Four Scots advance to Stage 2 of Alps Tour Q 

School at La Cala, Spain 


Four Scots have advanced to Stage 2 of the Alps Tour Qualifying School after the Stage 1 36-hole eliminator was staged at La Cala Resort (south-east Spain) on Sunday and Monday.
At the Europa Course there were 37 players qualified. They were headed - by five shots -  by Sam Testeln (Fra) with 70-65 for 135.
Scots who qualified at this venue were Aberdeen-born Clark Lutton with scores of 69 and 73 for 142 and a T4 finish.
Anglo-Scot Craig Sutherland made it through in T6 position with 70-73 for 143.
Scottish non-qualifier at "Europa" was James McGilvray with 78-77 for 155 and a T44 finish.
At La Cala's Asia Course there were 43 qualifying places up for grabs.
Joint winners were Nikolaus Wimmer (Austria) with 69-68 and England's Philip Kelly with 64-73, both hitting the seven-under-par 137 mark.
The Scot who got through at the Asia Course was Joe Knox with rounds of 73 and 79 for 152 and a T29 finish.





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HENRIK STENSON WINS GOLF WRITERS TROPHY FOR SECOND TIME

NEWS RELEASE 

Open champion Henrik Stenson has won the Golf Writers Trophy for the second time.   

The award is voted by members of Association of Golf Writers and recognises the person or persons, born or resident in Europe, to have made the year’s most outstanding contribution to golf. 

Having claimed his first major at the Open at Royal Troon by winning a thrilling duel with Phil Mickelson, Stenson won this award with an overwhelming majority in the voting.  This was despite stiff competition from the Masters winner Danny Willett, Olympic champion Justin Rose and Alex Noren, who collected four European Tour titles in 2016. 

In a stellar year, the 40-year-old from Gothenburg also won the BMW International Open at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof, Pulheim in Germany three weeks before his Open triumph.  Stenson claimed eleven other top ten finishes in 2016 and secured the European Tour’s Race to Dubai for the second time. He was also the silver medallist behind Rose at the Rio Olympics. 

“It is always a great honour to receive the Association's award,” said Stenson.  “We talk about receiving recognition from your colleagues and your peers but in this instance it's great to be receiving that recognition from some of the most knowledgeable media in the sport. 

“So it's wonderful to be chosen as their Golfer Writers Association Trophy winner and I feel very honoured to win the award for a second time in my career,” added Stenson, who first won this award in 2013. 

“It's been a fantastic season for me winning my first Major at Royal Troon, winning the BMW International in Germany, winning a Silver medal at the Rio Games and finishing first again in the Race to Dubai. 

“The manner I went about this year was very pleasing from start to finish. I know that the award is presented just before the 2017 Open, so it's going to be very nice being present at Royal Birkdale next July to relive all those great memories of what I achieved at Troon. 

“It's been a great year for European golf and the European Tour and even though we didn't bring back the Ryder Cup, I look back knowing that winning the Open helped so much in winning the Race to Dubai. 

“And while Danny has to be congratulated for winning the Masters, I again have to thank the Association of Golf Writers in voting me as their Golfer of the Year. 

“I'll never grow tied of being weighed down with trophies!” 

AGW President Goran Zachrisson, commentated on Stenson’s Open triumph for Swedish television.  He said: “For Henrik to win the AGW Golfer of the Year award for a second time in four years speaks volumes, not only of Henrik's achievements on course in 2016, but for the very strong relationship he enjoys off course among those who report golf full time.  

“And this much-deserved award comes on the back of Henrik becoming the first Swedish-born male golfer to be honoured with the Svenska Dagbladet’s gold medal for the most significant Swedish sporting achievement of 2016.” 

AGW Chairman, BBC Golf Correspondent Iain Carter, said: “Not only is Henrik an outstanding golfer, but he is one of the game’s finest ambassadors.  I think it is fair to say a great many of the the golf writers were thrilled that he secured his long awaited first major title and this was reflected in their voting.   

“He won the Claret Jug in fantastic style by beating Phil Mickelson in an epic duel that left the rest of the field as nothing more than bit part players.  It was a contest that will long be remembered as one of the greatest Open performances ever witnessed.” 

BRICKENDON GRANGE GOLF CLUB WINS UK’s GREATEST AMATEUR GOLF HOLE AWARD

NEWS RELEASE

Three Scottish golf clubs finished in the top 10 behind winners Brickendon Grange Golf Club, Hertfordshire who have won the UK’s Greatest Amateur Hole poll 2016.

Brickendon Grange received a high number of public votes and impressed an independent judging panel in the national ‘Grass Roots’ golf competition organised by BusinessInsuranceFor.com, which provides business insurance services for golf and other sports clubs.

The initiative aims to shine the spotlight on lesser known golf clubs across the UK with Brickendon Grange Golf Club claiming the top spot, closely followed by Robin Hood Golf Club in Solihull and Murrayfield Golf Club in Edinburgh. The winner, Brickendon Grange Golf Club, was praised by the judging panel, comprising; Brendon Pyle, Chief Executive of The Golf Foundation and Michael Coffey, Publisher at The Golf Club Secretary.

The winner and final Top 10 gallery of entries can be viewed in full at:

https://www.businessinsurancefor.com/grass-roots-golf-award

1. Brickendon Grange Golf Club, Hertford (17th)
2. Robin Hood Golf Club, Solihull (16th)
3. Murrayfield Golf Club, Edinburgh  (10th hole)
4. Easingwold Golf Club, York (18th)
5. Langley Park Golf Club, London (10th)
6. Epping Golf Course, Epping in Essex (12th)
7. Toft Country House Hotel and Golf Club, Toft in Lincolnshire (18th)
8. Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club, Edinburgh (13th hole)
9. Rusper Golf Course, Dorking in Surrey (14th)
10. The Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh (16th hole)

In addition to being crowned the UK’s Greatest Amateur Hole 2016, Brickendon Grange Golf Club will receive a commemorative plaque, whilst BusinessInsuranceFor.com will donate £500 on behalf of the club to The Golf Foundation charity, which is committed to helping encourage more young people to take up the game. Golfer James Short, who nominated the hole, has also won a Scotty Cameron putter worth up to the value of £280.

NO SCOTS PLAYER CHOSEN BUT ELAINE TO

CAPTAIN GB and I VAGLIANO TROPHY TEAM 

There is no Scottish player in the GB and I squad of 10 named for a preliminary Vagliano Trophy team get-together at The Belfry on December 21 and 22.

The only Scottish connection is the retention of Aberdeen solicitor Elaine Farquharson-Black (Deeside) as the team captain for the two-day match against the Continent of Europe at Circolo Golf Bogogno, Italy on June 30 and July 1, 2017.

She led GB and I to memorable victory over the United States in the Curtis Cup match at Dun Laoghaire GC near Dublin last June.

Elaine, an honorary member of Deeside Golf Club and its junior convenor, said, “I am delighted to be continuing as captain of the GB and I team for the Vagliano Trophy. I look forward to working with another talented group of golfers to prepare for the challenge of winning the match against the Continent of Europe next year.”

The players chosen for The Belfry session are:

Emma Allen (Eng)
Lianna Bailey (Eng)
Gemma Clews (Eng)
India Clyburn (Eng)
Maria Dunne (Ire)
Alice Hewson (Eng)
Sophie Lamb (Eng)
Leona Maguire (Ire)
Olivia Mehaffey (Ire)
Lizzie Prior (Eng).

Ireland's Claire Coughlan-Ryan will continue as captain of the GB and I team of six Under-16 players for the Junior Vagliano Trophy match at the same Italian venue.

England's Helen Hewlett will be manager of both teams.

It generally considered that it is harder for GB and I to beat the Continent of Europe than it is to win against the United States.
Last year, at Malone Golf Club, Dublin, GB and I, captain by Elaine Farquharson-Black, got within one point of drawing with the Continent in the Vagliano Trophy match, the closest since the 2005 match won by GB and I at Chantilly.
The Continent have won the biennial fixture in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

The loss of Bronte Law, who won all five matches in the Curtis Cup match but is bound for the pro ranks, is a blow but Leona Maguire's decision to delay turning pro for at least another year is a big bonus for skipper Farquharson Black. 

David Duval ends long win drought as Team Duval captures PNC Father/Son Challenge

By Kevin Casey, GolfWeek.com
ORLANDO – It took 5,509 days. Yes, 5,509 days for David Duval to win again after capturing the 2001 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan.
Who would have guessed that?
Everything that happened in between, from injuries to financial hits, all got pushed further in the past on Sunday as Duval, Open champion at Royal Lytham in 2001,  emerged on top again.
Duval and stepson Nick Karavites fired a 10-under 62 Sunday at the PNC Father/Son Challenge backing up an opening 61 that earned the pair a one-shot overnight lead.
The follow-up proved just enough as the duo edged Team Funk (Fred and Taylor Funk) by a single shot at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Grande Lakes for the win and a total grand prize of $200,000.
That money’s got to be pretty sweet. But there’s nothing like a victory after a 15-year drought.
“It’s wonderful (to win again),” Duval said. “Wonderful to have the feelings. The nerves of really paying attention to what you’re doing, executing the golf shots and picking your lines.”
Watching Duval and Karavites this week, they didn’t seem to play with the weight of stepdad’s lengthy drought. Duval said that six weeks ago he felt he and Nick would have a good chance to win here no matter who was playing. He was right.
Instead of worrying after Team Funk jetted to 10 under early in the first round Saturday, Team Duval simply went one shot lower. The duo slept on the lead and then came out Sunday and birdied the first three holes.
The pair would be caught at times (by the Funks, Team Langer, Bernhard and Christina, and Team Daly, John Daly and Little John Daly) as the final round progressed, but it kept pressing. Team Duval would birdie seven of their first nine to go out in 29 and retain the solo lead, and would start the back with three birdies in five holes to move to 21 under overall and a three-shot lead.
Four pars to finish got the job done.
Duval’s career is well chronicled – former world No. 1 and major winner (2001 Open Championship) who became beset by injuries and hasn’t come remotely close to his world beater ways of 15+ years ago – but what about Karavites?
The 23-year-old Karavites first met his future stepdad after Duval and Karavites’ mom, Susan Persichitte, started up together. Karavites was 9 and essentially became best friends with Duval from the start.
“I probably asked him a million questions. I was a golf fan before I met him,” Karavites said. “I mean, David Duval, right? It was crazy.”
His mom, now Susan Persichitte Duval, would marry Duval soon after (in 2004) and a golfing pair was born.
“We are thick as thieves,” Duval said.
The couple had two children, Brayden and Sienna. Nick is one of three children (along with Deano and Shalene) from Persichitte Duval’s previous marriage. The whole family, aside from Shalene, was on hand for the trophy ceremony Sunday.
Nick competed in the 2012 PNC Father/Son Challenge with Duval, garnering a T-4 finish. He was a strong high school player but said he never tried to play college golf. He would study at Metro State University for a couple of years before moving on to Adams State University for a semester. He never graduated, but he’s already a young businessman.
Karavites said he and other parties are going to buy an existing marijuana dispensary with the idea to open up a dispensary in Denver called the Bloom Corporation (where Karavites would be an owner and manager).
Another somewhat sombre note: Karavites won the PNC Father/Son Challenge a day after his paternal grandmother died.
“He just did it in honour of her today,” said Persichitte Duval. “He played better than I’ve ever seen.”
Duval had to overcome some issues of his own this week. The 45-year-old Duval’s bad luck with injuries hasn’t ceased in 2016. He withdrew from the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July due to injury after making a valiant effort to play in the first place. Duval broke his right wrist and also had right elbow issues that required surgeries for both just four months earlier.
At the PNC Father/Son Challenge, there was nothing to that magnitude but Duval noted he still has tennis and golfer’s elbow, issues that haven’t affected his swing much but do present themselves during competition.
“I play in constant pain,” Duval said. “When you’re in constant pain, it might slow me down a little.”
Still, Duval, now a Golf Channel analyst, isn’t retired from the game, but he didn’t have too many specifics about his future golfing plans. Duval did say he believes he could maintain status and win golf tournaments if he could compete with a full slate.
But a win at the father/son doesn’t change the fact that Duval has virtually no status to get into USA PGA Tour events. He only earned two starts in the 2015-16 USA PGA Tour season, and while he already has one in 2016-17 (a missed cut at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October), he doesn’t think much will change.
Duval could try a few Monday qualifiers. He has in the past, but found no success there, and he’s not particularly inclined toward them anyway.
“Monday qualifiers are an incredibly difficult thing,” Duval said. “If you start bogey, bogey you might as well stop.”
Duval implied the constant pain could play a role in his future golfing plans, too.
Let’s stay in the present, though. Duval and Karavites can say they beat out a hoard of legends, not only the Funks but Retief and Leo Goosen and Stewart and Connor Cink (who all tied for second at 20 under). You can also add Team Langer (T-5, 19 under) to that tally.
Headliners John Daly and Little John Daly put together a strong effort in their opening appearance, as dad and son placed T-8 at 17 under.
“I’m so proud of (Little John),” the elder Daly said. “He (was) clutch all week.”
Duval who owns 13 USA PGA Tour wins, including that sole major title, has plenty of victories to reminisce about. (Did we mention that he not only captured the Players Championship but did so the same day his dad won on the PGA Tour Champions?)
So this win may be special, but where does it rank in Duval’s career? Right at the top.
“This is as good as anything. It truly is,” Duval said. “To be able to come out and compete in a professional event and win and have the whole family here, I’ll never forget it.”

• • •

2016 PNC FATHER/SON CHALLENGE
 FINAL LEADERBOARD

1. David Duval/Nick Karavites 61-62—123 (-21) $200,000/team
2. Fred/Taylor Funk 62-62—124 (-20) $62,417/team
2. Retief/Leo Goosen 63-61—124 (-20) $62,417/team
2. Stewart/Connor Cink 63-61—124 (-20) $62,417/team
5. Raymond/Robert Floyd 63-62—125 (-19) $48,000/team
5. Steve/Sam Elkington 64-61—125 (-19) $48,000/team
5. Bernhard/Christina Langer 63-62—125 (-19) $48,000/team
8. Mark/Shaun O’Meara 63-64—127 (-17) $45,167/team
8. John/Little John Daly 64-63—127 (-17) $45,167/team
8. Sandy/Stuart Lyle 64-63—127 (-17) $45,167/team
11. Lee/Connor Janzen 65-63—128 (-16) $43,750/team
11. Hale/Steve Irwin 67-61—128 (-16) $43,750/team
13. Nick/Matthew Faldo 66-65—131 (-13) $42,750/team
13. Vijay/Qass Singh 66-65—131 (-13) $42,750/team
15. Lee/Daniel Trevino 68-64—132 (-12) $41,750/team
*15. Lanny/Tucker Wadkins 66-66—132 (-12) $41,750/team
17. Larry/Josh Nelson 70-65—135 (-9) $41,000/team
18. Nick/Greg Price 68-69—137 (-7) $40,500/team
19. Jack/Jack II Nicklaus 71-68—139 (-5) $40,250/team
20. Curtis/David Strange 69-71—140 (-4) $40,000/team

*2015 champion