braes) at 20th. S Michie (Kinross) bt M Greig (Bon Accord) 2 and 1. S Kennedy (Dunbar) bt N Hill (Muckhart) 1 hole. N Beattie (St Andrews) bt D Rudd (Londniddry) 6 and 5. B Fotheringham (Forres) bt J Douglas (Leven Th) 4 and 3. J Wright (Forres) bt P Reilly (Kilmacolm) 3 and 2. F Johnston (Longniddry) bt D Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle) 3 and 2. A Burgess (Nairn) bt R Callan (Bathgate) 2 and 1. G Forrester (Lundin) bt G Black (Ralston) 1 hole. G Ingram (Hazlehead) bt A Fisher (Newmachar) 2 and 1. C Ross (Kirkhill) bt R Mitchell (Abu Dhabi) 5 and 3. R Murdoch (Portlethen) bt R Lacon (Torwoodlee) 5 and 3. D Hendry (Skybrook) bt M Gray (North Berwick) 6 and 5. C Gaittens (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) bt D Buchan (Peterhead) at 20th. C Mundie (Glenbervie) C Macneal (Prestwick) 4 and 3. M Halliday (Royal Aberdeen) bt J Shaw (Boat of Garten) 5 and 3. S Gibson (Southerness) bt C Lawton (Stirling) 3 and 2. M Brodie (Alyth) bt R Brydon (Bruntsfield Links) at 22nd. A Moir (Elgin) bt M Napier (Turnhouse) 1 hole. M Lawrie (Deeside) bt S Houlden (East Kilbride) at 19th. K Cantley (Liberton) bt S Brown (Abu Dhabi) 8 and 7. *B Hume (Haggs Castle) bt R McEwan (Troon Welbeck) 4 and 3. C Baird (Bothwell Castle) bt S Lockhart (Bathgate) 3 and 1. *C Syme (Drumoig) bt H Gorn (Aberdour) 6 and 4. L Allan (Alva) bt J Rogers (Rockliffe Hall) 5 and 4. R Watson (Muckhart) bt D Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 5 and 4. C Stewart (Murcar Links) bt R Kane (Glenbervie) at 19th. C Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthbert) bt K Daglish (Portlethen) 4 and 3. A Thurlow (Murrayfield) bt C Grant (Portlethen) 6 and 5. G Munro (Newmachar) bt C Edgar (Elderslie) 3 and 1. C Simpson (Newmachar) bt A Hepburn (Fraserburgh) 1 hole. N Melvin (Newmachar) bt B Kinsley (St Andrews) at 19th. S Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt S Singer (St Andrews) 2 and 1. E Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt A McKie (Glencruitten) 5 and 4. S Seaton (Irvine) bt R Johnston (Glenbervie) 5 and 4. M Vass (Hazlehead) bt F Milne (Fraserburgh) 3 and 1. K Godsman (Moray) bt M Robertson (Western Gailes) 3 and 2. R Lumsden (Royal Wimbledon) bt S Burgess (Nairn) 5 and 4. C Brodie (Meldrum House) bt J Carpenter (Forres) 4 and 2. E Bradley (Mount Ellen) bt R Walsh (Kirkcaldy) at 20th G Esson (Portlethen) bt B Henderson (Deeside) 2 holes. C Graham (Crieff) bt E Farquharson (Auchterarder) 1 hole. E McIntosh (Turnhouse) bt G Watson (Dunaverty) 3 and 2. D Howie (Peebles) bt R White (Muckhart) 2 holes. B Edmond (Bon Accord) bt N Cameron (Renfrew) 4 and 3. C Pirie (Millport) bt E Hart (Dullatur) 7 and 6. C Stephen (Aboyne) bt R Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 2 holes. C Thomson (Peterhead) bt C Riddick (Southerness) 3 and 2. C Bruce (Duff House Royal) bt F White (Auchterarder) 4 and 3. A Ferguson (Renfrew) bt F Stoddart (Drumoig) 7 and 6. *C Howie (Peebles) bt C McAndrew (Leven Th) 8 and 7. D Morrison (Meldrum House) bt A Ni (Murrayfield) 1 hole G Joss (Royal Aberdeen) bt R Thompson (The Duke's) 2 and 1. J Harling (Banchory) bt M Wilson (Royal Aberdeen) at 22nd. P Maxwell (Glenbervie) bt M Rogalski (Auchterarder) 1 hole. *J Savage (Cawder) bt C M Turner (St Andrews) 4 and 3. S Smith (Deeside) bt S Mitchell (Royal St George's) 3 and 2. C Hill (Tantallon) bt I A Galbraith (Murcar Links) 5 and 3. S W Mann (Carnoustie) bt C Low (Tantallon) 3 and 2
R Brown (Dunfermline) v J Paterson (St Andrews New) ... to finish
A McDougall (Elderslie) bt A Orton (Kilmarnock Barassie) 6 and 5.
J Lockie (Tantallon) v E Wood (Crow Wood)... to finish
S Locke (Banchory) v L Reid (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)... to finish
A Gibson (Blairgowrie) v G Greenaway (Tantallon) ... to finish.
L McWilliam (Aboyne) v N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) ... to finish *denotes seeded player
TOP TUESDAY TEE TIMES 7.25 M Clark (Kilmacolm) v E Shannly (Linlithgow). 8.05 G Robertson (Glenbervie) v A Holbrook (Murcar Links) 8.21 E McIntosh (Bruntsfield Links) v E Gill (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)
9.21 *R MacIntyre (Glencruitten) v C Curran (Harburn). 10.01 *S Scott (Nairn) v S Carmichael (Baberton) 11.25 L Johnston (Dumfries and Co) v A Bews (Murcar Links) 12.29 R Franssen (Inverness) v N Peoples (Royal Lytham).
The Scottish Seniors Golfing
Society circuit moves to Southerness on Thursday and Friday for the South of
Scotland Seniors Open, sponsored by McCrea Financial Services.
There is
a good entry for the event with a mix of ages and handicaps and all are looking
forward to the challenge of playing one of the finest courses in the country.
The
three events played earlier in July appear to have narrowed the battle for the
Order of Merit title down to a probable contest involving five players. Two
wins for the holder, Ronnie Clark (Erskine), have propelled him into the lead
ahead of Graham Bell (Downfield) and Nick Robson (Meldrum House).
This trio
have put some clear water ahead of David Shields (Glenearn) and Robert Smith
(Nairn). However, both Clark, who has also won the last two South of
Scotland events, and Bell miss this event due to work commitments and that provides
an opportunity for the chasing group to get closer to them.
Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County) will fancy his chances on a course at which he is also a member
and strong challenges can be expected from Duncan Hamilton (Mortonhall), who
was runner-up in the seniors' matchplay championship, David Gardner (Broomieknowe), John Fraser (Royal Burgess) and Lindsay Blair (Grangemouth).
Andrew Stracey (Denham) now
leads the Handicap Order of Merit race with Ken Forrest (Lenzie) and Phil
Dempsey (Tulliallan) in close pursuit. Competition is also hotting up in the
Super Seniors (over-65s) Order of Merit race with Gordon MacDonald (Glenbervie)
in the lead from Ken Thomson (Bramall Park), the recent winner of the Super
Seniors match-play championship.
Laird, joint 2nd finish, earns him $440,533 Martin Laird figured in a triple tie for second place in the weekend's US PGA Tour event, the Canadian Open. Scroll down for a report of the tournament. His 11-under-par total of 277 - one behind winner Vegas - earned the man from Glasgow $440,533 and boosted his season's earnings to $1,083,979.
At the beginning of the day, late in the round and even after he was
in the clubhouse, Jhonattan Vegas winning the 2016 RBC Canadian Open
seemed improbable. Yet, that’s exactly what happened.
Vegas fired a closing 8-under 64 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville,
Ontario, finishing birdie-birdie-birdie to reach 12 under and
eventually secure a one-shot victory. But he only did so after dodging a
series of bullets. Beginning the day five shots back, Vegas moved himself into a share
of the lead with his strong close, but he was in the clubhouse early.
And with several competitors close to or at that 12-under number and
with gettable par-5s to play, it seemed Vegas would be lucky just to get
in a playoff. But, his opponents would all fall short.
Jon Rahm, the electrifying 21-year-old Spaniard, came to the final
hole 10 under and in need of an eagle to tie. He knocked his second shot
to 10 feet, and with that chance… it just slid by high on the left
side. Birdie and a closing 67 left him one back in a tie for second.
OK, now Martin Laird. All the Scot needed was a birdie on an easy par
5 to catch Vegas. But then Laird found the fairway bunker off the tee,
laid up in the left rough, knocked it on 35 feet away and missed a
longer version of Rahm’s putt to tie in the same way. He also placed T-2
at 11 under.
Then, three more attacks to force a playoff. Steve Wheatcroft, who
had bogeyed 17 to fall back to 11 under, tried first but skulled his
greenside bunker shot he needed to get up and down to tie over the green
into the water. He would close with bogey and place T-5 at 10 under. Dustin Johnson was the penultimate chance, and Vegas had to be
fearing the U.S. Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational champion. But the
American couldn’t get the right distance on his second shot, firing
right at the flag but over the green. He putted from the rough 21 feet
away, but came up a few feet short on his eagle try and tapped in for a
tie for second.
Finally, Brandt Snedeker. The American, who started the day with a
one-shot lead, traded birdies and bogeys all round and couldn’t close
with eagle. His second went well left into a plugged lie in the left
greenside bunker. Needing to improbably hole this extremely difficult
shot with water lurking on the other side of the green, Snedeker instead
left his ball in the bunker (he would get up-and-down from there for
par to finish T-5).
After the long wait, Vegas, somehow, was your champion.
“It’s incredible … There’s just a ton of emotions running through my
head right now,” Vegas said. “This is what you train for… I’m super
excited.”
Five years ago, few would have guessed that Vegas’ second PGA Tour
win would take this long. The 31-year-old Venezuelan earned his first
victory in just his second start as a tour member, capturing the 2011
Bob Hope Classic in a playoff. The very next week, he nearly won again,
finishing tied for third at the Farmers Insurance Open.
It seemed a star was born.
But it was never as easy after that. Vegas had just one more top 10 the remainder of the season, put
together a lackluster 2012 campaign, missed most of 2013 due to left
shoulder surgery and by the time 2015-16 rolled around, had lost his US PGA
Tour card.
Yet, even as no more wins came and his status faded, Vegas remained
optimistic. He actually posited losing his Tour card as a blessing in
disguise.
“From where I started this year, not having full status on Tour,
knowing it was going to be a really tough year,” Vegas said. “I think it
was a great thing for me because it made me realize I love being (on
the PGA Tour).”
Vegas owned two top-5s in 2015-16 by the beginning of May, but it
really all started to turn around last week at the Barbasol
Championship, where Vegas used a second-round 60 to capture a
confidence-boosting T-4.
Through three rounds in Canada, he sat T-15, another solid showing on the horizon, but then he got hot.
Like Snedeker the day before, Vegas made five consecutive birdies on
Nos. 2-6 to jumpstart his round (and tournament). He was relatively
quiet over the next 10 holes (eight pars, one birdie, one bogey), but
then the finishing kick.
He rolled in 7- and 8-footers for birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 and
gracefully lagged his 43-footer for eagle at 18 within tap-in range.
Then the long wait that ended up being so fruitful.
With the win, Vegas, of course, is now exempt on the PGA Tour through
the 2017-18 season. He earns a spot in next year’s Masters as well as
next week’s PGA Championship.
The electrifying performance of Jared du Toit, a 21-year-old Canadian
amateur, petered out a bit on Sunday, as the soon-to-be Arizona State
senior dropped from second to T-9 following a final-round 71 that put
him at 9 under. While he couldn’t end Canada’s 52-year win-less drought
in this championship (nor become the first amateur in 25 years to win a US PGA Tour event), it’s safe to say this was a booming PGA Tour debut for
the youngster. Geoff Ogilvy produced the biggest move of the day, finishing
birdie-eagle-par-eagle to post 63 and move from T-44 to T-9 at 9 under.
Fellow Aussie Jason Day, the defending champion, also closed strong,
finishing with 67 to get to 7 under and tie for 14th.
Rahm, who made his US PGA Tour debut as a pro just last month at the
Quicken Loans National, now has two top-three finishes in four pro
starts on the Tour. The college superstar may just be one more high
finish away from earning his 2016-17 PGA Tour card.
But Sunday was Vegas’s day.
All in all, the day re-affirmed the unpredictability of the US PGA Tour.
Nobody thought Vegas could win today. Until he suddenly did.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS Par 288 (4x872) 276 J Vegas (USA) 73 69 70 64 277 J Rahm (Spain) 67 71 72 67, M Laird (Scotland) 73 69 68 67, D Johnson (USA) 66 71 71 69 278 R Barnes (USA) 71 68 71 68, A Cejka (Germany)| 71 69 69 69, S Wheatcroft (USA) 68 77 64 69