Mike
Dewsbury from Brocton Hall Golf Club, Stafford shot a round of 70 to
lead by two shots at the end of the first qualifying round for the
matchplay stages of the Eden Trophy over the Eden Course, St Andrews.
He leads by two shots from Irishman Keith Murphy with Stephen Harriman (Nuneaton) in third place on 73.
Leading Scot is Douglas Wagh (Baberton) in joint fourth place on 74.
In
the Strathtyrum Trophy women's tournament, Irish players fill the first
two places after the first qualifying round at the New Course.
Margaret McAuliffe shot a 78 to lead from compatriot Ada O'Sullivan, a past Curtis Cup captain, by two shots.
Leading Scots are Fiona Norris (Hamilton) and Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) in joint third place on 81.
Haggs Castle proud to be a PGA venue PGA NEWS RELEASE Haggs
Castle captain John Leitch says the Glasgow club are bucking the trend
in terms of membership as they prepare to host the Golfplan Insurance
Pro Captain Challenge Scottish qualifying event. Leitch will
partner host pro Campbell Elliott for the event which takes place this
week (August 12) with a host of teams aiming to win a place in the
£25,000 final which takes place at Spanish destination Lumine
Mediterranean Beach and Golf Community. The resort, which
features two Greg Norman designs, will stage the event over 36 holes
from Wednesday, November 30 - Thursday, December 1. And five handicapper Leitch says he is proud that the PGA have chosen their club to host the event once more. “We
have no input into why the PGA choose us, but we must be doing
something right,” said the 56-year-old retired newspaper executive. “As
for myself and Campbell qualifying for the final, I don’t know about
that, but we will certainly enjoy being the host club again. “It is a chance for us to show off and showcase what we have here. We have an excellent venue and a strong membership. “In
fact we are bucking the trend at Haggs Castle when it comes to members.
At a time when golf club membership has tended to fall generally, we’ve
not found that to be the case. “Events like this only serve to enhance the prestige of hosting PGA tournaments. “And it’s always good to have the best Scottish professionals coming here for this event.” Elliott added that the venue is well thought of in Scotland. “There
is a definite pedigree about the course. We’ve hosted this qualifying
event on a number of occasions now and we’re very proud to be able to do
that,” he said. Among the teams taking part in the Haggs Castle
qualifier are: Craig Everett and Des McLaughlin (Caldwell Golf Club);
Ian Graham and Hugh O'Donnell (Crow Wood GC); Ian Taylor and
Derek Totten (Drumpellier GC); Norman Huguet and Alex Chisolm
(Musselburgh GC); Stuart Kerr and Charles Beattie (Strathaven
GC) and Simon McLean and John McAuley (Airdrie GC).
Loretto School Under-14 boys and girls championship
Matthew and Evanna lead at Loretto Scottish U14 tournament By COLIN FARQUHARSON Matthew Jackman (Southport and Ainsdale) has opened up a five-shot lead in the boys' section and Evanna Hynd (Balbirnie Park) tops the girls' returns by two strokes at the end of the first day of the Loretto School Scottish Under-14 boys and girls' tournament at Craigielaw Golf Club. Jackman shot a sparkling two-under-par 69 to have his nearest challengers, William Lewis (Long Ashton) and Casey Jarvis (South Africa) trailing in his wake on the 74 mark. Best placed Scots boys are Calum D Scott (Nairn) and Cameron Johnstone (Troon Welbeck), tied eighth on 76. In the girls' section, Evanna Hynd was three over par with a 74 but it was a good enough effort to lead R Belshaw (Whitley Bay) by two with the third placed players, including Hannah Darling (Broomieknowe), back on 80. LEADING SCORES Boys par 71 SS 70 CSS 73 69 M Jackman (Southport and Ainsdale). 74 W Lewis (Long Ashton), C Jarvie (SAfr). 75 D Clemons (Gog Magog), P Pontiggia (Ita), J Bekirian (Fra), F Berthault (Fra). Selected scores 76 C D Scott (Nairn), C Johnstone (Troon Welbeck) (T8) 79 B Patience (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), R McAuley (Fereneze) (T26) 80 E Orr (Kemnay), A O'Hagan (Old Ranfurly) (T35). 81 L Gillies (N) (T45) 82 L Reynolds (Hilton Park), H Austin (Dumfries and County), R Mair (Buckpool), C Sharpe (Blairgowrie) (T53) 83 R Lindsay (Ayr Belleisle), G Graham (Blairgowrie) (T71) 85 T Erskine (Kilmacolm) (T86) GIRLS Par 71 SSS 72 CSS 72 74 E Hynd (Balbirnie Park) 76 R Belsham (Whitley Bay) 80 M Cervinkova (Cze), H Darling (Broomieknowe), C Whitehead (Kendal). SELECTED SCORES 82 A Fuller (Roehampton) (T7) 84 P Wilson (Burntisland) (T12) 85 R Foster (Turnberry) (T14) 87 A MacKenzie (East Renfrewshire), E Henderson (Loretto School), C Griffiths (Aboyne) (T21) 89 G Crawford (Gullane) (T25) 90 R Erskine (Kilmacolm) (T26) 93 C Wilson (St Regulus) (T28) 94 N Fowler (Kingsfield) (T30)
Albert MacKenzie in action in the recent Aberdeen Senior Masters at Meldrum House. Picture by Cal Carson Agency.
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Lossiemouth-born and bred senior pro golfer Albert MacKenzie has been
named as the PGA Cup team captain for Great Britain and Ireland’s
defence of the Llandudno Trophy against the United States next year.
The Saunton Golf Club, North Devon head
PGA Professional was a vice captain to Jon Bevan in GB and I’s historic
triumph at CordeValle in 2015, their first victory on the other side of the Atlantic.
MacKenzie, who played in the recent Aberdeen Senior Masters at Meldrum, House. is passionate about
the biennial contest and several times came close to qualifying for the
team as a player – the nearest when he lost out in a play-off for a
spot at Woodhall Spa in 2005.
He described the invitation to captain the PGA Cup team as the highlight of his competitive professional career.
The Scot takes the reins at a
high point for GB and I who staged a magnificent Sunday singles
fightback to tie the matches at Slaley Hall in 2013 before going one
better with victory in California last year.
“Ever since agonisingly
missing out on selection for the team at Carnoustie in 1990, my quest to
play some part in the PGA Cup has perpetually energised and driven my
tournament golf and has kept me competitive to this day,” said MacKenzie.
“Despite finishing fifth in
our PGA Professional Championship in 2004 at Southport and Ainsdale,
and seventh at Prince’s in 2006, losing in a play-off to get into the
team after the 2005 championship at Woodhall Spa, was, to date, my
closest moment.
“The phone call from Jon
Bevan in September 2014, offering me the opportunity to be his
vice-captain, was emotional to say the least.
“I did not realise at that
juncture that it was going to be the most incredible journey I would
become blessed to experience, the build-up too, and the matches at
CordeValle, reaching levels I barely knew existed.
“Winning in America was history in the making.
“I have learned and taken much from CordeValle - the two captains being a shining example to us all.
“My goal now is to create history once more by successfully defending the PGA Cup after winning in America.
“I am beyond privileged to
represent our wonderful Association as Captain of the 2017 PGA Cup team
and I will endeavour to ensure that the underside of every stone gets
bathed in daylight, in our quest to retain the Llandudno Trophy.”
PGA chief executive Sandy
Jones, also a Scot, added: “Albert is hugely passionate about the PGA Cup as many of
our captains have been over the history of the matches.
“Since we amended the
qualifying process for the team, the last two matches have proved to be
exciting down to the wire with us halving one and succeeding with the
final putt at CordeValle giving us our first ever victory in America.
“Jon Bevan made history as
the first captain to succeed in America, setting the bar at a high level
and I know that Albert who was Jon’s vice-captain, will take
inspiration from that experience and have total desire and focus to
successfully retain the Llandudno Trophy.”
STANLEY
MORRISON CHARITABLE TRUST TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 2016
Sunday 18th September
DUMFRIES and COUNTY GOLF CLUB
In association with ClubGolf
Teams of 3 players – Open to Boys
and Girls
CATEGORIES
Under 18 yrs old 1/1/16
Under 16 yrs old 1/1/16
Under 14 yrs old 1/1/16
The field is limited to 40 teams
Entry, Coaching and Food is FREE
Teams can be made up with members of different
clubs. All players must hold a CONGU
handicap of 36 or under. There will be coaching and skills events running
throughout the day organised by Mark Loftus, Stewart Savage and Dean Robertson,
assisted by the University of Stirling golf scholars.
PGA NEWS RELEASE Lurgan Golf Club’s head professional Peter Hanna has been named PGA Captain-elect. The Northern Ireland golfer will take the ambassadorial role from 2019-21. He will succeed Royal Liverpool’s John Heggarty who replaces Nicky Lumb next April. Hanna,
57, moved back to his childhood club Lurgan in 2010 having previously
been the longstanding pro at Fortwilliam Golf Club for almost 25 years. “It is a great honour even just to be thought about, let alone to get the call which left me in a state of shock,” said Hanna.
BLAINE,
Minnesota (AP) Joe Durant made a 10-foot eagle putt on the first hole of a
playoff with Miguel Angel Jimenez on Sunday to win the US PGA Tour
Champions' 3M Championship.
The 52-year-old Durant won on the par-5 18th after closing with a
birdie on the hole in regulation for a 9-under 63. After a double bogey
on the par-4 14th, Jimenez birdied the last four holes for a 67 to match
Durant at 19-under 197 at TPC Twins Cities.
Jimenez birdied the 18th in the playoff, too, before Durant rolled in the right-to-left winner.
Durant won for the second time on the 50-and-over tour and the first
by himself after teaming with Billy Andrade to win the Legends of Golf
last year. Durant won the last of his four PGA Tour titles at Walt
Disney World in 2006.
Durant opened with a 70 and shot a 64 on Saturday to begin the final
round four strokes behind leader Jimenez. Durant birdied Nos. 1-2, 4-5
and 7-8 in a front-nine 30, and added birdies on Nos. 10 and 12. He
dropped a stroke on the par-3 13th and got it back with a birdie on the
par-4 14th.
Jimenez shot 67-63 to take a one-stroke lead over Kevin Sutherland into the final round.
Two weeks ago at Carnoustie in the Senior British Open, Jimenez took a
four-stroke lead into the last day, only to shoot 75 and tie for third -
three strokes behind winner Paul Broadhurst.
Jimenez won in Mississippi in March for his third career PGA Tour
Champions victory. The 52-year-old Spanish player has 15 regular
European Tour victories, the last in the 2014 Spanish Open at a
tour-record 50 years, 133 days.
Two-time winner Bernhard Langer had a 64 to tie for third with
Sutherland (68) at 17 under. Langer has broken par in all 24 of his
rounds in the event.
David Frost (66) and Monday qualifier Glen Day (68) followed at 16 under.
Two-time defending champion Kenny Perry had a 68 to tie for 37th at 7 under.
John Daly tied for 71st at 3 over after a 75. Colin Montgomerie earened $40,250 for a T10 finish with rounds of 66, 67 and 70 for 13-under-par 203.
Russell Knox bolsters Ryder Cup hopes with Travelers Championship win
By Keith Jackson
SKYSPORTS.COM
Russell Knox further
enhanced his Ryder Cup credentials after holding his nerve to hole a
clutch par putt on the 72nd green to snatch a one-shot victory at the
Travelers Championship.
The victory was worth $1,188,00 to the Florida-based man from Inverness ... but probably a lot more in terms of a place in the European team to play the United States.
After Jim Furyk had stolen the headlines by becoming the first player in PGA Tour history to card a 58,
a battling 68 was enough to earn Knox his second win of the season
having made his breakthrough at the WGC-HSBC Champions back in November.
Knox
had started the round three shots adrift of 54-hole leader Daniel
Berger, who crashed out of contention with a torrid run of four
consecutive bogeys after the turn, while veteran Jerry Kelly emerged as
the Scot's closest challenger after he closed with a 64 to set the
clubhouse target at 13 under.
Russell Knox flings his hat away after holing the winning putt at TPC River Highlands
With
most of the world's media focused on Furyk's record-breaking exploits
earlier in the day, Knox made a steady start as he followed two solid
pars with a 22-foot putt for birdie at the third before giving the shot
straight back when he tugged his drive into a fairway bunker at the
next.
Knox got back on track with a good four at the long sixth,
where playing-partner Berger's problems began as he ran up an ugly six,
although the pair traded three pars to keep the American ahead at the
turn.
But
Berger's game disintegrated on the back nine, finding bunkers and
dropping shots at 10, 11 and 12 before compounding the errors by
blocking his drive at the 13th into water.
Knox found sand twice
at the par-five 13th, but he splashed out of the second to six feet and
rolled in the putt for birdie, and he picked up another shot from
similar range at the next to open up a three-shot lead over the field.
Knox closed with a 68 to snatch a one-shot win over Jerry Kelly
Kelly
reduced the deficit with a birdie at 15, and Knox narrowly failed to
match his three before coming close to disaster at the short 16th, where
his tee shot came up short and held on the bank at the front of the
green when it looked certain to roll back into the lake.
Knox
could not take full advantage of his reprieve as he pitched to 10 feet
and mis-read the par putt, but he steadied himself with a rock-solid par
at 17 before blocking his drive into the gallery to the right of the
18th fairway.
His second landed in the front-right bunker and his
escape pulled up 12 feet short of the pin, but he regained his composure
to roll the putt into the centre of the cup to join Jason Day, Dustin
Johnson, Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth as multiple winners this season.
Kelly,
who is eligible to join the PGA Tour Champions in November, made an
early move with three birdies over the first five holes and, as Berger
slipped after the turn, the veteran vaulted into firm contention when he
holed a wedge from 113 yards for an unlikely eagle at the 12th.
The
charismatic American also birdied 13 and 15 either side of what proved
to be a costly dropped shot at the 14th, and he was typically gracious
in defeat after settling for outright second.
Live PGA Tour Golf
August 11, 2016, 10:00pm
Live on
Justin
Thomas also made a significant move when he reeled off five consecutive
birdies to cap an outward 30, and he picked up four more shots on the
home stretch while carding his lone bogey of the day at 14 to close with
a superb eight-under 62.
Thomas shared third on 12 under with
Patrick Rodgers (68), while Furyk's astonishing round propelled him 65
places up the leaderboard into a tie for fifth with Berger, who had
started the day 16 shots ahead of the 46-year-old.
