Women and girls join English  county champions’ weekend   England's county champions’ weekend is almost here and, for the first time this year, women and girls from across the country will join the title hunt at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, the home of England Golf. They’ll play on the Bracken course to find their champions of champions, while the boys, men and senior men tackle the Hotchkin course. The women and girl county champions on parade this weekend will include Caitlin Whitehead of Cumbria, who recently won the Scottish U14 girls’ title, and Georgia Price of Cornwall, who was runner-up in the English women’s stroke play and third in the British strokeplay. There will be a family double for the Kedzlies of Spalding in Lincolnshire, when 15-year-old Tilly plays in the girls’ event (image © Leaderboard Photography) while her twin, Hugo – an England U16 international – competes in the boys’ championship. Among the other players in the boys’ event are Lancashire’s Oliver Clarke, a member of England’s winning team at the Boys’ Home Internationals; U16 international Charlie Hilton of Sussex; Jake Bolton, who has just helped Wiltshire retain the Boys’ County Championship; and Gloucestershire’s Nathan Moore, who was in Long Ashton’s winning team at the Junior Champion Club tournament. The competitors in the men’s championship include England and GB and I boy international Toby Briggs of Norfolk; Martin Young of Hampshire, a past English mid-amateur champion; and Yorkshire’s Ben Hutchinson, the 2016 winner of the Scrutton Jug for the best combined score in the Brabazon and Berkshire Trophies. Surrey’s Keith Waters will defend his title in the senior men’s championship, aiming to become the first back-to-back winner since the event started in 2011. His challengers will include English senior champion Richard Latham of Lincolnshire, who will be playing on home ground at Woodhall Spa, and fellow senior international David Niven of Berks, Bucks and  Oxon (BB and O).  Latham and Niven have just returned from the senior European championships in Slovenia where they were in England’s bronze-medal winning team. The boys, men and senior men will all play over 36 holes, while restrictions on course availability mean the women and girls will play 18 holes for this year only. The boys play their event on Saturday, September 10; while the men, women and girls play on Sunday, September 11. The senior men play 18 holes on Saturday and Sunday.   Click here for more information  Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193

Teenage amateur Thomas shares Dubai Creek 

Open lead with Shepherd

 By VIREN VARMA

DUBAI — Teenage prodigy Rayhan Thomas, winner of the Scottish boys' open stroke-play title earlier this season,  moved to within touching distance of becoming the first amateur to win a MENA Golf Tour event going into the final round of the Dubai Creek Open on Tuesday.

Starting the day one shot off the pace, Thomas, who is ranked 526th in the world, backed up his opening six-under 65 with a 67 to join overnight leader Jake Shepherd atop the leaderboard on 10 under 132.

On a day when hot and humid conditions took its toll on one's energy levels and stamina, Shepherd moved to 11-under after the 13th, but a bogey on the closing hole prevented him from maintaining his overnight lead.

England’s Luke Joy carded a 69 to occupy solo third on seven under, two ahead of a four-man group which included his compatriot Zane Scotland, the most prolific winner on the MENA Golf Tour with 11 titles to his credit.

Pakistan’s Shafiq Masih, Stuart Archibald of England and Sweden’s Fredrik From completed the group for a share of eighth.

“I played scrappy golf. Drove the ball well, but iron game wasn’t that good. Also, I had a lot of putts that refused to go in,” said Shepherd, who made two birdies, one eagle and a bogey in his second round. 

“Even though I couldn’t concentrate well on the last four or five holes, I will take a 68,” said Shepherd, who, like last year, will play alongside Thomas in the final group.

“He is a massive talent and a good friend. It will be fun playing with him again,” said the 25-year-old Englishman who beat Thomas in a play-off for the title 12 months ago.

Thomas said: “Overall, I am very pleased with my efforts. Struck the ball as well as I did in the first round, but did not hole that many putts. I may have missed at least four birdie chances from within 12 feet,” who overcame an early bogey with five birdies, including three on the back nine.

“But I sank a nice one on the 15th from 20 feet to get to 10 under,” said Thomas, who thanked his caddy John Howells from the Butch Harmon Academy at the Els Club for keeping him cool and calm.

“I am not thinking too much about the final round. Will try and focus on each shot as it comes and see what happens,” said Thomas, a two-time runner-up on the MENA Golf Tour.

England’s Joy felt it was a different challenge out there, basically a question of survival because of the tough conditions. 

“On the back nine I had a little good spell, making four birdies in five holes which helped,” said Joy, the winner of the Dubai Creek Open in 2014.

Elsewhere, Danny Poulter, elder brother of Ryder Cup hero Ian, carded back-to-back 71s for a share of 20th while Morocco’s Faycal Serghini led the MENA Division for the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award on one over.

Aberdeen-born Clarke Lutton and Daniel Kay from Dunbar are joint 20th on 142. Lutton has had a pair of 71s while Kay sagged from an opening 67 to a 75.

The cut fell at 149 and two Scots who missed out were pro Paul Doherty (79-74 for 153) and  Lothians amateur Ben Alexander (78-78 for 156).

LEADERBOARD

par 142 (2x71)

132 Jake Shepherd (Eng) 64 68, Rayhan Thomas (India) (am) 65 67

135 Luke Joy (Eng) 66 69.]

137 Zane Scotland (Eng) 66 71, Shafiq Masih (Pakistan) 68 69, Stuart Archibald (Eng) 69 68, Fredrik From (Sweden)

SCOTS' SCORES

142 Clark Lutton 71 71, Daniel Kay 67 75 (T20)

MISSED THE CUT (149 and better qualified for final round)

153 Paul Doherty 79 74.

157 Ben Alexander (am) 78 78

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

Crichton's Lee Sterritt and Karl Schneider win Captains' and Secretaries' Regional Qualifier with a net 65 at West Lothian

Crichton Golf Club, Dumfries, represented by Lee Sterritt (handicap 8) and Karl Schneider (5) dovetailed splendidly to return a 10-under-par, better ball 61 to head the nine qualifying pairings at the Belhaven Best Captains and Secretaries Tournament regional qualifying round today at West Lothian Golf Club.
Sterritt and Schneider finished four shots clear of the field of 30 pairs.
Torwoodlee's Roy Thomson (17) and Malcolm Morrison (12) finished second with a net 65, a shot ahead of two teams on the 66 mark, hosts West Lothian (Kenny Campbell and Derek Pickens) and Jedburgh (Steven Henderson and Gary Hughes
Three teams - Roxburgh (Norman White and Cameron Thomson), George Heriot's FPs (Graeme Boon and Graeme Hunt) and Baberton -  finished with net 68s and there was only room for two of them in the nine who will go forward to the Grand Final on a date and a venue still to be specified.
Baberton's Alan Goodman (14) and Keith Nicholson (+1) were eliminated on a countback.

QUALIFIERS
Par 71
61 Crichton: L Sterritt (8) and K Schneider (5).
65 Torwoodlee: R Thomson (17) and M Morrison (12)
66 West Lothian: K Campbell (5) and D Pickens (5); Jedburgh: S Henderson (10) and G Hughjes (3).
67 Polmont: T Forsyth (14) and M Rae (4); Edinburgh Western: R McOIntyre (14) and R Wilkie (14); Thornton: J Goedson (9) and J Brown (11).
68 (after countback) Roxburghe: N White (8) and C Thomson (10); George Heriot's FPs: G Boon (15), G Hunt (5).
DID NOT QUALIFY
68 Baberton: A Goodman (14) and K Nicholson (+1).
71 Strathaven: M Scott (1) and C Beattie (7); Port Seton: S Quin (11) and C Johnston (24); St Bosells: R Barrie (11) and J Melrose (10); Drumpellier: A Stewart (12) and D Totten (9).
72 Royal Burgess: G Callander (7) and J Fraser (+1); Harrison: N Hyson (19) and C Hutcheson (12).
73 Craigmillar Park, Thorntree, Williamwood, Knightswood, Vale of Leven.
75 Melville.
76 Newcastleton.
77 Swanston New, Wintrfield, Falkland.
88 Lochend
NS Muckhart.

To view all the scores

CLICK HERE

NEast Alliance season tees off at Craibstone tomorrow (Wednesday)

The North-east Golfers' Alliance 2016-2017 season opens at Craibstone Golf Club tomorrow (Wednesday).

TEE TIMES

1	8-00	.
2	8-08
3	8-16	T. Boyle	I. Esslemont	C. Cassie
4	8-24	J. Sunley	P. Cheyne
5	8-32	R. Reid	D. Booth	W. Clark
6	8-40	A. Dunton	P. Mclean	K. Duncan
7	8-48	H. Roulston	L. Roger	M. Rendall
8	8-56	L. Smart	W. Fyfe	C. Grant
9	9-04	M. Brown	R. Brown
10	9-12	S. Davidson	D. Lawrie	B. Ritchie
11	9-20	S. Hanson	C. Dempster	G. Chalmers
12	9-28	H. Macnaughton	D. Mackay	C. Law
13	9-36	J. Scott	G. Patterson
14	9-44	M. Smith	R. Macrae	S. Shand
15	9-52	B. Lumsden	J. Forrest	I. Bratton
16	10-00	D. A. Fleming	M. Duncan	J. Emslie
17	10-08	D. Cragie	E. Riley	L. Fowler
18	10-16	A. Clark	D. Lane	R. Ruddiman
19	10-24	D. Leslie	G. Homer	G. McLaggan
20	10-32	P. Walker	N. Chisholm	N KParker
21	10-40	S. Allison	R. Davidson	G. Mackie
22	10-48	S. Finnie	K. McGillivary	J. Crawford
23	10-56	W. Beattie	J. Stewart	L. Duncan
24	11-04	S. Mackie	J. Batley
25	11-12	S. Scott	D. Robertson	D. Townsley
26	11-20	S. Kiloh	K. Zeynalove
27	11-28	M. Thompson	R. Cameron
28	11-36
29	11-42
30	11-50
31	11-58

32    12-06
33    12-14
34    12-22     C. Nelson, M. Allan, I. D. Smith
35    12-30     R. Lamb, M. Merchant
36    12-38     D. Brown, R. Tulloch, M. Lawrie
37    12-46     P. Low, J. Borthwick, I. Still
38    12-54     J. Hopwood, M. Winton, P. Craig

Scots Walker and Franssen help Missouri

University win Turning Stone title

The winning University of Missouri team and their head coach. Rory Franssen is on left of back row and Euan Walker is on the right end of the back row. Thanks to all our readers for their help in identifying where the Scots were in the picture.

VERONA, New York - The University of Missouri men's golf team, which included Scots Euan Walker from Troon and freshman Rory Franssen from Inverness,  won its fifth consecutive team trophy at the annual Turning Stone-Tiger Intercollegiate. It was their first competition of the 2016-2017 US college golf season.
Missouri (Mizzou) did it  with an impressive come-from-behind surge, shooting a 279-stroke third round as a team (283-290-279 -- 852) to make up a seven-stroke deficit on No. 24 Texas A and M (279-287-293 -- 859) on Monday on the Kaluhyat Course (par-72, 6,857 yards).
Leading the way for head coach Mark Leroux's group were senior (final year student) Euan Walker (Troon, Scotland) and junior Trevor Ullestad (Jewell, Iowa), who both fired 3-under-par tournament aggregates for the 54-hole event to tie for third overall. Walker was strong in two-of-three rounds of golf at Turning Stone, recording scores of 69-76-68. Ullestad, a newcomer to Mizzou after transferring from Indian Hills Community College, was steady with rounds of 70-72-71 for his overall total of 213.
Right behind Walker and Ullestad was senior Linus Lilliedahl (Sandviken, Sweden), who recorded a 2-under-par event (70-75-69 -- 214) to place fifth as an individual.
Playing as an unattached individual, sophomore Matt Echelmeier (Columbia, Mo.) represented Mizzou well with a Top 10 finish, placing tied for ninth with an even-at-par tournament (72-71-73 -- 216).
Rounding out Mizzou's line-up at the Turning Stone were freshman (first-year student)  Rory Franssen, a member at Nairn Golf Club, playing in his first US college tournament, and sophomore Preston Fleenor (Kansas City, Missouri), who finished at 3-above-par (T-13th) and 5-above-par (16th), respectively.
The Tigers' comeback in the final round of the tournament on Monday was set up by the steady play of the group, eliminating Texas A and M's seven-stroke advantage and creating a seven-stroke lead of their own. Mizzou finished the event at 12-under-par as opposed to the Aggies' 5-under-par.
Mizzou is next in action at the Jackrabbit Invitational in Valentine, Nebraska, from Sept. 25-Sept. 27.

+Euan Walker, a member of Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club,  received a top award in US collegiate in May.
He was named Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, selected by a panel of coaches in the Conference.
Walker has been a force for the University Of Missouri golf team, the Tigers, on the course and in the classroom, compiling a 4.0 cumulative grade point average in mathematics while appearing in his golf team line-up for the entire 2015-16 season.
Walker proved to be one of the team's most consistent golfers during the 2015-2016 season, recording a 73.4 stroke average, good enough for second-best on the squad.
He was the Tigers' first or second-best finisher in six of the team's 10 events during the 2015-16 campaign.
The honour is the second conference recognition in Walker's career, as he earned a place on the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team as a newcomer in 2013-14

A Royal Gathering at Royal Dornoch

 NEWS RELEASEDornoch, Sutherland: Royal Dornoch Golf Club will be welcoming
representatives from 57 of the worlds 66 Royal Clubs for a week of golf and hospitality.  
The representatives including presidents, captains, managers and members are joining Royal Dornoch
Golf Club members and committee to help celebrate 400 years of Golf at Dornoch.
Neil Hampton, General Manager of Royal Dornoch, commented “We believe this is the largest
number of Royal golf clubs to be present in the one place. We are delighted that so many of the
clubs accepted our invitation, from our nearest local, Duff House Royal in Aberdeenshire, to Royal
Wellington in New Zealand.”
Each Royal club will have their own Fear Failte “welcomer” a local Royal Dornoch member who will host them for the week, helping build ties of friendship and camaraderie.
The week-long celebration starts with many of the international and national guests playing golf at
the local partnership clubs, Brora, Golspie and Tain, while also enjoying a tour of many of the local
distilleries, museums, and tourist attractions on the first three days.
A welcome cocktail party on the Wednesday in partnership with Glenmorangie, is the start of the
official Royal celebrations. The Thursday and Friday is a chance for the club representatives to play
over the Royal Dornoch Championship course and Royal Dornoch Struie course. This will be an
opportunity for each of the clubs to meet and play with the many other visitors.
The final celebration is the Royal Dornoch Gala dinner, where a commemorative photo will be taken
of all the representatives in all their finery before they join the invited guests and Royal Dornoch
hosts.
There will the final presentation by Wade Cormack on his extensive research of Sport and Golf in the
Inner Moray Firth, funded by Royal Dornoch Golf Club, with closing comments on the week given by Gavin Caldwell, captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.