Curtis Cup captain Elaine donates trophy to 

winner of Deeside 

Junior Open

The Deeside Junior Open - to be played at the Bieldside course on Monday (August 1) - has never had a trophy to present to the winner.

But it has now!

Great Britain and Ireland's winning Curtis Cup team captain Elaine Farquharson-Black has donated a trophy, in the style of the Curtis Cup, to fill the gap. That's it pictured on the right.

Despite her long and successful playing and captaincy career, this is the first trophy to bear the name of the Deeside Golf Club honorary member and partner in law firm, Burness Paull.

Said Elaine:

"I took on the role of Junior Convener at Deeside earlier this year to help encourage our junior members and give something back to the club for all the support I have received over the years. I am delighted to put up a trophy for the Junior Open. "

Late entries for the Deeside Junior Open, which is open to boys and girls under 18 and is a qualifier for the Telegraph/BMW Junior Open, can be sent to the club's Director of Golf, Frank Coutts, at this Email address:

pro@deesidegolfclub.com
Or phone: 01224 861041

The entry fee of £10 can be paid when checking in at the pro's shop on Monday. 

If there are enough entries from girls, they will have a separate prize list from the boys.

If you are not sure where Deeside Golf Club is, head for the village of Bieldside to the west of Aberdeen on the road to Culter and Banchory. Golf Road, Bieldside takes you over the old railway bridge and down to one of the best clubhouses in the country.
There is ample car parking.

Unranked US college students meet in Scottish Amateur Final at Balgownie

The best of Burgess - KOs  favourite Syme to 

reach final, plays 19th hole winner Duncan

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Nairn's Andrew Burgess produced a marvellous display of sub-par golf to beat the favourite, World No 30 Connor Syme (Drumoig) by one hole in a semi-final of rare quality.
Burgess, pictured left, had seven birdies, including one at the 18th which took him, against all the odds at the start of the week, into the final of the 89th Scottish amateur championship.
The Nairn player would have had roughly a round of 66 had it been a stroke-play round. 
Although beaten, Syme played very well too. He had six birdies to his credit.
The Nairn player, whose father Andy is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, Oldmeldrum, is a student at Armstrong State University, Savannah in Georgia.
This performance in reaching Saturday's 36-hole tops anything else Burgess has appeared in his golf career today. 
The other finalist is also a student at an American college.
 Windyhill's George Duncan, who attends Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee, beat twice Tennant Trophy winner Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th hole with a 5 to 6.
Duncan, pictured right, 3 up after eight holes but one down after 16 holes, squared the match with a par 3 at the 17th.The 18th was halved in 5s, the 19th in 4s before Duncan, several times Windyhill club champion, won through with a 5 to 6 at the 20th.
Neither Duncan nor Burgess has a World Ranking. 
Saturday's 36-hole final will tee off at 8.30am.
There is no admission charge for spectators and car parking, although limited, is also free of charge.

SEMI-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt *Connor Syme (Drumoig) 1 hole.
  Syme 2 up after 6, having won the first and fourth with birdies  All square after 10. Both players have had 4 birdies. 
  Burgess birdied the 13th to go one up but bogeyed the next to be pulled back to square. Syme birdied the 15th to go one up.
 Both players have had six birdies in a quality match.
 Burgess won the 16th with a par to level the match again.
Burgess produced his seventh birdie at the 18th to win the hole and a place in the final. The classic semi-final produced 13 birdies between the pair.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th.
  Duncan 2 up after 5, having won the first and second (with birdie)
  Duncan 3 up after 8, 2 up after 9, having had eagle 3 at 6th and      birdie 2 at 8th.
  Duncan 3 up with a birdie 2 at the eighth but bogeyed the ninth to lose it and go back to two up. 
McDougall won the 13th with a par and the 14th with a bogey to be all square. McDougall won the 16th with a par to regain the lead but bogeyed the 17th to be all square again. The 18th was halved, also the 19th before Duncan won the 20th and the match with a 5 to a 6.
TO VIEW THE HOLE BY HOLE SCORING IN THE SEMI-FINALS
CLICK HERE

Burgess v Syme, McDougall v Duncan in this 

afternoon's semi-finals


By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie), winner of the prestigious Tennant Cup 72hole Order of Merit tournament in 2014 and 2015, scored the biggest win of his career at Royal Aberdeen's Balgownie links this morning.

McDougall (pictured) ended the reign of Glencruitten left-hander Robert MacIntyre, the 2015 champion, in the quarter-finals, McDougall winning by 4 and 3 with excellent figures - two under par for the holes played.
McIntyre is ranked No 22 in the World, McDougall No 884. 

US college student Andrew Burgess (Nairn), whose father is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, won the all-North quarter-final against Jeff Wright (Forres).
Wright's record on the North open tournament circuit entitled him to start favourite in this tie but Burgess (pictured left) got his nose in front early and stayed there. He was roughly one over par at the finish in winning by 2 and 1. 
In this afternoon's semi-finals, Burgess, who will be a third-year student at Armstrong State University, Savannah, Georgia, when he returns there next month, will play Connor Syme (Drumoig).
Syme won the seeded clash against Craig Howie, thus ending the Peebles player's hopes of adding to the national title he won four years ago at Murcar Links - the Scottish boys' championship.
Syme led throughout and  won by 2 holes after being 3 up at the turn. He had four birdies to three by Howie.  

There are two US college students in the last four, George Duncan (Windyhill and Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee) staging a tremendous fightback over the last few holes to join Burgess in the semi-finals.
Windyhill GC champion three times, Duncan, pictured,  was three down after 13 to Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) from Arran, but then won the 14th, 16th, the 17th (with a birdie) and the 18th to squeeze through by one hole to play McDougall in the semi-finals.

QUARTER-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt Jeff Wright (Forres) 2 and 1.
    Burgess 2 up after 7, 2 up after 10, 2 up after 13, 3 up after 14. Burgess 1 over par at finish

*Connor Syme (Drumoig) bt *Craig Howie (Peebles) 2 holes.
      Syme 2 up after 12, 1 up after 16

Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) bt *Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) 4 and 3
    McDougall 2 up after 12. MacIntyre bogeyed 14 and 15.
    McDougall 2 under par for holes played.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) 1 hole.
   Pennycott 2 up after 11, 3 up after 13. Duncan won 14, 16, 17 (with birdie) and 18. Duncan approx 3 over par at finish

*denotes seeded player in blue print

World rankings of last eight in Championship:
22 Robert MacIntyre
30 Connor Syme
71 Craig Howie
583 Jeff Wright
884 Alastair McDougall
2,854 Malcolm Pennycott
Unranked:
Andrew Burgess
George Duncan

Northern Ireland Open hit by six-hour rain delay

FROM THE CHALLENGE TOUR WEBSITE
Seven golfers remain at the top of the Tayto Northern Ireland Open leaderboard after the first round was completed this afternoon, following a six-hour delay on Thursday.
Heavy rains forced the lengthy delay at Galgorm Castle Golf Club on Thursday as 35mm fell – nearly 18 times the average rainfall for this time of year.
Irishman Rory McNamara shot the pick of the rounds as he carded a bogey-free 65, including a finish of an eagle and three birdies.
He is joined at the top of the leaderboard by compatriot, and former European Tour winner, Damian McGrane. Dylan Frittelli, Daniel Gaunt, Sam
Hutsby, Bernd Ritthammer and Ben Stow also shot six under par to take a share of the clubhouse lead.
Ryan Fox and Renier Saxton were two of a number of golfers forced to complete their rounds on Friday morning and sit a shot back after carding rounds of 66.
Fox, who won Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge last year, finished with two birdies to join Saxton and Adrien Saddier on five under par.

“I didn’t start the round with good feelings, but I had a huge putt on the first and that gave me the motivation for the rest of the day,” said Santos.
“Then I made two mistakes, but minus four is a solid round and I was particularly solid on the back nine.
“It was frustrating having to wait in the clubhouse for six hours yesterday but this happens sometimes.”
Defending champion Clément Sordet shot a level par 71 in his first round.
For Saturday’s third round, there will be a two-tee start after the completion of the second round.

TO VIEW THE SCOREBOARD

CLICK HERE

Carris Trophy winner Flanagan in England boys’ team for Ballyliffen   Carris Trophy champion Angus Flanagan and the championship’s U16 trophy winner, Michael Gilbert, are in the England team for the Boys’ Home Internationals next week.  Other new caps at this level are Oliver Clarke of Lancashire, Alex Fitzpatrick of Yorkshire and Harry Goddard of Hertfordshire.  They’ll be joined by the six players who represented England in the European boys’ team championship: Toby Briggs of Norfolk, Callum Farr of Northamptonshire; John Gough of Berkshire, Matty Lamb of Northumberland; Daniel O’Loughlin of Nottinghamshire; and Charlie Strickland of Sussex. The 11-strong team will take on the challenge of teams from Wales, Scotland and Ireland at Ballyliffin, Ireland, from Tuesday to Thursday, 2-4 August.  The players: Toby Briggs, 16, (Dunston Hall) was in England’s winning Nations Cup team at the U18 Carris Trophy,  third in the McEvoy Trophy, sixth in the Fairhaven Trophies and 13th in the German boys’ open.  Oliver Clarke, 18, (Hillside) was runner-up in the Northern boys’ county qualifier, fifth in the Fairhaven Trophies, eighth in the Hampshire Salver and played all four rounds of the Brabazon Trophy.  Callum Farr, 17, (Priors Hall) tied fourth in the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters, shared seventh place in the Peter McEvoy Trophy and helped Northamptonshire reach the Boys’ County Finals last year and this.  Alex Fitzpatrick, 17 (Hallamshire) tied third in the Carris Trophy and was fourth in the Northern boys’ county qualifier. He was third in the 2015 Italian U16 boys’ championship.  Angus Flanagan, 17 (St George’s Hill) won the Carris Trophy – the English U18 boys’ open stroke play – at Hunstanton last week. He was fifth in the South East boys’ county qualifier and 11th at the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters. (Image © Leaderboard Photography) Michael Gilbert, 16, (Chelmsford) won the U16 Hazards Salver at the Carris, was runner-up in the U16 McGregor Trophy and won the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters.  Harry Goddard, 16, (Hanbury Manor) tied third in the McGregor Trophy, won the South East group junior championship and had top 10s in the European Young Masters and the Fairhaven Trophies.  John Gough, 17, (Stoke Park) reached the last 16 of the French boys’ international and was 11th in the Peter McEvoy Trophy. He was runner up in the 2015 Telegraph Junior Championship. Matty Lamb, 18, (Hexham) was fifth in the Carris Trophy where he also won the Malcolm Reid Salver for the best aggregate score in the Carris and Peter McEvoy Trophies and was part of England’s winning Nations Cup team. He was fourth in the McEvoy.  Dan O’Loughlin, 18, (Ruddington Grange) was fourth in both the German boys’ open and the Fairhaven Trophies and tied ninth in the Peter McEvoy Trophy. He represented England in last year’s Thunderbird international in the USA. Charlie Strickland, 17 (Ham Manor) reached the quarter finals of the English Amateur Championship, was fourth in both the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters and the Berkhamsted Trophy. He was eight in the South of England open amateur Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org

It is a Tartan Tour record?

Seven tie for victory at McDonald Ellon pro-am

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
It might well be a Tartan Tour record - SEVEN players tied for first place on two-under-par 68 in today's McDonald Ellon Golf Club pro-am. 
Greg McBain (Newmachar), Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy), Marr Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), David Stein (Ranfurly Castle), Christopher Currie (Caldwell), Paul Robinson (Largs) and Scott Henderson (Kings Links) figured in the mammoth logjam at the top of the leaderboard.
Each earned £628.30.
Tournament controller Roy Murray seems to recall there was a multiple tie for first place a few years back at Lochwinnoch but he cannot be sure as to how many figured in it.
By a curious coincidence five of the players had halves of 36 out and 32 in. Only Currie (37-31) and Henderson (35-33) differed.
Cameron and Henderson bogeyed the last hole in contrast to McBain who birdied 13, 16 and 17 in setting the clubhouse target of 68.
Sam Binning (Mearns Castle), who had an individual score of 71, led the winning pro-am team representing CGC Engineering - Calum Cordiner (handicap 12), Gordon Rae (17) and Sany Murray (18). They had a net best ball team total of 18 under par 122. 


McDonald Ellon Golf Club pro-am
PRO SCORES
par 70
68 G McBain (Newmachar), R Cameron (Saltire Energy), M Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), D Stein (Ranfurly Castle), C Currie (Caldwell), P Robinson (Largs), S Henderson (Kings Links) £628.30 each
69 S Aird (McDonald Ellon), M Patterson (Cruden Bay), J McGhee (Whitehill House), J McCreadie (Largs), £213 each.
70 C Goodwin (Duff House Royal), R Clarke (Golf Dedication Centre), J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen), G Forbes (Murcar Links), C McMaster (Wellsgreen), £140 each.
71 S Binning (Mearns Castle), £105.
72 L Vannet (Craibstone), R Arnott (Bishopbriggs), £87 each
73 M Mackenzie (Edzell), G Hay (Grantown on Spey), S Gray (Lanark), N Huguet (Musselburgh), £17.50 each.
74 C Billows (Gleneagles), A Reid (West Lothian).
75 R McConnachie (Peterculter), R Mitchell (Paul Lawrie GC),
76 A Stuart (Paul Lawrie GC), D McKay (Wellsgreen).
79 I Donaldson (Meldrum House). 

Two US college students will meet in tomorrow's 36-hole Scottish Amateur final

The best of Burgess - KOs  favourite Syme to 

reach final, plays 19th hole winner Duncan

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Nairn's Andrew Burgess produced a marvellous display of sub-par golf to beat the favourite, World No 30 Connor Syme (Drumoig) by one hole in a semi-final of rare quality.
Burgess, pictured left, had seven birdies, including one at the 18th which took him, against all the odds at the start of the week, into the final of the 89th Scottish amateur championship.
The Nairn player would have had roughly a round of 66 had it been a stroke-play round. 
Although beaten, Syme played very well too. He had six birdies to his credit.
The Nairn player, whose father Andy is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, Oldmeldrum, is a student at Armstrong State University, Savannah in Georgia.
This performance in reaching Saturday's 36-hole tops anything else Burgess has appeared in his golf career today. 
The other finalist is also a student at an American college.
 Windyhill's George Duncan, who attends Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee, beat twice Tennant Trophy winner Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th hole with a 5 to 6.
Duncan, pictured right, 3 up after eight holes but one down after 16 holes, squared the match with a par 3 at the 17th.The 18th was halved in 5s, the 19th in 4s before Duncan, several times Windyhill club champion, won through with a 5 to 6 at the 20th.
Neither Duncan nor Burgess has a World Ranking. 
Saturday's 36-hole final will tee off at 8.30am.
There is no admission charge for spectators and car parking, although limited, is also free of charge.

SEMI-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt *Connor Syme (Drumoig) 1 hole.
  Syme 2 up after 6, having won the first and fourth with birdies  All square after 10. Both players have had 4 birdies. 
  Burgess birdied the 13th to go one up but bogeyed the next to be pulled back to square. Syme birdied the 15th to go one up.
 Both players have had six birdies in a quality match.
 Burgess won the 16th with a par to level the match again.
Burgess produced his seventh birdie at the 18th to win the hole and a place in the final. The classic semi-final produced 13 birdies between the pair.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th.
  Duncan 2 up after 5, having won the first and second (with birdie)
  Duncan 3 up after 8, 2 up after 9, having had eagle 3 at 6th and      birdie 2 at 8th.
  Duncan 3 up with a birdie 2 at the eighth but bogeyed the ninth to lose it and go back to two up. 
McDougall won the 13th with a par and the 14th with a bogey to be all square. McDougall won the 16th with a par to regain the lead but bogeyed the 17th to be all square again. The 18th was halved, also the 19th before Duncan won the 20th and the match with a 5 to a 6.
TO VIEW THE HOLE BY HOLE SCORING IN THE SEMI-FINALS
CLICK HERE

Burgess v Syme, McDougall v Duncan in this 

afternoon's semi-finals


By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie), winner of the prestigious Tennant Cup 72hole Order of Merit tournament in 2014 and 2015, scored the biggest win of his career at Royal Aberdeen's Balgownie links this morning.

McDougall (pictured) ended the reign of Glencruitten left-hander Robert MacIntyre, the 2015 champion, in the quarter-finals, McDougall winning by 4 and 3 with excellent figures - two under par for the holes played.
McIntyre is ranked No 22 in the World, McDougall No 884. 

US college student Andrew Burgess (Nairn), whose father is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, won the all-North quarter-final against Jeff Wright (Forres).
Wright's record on the North open tournament circuit entitled him to start favourite in this tie but Burgess (pictured left) got his nose in front early and stayed there. He was roughly one over par at the finish in winning by 2 and 1. 
In this afternoon's semi-finals, Burgess, who will be a third-year student at Armstrong State University, Savannah, Georgia, when he returns there next month, will play Connor Syme (Drumoig).
Syme won the seeded clash against Craig Howie, thus ending the Peebles player's hopes of adding to the national title he won four years ago at Murcar Links - the Scottish boys' championship.
Syme led throughout and  won by 2 holes after being 3 up at the turn. He had four birdies to three by Howie.  

There are two US college students in the last four, George Duncan (Windyhill and Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee) staging a tremendous fightback over the last few holes to join Burgess in the semi-finals.
Windyhill GC champion three times, Duncan, pictured,  was three down after 13 to Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) from Arran, but then won the 14th, 16th, the 17th (with a birdie) and the 18th to squeeze through by one hole to play McDougall in the semi-finals.

QUARTER-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt Jeff Wright (Forres) 2 and 1.
    Burgess 2 up after 7, 2 up after 10, 2 up after 13, 3 up after 14. Burgess 1 over par at finish

*Connor Syme (Drumoig) bt *Craig Howie (Peebles) 2 holes.
      Syme 2 up after 12, 1 up after 16

Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) bt *Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) 4 and 3
    McDougall 2 up after 12. MacIntyre bogeyed 14 and 15.
    McDougall 2 under par for holes played.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) 1 hole.
   Pennycott 2 up after 11, 3 up after 13. Duncan won 14, 16, 17 (with birdie) and 18. Duncan approx 3 over par at finish

*denotes seeded player in blue print

World rankings of last eight in Championship:
22 Robert MacIntyre
30 Connor Syme
71 Craig Howie
583 Jeff Wright
884 Alastair McDougall
2,854 Malcolm Pennycott
Unranked:
Andrew Burgess
George Duncan

Brown and Bloor to meet in  friendly English final at Ganton   Yorkshire’s Dan Brown and Derbyshire’s George Bloor will meet tomorrow in what will be the friendly final of the men’s English Amateur Championship at Ganton Golf Club.  The two players are good friends and have been rooming together all week, while at the championship. “There was six of us to start with in the apartment but only me and George made the cut,” said Brown (pictured top).  “Neither of us have been in the final before and obviously we both want to win, but it’s nice to know that one of us will come out on top.”  Brown (Masham) had his nerves thoroughly tested in his semi-final against Jack Gaunt (Drayton Park). The Yorkshireman got off to a flying start and was 7 up after nine holes – but had to go to the 18th to close out the match 2 up. Bloor, pictured below, (Cavendish) was also quick off the mark against Jamie Mist (Hayling) and was five up after 11. He went on to win 3/2 to take his place in the final.  The 20-year-old has a string of solid results behind him this season and has been targeting a good performance in this championship, aiming to better last year when he reached the quarter finals.  He achieved that today, first beating Jack Singh Brar (Remedy Oak) 4 and 2 and then carrying his good form into this afternoon semi-final. “I got off to a dream start,” said Bloor, who had an eagle two on the par four 3rd as he moved towards a lead of 5up after 11.  He lost the next two holes as Mist applied pressure with a winning par, birdie combination, but Bloor responded by driving the par four 14th to set up his own birdie and get back to 4up. Mist came back again, winning the 15th and was in the driving seat on 16 when Bloor’s approach found a greenside bunker.  But Bloor delivered when it counted: “I played probably the best bunker shot of my life, in the circumstances, to get up and down from 4ft and win the match.”  Meanwhile, Brown, 21, was locked into a match which provided plenty of tense excitement for the mainly Yorkshire spectators but, as he commented: “It was a little more stressful than I would have liked.”  He was on fantastic form over the opening holes, refusing to give Gaunt a look in as he rattled off five birdies over the front nine, reaching the turn at 7 up. But the tide turned with Gaunt’s birdie two on 10 and the Staffordshire player steadily reduced the deficit with a string of pars, as Brown visited the rough and found too many bunkers.  Brown stopped the run with a half on the 16th which kept him at two up. But Gaunt’s challenge was not over and he holed a 20-footer for birdie on the 17th to get back to one down. He tried for another birdie on 18 but ended up three-putting and conceding the hole and the match to Brown.  Afterwards Brown commented: “I was really relaxed and I kept myself calm, but obviously it got a little bit tense. But now I’m putting it behind me and looking forward to the final.”  Earlier in the day he defeated Tom Gandy (Rowany) 7 and 5 in their quarter final.  The other quarter final results were:  Jack Gaunt (Drayton Park) bt Tom Robson (Weymouth) 5 and 4. Jamie Mist (Hayling) bt Charlie Strickland (Ham Manor) 2 and 1.  Tomorrow’s 36-hole final starts at 8.30am. Spectators are welcome. Click here for full scores Images copyright Leaderboard Photography    Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf

Campbell and Fox tied for fifth place in PGA 

championship and earn £2,025 each

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Anglo-Scot Ian Campbell (Cheshunt Park) and Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) earned £2,025 apiece for a joint fifth finish in the PGA professional championship won by Irishman David Higgins at The Oxfordshire Golf Club today.
Campbell shot rounds of 69, 72, 69, 72  and Fox 69,68, 72 and 73 for six-under-par aggregates of 282 - nine behind Higgins who won the £10,000 top prize by three strokes with scores of 69, 66, 72 and 66 for 15-under 273.
Greig Hutcheon (PLGC Inchmarlo) was more like his old self with a closing 71 - four shots better than his error-strewn third round. He finished on 286 for a share of 21st place and a cheque for £800.
Welshman Gareth Wright (West Linton) earned £565 for a T31 finish on 289 after a closing round of 73.
Graham Brown (Montrose Links) improved from a disastrous third-round 81 to a sparkling final round of 69 for a T35 finish on 290 for which he received £501.  

PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Oxfordshire Golf Club
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
273 D Higgins (Ire) 69 66 72 66 (£10,000)
276 A Raitt (Eng) 63 77 69 67 (£6,420).
280 P Hendriksen (Eng) 71 68 70 71, S Brown (Eng) 69 70 69 72 (£3,975 each)

SELECTED TOTALS
282 I Campbell (Cheshunt Park) 69 72 69 72, G Fox (Clydeway Golf) 69 68 72 73 (T5) (£2,025 each)
286 G Hutcheon (PLGC Inchmarlo) 70 70 75 71 (T21) (£800)
289 G Wright (West Linton) 71 74 71 73 (T31) (£565)
290 G Brown (Montrose Links) 69 71 81 69 (£501).

IRISH ACE TAKES ROUTE 66 TO LAND TITLEIST and FOOTJOY TITLE
PGA NEWS RELEASE
By NATHANIEL SYLVESTER
Ireland’s David Higgins withstood the charging Andy Raitt to run out a convincing winner of the Titleist and FootJoy PGA Professional Championship at The Oxfordshire.
The Waterville Links pro from Co. Kerry carded his second 66 of the week to post a 15 under par total of 273 and a three-stroke victory over Raitt who fired a 67.
Higgins admitted to a few nerves but any jitters were alleviated by a devastating burst of birdies around the turn with gains at 10, 12, 13 and 14 helping him to a six-under-par final round.
“I had a lovely chip-in on 10, a good par save on 11, then holed a 25 footer on 12, a 20 footer on 13 and then a 15 footer on 14,” said Higgins.
“Those were the ones I wasn’t getting yesterday but today – bang – right in the middle.”
“You just keep pushing, you don’t get chances like this very often so I did great, I made a few birdies but said to myself don’t stop because there is going to be other guys doing it and I did that so I was very proud.”
Higgins, who pocketed a cheque for £10,000 cheque and the use of a Peugeot 308 GT for a year, rated his triumph as one of the best his career and he gave himself a pat on the back for the way he handled the pressure.
“I’m delighted because I was very nervous. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a tournament this big so to come out on the right end is great,” he added.
“It must have been 12 or 14 years or something since I won something like this so you have to enjoy these. They don’t come along very often and I will enjoy it.
“Everyone at Waterville will be delighted. There will be a few pints drunk tonight because this is a big event and to win it is great for all of Irish golf.”
An absorbing final round of the £78,000 event saw several players in contention at various stages but it was Raitt who was to emerge as Higgins’ most serious rival.
And the St George’s Hill pro must have fancied his chances after birdieing the 10th and eagling the 11th for the third time in the week.
However when he checked the leaderboard on 17, Raitt realised it was game over and he was left to rue a second-round 77 which included a quadruple bogey on the ninth where he lost two balls off the tee.
“The back nine on Wednesday for the 77 felt like the hardest nine I played all week because of what had happened before at nine
“But I played better today and David played great so fair dues,” reflected Raitt who has the consolation of qualifying for the end of season PGA Play-Offs at Saunton in October.
 “I really love this golf course, I played the Benson and Hedges here a few years ago, then gave up golf for a couple of years when I came off tour.
“But I ended up coming back here to The Oxfordshire for the first time when they had a regional event and I played well and managed to win that and it got me back into golf so I owe a lot to this place. I really like it.”
Defending champion Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge) shared third spot alongside Thorpe Wood’s Stuart Brown on eight under with Lee Clarke, Liam Bond, Guy Woodman, Andrew Willey, Ian Campbell and Graham Fox tied fifth at six under for the championship.

Debut win by Hamilton player in South of 

 

Scotland Senior Open

 

By GORDON THOMSON

Stewart Henderson (Hamilton), playing in his first Scottish Senior Golfing Society tournament,  added an excellent score of 67 to his first round of 70 to win the South of Scotland Seniors Open (sponsored by McCrea Financial Services) at Southerness  with an aggregate total of 137.

He finished four shots ahead of Lindsay Blair (Grangemouth) on 141. 

The overnight leader, Malcolm Reid (Sonning) added a 73 to Thursday'ss best score of 69 to finish in third place.

John Fraser (Royal Burgess) and Andrew Stracey (Denham) were tied in fourth place on 143 with Niall Lamond (Balmore) and David Shields (Glenearn) who shared  tied  sixth place on 145.

Henderson plays off plus 1 and has been Lanarkshire champion and club champion at Hamilton on several occasions. 

Lying second overnight, he produced three birdies  in reaching the turn in 34 and finished in style with a birdie at the last hole.

Scoring conditions were easier for the second round  and many players scored substantially lower. Most worthy of note was the 14-shot improvement by former international George Barrie (Callander) whose fine score of 68 included a hole in one at the seventh.

David Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) matched that feat later in the day when he aced the fourth hole
SOUTH OF SCOTLAND SENIORS OPEN 
Southerness Golf Club
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
par 138 (2x69) SSS 73. CSS 74 73
137 S Henderson (Hamilton) 70 67
141 L Blair (Grangemouth) 72 69
142 M Reid (Sonning) 69 72
143 A Stracey (Denham) 71 72, J A Fraser (Royal Burgess) 73 70
145 D Shields (Glenearn) 74 71, N Lamond (Balmore) 72 73
147 D Hamilton (Mortonhall) 76 71, G Forrest (Northumberland) 76 71
148 I Reid (Dumfries and Galloay) 74 74, A T Campbell (Murcar Links) 72 76.
149 L Gordon (Turnhouse) 73 76, R Johnston (Glenbervie) 73 76.
150 G C Barrie (Callander) 82 68, R Craw (Glenbervie) 76 74, P Hendry (Alloa) 75 75.

SELECTED TOTALS
151 R Stewart (Tulliallan) 76 75, K Reilly (Silverknowes) 72 79
152 D Gardner (Broomieknowe) 77 75, D J Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) 80 72
153 N Dyce (Strathmore) 79 74, R W Smith (Nairn) 76 77
154 L Chancellor (Inverness) 81 73, J McArthur (St Andrews New) 77 77 
155 I Jeen (St Andrews) 77 78, M J Dean (Moray) 84 71
157 G MacDonald (Glenbervie) 86 71, A Raphael (St Andrews) 79 78, N Robson (Meldrum House) 75 82, L Pirie (Millport) 77 80.
158 L Clark (Edzell) 79 79, A Ferguson (Dunfermline) 80 78.
161 N Forster (Royal Aberdeen) 83 78
164 P Dempsey (Tulliallan) 88 76, G J Rodaks (Pitreavie) 86 78.
165 A J Laird (Deeside) 86 79
166 W J Skene (Deeside) 84 82, W Methven (Royal Aberdeen) 82 84
171 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) 86 85
172 R Farquhar (Carnoustie) 90 82
173 P D Sinclair (Inverness) 96 77

Two US college students make the final of the Scottish Amateur at Balgownie

The best of Burgess - KOs  favourite Syme to 

reach final, plays 19th hole winner Duncan

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Nairn's Andrew Burgess produced a marvellous display of sub-par golf to beat the favourite, World No 30 Connor Syme (Drumoig) by one hole in a semi-final of rare quality.
Burgess, pictured left, had seven birdies, including one at the 18th which took him, against all the odds at the start of the week, into the final of the 89th Scottish amateur championship.
Although beaten, Syme played very well too. He had six birdies to his credit.
The Nairn player, whose father Andy is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, Oldmeldrum, is a student at Armstrong State University, Savannah in Georgia.
This performance in reaching Saturday's 36-hole tops anything else Burgess has appeared in his golf career today. 
The other finalist is also a student at an American college.
 Windyhill's George Duncan, who attends Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee, beat twice Tennant Trophy winner Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th hole with a 5 to 6.
Duncan, pictured right, 3 up after eight holes but one down after 16 holes, squared the match with a par 3 at the 17th.The 18th was halved in 5s, the 19th in 4s before Duncan, several times Windyhill club champion, won through with a 5 to 6 at the 20th.
Neither Duncan nor Burgess has a World Ranking.

SEMI-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt *Connor Syme (Drumoig) 1 hole.
  Syme 2 up after 6, having won the first and fourth with birdies  All square after 10. Both players have had 4 birdies. 
  Burgess birdied the 13th to go one up but bogeyed the next to be pulled back to square. Syme birdied the 15th to go one up.
 Both players have had six birdies in a quality match.
 Burgess won the 16th with a par to level the match again.
Burgess produced his seventh birdie at the 18th to win the hole and a place in the final. The classic semi-final produced 13 birdies between the pair.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th.
  Duncan 2 up after 5, having won the first and second (with birdie)
  Duncan 3 up after 8, 2 up after 9, having had eagle 3 at 6th and      birdie 2 at 8th.
  Duncan 3 up with a birdie 2 at the eighth but bogeyed the ninth to lose it and go back to two up. 
McDougall won the 13th with a par and the 14th with a bogey to be all square. McDougall won the 16th with a par to regain the lead but bogeyed the 17th to be all square again. The 18th was halved, also the 19th before Duncan won the 20th and the match with a 5 to a 6.
TO VIEW THE HOLE BY HOLE SCORING IN THE SEMI-FINALS
CLICK HERE

Burgess v Syme, McDougall v Duncan in this 

afternoon's semi-finals


By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie), winner of the prestigious Tennant Cup 72hole Order of Merit tournament in 2014 and 2015, scored the biggest win of his career at Royal Aberdeen's Balgownie links this morning.

McDougall (pictured) ended the reign of Glencruitten left-hander Robert MacIntyre, the 2015 champion, in the quarter-finals, McDougall winning by 4 and 3 with excellent figures - two under par for the holes played.
McIntyre is ranked No 22 in the World, McDougall No 884. 

US college student Andrew Burgess (Nairn), whose father is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, won the all-North quarter-final against Jeff Wright (Forres).
Wright's record on the North open tournament circuit entitled him to start favourite in this tie but Burgess (pictured left) got his nose in front early and stayed there. He was roughly one over par at the finish in winning by 2 and 1. 
In this afternoon's semi-finals, Burgess, who will be a third-year student at Armstrong State University, Savannah, Georgia, when he returns there next month, will play Connor Syme (Drumoig).
Syme won the seeded clash against Craig Howie, thus ending the Peebles player's hopes of adding to the national title he won four years ago at Murcar Links - the Scottish boys' championship.
Syme led throughout and  won by 2 holes after being 3 up at the turn. He had four birdies to three by Howie.  

There are two US college students in the last four, George Duncan (Windyhill and Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee) staging a tremendous fightback over the last few holes to join Burgess in the semi-finals.
Windyhill GC champion three times, Duncan, pictured,  was three down after 13 to Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) from Arran, but then won the 14th, 16th, the 17th (with a birdie) and the 18th to squeeze through by one hole to play McDougall in the semi-finals.

QUARTER-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt Jeff Wright (Forres) 2 and 1.
    Burgess 2 up after 7, 2 up after 10, 2 up after 13, 3 up after 14. Burgess 1 over par at finish

*Connor Syme (Drumoig) bt *Craig Howie (Peebles) 2 holes.
      Syme 2 up after 12, 1 up after 16

Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) bt *Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) 4 and 3
    McDougall 2 up after 12. MacIntyre bogeyed 14 and 15.
    McDougall 2 under par for holes played.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) 1 hole.
   Pennycott 2 up after 11, 3 up after 13. Duncan won 14, 16, 17 (with birdie) and 18. Duncan approx 3 over par at finish

*denotes seeded player in blue print

World rankings of last eight in Championship:
22 Robert MacIntyre
30 Connor Syme
71 Craig Howie
583 Jeff Wright
884 Alastair McDougall
2,854 Malcolm Pennycott
Unranked:
Andrew Burgess
George Duncan

John Henry earns £1,300 for 7th place on 

EuroPro Tour

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
A seventh place finish in this week's PGA EuroPro Tour competition at Close House Golf Club, Northumberland earned John Henry (Clydebank and District) £1,300.
He had rounds of 68, 69 and 72 for a total of four-under-par 209 - six shots behind the £10,000 first prize winner, Welshman Richard James (67-68-68 for 203).
Louis Gaughan (Bathgate), 68-70-72, and James Steven (Clydeway Golf), 68-66-76, ted for eighth place on 210 and earned £1,050 each.
Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan) and Zack Saltman (ArcherfFIield) just made the top 20, sharing 19th place on 214. Macaulay had rounds of 69, 75 and 70, Saltman 70, 73 and 71. They earned £505 each.

PGA EUROPRO TOUR
Close House GC, Northumberland
LEADING  FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
203 R James (Aberdovey) 67 68 68 (£10,00).
205 B Hemstock (Teignmouth) 67 68 68 (£6,000)
207 C Lloyd (The Kendleshire) 70 66 71 (£3,000)
SCOTS' TOTALS
209 J Henry (Clydebank and Dist) 68 69 72 (7th) (£1,300)
210 L Gaughan (Bathgate) 68 70 72, J Steven (Clydeway Golf) 68 66 76 (£1,050 each).
214 C Macaulay (Tulliallan) 69 75 70, Z Saltman (Archerfield) 70 73 71 (T19) (£505 each).
215 K Nicol (Paul Lawrie GC) 68 73 74 (T21) (£475)
216 J McLeary (Marriott Dalmahoy) 70 74 72, W Booth (Eastwood) (T25) (£425 each)
217 N Fenwick (Dunbar) 71 72 74 (T31) (£377)
221 S Lawrie (Paul Lawrie gC) 70 71 80 (T42) (£335)
223 E Saltman (Archerfield) 71 73 79, R Campbell (Falkirk Tryst) 75 69 79 (T47) (£310 each).

TO VIEW ALL THE TOTALS

CLICK HERE 

Welshman James claims maiden EuroPro title in dramatic fashion

  NEWS RELEASE

  BY NICK TEALE

Richard James won The Lookers Championship at Close House with a 54-hole score of ten under par to claim his first professional title.

The Welshman claimed the £10,000 cheque in dramatic fashion, having trailed Billy Hemstock (Teignmouth Golf Club) for most of the final round.

James (Aberdovey Golf Club) shot a final-round 68, three under par, for the win but was three shots back when he hit his tee shot at 13. He birdied that hole and in the group behind Hemstock, then 11 under, bogeyed it to see the gap reduced to one.

A birdie at 17 saw James draw level and with the pressure of needing a par at the last Hemstock pulled his tee shot at 18 into the thick rough. With an unplayable lie he took a penalty drop and his next shot ricocheted off the short wall in front of the green and back onto the fairway.

That left the Devon man, who carded a course-record eight-under-par in his second round, needing to hole his approach to force the play-off. He came up short and double bogeyed the hole to sign for a 73, finishing two back on eight under in second.

“I was buzzing all day out there, I was enjoying myself and had a smile on my face all day,” said James, who also took home a brand new Motocaddy S1 Lithium trolley, Bushnell Tour X Range Finder and Bolle Sunglasses.

“It isn’t often you are in contention and I wanted to enjoy it, and I think that is the biggest reason why I performed the way I did.

“My putting was key. I kept it in play but I putted unbelievably. The putt on 18, I will remember that for a long time.

“I don’t play for the money but that is a huge part of playing and I can kick on now and push for that top five at the end of the year.”

Chris Lloyd (The Kendleshire) finished third on six under par, with David Booth (Rotherham Golf Club), Luke Cornford (Cooden Beach Golf) and Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park).

Hemstock’s £6,000 runners-up cheque sees him move up to second on the Race To Desert Springs with a win to his name earlier in the season at Montrose Golf Links. Matthew Cort still leads the way with Greg Payne third. James moves into the all-important top five with his win. 

Highlights of The Lookers Championship will air on Sky Sports on Tuesday, August 9. The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour continues with the World Snooker Golf Masters at Army Golf Club next Wednesday to Friday, August 3-5.

Two US college students reach Scottish Amateur 36-hole final at Balgownie

for the latest positions 
CLICK HERE

World rankings of last eight in Championship:
22 Robert MacIntyre
30 Connor Syme
71 Craig Howie
583 Jeff Wright
884 Alastair McDougall
2,854 Malcolm Pennycott
Unranked:
Andrew Burgess
George Duncan 

The best of Burgess - KOs  favourite Syme to 

reach final, plays 19th hole winner Duncan

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Nairn's Andrew Burgess produced a marvellous display of sub-par golf to beat the favourite, World No 30 Connor Syme (Drumoig) by one hole in a semi-final of rare quality.
Burgess, pictured left, had seven birdies, including one at the 18th which took him, against all the odds at the start of the week, into the final of the 89th Scottish amateur championship.
Although beaten, Syme played very well too. He had six birdies to his credit.
The Nairn player, whose father Andy is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, Oldmeldrum, is a student at Armstrong State University, Savannah in Georgia.
This performance in reaching Saturday's 36-hole tops anything else Burgess has appeared in his golf career today. 
The other finalist is also a student at an American college.
 Windyhill's George Duncan, who attends Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee, beat twice Tennant Trophy winner Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th hole with a 5 to 6.
Duncan, pictured right, 3 up after eight holes but one down after 16 holes, squared the match with a par 3 at the 17th.The 18th was halved in 5s, the 19th in 4s before Duncan, several times Windyhill club champion, won through with a 5 to 6 at the 20th.

SEMI-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt *Connor Syme (Drumoig) 1 hole.
  Syme 2 up after 6, having won the first and fourth with birdies  All square after 10. Both players have had 4 birdies. 
  Burgess birdied the 13th to go one up but bogeyed the next to be pulled back to square. Syme birdied the 15th to go one up.
 Both players have had six birdies in a quality match.
 Burgess won the 16th with a par to level the match again.
Burgess produced his seventh birdie at the 18th to win the hole and a place in the final. The classic semi-final produced 13 birdies between the pair.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) at the 20th.
  Duncan 2 up after 5, having won the first and second (with birdie)
  Duncan 3 up after 8, 2 up after 9, having had eagle 3 at 6th and      birdie 2 at 8th.
  Duncan 3 up with a birdie 2 at the eighth but bogeyed the ninth to lose it and go back to two up. 
McDougall won the 13th with a par and the 14th with a bogey to be all square. McDougall won the 16th with a par to regain the lead but bogeyed the 17th to be all square again. The 18th was halved, also the 19th before Duncan won the 20th and the match with a 5 to a 6,
Burgess v Syme, McDougall v Duncan in this 

afternoon's semi-finals


By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie), winner of the prestigious Tennant Cup 72hole Order of Merit tournament in 2014 and 2015, scored the biggest win of his career at Royal Aberdeen's Balgownie links this morning.

McDougall (pictured) ended the reign of Glencruitten left-hander Robert MacIntyre, the 2015 champion, in the quarter-finals, McDougall winning by 4 and 3 with excellent figures - two under par for the holes played.
McIntyre is ranked No 22 in the World, McDougall No 884. 

US college student Andrew Burgess (Nairn), whose father is general manager at Meldrum House Hotel and golf course, won the all-North quarter-final against Jeff Wright (Forres).
Wright's record on the North open tournament circuit entitled him to start favourite in this tie but Burgess (pictured left) got his nose in front early and stayed there. He was roughly one over par at the finish in winning by 2 and 1. 
In this afternoon's semi-finals, Burgess, who will be a third-year student at Armstrong State University, Savannah, Georgia, when he returns there next month, will play Connor Syme (Drumoig).
Syme won the seeded clash against Craig Howie, thus ending the Peebles player's hopes of adding to the national title he won four years ago at Murcar Links - the Scottish boys' championship.
Syme led throughout and  won by 2 holes after being 3 up at the turn. He had four birdies to three by Howie.  

There are two US college students in the last four, George Duncan (Windyhill and Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee) staging a tremendous fightback over the last few holes to join Burgess in the semi-finals.
Windyhill GC champion three times, Duncan, pictured,  was three down after 13 to Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) from Arran, but then won the 14th, 16th, the 17th (with a birdie) and the 18th to squeeze through by one hole to play McDougall in the semi-finals.

QUARTER-FINALS
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt Jeff Wright (Forres) 2 and 1.
    Burgess 2 up after 7, 2 up after 10, 2 up after 13, 3 up after 14. Burgess 1 over par at finish

*Connor Syme (Drumoig) bt *Craig Howie (Peebles) 2 holes.
      Syme 2 up after 12, 1 up after 16

Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) bt *Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) 4 and 3
    McDougall 2 up after 12. MacIntyre bogeyed 14 and 15.
    McDougall 2 under par for holes played.

George Duncan (Windyhill) bt Malcolm Pennycott (Royal Burgess) 1 hole.
   Pennycott 2 up after 11, 3 up after 13. Duncan won 14, 16, 17 (with birdie) and 18. Duncan approx 3 over par at finish

*denotes seeded player in blue print