WEATHER HITS PGA EUROPRO TOUR
EVENT AT COLLINGTREE PARK

Difficult to write a report on a tournament in which quite a few players have still to complete their second rounds because bad weather caused an early end to the second day's play.
That's the position in the PGA EuroPro Tour event at Collingtree Park.
Without all the second-round totals, it is impossible to be dogmatic about what the maximum figure is for the 36-hole cut.
It looks like those with 145 and better will make it through to the final round.
Freddy Valenti (Pryors Haynes) is the only Scot who has definitely qualified. He has had rounds of 75 and 69 for a level par tally of 144.
Alasdair Hay (three under par in the first round) and Callum Nicoll (one under par) are two who should make it but we'll have to wait and see.
Paul Doherty slumped from a first-round 70 to a second-round 76 and his 146 total looks vulnerable. If the computer projection is correct, the former Scottish boys' match-play champion will miss the cut by one stroke.
Tartan Tour regular Chris Kelly was four over par on the first day. He is one of those still to complete 36 holes.
Elliot Saltman, Paul Cormack and Neil Mitchell are certainly out of it.
Rookie Saltman has had a pair of 75s for 150, the same total as rookie Cormack who has scored 72 and 78.
Neil Mitchell from Murcar Links has scored 75 and 76 for 151.
Chris Farr (six over par first round) and Stephen Lamb (seven over par) have still to complete.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
135 Adam Frayne (St Mellion) 68 67, Russell Claydon (Gog Magog) 69 66.
137 Robert McGuirk (Princes) 70 67.
139 Mark Smith (Erewash Valley) 71 68, Darren Prosser (Stourbridge) 70 69.
Other completed scores:
144 Freddy Valenti (Pryors Haynes) 75 79.
PROJECTED CUT (145 and better to qualify)
146 Paul Doherty (Vale of Glamorgan) 75 76.
150 Elliot Saltman (Craigielaw) 75 75, Paul Cormack (Inchmalro) 72 78.
151 Neil Mitchell (Murcar Links) 75 76.

MICKELSON AND MICHELLE FAIL TO

FINISH: BOTH RETIRE WITH

WRIST INJURIES

Thursday's big golf news is not about who is playing but who is NOT playing.
Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the Memorial Tournament halfway through the opening round because of a left wrist injury.
He was two over par after 11 holes when he came off the Muirfield Village club course. His hand was massaged between shots while he was on the course.
Meanwhile, Michelle Wie, pictured right, dropped out of the Ginn Tribute tournament at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina after 16 holes. She was 14 over par at the time, having had a 10 at one hole.
The 17-year-old from Hawaii played the round with supportive bandages on her wrists.
Wie had not played competitive golf since missing the cut at the US PGA Tour Sony Open men's tournament since then. She had been recovering from wrist injuries and going to school/college since then.

She started at the 10th hole with Janice Moodie and Alena Sharp as her playing partners. She was 14 over par and heading for the eighth tee, her 17th hole, when she was stopped by her Nike business manager Greg Nard. After a brief conversation, they called over an LPGA official and Michelle said she was "not playing any more."

Later Miss Wie said her retiral after 16 holes had nothing to do with the LPGA rule that bans non-tour members for a year if they shoot 88 or higher in one of its tournaments.

Wie was only two bogeys short of reaching that figure when, obviously on the advice/instructions of her manager, she quit.

"I had issues with my wrist. Shooting 88 is not what I think about," she said later at a Press conference.

Wie did not shake her wrist or show any sign of discomfort during the round. Last season, she grabbed her wrist on several occasions, even during press conferences.
"She wasn't holding her wrist," said playing partner Sharp. "I think she just had a bad day. If it was her wrist, why wait until the last two holes [to withdraw]?"
Wie's career, not to put too fine a point on it, is now at the crossroads. Perhaps it has been for sometime but this latest bizarre day means she has not broken par in an LPGA event since last July.

"I really felt sorry for Michelle out there," said Alena Sharp. "She did not look a happy girl at all."

Michelle said she still hopes to play in next week's LPGA major, the McDonald's LPGA championship.

MICKELSON STILL CONFIDENT ABOUT US OPEN

Back to Phil Mickelson - and he insisted later that the wrist injury would not keep him out of the US Open, starting on June 14.
He said: "I don't think it's anything serious. I'll take a couple of days off, see if I can ice it and get it ready for the US Open."
The American was two over par at the time, having suffered a double bogey at the par-three eighth hole and a bogey at the par-five 11th.
"I'll try to even play in Memphis next week if I can, but the Open is more what we're gearing up for," he confirmed.
Mickelson revealed that the wrist began hurting on Monday during a practice round at Oakmont.
He explained: "I was hitting a lot of chip shots out of the rough and I think that aggravated it.
"I hit some drivers (on the range) today and it started hurting a little bit, but nothing I thought I couldn't handle.
"I took four Advil, thought it's all right, and when I hit a wedge (on the second hole) it (the pain) shot up my arm.
"I kind of half-clubbed it around (after that). It just got worse. I couldn't grab the club and couldn't swing."

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

SAM TORRANCE HAS SON DANIEL

ON HIS BAG IN IRISH SENIORS'

TITLE DEFENCE

By STEVEN FRANKLIN

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR PRESS OFFICER

Sam Torrance will have a new but familiar face on his bag tomorrow when he launches his defence of the AIB Irish Seniors Open, in association with Greenstar and Fáilte Ireland, at the PGA National Ireland golf course to the west of Dublin.
The former Ryder Cup Captain has chosen to break up his successful partnership with caddie Brian Dunlop and has turned instead to his own 18-year-old son Daniel, a one handicap golfer.
This father-and-son combination has dovetailed effectively in the past, most notably in winning the team competition in the 2003 dunhill links championship on the European Tour, and Torrance senior is cautiously optimistic of more good times to come.
“I haven’t really got into my stride yet this season, but I am feeling better with my swing and my son Daniel starts on my bag today, which is pretty exciting for the Torrance family. I am really looking forward to it,” confirmed the Scot, who won last year’s AIB Irish Seniors in a four-man play-off.
“I’ve tried to go through the do’s and don’ts with him, but he’s 18 so you have got to tell him a few times. He should be fine though, as he has played the dunhill links with me three or four times and knows exactly what goes on. He’s a very good player himself, so hopefully he will learn something and I might even learn something myself.”
The €450,000 tournament will be played over 54 holes on the Christy O’Connor junior-designed PGA National Ireland lay-out at Palmerstown House, County Kildare.
With Padraig Harrington having recently ended a 25-year home drought by winning the Irish Open, Eamonn Darcy and Denis O’Sullivan find themselves in the spotlight as the most likely candidates to become the first Irish winner of the AIB Irish Seniors Open, in association with Greenstar and Fáilte Ireland, since Joe McDermott back in 1998.

SCOTLAND v ENGLAND SCHOOLS
ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
The Scotland v England schools golf international will be played on Monday, September 10 as previously announced but it is now unlikely to be held at Fairmont St Andrews (formerly St Andrews Bay).
The organisers are looking for a venue where neighbouring hotel rates are not so high.
Next year’s Scottish schools championships will be played a week later than this year – on Monday, June 16 at Dullatur Golf Club, Cumbernauld.
This year's Scottish schools tournament is at Gullane on Monday, June 11.

LAWRIE, O'HARA & ORR
SHARE LEAD WITH SIX
OTHERS ON 65 IN CELTIC
MANOR WALES OPEN

Three Scots - Paul Lawrie, Steven O'Hara and Gary Orr - figure in a nine-way logjam on four-under-par 65 at the top of the leaderboard in the first round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open at the Newport venue.
For Lawrie, winner of the tournament in 2002, it was a welcome return to form with the Open at Carnoustie getting ever closer.
The Aberdonian, pictured right, had birdies at the fifth, seventh and two short holes, the 11th and 15th, and also the 18th He bogeyed the fourth for halves of 34 and 31.
By missing seven of his last nine halfway cuts Lawrie has dropped back outside the world's top 250 and has slumped to 132nd on the European Order of Merit. But the 1999 Open champion, no longer exempt for all the majors in America, said: "I was six under after 14 on Monday at Carnoustie (Paul was there on a company day), using a new putter and holed a good few eight to 10-footers with it today.
"I don't think I've actually been playing that poorly, but I haven't been knocking them in as I'd want to. But that's the game, isn't it? You don't always get what you think you should. I always enjoy coming here to Celtic Manor. The hotel is one of the nicest we stay in on Tour, I feel comfortable and I have had a good record."
As well as winning and setting a course record five years ago, he lost a play-off to Paul McGinley in 2001, albeit all on a different lay-out to the one being used this week. The bad weather was never likely to alter his good feelings about the venue that will stage the 2010 Ryder Cup.
Lawrie continued: "Obviously it's quite like back home for me. The weather is never that great, but I don't mind. I don't wake up wishing for it, but when it comes it doesn't bother me."
A 35-foot chip-in on the short 15th, his sixth, certainly helped his cause and his only mistake came when he three-putted the fourth. Lawrie is looking forward to returning to Carnoustie for the Open in just seven weeks, especially as his eight and 12-year-old sons will be watching him there this time.
He added: "It's been spoken about for quite a while now, so I am kind of wishing that it would happen so we can get on with it. You can't beat having an Open an hour from your house, sleeping in your own bed."
Steven O'Hara from Colville Park bogeyed his last hole or else he would have been the clear leader on 64. Steven started at the 10th and birdied the 15th before marking up an eagle 3 at the long 16th to cover his first nine holes in three-under-par 31. Then he birdied the first and third and was five under par with three to play. A bogey at the ninth, his last, took just a little bit of the shine off a fine round.
Gary Orr birdied the third, fourth, fifth and nine after a bogey at the second. He birdied the 11th on the second nine and compiled his 65 with halves of 32 and 33.
Alson on 65 are the in-form fortysomething Paul Broadhurst, Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina), Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark), Brett Rumford (Austalia), Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara and New Zealander Steve Alker.
Another Scot, Alastair Forsyth, is only one shot behind on the 66 mark after halves of 33, while Stephen Gallacher is one of a crowd on 67.
Not all the Scots plundered the birdies and eagles. Former European Tour rookie of the year Marc Warren from East Kilbride required 43 shots to cover the first nine holes. He had a double bogey 6 at the fourth, a duble bogey 6 at the fifth and adouble bogey 5 at the short eighth. He came whistling home in 33 which represented eight pars and a birdie 2 at the short 15th.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 69
Players from GB&I unless stated.
65 Gary Orr, Steve Alker (NZ), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg), Steven O'Hara, Paul Broadhurst, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Brett Rumford (Aus), Paul Lawrie,
66 Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Christian Cevaer (Fra), Mattias Eliasson (Swe), James Kingston (SAf), Martin Erlandsson (Swe), Liam Bond, Michael Campbell (NZ), Oliver Wilson, Matthew Zions (Aus), Peter Lawrie, Alastair Forsyth, Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Bradley Dredge
67 Garry Houston, Mikko Ilonen (Fin), Phillip Price, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den), David Lynn, Simon Khan, Robert Rock, Stephen Gallacher, James Heath, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa), Mark Foster, Richard Sterne (SAf).
68 David Carter, Andrew Tampion (Aus), David Griffiths, David Frost (SAf), Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa), Marcus Fraser (Aus), Edward Rush, Anton Haig (SAf), Shaun P Webster, Shiv Kapur (Ind), Kyron Sullivan, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Gary Murphy, Phillip Archer, David Bransdon (Aus), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Thomas Levet (Fra).
69 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned), Ross Fisher, Matthew Richardson, Sion Bebb, Steven Jeppesen (Swe), Martin Kaymer (Ger), Andrew Raitt, David Park, Simon Wakefield, Graeme Storm, Lee Slattery, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor), Alexander Noren (Swe), Alejandro Canizares (Spa), Wen-chong Liang (Chn), Terry Price (Aus), Simon Thornton, Gregory Havret (Fra), Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa), Andrew Coltart, Marcel Siem (Ger), Nick Dougherty, Julien Guerrier (Fra), Craig Smith, Alexandre Rocha (Bra), Sam Walker, Marcus Higley, Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Jyoti Randhawa (Ind).
70 Anders Hansen (Den), Benn Barham, Jean Van de Velde (Fra), Peter Hedblom (Swe), Oliver Fisher, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Peter Hanson (Swe), Gary Marks, Sam Little, Miles Tunnicliff, Manuel Quiros (Spa), Henrik Nystrom (Swe), Retief Goosen (SAf), Colin Montgomerie, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Richard McEvoy, Peter Senior (Aus), Lee S James.
71 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Christopher Hanell (Swe), Kenneth Ferrie, Robert Karlsson (Swe), Anthony Wall, Sandy Lyle, Ian Garbutt, Maarten Lafeber (Net), Darren Fichardt (SAf), Mardan Mamat (Sin), Gary Lockerbie, David Drysdale, Richard Finch, Tom Whitehouse, Taichi Teshima (Jpn), Ariel Canete (Arg), Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra), Barry Lane.
72 Ben Evans, Damien McGrane, Christian Nilsson (Swe), Pelle Edberg (Swe), Rafael Echenique (Arg), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Gordon J Brand, Carl Suneson (Spa), Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Andrew Marshall, Matthew Millar (Aus), Chapchai Nirat (Tha), Jonathan Lomas
73 Richard Bland, Steve Webster, Peter Gustafsson (Swe), Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice), Simon Dyson, Gary Emerson, Mark Pilkington, Sven Struver (Ger), Jose Manuel Carriles (Spa), Wade Ormsby (Aus), Peter O'Malley (Aus).
74 Graeme McDowell, Luis Claverie (Spa), Scott Drummond, Santiago Luna (Spa), Carlos Rodiles (Spa).
75 Rhys Enoch, Francois Calmels (Fra).
76 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Marc Warren.
77 Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Mark Litton.
78 Gareth Davies, Llewellyn Matthews, Adrien Mork (Fra).

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

ROOKIE GEORGE MURRAY TOP

SCOT IN CHALLENGE TOUR

EVENT AT WORSLEY PARK

Rookie tour pro George Murray (pictured right) from Anstruther, a former Scottish amateur champion, was the top Scot in joint seventh place at the end of a day of low scoring in the European Challenge Tour event, the Oceanico Developments Pro-Am Challenge, at Marriott Worsley Park Hotel & Country Club, Greater Manchester today.
Late finisher Murray – he was out on the course for well over five hours, had a four-under-par 66. Starting at the 10th, he had birdies at the 12th, 14th, first, second and fifth and a solitary bogey at the 18th.
George could only par his last four holes when a birdie or two would have got him closer to the leader, Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera who had a dream round of nine-under-par 61, made up of an eagle and seven birdies..
Another former Scottish amateur champion, Andrew McArthur from Windyhll, posted a three-under-par 67 to be in joint 16th place with birdies at the second, fifth, 12th, 15th and 17th and bogeys at the sixth and 11th in halves of 34 and 33.

Carnoustie’s Eric Ramsay and one time PGA champion Andrew Oldcorn from Edinburgh are in joint 27th place with a 68. Oldcorn had birdies at the first, fifth, 15th and 17th in halves of 33 and 35.
Ramsay started at the 10th and had birdies at the 10th, fourth, fifth and sixth against bogeys at the 16th and first in reversed halves of 35 and 33.
Former Northern Open champion Chris Doak had a 69 with birdies at the second, ninth, 13th and 16th. He bogeyed the first , a 15th and 18th in halves of 34 and 35.

Euan Little had a 72 (36-36) with only one birdie, at the 17th.
Jamie McLeary did well in a way to “escape” with a 72 after marking up a quadruple bogey 8 at the eighth. Out in 39, he came home in 33 with birdies at the 12th and 17th.

New Northern Open champion Murray Urquhart from Inverness had a three-over-par 73 with a birdie at the sixth but bogeys at the fourth, eighth, ninth and 18th in halves of 37 and 36.

West Linton-based Welshman Gareth Wright had a 67, thanks to an eagle 3 at the fifth and birdies at the sixth, 10th, 12th and 13th in halves of 33 and 34. Fifer Peter Whiteford's 71 had birdies at the fourth and 17th but bogeys at the seventh, eighth and 14th.

Aberdonian Scott Henderson ran up a double bogey 6 at the eight, then bogeys at the ninth, 10th and 18th in halves of 37 and 35 for a 72. He birdied the sixth, the short 11th and long 13th.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 70
61 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra).

64 Tim Dykes (Wal), Stuart Davis (Eng).
65 Pontus Ericsson (Swe), James H Williams (Wal), David Horsey (Eng) (am).
66 Gary Clark (Eng), Paul Dwyer (Eng), David Higgins (Ire), Ross McGowan (Eng), Klas Eriksson (Swe), Michiel Bothma (SAf), Paul Eagles (Eng), Neil Cheetham (Eng), George Murray (Sco) 32-34.
Other scores:
67 Andrew McArthur (Windyhill) 34-33, Gareth Wright (West Linton) 33-34.
68 Robert Dinwiddie (Eng), Andrew Oldcorn (Sco) 33-35, Eric Ramsay (Sco) 33-35.
69 Chris Doak (Sco) 34-35, Jack Doherty (Sco) 34-35.
71 Peter Whiteford (Sco) 36-35.
72 Euan Little (Sco) 36-36, Scott Henderson (King's Links) 37-35, Jamie McLeary (Sco) 39-33.
73 Murray Urquhart (Inverness) 37-36.

ST RULE TROPHY FIELD CHANGES

Latest changes to the field for this weekend's St Rule Trophy over the New and Old Courses, St Andrews are:
OUT
Rachel Connor (Manchester).
Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus).
Carolin Loehr (Germany)
IN
Elaine Cuthill (Lanark). Starting times: Sat - 12.50. Sun - 7am & 11.50am.
Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze). Starting times: Sat - 1pm. Sun - 8.10am & 1.10pm.
Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir). Starting times: Sat - 10.10am. Sun - 9.40am & 2.40pm.

+We'll have the St Rule Trophy first round scores on this website on Saturday evening and the second and third round scores on Sunday evening. If we can find the time to put the second-round scores up on Sunday afternoon, will do so ... but no promises!

CHRISTINE IS HIGHLAND VETS'

CHAMPION AT INVERNESS

Christine McAndrew (Nairn Dunbar) has earned herself a place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Veteran Ladies Golf Association championship at Blairgowrie in the autumn by winning the Highland veterans' title.
Christine, picture right by courtesy of Sheilah Ramsay, beat Winnie Ross by 2 and 1 in the final at Inverness Golf Club.
Results:
Semi-finals - Christine McAndrew (Nairn Dunbar) bt Mary Smith (Tain) 2 and 1; Winnie Ross (Elgin) bt Vivien Welsh (Elgin) at 19th.
Final - McAndrew bt Ross 2 and 1.

SCOTS DOWN THE FIELD IN VIRGINIA
AT NCAA DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONSHIP

Fraserburgh’s Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State University) had a five-over-par 75 and Lewis Kirton (Louisville University) an 82 in the first round of the NCAA Division 1 men’s championship, the tournament that rings down the curtain on the American college golf season for 2006-2007, at the Golden Horseshoe course, Williamsburg in Virginia.
Former British boys champion Findlay, 19, ran up a quadruple bogey 8 at the 13th and got his only birdie at the 17th to be sharing 126th position.
Kirton, 18, pictured right, coming up to the end of his freshman year, had a nightmare inward half of 10-over-par 45, which included a quadruple bogey 7 at the short 12th, a double bogey 7 at the long 15th and a double bogey 67 at the 17th. He did birdie the sixth and 14th but was last of 156 in the individual standings at the end of the first day.
Rhys Davies, the Edinburgh-born Walker Cup player who was brought up in South Wales and is a team-mate of Findlay’s. was in joint 15th position with a 69 in which he bogeyed the second but birdied the sixth and 11th over the par-70-, 6,803yd course.
Davies, winner of 10 events in his four years on the American college circuit, is playing in his final event.
Rob Grube (Stanford) was the surprise leader with a six-under-par 64 in which he reached the turn in five-under-par 30.

LEADING SCORES
Par 70.
64 R Grube (Stanford).
66 T McKenna (Florida).
67 D Johnson (Coastal Carolina), Bronson LaCassie (Minnesota), Matthew Savage (Florida State), Cameron Tringale (Georgia Tech).
Other scores by British-Irish students:
69 R Davies (East Tennessee State), G Shaw (East Tennessee State) (jt 15th).
70 S Power (East Tennessee State) (jt 29th).
72 C McNamara (East Tennessee State) (jt 66th).
75 T Sherreard (Georgia State), J Findlay (East Tennessee State) (jt 126th).
82 L Kirton (Louisville) (156th).

LEADING TEAMS
275 Stanford.
277 Coastal Carolina.
278 Florida, Minnesota, Texas.
279 Charlotte.
280 East Tennessee State.
282 Georgia.

SCOTS WITH TEAR-JERKING TALES OF

WOE IN PGA EUROPRO TOUR EVENT

Englishman Jamie Elson was the first-round leader at the end of a long day in the PGA EuroPro Tour event which started at Collingtree Park Golf Club today.

Elson shot a five-under-par 67 to lead by one shot from compatriots Tom Haylock and Adam Frayne.

Best Scot in the big field was former Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Doherty, pictured right, based in South Wales. Paul had a 70 (33-37) which should have been a 68 - he had a double bogey 7 at the last hole.

Callum Nicoll from Prestwick is on 71 (34-37) after being three-under-par on the eighth tee following biredies at the second, fourth and seventh.

There were some tear-jerking stories from the rest of the Scots.

Alastair MacKenzie (Liberton) had a scorecard which showed 17 pars and a double-bogey 7 at the fourth for a two-over-par 74.

Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe) finished on 79 afteer taking 43 shots to reach the turn, including a double bogey 7 at the ninth.

Christopher Campbell, who made the long trip from Skibo Castle north of Inverness, must have wondered if his journey was really necessary after the first nine holes cost him 42. He finished on 80.

Freddy Valentine (Pryors Haines) handed in a 75 (40-35) which had a double bogey 7 at the nine.

Also on 75 were Elliot Saltman from Dalkeith and Aberdonian Neil Mitchell. Rookie Elliot was heading for a decent, sub-par score with two holes to play. Then he ran up a double-bogey 6 at the 17th and a double-bogey 7 at the long 18th in 40 shots from teh turn.

Mitchell, out in 35, was fiddling away until he took a triple bogey 8 at the 18th.

Former Scottish amateur champion Graham Gordon from Aberdeen retired from the tournament with playing a hole, according to the PGA EuroPro Tour website.

SCOREBOARD
Par 72

67 Jamie Elson (Eng).

68 Tom Haylock (The Hertfordshire), Adam Frayne (St Mellion).

69 Dean Barnes (Ferndown), James Bushby (The Shropshire), Alasdair Hay (Royal Winchester), Russell Clayton (Gog Magog)_, Guy Woodman (Stoke Park), Sandeep Grewal (Heswall).

Scots scores:

70 Paul Doherty (Vale of Glamorgan) 33-37 (jt 11th).

71 Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) 34-37 (jt 22nd).

72 Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo) 34-38 (jt 39th).

74 Alastair MacKenzie (Liberton) 38-36 (jt 74th).

75 Freddy Valenti (Pryors Haynes) 40-35, Elliot Saltman (Dalkeith) 35-40, Neil Mitchell (Aberdeen) 35-40 (jt 87th).
76 Lee Harper (Archerfield) 39-37, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 37-39 (jt 103rd).

78 Christopher Farr 37-41 (jt 138th).

79 Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe) 43-36 (jt 14th).

80 Christopher Campbell (Carnegie Skibo Castle) 43-38 (jt 155th).

Retired: Graham Gordon (Aberdeen).

DRAGON TOUR CALLING SCOTS TOUR PROS
FRIDAY 5pm deadline for entries to next week's
tournament at Pyle & Kenfig, South Wales

Entries close at 5pm on Friday so there is still time for plenty of Scots tour pros - and amateurs - to enter the first event on the 2007 Dragon Tour, the South Wales Open at Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club, South Wales on Monday and Tuesday, June 4 and 5.
Former European Tour and current Challenge Tour player Stuart Manley, who won the last event of the 2006 season at Machynys, would seem to be a favourite. He will face stiff opposition from home-club favourite and last season’s Dragon Tour Order of Merit winner, Alex Smith, who is fresh from three top 10 finishes on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
English raider Ian Brown (Newent, Gloucs), who won the event at Aberdovey, again makes the trip over the River Severn, and is joined by other English hopefuls James Shield (The Oxfordshire), Spencer Vickery (The Kendleshire), Jon Sully (Rothley Park) and Ricki Winn, formerly of Essex, but now playing out of Machynys Peninsula.
Amateur Kevin Goude also makes the trip from Cambridgeshire.
The longest-distance traveller is Chris Gray, flying over from the La Manga Club in Spain.
“It’s going to be a very exciting season, with some great courses and fantastic players,” said Tour director Rhydian Thomas. “At the first event, our official magazine partner, Golf Punk, will be visiting to interview tour officials and golfers for a special 'Inside the Ropes' article, and they will be joined by a film crew from Setanta Golf, the new satellite channel, which will be filming parts of the event and also interviewing participants.”
The Dragon Tour, which also encompasses visits to Ireland and Scotland on its journey, for four events under the new Celtic Pro Tour, has 11 events in Wales from June to October.
Annual membership of the tour costs £175 for professionals, while the event entry fee on top of that is £99.
Amateur golfers with a scratch handicap or better can also enter events at a cost of £55, and don’t need to pay membership.
Prize money at each event will be at least £1,000 - £2,000 if the field rises as high as 96 pros - to the winner, with the top 25% in the field winning money also. A voucher will be available to the leading amateur.
Golfers wishing to enter the South Wales Open are asked to contact Rhydian Thomas on 07861 686568 or register online at the website at www.celticpro.com by 5pm Friday, June 1.
The Pyle & Kenfig event is quickly followed by the West Wales Open at the Gower Golf Club on June 11 and 12.

ABERDEEN PENNANT LEAGUE RESULTS

Ritson Smith Aberdeen Pennant League results from Tuesday night:

Auchmill 3 1/2, Bon Accord 2 1/2.

Deeside 4 1/2, Nigg Bay 1 1/2.

Stonehaven 5, Craibstone 1.

Scottish Golf Union Press Release

FOUR SCOTLAND BOYS NAMED

FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

IN JAPAN
Four young Scots hope to be a big hit in Japan, after being selected to represent Scotland in
the forthcoming World junior team championship, hosted at Chukyo Country Club, Toyota City next month.
In the line-up are James Byrne, pictured right, and Michael Stewart, both well seasoned on the international circuit, along with fellow national squad member Shaun McAllister.
Completing the quartet is the new Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Ferrier.
Banchory’s James Byrne and Michael Stewart (Troon Wellbeck), who helped to steer Scotland to a runner up position in the European boys' championship last year – a result which qualified Scotland for this championship – have undoubtedly proven their appetite for overseas action and will be buoyed by their selection for the team.
Byrne was also a key figure in the boys quadrangular title win last year and has proven his recent form by winning his first SGU Junior Tour title at Newmachar last Saturday. Team mate Stewart makes a worthy compatriot as the top scoring Scot at this year’s quadrangular, and was an integral member in the victorious Under-16s Scottish boys' team - the first time Scotland had clinched the title in the event’s nine-year history.
The dynamic duo are also currently ranked in the top two in the SGU Boys Order of Merit.
They are joined by Craigielaw ace Shaun McAllister, who stormed to victory at last year’s Scottish boys' stroke-play championship at Alloa and was part of the successful boys' home international team who won the title for the first time in 11 years at Lossiemouth.
He has spent a significant part of his winter in New Zealand and Australia, honing his preparations for international competition.
Baberton’s Paul Ferrier, who cut his teeth at the weekend Skandia Junior Open in Sweden - his first taste of international action, will hope to replicate his winning form on display at the Scottish boys' match-play championship in Dunbar earlier this season, when the Lothian star won his first national title.
Commenting on the championship, SGU performance manager Stuart Turner said, “We have a strong team heading out to Japan and I am confident they will provide a strong challenge. Playing against some of the world’s best players will be a great experience for these boys and I am optimistic they will rise to the occasion.”
Byrne, who heads for the US later this year to commence a four-year golf scholarship at Arizona State University, said, “I am really looking forward to this event and it will be my first time in Japan. Playing alongside countries like Norway who defeated us last year at the Europeans, we really need to be at the top of our game. But it will be a great opportunity to jostle with the best and hopefully get a good finish.”
Fourteen countries will compete in the 16th staging of the 72-hole world boys' stroke-play event, which takes place from June 19 to 22. Current world champions, Norway – who narrowly beat Scotland to the European boys title last year - will start as hot prospects to retain title, with last year's runners-up Sweden also providing strong opposition.
Scotland will hope to improve on their 10th place finish, when they last competed in the event in 2001.
Scotland finished fourth in Japan in 1993, third in 1996, and ninth in 1999.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON CHOOSES SPECTACULAR CLONMEL LOCATION

FOR FIRST COURSE DESIGN

Recent Irish Open winner Padraig Harrington, pictured right, has chosen the spectacular location of The Marlbrook, Clonmel in Co. Tipperary to design his first golf course.
Set in the heart of the Golden Vale, The Marlbrook is a 500-acre 18th century parkland estate overlooking the picturesque River Suir.
This historic estate provides the majestic backdrop for what will be a stunning golf course that is set amongst some of the largest oak trees in Ireland.

Designed to appeal to golfers of all levels, Padraig's philosophy has been to integrate the golf course into the sylvan parkland of The Marlbrook resting near the foot of Slievenamon.

A state-of-the-art clubhouse with stunning views of the course and River Suir will be located overlooking the first tee and 18th green.
"I have been looking for the perfect location for my first golf course design and I found it at The Marlbrook. With its beautiful specimen trees and superb views of the River Suir, I knew we could create something special," said Padraig Harrington.

Director of Golf at The Marlbrook will be Kate MacCann who has previously worked for 15 years in the same role at Mount Juliet, Co. Kilkenny. A limited number of golf memberships are being released today.

Members will pay a refundable deposit of 15,000 Euros in addition to an annual subscription.

Central to The Marlbrook is Marlfield House which was built by Colonel John Bagwell in the late 1700s.

Opening in 2009, The Marlbrook hotel will be centred around this beautiful Georgian country house and will include 70 bedrooms, leisure facilities including the Padraig Harrington designed golf course, a magnificent ballroom and a private spa.

A stunning centre-piece feature of the property will be the 19th century Richard Turner-designed conservatory, acknowledged as one of his best existing works.

Well known hotelier Adriaan Bartels, former general manager of the Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare, Co. Kerry, has also joined the team as general manager of the hotel.

In addition, The Marlbrook will feature a number of privately owned homes on the estate, ranging in size from 2,100 sq ft to 2,600 sq ft which have been designed by renowned conservation architects, Murray O'Laoire.

A limited number of homes will be released later this year and enquiries are now being taken by Savills Hamilton Osborne King, Cork and Tom Pollard/Property Partners, Clonmel.

The Marlbrook was bought by the Clonmel-based Kent family in the early 1980s and will managed by John Kent.

"My family have known for a very long time that The Marlbrook is a special place. I think that it is only fitting that someone of Padraig's calibre will be crafting this beautiful piece of Irish countryside into his first golf course design," said John Kent.

BARWELL LAUNCHES GOLF INTERNATIONAL
MASTERS AT LA MANGA CLUB

Low handicappers frustrated with a lack of competitive golf in winter months can now look forward to the Golf International Masters.
Golfers, with a handicap of 12 or under, who find they are suffering from the winter blues can jet out to La Manga Club to enjoy competitive golf on one of the resort’s championship courses.
Departing on November 1, five-day packages are available from £435 per person including three rounds of golf on La Manga’s championship courses, bed-and-breakfast accommodation on the resort, welcome reception on arrival, a gala dinner, a driving-range card – entitling you to 10 free baskets – and a dozen Titleist ProV1 golf balls.
The main competition will be a 36-hole strokeplay tournament and the player with the lowest gross score will be crowned the 2007 Golf International Masters champion. There will also be handicap, longest-drive and nearest-the-pin prizes courtesy of Titleist and Footjoy.
Mike Laney, Barwell’s business development manager, said: “Barwell has a good record of hosting competitive events with a very fun and social backdrop and this should be no different.
“It’s a great chance for people to get out on the course in sunnier climes and should be an extremely enjoyable event for all concerned.”

§ For more information, call 020 8786 3010, email groups@barwell.co.uk or visit www.barwellevents.co.uk/golfintmstrs.asp.

SHIRE LADIES SWITCH FROM HAZLEHEAD TO KEMNAY

Due to financial issues, the Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association Open Meeting arranged for Hazlehead on July 12 has been switched to Kemnay on the same date. Tee times are 9am - 1pm and the green fee will be £8.
ALCGA are indebted to Kemnay Golf Club for hosting this competition at such short notice and hope that members will support this event.

SCOTS OUT OF MONEY ON TAMSEL TOUR

Daniel Kirk (St Andrews) and Anthony Mackrell (Gary Mitchell Golf) finished out of the main money in the one-round Tamsel Tour competition at Frodsham Golf Club, Cheshire this evening.
Kirk had a two-over-par 72 and Mackrell a 75.
Englishman Matthew Ellis won by one stroke with a four-under-par 66.
LEADING SCORES
Par 70
66 M Ellis (Eng).
67 I Keenan (Royal Liverpool).
68 D Wardrop (Didsbury), D Walker (The Chase).
69 A Bradley (Doncaster).
70 Barry Taylor (Houghwood), J Cheetham (Worsley Park).
Scots scores:
72 D Kirk (St Andrews).
75 A Mackrell (Gary Mitchell Golf).

ends

LATE McKECHNIE SLIP MEANS HE HAS TO
SHARE WEST LOTHIAN FIRST PRIZE

Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills Golf Centre) missed a short putt on the last hole to bogey it and slip back into a tie with Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range) on five-under-par 66 at the head of a field of 48 professionals for the marathon West Lothian Golf Club pro-am at Linlithgow this evening.
Both men earned just over £1,100 but for Paul that slip cost him a few hundred pounds (£s).
McKechnie and Arnott finished three shots clear of the field.
Stephen Gray (Hayston), one of the five men in joint third place on 69, led the MacLay Engineering amateur trio of Hugh Brogan (handicap 17), Gerry Donnelly (16) and Findlay MacIntyre (18) to victory in the team event with a 16 under par net score of 55.

LEADING PROFESSIONALS
Par 71
66 P McKechnie (Braid Hills), R Arnott (Bishopbriggs).
69 S Gray (Hayston), S Savage (Dalmuire), P Wardell (Whitekirk), S Cairns (Westerwood), J Stevenson (Braehead).
70 A Marshall (Houston GR), A Lockhart (Ladybank), G Law (Uphall).

TEAM EVENT
55 S Gray (Hayston) & MacLay Engineering: H Brogan (17), G Donnelly (16), F MacIntyre (18).

FORRESTER PARK FIFE ORDER OF MERIT STANDINGS

Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) and Brian Soutar (Leven Golfing Society) are tied for first place with 160pt apiece after five events of the 2007 Forrester Park Fife Order of Merit for the Mackay Bowl.
The curerent top 10 are:
1 Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) & Brian Soutar (Leven Golfing Society) 160pt each.
3 Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park) 140pt.
4 Kevin Blyth (Kirkcaldy), Gary Fotheringham (Canmore), Euan Malcolm (Dunfermline) & Colin Steffen (Dunnikier Park) 125pt each.
8 Mark Anderson (Leven Thistle), Rob Ford (Scotscraig), Ian McDonald (Canmore) 100pt each.

+The next counting events are this weekend's Scottish open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Dornoch (June 1-3) and the Ladybank 36-hole Open on June 3.

MURIEL THOMSON WINS

SUNDERLAND AWARD FOR

ORPHANS WORK IN INDIA

Portlethen Golf Club professional Muriel Thomson, one of Scotland’s golfing pioneers, has been awarded the Toby Sunderland Award for her volunteer charitable work in orphans in India.
Muriel, pictured right, who became the first female head golf club professional in Scotland in April 1990 when she retired from a successful career as a tour pro, was presented with the prestigious award at the BMW PGA championship at Wentworth.
The award recognised her efforts in raising thousands of £s to send orphans to school in the Indian city of Chennai.

The award, presented annually by the famous Scottish golf rainwear manufacturer, Sunderland of Scotland, recognises outstanding charity work by PGA pros.

Moved by her experiences as a volunteer at the St Joseph’s Social Service Centre 15 months ago, the 52-year-old Portlethen professional has found the time and funds to provide 11 of the children with a full-time education at a nearby English speaking school, an after-school teacher to assist with their studies as well as providing 100 children at the centre with regular health checks.

FUND-RAISING EFFORTS

Thomson returned home determined her association didn’t come to an abrupt end and has raised the cash through a series of talks at golf clubs in the North-east and farther afield about the orphanage and her time there – she made a return visit earlier this year after the initial trip early in 2006.
Muriel has also introduced golf to the children at the school with the assistance of the Golf Foundation and the R&A.

“I had an amazing time and at the end of the month I felt I couldn’t just turn my back on these people,” said Muriel “I agreed to go back and to put one child, a little girl, through the English speaking school and to give her a lifeline out of the poverty level but that has increased to 11 already.

“I’ve been a PGA tour and club professional and had a good life but this makes you look at your whole life. It was a life-changing experience and makes you realise how lucky you are

“Lot of things give you a jolt and make you take stock of life. For me, I lived with them for a month and it gave me a right good shake up.I feel like I’ve only just started. There’s so much more that can be done.”

TRIPLET DAUGHTER OF "CHAPPER"

Aberdeen-born Muriel Thomson – she is a triplet and daughter of the late "Chapper" Thomson, a well-known golf administator in his day – was a Murcar Golf Club member during a successful amateur career when she gained Curtis Cup honours.

She gave up a possible career in banking to become a professional golfer in 1979 and won nine tournaments on the WPGA Tour as well as heading its Order of Merit in 1981 and 1983.
In early 1990, she decided she had had enough of playing golf out of a suitcase and was appointed its first professional by the fledgling Portlethen Golf Club, near Aberdeen.
“Winning this award is a great honour but, more important to me, it means I will be able to add another £1,000 to the fund for helping the kids in India.”

PRESS RELEASE

GO CORPORATE AND GET FREE ENTRY INTO MARRIOTT DALMAHOY PRO-AM

Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club is offering companies who join their “Corporate Gold” or “Corporate Silver Card” Memberships the opportunity to enter a complimentary Team into the Marriott Dalmahoy Pro-Am on Tuesday 25th September, 2007, worth £750
The Marriott Dalmahoy Pro-Am will precede the 2007 Charles Church Scottish Seniors Open, and will consist of Teams of 3 Amateur golfers being paired with a European Senior Tour Player.
Set in 1000 acres, in the shadow of the Pentland Hills, just seven miles from historic Edinburgh, the Marriott Dalmahoy & Country Club is the ideal destination for those who seek a truly outstanding leisure break coupled with some of the finest golfing in Scotland.
Host of many major tournaments, the two 18-Hole courses at Dalmahoy are set in wooded countryside with numerous lakes and streams. The West Course has tight fairways and small greens and a finish around the Gogar Burn that will test the nerve of all levels of golfer.
The internationally renowned East Course, host to the 1992 Solheim Cup and 2006 Scottish Senior Open, won by Sam Torrance, has recently been extensively upgraded and presents a greater challenge with manicured fairways, well positioned bunkers and large undulating greens.
This year's event will also see charismatic Italian Ryder Cup star, Costantino Rocca make his Scottish Senior Open debut.
In addition to the excellent golf there are many leisure activities available in this historic 215-bedroom hotel. The leisure Club boasts a Fitness & Aerobic Studio, a fully equipped gymnasium and a large swimming pool with steam room, sauna and solarium. There are also two tennis courts and other outdoor activities can be arranged locally.
The “Marriott Corporate Golf Membership” comprises of four different tiers of privileges, with each card entitling it’s holders to variety of features.
For more details on “Marriott Corporate Golf Memberships please contact Michelle Livingston on 0131 3358026 or email
mhrs.edigs.golf@marriotthotels.com
For further information on Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club please go to:
http://www.marriottdalmahoy.co.uk/

NESS OPEN PRIZEWINNERS AT INVERNESS

We now have the the list of prizewinners at Sunday's Ness Open 36-hole SLGA Order of Merit event at Inverness Golf Club.
It was not available when our Sunday report was compiled.
Here it is now.

SCRATCH (CSS 73 72)
143 Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 72 71.
144 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 74 70.
146 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) 76 70 (better second round than Megan Briggs, Kilmacolm, 74-72).

HANDICAP

Class 1 (0-7)
140 Annabel Niven (Crieff) (7) 68 72.
146 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) (scr) 74 72 (better second round).
146 Sammy Vass (Tain) (5) 72 74.

Class 2 (8-20)
148 Gemma Dryburgh (Beaconsfield) (18) 78 70.
150 Samantha Leslie (Westhill) (8) 78 72.

SCRATCH TROPHY WINNER - Michele Thomson (picture above by courtesy of Sheilah Ramsay).
HANDICAP TROPHY WINNER - Annabel Niven.

SALLY WATSON FINISHES JOINT 11th
AT SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

Sally Watson from South Queensferry finished joint11th in a field of 36 top juniors for the girls’ section of the Thunderbird Junior International tournament over 54 holes on the Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor course at Scottsdale, Arizona.
Sally, 15, a student at David Leadbetter Golf Academy, Bradenton in Florida, had rounds of 75, 73 and 72 for a five-over-par total of 221.
She finished 15 shots behind the runaway winner, Kimberly Kim, the Hawaiian who won the US women’s amateur title as a 14-year-old last summer. Kim had rounds of 67, 72 and 67 for a 10-ujnder-par total of 206. She won by eight shots from American runner-up Vicky Hunt.
Miss Watson had birdies at the sixth, eighth, 11th and 16th in her final round which also included bogeys at the ninth, 10th, 12th and 15.
Former tennis ace Ivan Lendl’s golf-playing daughters Marika and Isabelle finished on 223 and 227 respectively.
The boys’ event, also over three rounds, was won by Arnond Vongvanij from Bradenton, Florida. He scored 66, 67 and 75 for eight-under-par 208 and won by two shots.
Matthew Haines (Rochester & Cobham) was the highest-placed English finishers. He came joint 17th on220.
Jack Hiluta finished joint 24th on 222, British boys champion Matthew Nixon (Ashton under Lyne) 28th equal of 224 while Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle) totalled 237 in joint 38th position.

FINAL TOTALS
Boys Par 216 (3 x 72)
208 A Vongvanij (US) 66 67 75.#
210 P Francis (US) 71 71 68, B Cauley (US) 69 71 70.
English boys’ totals:
220 M Haines (Rochester & Cobham) 75 71 74 (jt 17th)
222 J Hiluta (Chelmsford) 72 72 78 (jt 24th).
224 Matthew Nixon (Ashton under Lyne) 75 72 77 (jt 28th).
237 Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle) 80 81 78 (jt 38th).
Girls Par 216 (3 x 72)
206 K Kim (Hawaii) 67 72 67.
214 V Hunt (US) 70 74 70.
Other scores
221 Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 75 73 73 (jt 11th).
223 M Lendl (US) 72 75 76 (jt 15th).
227 Isabelle Lendl (US) 78 75 74 (jt 20thy).

GREAT DANE HANSEN SQUEEZES INTO FIELD
FOR NEXT MONTH'S UNITED STATES OPEN

Dane Anders Hansen has qualified for next month's United States Open - by three hundredths of a point.
Hansen won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after a play-off with Justin Rose, and the new world rankings show he a prodigious climb up the table from 151st to 49th.
The top 50 earn places in the second major of the year, and the 36-year-old Dane will therefore make his US Open debut at Oakmont. He is also now exempt for the Open at Carnoustie in July.
Rose is up to a career-high 17th, just behind Paul Casey, while the only change in the top 10 sees Luke Donald move above Retief Goosen into ninth spot.
South African Rory Sabbatini improves only from 16th to 14th following his Colonial tournament success in Texas.
Sabbatini beat Jim Furyk and 49-year-old Bernhard Langer in a play-off. Furyk remains at third behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, while Langer moves back into the top 100 at 86th.

"CAUTIOUS" JUSTIN ROSE PULLS OUT OF
THIS WEEK'S US MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

Justin Rose, runner-up in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday, has pulled out of this week's Memorial Tournament on the US PGA Tour.
The 26-year-old Englishman is stressing that he has not suffered a recurrence of the back trouble which has limited him to just two tournaments since late February.
"I'm just trying to be a little bit more cautious. I don't believe there's a problem," said Rose, whose next appearance will now be the US Open at Oakmont, starting on June 14.
"I've taken advice from my fitness trainer, who is experienced with footballers at Arsenal. It's just a matter of getting myself a little bit stronger."
He added: "I have to give it some time fitness-wise in the gym to cope with a full playing schedule. I'm going to dedicate the next couple of weeks to really getting myself 100%."

PLAY-OFFS DRAMA IN NICK FALDO SERIES
AT THE CARRICK AT CAMERON HOUSE

John Henry, younger brother of Scott Henry, who defends the Scottish men’s open amateur stroke-play title at Royal Dornoch this weekend, survived a play-off at The Carrick at Cameron House today to qualify for the regional final at The Roxburghe Golf Club, Kelso on August 23 in the Nick Faldo Junior Series.
Henry, a member of Clydebank & District Golf Club, beat Jack Scott (Deeside) after they had tied on 157 for the last of four places in the Under-15 boys’ section.
Jamie Neilson (Dunbar) beat Jamie Mackay (Barassie) in a play-off for the last qualifying place in the Under-21 section.
And there was a three-way play-off for two places in the Under-16s. The contestants were all from the North-east - Nick MacAndrew (Cullen), Kyle Godsman (Hopeman) and Chris Robb from Inchmarlo, Banchory. They all tied on 156. Robb was the one eliminated.
The first Scottish round of the Nick Faldo Junior Series was played a month or two ago at Blairgowrie. The top four from each age group and the girls section, based on the aggregate totals from Blairgowrie and The Carrick at Cameron House, go forward to the regional final.
Today’s scores and qualifiers:

UNDER-21 – 74 T Hayes (West Byfleet). 75 J Housby (Penrith). 76 S Bordon (Carnwath). 78 A Culverwell (Dunbar). 79 J Gardiner (Montrose Mercantile), S Maxwell (Windyhill). 80 R Carson (Marriott Dalmahoy). 81 J Neilson (Dunbar). 82 J Mackay (Barassie). 83 J Clarke (Montrose Mercantile).
Qualifiers – 145 T Hayes. 149 J Housby. 150 A Culverwell. 155 J Neilson (beat J Mackay in play-off). Other totals: 157 J Gardiner, R Carson. 158 S Bordon, S Maxwell. 162 J Clarke.

UNDER-18 – 72 N Henderson (The Glen). 73 M Pennycott (Whiting Bay). 74 A Wallace (Glenbervie). 75 E Brown (Barassie). 76 F Fotheringham (Nairn), M Cunningham (Longniddry). 78 M Daily (Erskine), A Cappi (Loretto School). 87 S Barras (Helensburgh).
Qualifiers – 148 A Wallace. 149 E Brown. 150 N Henderson, M Daily. Other totals: 152 A Cappi. 153 F Fotheringham. 154 M Pennycott. 156 M Cunningham. 174 S Barras.

UNDER-17 – 74 A Lauder (Paisley). 75 S Fraser (Royal Aberdeen). 78 F McKenna (Balmore). 80 P Scanlan (Hamilton). 81 K McClung (Wigtownshire Co), M Dickson (Gullane), D Fitzpatrick (Greenock). 82 A Dunton (McDonald Ellon), R Penny (Portlethen). 84 J Hendrick (Pollock).
Qualifiers – 153 A Lauder, S Fraser. 154 F McKenna. 158 A Dunton. Other totals: 159 P Scanlan. 161 K McClung. 162 M Dickson. 164 J Hendrick. 170 R Penny. 171 D Fitzpatrick.

UNDER-16 – 75 N MacAndrew (Cullen). 77 J Binning (Ranfurly Castle), K Godsman (Hopeman). 78 D Law (Hazlehead. 79 L Smith (Brassie). 81 M Reid (Downfield). 82 C Robb (Inchmarlo). 86 F Clarke (Westhill). 88 R McKenna (Cathkin Braes), P Ramsay (Elgin). 90 J White (St Andrews New).
Qualifiers – 151 D Law (Hazlehead). 155 J Binning.. 156 N McAndrew, K Godsman (C Robb lost play-off). Other totals: 165 M Reid (Downfield). 167 J White. 169 R McKenna. 171 L Smith (Barassie). 173 F Clarke. 174 P Ramsay.

UNDER-15 – 76 P McPhee (King James VI). 77 J Scott (Deeside), J Henry (Clydebank & Dist). 78 A McLachlan (Eastwood). 80 I Redford (King James VI). 83 N Beattie (St Andrews). 85 J Thorburn (Forrester Park). 86 P O’Neil (Pollok). 88 C Stewart (Brora). 80 C O’Neil (Pollock).
Qualifiers – 154 P McPhee. 155 A McLachlan. 156 I Redford (King James VI). 157 J Henry (bt J Scott in play-off). Other totals: 165 N Beattie. 168 C Stewart. 173 J Thorburn. 180 P O'Neil. 181 C O'Neil.

GIRLS – 78 J Meldrum (Dullatur). 79 G Simpson (Baberton). 84 C Easton (Dalmahoy). 86 J Sneddon (Alyth). 88 G Scanlan (Hamilton).Qualifiers – 163 J Meldrum. 168 C Easton. 170 G Simpson 173 J Sneddon. Other total: 176 G Scanlan

FUTURES TOUR QUOTE FROM VIKKI LAING

This week's Duramed United States Futures Tour News Letter has the following as its "Quote of the Week:"

"It's real exciting, but I don't know if they're nice to anybody."

- Tour member Vikki Laing of Musselburgh when asked how she feels about this year's Women's British Open going to St Andrews and how she thinks the male membership will welcome women professionals into the R&A clubhouse.

+Vikki is lying 22nd on the Futures Tour money list this year with winnings of $6,640 from seven events.

SABBATINI BEATS FURYK, LANGER

IN CROWNE PLAZA PLAY-OFF

South African Rory Sabbatini from Zambia won the US PGA Tour's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth in Texas on Sunday.
Sabbatini beat Jim Furyk and Bernhard Langer by holing a 15ft birdie putt at the first hole of the three-way play-off after they had tied on 266.

At 49, Langer was attempting to become the oldest winner in the tournament’s history. The German's last win in the United States was his 1993 Masters triumph, while his last victory on the European Tour came at the end of the 2002 season in the Volvo Masters.
"Even though I would have loved to have won, I'm very encouraged because this is the best I've played in a long time," Langer said. "There is a lot of stuff which goes through your mind when you are walking out there, but I had a lot of opportunities, which is encouraging.”

Put your money on Langer now to clean up when he has his 50th birthday and makes his debut on the US Champions (Seniors) Tour.

Picture of Sabbatini on left: What's with the "tartan" blazers? And have you seen a taller golf trophy than that?

FINAL TOTALS
Players from US unless stated.
266 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 65 68 66 67, Rory Sabbatini (SAf) 70 67 62 67, Jim Furyk 65 66 68 67 (Sabbatini won the play-off).
268 Pat Perez 66 67 69 66.
269 Nathan Green (Aus) 65 66 72 66, Tom Lehman 66 67 68 68.
270 Jerry Kelly 70 64 69 67, Kevin Na (Kor) 63 69 70 68, Harrison Frazer 68 67 69 66, Scott Verplank 70 66 63 71, D J Trahan 67 67 69 67.
271 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 67 69 70 65, Jeff Maggert 64 69 68 70, Tim Petrovic 70 68 67 66, Mark Hensby (Au) 69 67 68 67, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 70 66 68 67, Tim Clark (SAf) 65 64 74 68.
272 Anthony Kim 63 69 73 67, Justin Leonard 69 70 66 67, David Toms 70 68 68 66, Stewart Cink 67 69 66 70, Jason Bohn 68 66 70 68, Peter Lonard (Aus) 65 69 67 71.
273 Steve Stricker 67 71 68 67, Stephen Marino 69 68 71 65, John Rollins 69 68 67 69, KJ Choi (Kor) 67 70 69 67, Eric Axley 68 67 69 69.
274 Dean Wilson 68 67 71 68, Arron Oberholser 64 66 73 71, Lucas Glover 67 68 68 71, Ben Curtis 64 67 74 69, Cliff Kresge 69 67 70 68, Brandt Snedeker 66 70 67 71, Ryan Moore 71 66 66 71.
275 Jeff Quinney 65 72 68 70, Ted Purdy 64 71 72 68, Michael Putnam 69 65 70 71, Matt Kuchar 68 70 70 67 Stephen Leaney (Au) 68 68 70 69, Alex Cejka (Ger) 67 65 72 71, Chad Campbell 67 68 68 72, Douglas Labelle 67 70 69 69, Mark Brooks 67 71 70 67, Frank Lickliter II 65 71 69 70.
276 Joe Durant 67 72 68 69, Tim Herron 67 68 70 71, Billy Mayfair 71 67 71 67, Bo Van Pelt 68 71 67 70, Heath Slocum 70 65 72 69, Bob Tway 73 64 70 69.
277 Will MacKenzie 67 71 70 69, J J Henry 68 67 72 70, Brett Wetterich 66 69 71 71, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 74 65 70 68, Steve Elkington (Aus) 67 69 71 70, Stephen Ames (Can) 69 67 70 71.
278 Charles Warren 69 68 69 72, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 70 69 70 69, Davis Love III 69 68 72 69 279 Ryan Armour 67 68 74 70.
280 Steve Flesch 70 69 69 72, Tommy Armour III 71 68 71 70, Mark Wilson 68 71 70 71.
283 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 70 68 76 69, Duffy Waldorf 70 69 72 72, Brett Quigley 67 72 70 74, Matthew Every 69 66 75 73, Rocco Mediate 70 68 70 75.

285 Ryan Palmer 70 69 73 73.

TITLE-HOLDERS ALLOA, BRAEHEAD SERVE
UP CLACKMANNAN JUNIOR LEAGUE THRILLER

By HUGH HUNTER
The Clackmannanshire County Junior League started on Sunday with the usual inter-club matches. It is played six-a-side (three scratch matches and three handicap matches) on a home-and-away basis.
Title holders Alloa took on Braehead at Schawpark and the match proved to be a thriller, ending in a 3-3 draw with several close games.
At Dollar, the home team had a fairly easy win over Tillicoultry, after taking the first four ties.
The third match between Alva and Tulliallan did not take place unfortunately due to the present lack of junior players at Tulliallan. Hopefully this will be remedied during the season.

Alloa boys team pictured above right.
Back row (left to right): Grant Dowie, Andre Scotland, Bruce Macadam.
Front: Grant Ross, Grant McIntosh (reserve), Callum Graham, John Salmond.

Braehead boys team (well, five of them!) pictured right.
Back row: Ross Finlay, Scott Clark.
Front: Michael Barrett, Jamie Pollock, John Macpherson.
Darren Clark missing.

Details:
ALLOA 3, BRAEHEAD 3
(Alloa names first)
Andre Scotland lost to John McPherson 1 hole , Grant Dowie bt Scott Clark 2 and1 ; John Salmond bt Darren Clark 7 and 6 ; Brian McAdam lost to Michael Barrett 1 hole; Grant Ross bt Jamie Pollock 4 and 3 ; Callum Graham lost to Ross Finlay 2 and 1.

DOLLAR 4 ½, TILLICOULTRY 1 ½
(Dollar names first)
Steven Macpherson bt Callum Carberry 5 and 4; Gary Chalmers bt Scott Hunter 1 hole; Tom Hogarth bt Scott Baird 5 and 4; David Devlin bt Jonathan Imrie 7 and 6; Ben Smith lost to Steven Watson 2 and 1; Patrick Macdonald halved with David Kinnaird.

DENNIS WATSON SCORES FIRST WIN FOR 23
YEARS - AND IT'S THE US SENIORS TITLE!

Everything comes to he who waits ... and Zimbabwean Dennis Watson's 23-year wait for a victory (he won three times on the US PGA Tour in 1984) is over at last!
He won the US PGA Seniors Championship by two strokes over the Kiawah Island Ocean Course with a final round of 68 for 279.
One of the reasons for Watson's long no-win spell has been a series of injuries that would have broken the spirit of a lesser man.
Argentina's Eduardo Romero was runner-up and a second golfer from Zimbabwe, Nick Price, was third.
Mark James fell down the standings with a final round of 78 to finish joint 33rd on 295.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
279 Dennis Watson (Zimbabwe) 71 71 69 68.
281 Eduardo Romero (Arg) 68 70 71 72.
282 Nick Price (Zim) 71 70 70 71.
Other score:
295 Mark James (Eng) 74 71 72 78 (jt 33rd)

FIVE-YEAR WAIT FOR FIRST LPGA WIN
OVER FOR SOUTH KOREAN YOUNG KIM

FROM THE LPGA WEBSITE:
The road one takes to her first victory on the LPGA Tour is not always an easy one, but in the case of five-year veteran Young Kim, it was definitely worth the wait.
South Korea's Kim (68-64-68-68=268) claimed a three-stroke victory over fellow South Korean Mi Hyun Kim (68-67-66-70=271) and California's Paula Creamer (66-68-66-71=271) today at the LPGA Corning Classic in Corning, New York State, becoming the LPGA Tour's fifth Rolex First-Time Winner this season.
Kim's first victory was something that she had long waited for, but when the moment finally arrived, she was so overcome by emotion that she was blind to her fellow South Korean players who were sneaking up behind her with congratulatory showers of soda.
“I was crying at the time, so I couldn't see them,” Kim said. “If I saw them I will run out.”
However, running wasn't something Kim could do from M.H. Kim and playing partners Creamer and Beth Bader (65-66-69-72=272), who battled for the $195,000 winner's check all day long. Kim, Creamer and Bader entered Sunday's finale at the Corning Country Club in a three-way tie for the lead, with both Kim and Bader seeking their first wins on Tour.
M.H. Kim crossed the $7 million mark ($7,020,401) in career earnings with her runner-up paycheck.
Janice Moodie collected $14,725 for a joint 19th finish on 278.
Top British players were Laura Davies and Becky Morgan, sharing 11th place on 276.

LEADING TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
268 Young Kim (South Korea) 68 64 68 68 (£195,000).
271 Mi Hyun Kim (South Korea) 68 67 77 70, Paula Creamer (US) 66 68 66 71 ($102,000 each).
272 In-Kyung Kim (South Korea) 67 69 68 68, Beth Bader (US) 65, 66 69 72 ($60,269 each).
Other totals:
276 Laura Davies (Eng) 69 69 69 69, Becky Morgan (Wal) 69 66 70 71 ($21,514 each) (jt 11th).
278 Janice Moodie (Sco) 72 67 70, Johanna Head (Eng) 68 72 68 70 ($14,725 each) (jt 19th).

SALLY WATSON IMPROVES SCORE IN
ARIZONA BUT DROPS A PLACE

South Queensferry exile Sally Watson improved her first-round score by two shots with a 73 for 148 but actually dropped down one place to joint 13th in the 36-hole standings.
That gives an indication of how high the standard of play is in the Thunderbird Junior International golf tournament over the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Sally, a student at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida, deviated from par only three times in her second round – bogeys at the first and fourth and a birdie at the the 11th.
Leading the field is the Hawaiian wondergirl golfer – no, not Michelle Wie – Kimberly Kim who, at the age of 14, beat Katharina Schallengberg (Germany) in the 36-hole final of the US women’s amateur championship last summer.
In this event Kimberly has cruised four shots clear with rounds of 67 and 72 for five-under-par 139. Her nearest challenger is Joanne Lee from San Carlos, California.
Former tennis ace Ivan Lendl has two golfing daughters in the field.
Marika Lendl is lying 10th equal on 147 (72-75) and Isabelle Lendl has shot 78 and 75 for 153 and a share of 28th place. Both are based at Bradenton, Florida as is Sally Watson.
In the Thunderbird Junior International boys’ event, also over 54 holes, Arnond Vonvanij, another competitor from Bradenton, Florida, has gone seven shots clear of the field with an 11-under-par tally of 133, made up of rounds of 66 and 67.
His closest rivals are Bud Vauley from Jacksonville, Florida (69-71) and Scott Langley (St Louis, Missouri) (67-71.
Professional’s son Kevin Tway, the 2005 US junior champion, is on 142 with scores of 72 and 69.
There are four English boys in the field. Best placed is Jack Hiluta from Chelmsford in joint 14th place on 144.
Matthew Haines (Rochester & Cobham) is 20th equal on 146 with scores of 75 and 71 while Matthew Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne), winner of the British boys’ championship at Royal Aberdeen last summer, is joint 24th on 147 with scores of 75 and 72.
Darren Wright from Rowlands Castle is joint 41st on 161 with scores of 80 and 81.

SCOREBOARD
Boys. Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from US unless stated.
133 Arnond Vongvanij 66 67.
140 Bud Cauley 69 71, Scott Langley 69 71.]
141 Kevin Tway 72 69, Wesley Graham 70 71, Peter Uihlein 71 70.
Other scores:
144 Jack Hiluta (Chelmsford) 72 72 (jt 14th).
146 Matthew Haines (Rochester & Cobham) 75 71 (jt 20th).
147 Matthew Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne) 75 72 (jt 24th).
161 Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle) 80 80 (jt 41st).
Girls. Par 144 (2 x 72)
139 Kimberly Kim 67 72.
143 Joanne Lee 72 71.
144 Vicky Hurst 70 74.
Other scores:
147 Marika Lendl 72 75 (jt 10th).
148 Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 75 73 (jt 13th).
153 Isabelle Lendl 78 75 (jt 28th).

FEW DOLLARS MORE FOR SCOTT JAMIESON

Gareth Maybin from Ballyclare, Northern Ireland and Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson finished joint 15th and tied 48th respectively in the NGA Hooters Tour event, the Touchstone Energy Open which ended today (Sunday) at Brook Valley Country Club, Greenville in North Carolina.
Maybin had scores of 72, 69, 72 and 70 for a five-under-par total of 283 and boosted his earnings on the satellite tour this season by $2,714 to $30,863 from eight events in which he has made the cut each time.
Rookie pro Jamieson, who turned pro only last November after winning the Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit, had scores of 73, 71, 75 and 71 for a total of 290. His cash reward was $1,271 giving him a total of $12,508 from six events. He has missed only one cut.
At the top of the leaderboard, Tommy Biershenk from South Carolina scored his second Hooters Tour win in three weeks, worth $33,566, with a par figure at the first play-off hole against Martin Flores from Texas. Biershenk and Flores had tied on 14-under-par 274. Flores’ consolation reward amounted to $16,751.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
274 Tommy Biershenk (US) 72 65 69 68; Martin Flores (US) 69 67 68 70 (Biershenk won play-off at first hole).
Other scores:
283 Gareth Maybin (Ballyclare, NI) 72 69 72 70 (jt 15th).
290 Scott Jamieson (Glasgow) 73 71 75 71 (jt 48th).

PARRY WINS LATE PLAY-OFF FOR

WELSH OPEN AMATEUR

STROKE-PLAY TITLE

Yorkshireman John Parry added the Welsh men’s open amateur stroke-play championship to the Spanish open amateur title he won earlier this year when he beat Paul Waring (Bromborough) at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off this evening at Machynys Peninsula Golf & Country Club.
Parry from Harrogate and Waring tied on 11-under-par 277 in the more difficult Sunday weather conditions. Parry scored 67, 70, 70 and 70 while Waring had 68, 67, 72 and 70.
They finished seven shots cleared of the third-placed Welsh Walker Cup veteran Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch) who scored 69, 70, 72 and 73 for 284.
Halfway leader Neil Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire) with scores of 69 and 66 had to settle for rounds of 76 and 75 on Sunday and a fourth place finish on 286.
Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), chasing a recall to the Scotland home international line-up, finished 28th on 302 with scores of 69, 73, 82 and 78. He was the only Scot to survive the halfway cut.
Several players, principally Walker Cup man Gary Wolstenholme MBE (Kilworth Springs), did not go out for the fourth and final round because the weather was so wet and bad. Wolstenholme had been been on 217 with scores of 68, 70 and 79.

"Conditions were awful but the course was playable, so that is why most of us played on," said Bryan Fotheringham.
+Picture of John Parry with the championship trophy is reproduced by courtesy of Tom Ward.

FINAL TOTALS
277 J Parry (Harrogate) 67 70 70 70, P Waring (Bromborough) 68 67 72 70 (Parry beat Waring at first hole of play-off).
284 N Edwards (Whitchurch) 69 70 72 73.
286 N Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire) 69 66 76 75.
287 B Evans (Rye) 71 67 74 75, D Marmion (Delamere Forest) 71 65 80 71, J White (Saunton) 68 66 77 76.
288 G Evans (Northcliffre) 71 68 76 73.
289 O Farr (Ludlow) 70 71 71 77.
290 R Thomas (Aberdare) 74 72 71 73, L Matthews (Southerndown) 70 72 75 73.
291 R Enoch (Truro) 69 70 75 77.
Other scores:
302 B Fotheringham (Forres) 69 73 82 78.
MISSED CUT
147 C Heuchan (Southerness) 76 71.
152 Z Culverwell (Dunbar) 75 76, R Kellett (Colville Park) 75 76.
155 A Weir (Montrose Mercantile) 80 75.

CHRIS DOAK PULLS OFF TARTAN TOUR WEEKEND
DOUBLE AT PORTPATRICK AND BISHOPBRIGGS

Former Northern Open champion Chris Doak scored a double whammy on the Tartan Tour at the weekend.
On Saturday he equalled the professional course record of seven-under-par 63 in winning the Portpatrick Golf Club charity pro-am from Dean Robertson (64).
And on Sunday, Chris picked up another £856 prize figuring in a triple joint tie for first place in the Bishopbriggs pro-am.
The unattached Doak, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) and Kenny Monaghan (Bothwell Castle) all hit the four-under-par 67 mark.
They finished a shot ahead of David Park (Wishaw), Bob Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range), Dean Robertson (Czech Design), Sam Cairns (Westerwood) and Kenny Hutton (Downfield).
Craig Ronald (Carluke) lead three Bishopbriggs Golf Club members – Mark Liddell (5), Fraser Stewart (12) and Duncan McKellar (18) – to victory in the team event with a net score of 56. They won with a better net inward half of 26 than other home club trio led by Dean Robertson.
LEADING PRO SCORES
Par 71
67 C Doak (unatt), P McKechnie (Braid Hills), K Monaghan (Bothwell Castle).
68 D Park (Wishaw), R Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR), D Robertson (Czech Design), S Cairns (Westerwood), K Hutton (Downfield).
69 I Taylor (Drumpellier), T Mackrell (Gary Mitchell Golf), G Rankin (Drumpellier).

ends

HANSEN COMES OUT OF THE BLUE TO BEAT

ROSE IN PLAY-OFF FOR BMW PGA TITLE

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Anders Hansen secured the 2007 BMW PGA Championship after an enthralling final day over the West Course at Wentworth Club, Surrey, ended with the Dane holing a 25 foot birdie putt in a sudden-death play-off against England’s Justin Rose.
That winning putt was worthy of any championship and made Hansen the worthiest of winners. As soon as he struck it there was never any doubt as to his ball’s final destination as it snaked down the green and broke perfectly from left to right before finding the middle of the cup.
In colloquial golfing parlance, Hansen ‘drained it’, and in doing so secured the first prize of €725,000 and made a quite incredible leap of 253 places on the European Tour Order of Merit, from 262nd to ninth position in one almighty swoop.
Indeed, the same could be said for his performance over the last two rounds of the four spectacular days of golf that made the 2007 BMW PGA Championship another memorable week the championship’s imposing history.
Level par after the first two days, not many observers would have tipped Hansen to lift a second BMW PGA Championship title (he won it for the first time in 2002), but an excellent five under par 67 on Saturday afternoon left him just five off the pace going into the last round.
As the heavens opened and conditions became strenuous over the West Course, Hansen kept his head down, maintained his cool and got the job done with a final round of three under par 69 for eight-under-par 280 that saw him overtake clubhouse leader Vijay Singh, with Rose, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Richard Sterne all coming down the stretch with a chance to catch or pass him.
In the end, Rose was the only man who could match Hansen’s eight under total, which he did in the most thrilling fashion with a sublime pitching wedge approach to the 18th green. Well aware that he needed to get up and down from 109 yards to force extra holes, the Englishman produced a majestic approach that checked 20ftt beyond the flag and spun back to with six inches of the hole.
He could not repeat that stroke of genius in the play-off though, and after Hansen holed out so magnificently at the first extra hole, Rose’s own birdie effort slid past the hole to leave the Dane celebrating his second victory in the European Tour’s flagship event.
“I think it means a lot more to me this time than the first time I won it,” smiled Hansen. “It’s just a fantastic feeling because I have put in so much hard work and effort recently.
“What means most to me is how I feel about myself and how I feel about my game and what I do, and right now it feels pretty good.
“I have say a great thank you to my caddie, John McClaren, for everything he has done for me this week. This is the first week that he’s been out with me and I don’t think that I could have won without him. He just seemed to understand how I was thinking and what was going on in my mind and my golf swing. In fact, I definitely couldn’t have done it without him.”
Rose was gracious in defeat. “I guess it is disappointing, you are that close, when you're obviously in a play-off, you come that close to winning a tournament and it was almost really weird,” said the Englishman.
“It was over so quickly. Anders rolled in the putt and I missed mine and that was it. That’s what sudden death's all about. All in all, it's hard not to be pleased about playing so well at home and playing so well at a tournament that I really do love and a tournament that I've come to watch many times as a kid. So to be right up there in the mix would have been a dream of mine back in the day.”
There can be little doubt that a player of Rose’s ability will have further opportunities to fulfil that dream in the near future, but for the moment it is Hansen who is living the dream after that wonderful sudden-death putt that secured the second BMW PGA Championship of his career.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72). Players from GB&I unless stated.
280 Anders Hansen (Den) 74 70 67 69, Justin Rose 66 70 73 71 (Hansen won play-off at first hole. Hansen wins £495,848, Rose £330,563)
281 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 73 72 70 66, Richard Sterne (SAf) 68 73 66 74 (£167,497 each)
282 Angel Cabrera (Arg) 70 66 76 70, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 70 68 72 72 (£115,136 each)
283 Luke Donald 71 72 71 69 (£89,252)
284 Henrik Stenson (Swe) 70 73 72 69, Thongchai Jaidee (Thai) 73 70 71 70, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 72 73 68 71, Richard Green (Aus) 73 73 67 71
285 Andres Romero (Arg) 70 72 75 68, Peter Lawrie 76 69 71 69, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 68 71 74 72, Lee Westwood 71 72 70 72, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 77 69 67 72, Paul Casey 73 67 72 73, Markus Brier (Aut) 73 68 70 74, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 67 70 70 78
286 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 72 72 72 70, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 68 71 74 73, Nick Dougherty 69 71 71 75, Paul Broadhurst 66 72 68 80
287 Ernie Els (SAf) 68 76 72 71, Brett Taylor 71 73 72 71, Simon Khan 67 75 73 72, Padraig Harrington 69 69 75 74, Fredrik Andersson (Swe) 69 72 72 74
288 Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 73 68 75 72
289 Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 75 73 70, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 72 78 72, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 71 73 73 72, Marc Warren 70 75 72 72, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 71 72 73 73, Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 73 71 72 73, Steven Jeppesen (Swe) 73 72 71 73, Colin Montgomerie 70 76 70 73, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 71 72 71 75 (33,978 Euros each).
290 Thomas Bjorn (Den) 74 70 73 73, Ross Fisher 70 67 69 84
291 Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 70 75 75 71, Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) 70 76 73 72, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 72 71 75 73, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 72 72 72 75, James Kingston (Rsa) 70 71 74 76, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 77 68 70 76
292 Andrew Oldcorn 74 71 72 75 (21,315 Euros).
293 Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 72 70 77 74, Paul McGinley 74 69 76 74, Ariel Canete (Arg) 72 73 73 75, Oliver Wilson 70 71 76 75, Lee Slattery 69 71 76 77
294 Christopher Hanell (Swe) 72 72 74 76, Stephen Dodd 72 74 70 78
295 Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 76 70 76 73, Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 72 72 76 75, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 72 74 73 76, James Hepworth 71 72 75 77
297 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 72 70 78 77, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 68 75 76 78, Yang Yong-eun (Kor) 68 78 73 78, Matthew Millar (Aus) 69 69 79 80
298 Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 76 79 73, Miles Tunnicliff 71 73 75 79, Garry Houston 74 71 74 73, Richard Bland 71 71 76 80
300 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67 71 81 81
301 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 72 73 78 78, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 70 76 76 79
302 Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 74 72 77 79
303 Marcel Siem (Ger) 73 72 79 79, Louis Oosthuizen (SAf) 69 77 76 81
304 Brett Rumford (Aus) 77 69 81 77
306 Mark Foster 71 75 80 80, Johan Axgren (Swe) 75 71 77 83

MICHELE THOMSON WINS NESS OPEN
FOR FIRST TIME AT INVERNESS

Aberdeenshire county champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) followed up her semi-final appearance in the recent Scottish women’s amateur golf championship at Barassie, by winning the Ness Open SLGA Order of Merit 36-hole event for the first time in perfect golfing conditions at Inverness Golf Club today (Sunday).
Michele, 19, who has also held the North of Scotland women’s title for the past two years, had rounds of 72 and 71 for an aggregate of 143, one under par and two under the CSS aggregate for the two rounds.
Miss Thomson had eight birdies over the two rounds - at the fifth, 14th, 17th and 18th in her first round and at the second, fourth, 14th and 15th in the afternoon.
"I hit the ball well and kept it in play which is very important at Invernesss which can be quite a tricky course to score on if you are not on the fairway," said Michele.
Kelsey MacDonald, 16-year-old Nairn Dunbar player who missed the “Scottish” because of school studies, finished one shot behind Michele with scores of 74 and 70 for 144.
Roseanne Niven (Crieff), just back from her first five months at the University of California Berkleye, finished joint third with 16-year-old repeating Renfrewshire women’s county champion, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm).
Roseanne had scores of 76 and 70 while Megan had 74 and 72.
Defending champion Laura Murray (Alford) finished seventh on 152 with a pair of 76s.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72). CSS 73 72
143 M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 72 71.
144 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar0 74 70.
146 R Niven (Crieff) 76 70, M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 74 72.
148 C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 77 71.
151 L Hendry (Routenburn) 76 75.
152 L Murray (Alford) 76 76.
154 E Fairnie (Dunbar) 80 74, K Harper (Inverness) 79 75, A Niven (Inverness) 75 79.
155 A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 81 74.
156 J Carthew (Ladybank) 81 74, S Vass (Tain) 77 79.
158 A Ryan (Tain) 80 78, E Lowery-Gold (Eaton) 79 79.
160 J Turner (Mortonhall) 83 77, C McAndrew (Nairn Dunbar0 81 79.
163 K Walker (Buchanan Castle0 80 83, E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 78 85.
166 S Leslie (Westhill) 86 80.
167 M Howieson (Inverness) 85 82, S Jackson (Ladybank) 82 85.
168 S Wood (Drumpellier) 79 89.
179 T Fraser (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 83 93.
182 F Fullerton (Huntly) 90 92.
184 G Dryburgh (Beaconsfield0 96 88.
185 J Vass (Tain) 95 90.
189 S MacDonell (Inverness) 96 93.
192 C MacLeaod (Nairn Dunbar) 94 98.
199 R Bannerman (Strathpeffer Spa) 99 100.

MASON WINS STOP-START-STOP
CHALLENGE EVENT IN MADRID

Englishman Ben Mason won the latest European Challenge Tour event, the weather-disrupted Open Mahou de Madrid at Casino Club de Golf Retamares.
Torrential rain, thunderstorms, flooding and thick fog - you name it and they had it in Madrid. No surprise that the tournament was eventually reduced to 54 holes. The surprise is that they managed even to complete as many as three rounds so bad was the weather and the effect it had on the Madrid course.
Mason birdied the 17th in his final round of 69 and that was to prove decisive. It gave him a total of eight-under-par 205 for the 6,575yd, par-71 course. His earlier rounds were 70 and 66.
He won by one shot from compatriot Tim Milford and Spaniard Alvaro Velasco.
Peter Whiteford and Jamie McLeary tied for 23rd place on 211. Whitefored scored 71, 65 and 75, McLeary 70, 67 and 74.
Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay had a disastrous third round of 78 (38-40) cluded a double bogey 6 at the fouorth and a double bogey 7 at the long 10th. His earlier rounds gave no hint that things would go wrong - 68 and 70. He tied for 56th place on three-over 216.
West Linton-based Welshman Gareth Wright and Aberdonian Scott Henderson failed to beat the cut. Wright had 67 and 77 for 144 while Henderson was out of sorts with an 81 and 77 for 158.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
205 Ben Mason (Eng0 70 66 69.
206 Alvarao Velasco (Spa) 70 68 68, Tim Milford (Eng0 72 64 70.
207 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 8 75 73, Jan-Are Larsen (Nor) 70 67 70.
Other scores:
211 Peter Whiteford (Sco) 71 65 75, Jamie McLeary (Sco) 70 67 74 (jt 23rd).
216 Eric Ramsay (Sco) 68 70 78 (jt 56th).
MISSED THE CUT
144 Gareth Wright (Wal) 67 77.
158 Scott Henderson (Sco) 81 77.

EUROPEAN TOUR CONSIDERS NAME CHANGE
AS IT PREPARES TO GO GLOBAL

The European Tour is considering a change of name as it looks to forge even closer ties with the rest of the world in battling the strength of the American circuit.
Europe's players already find themselves travelling to Australasia, Asia and the Middle East, but many of the tournaments at home and abroad now take place with weaker fields because of conflicting events in the United States.
"The idea of amalgamating with other tours to put on a really attractive schedule by whatever name we call it is one that we are in the final stages of refining," European Tour executive director George O'Grady said today at Wentworth.
"Certainly it won't be a world tour - that's far too grand a title for me to come up with. We're the European Tour and we're working with all our partners to make, I would say, a hugely strong alternative to the US PGA Tour. We will be administering it and there might be a name change, yes."

DUNCAN STEWART FROM FROM FLORIDA TO RETAIN NORTH DISTRICT TITLE AT TAIN

By ROBIN WILSON

Grantown on Spey's Duncan Stewart arrived home after four years as a student at Jacksonville College, Florida to celebrate his 23rd birthday last Thursday.
His last round of golf in America before setting out to defend the North District championship at Tain on Saturday was in a temperature of 28 degrees in Florida so it was no surprise that in a temperature of 20 degrees less his first round at Tain was a four over par 74 and three shots behind early pacemaker, Kevin Matheson (Royal Donoch).
Five years have passed since +3 handicapper Stewart last played at Tain but after re- familiarising himself with both the course and weather temperature he raised the heat of his own game to shoot a second round of four-under 66, one outside the course record, and retain the North District title by four shots from joint runners up Laurie Chancellor (Inverness) and George Paterson (Moray).
Stewart had to step back from his first putt of the second round when a field mouse ran across the first green. Three holes later he had his first of three outward half birdies for a first nine score of 32.
Duncan had to wait until the 15th to add to his birdie collection but immediately discarded it with his only misjudgment of the round, an underclubbling at the short 16th to take a bogey 4. His fifth and final birdie came from 12 feet on the final green for a an outstanding score when on the day the CSS rose by three in the first round and one in the second.
Inverness schoolteacher Chancellor and Moray greenkeeper Paterson had first and second identical rounds of 72 while Northern Open amateur winner James Gunn (Royal Dornoch) had a disappointing first round 77 but bounced back for fourth place with a level par 70, dropping three shots over the 15th and 16th holes in halves of 34 and 36.
The retaining champion's playing partner partner, left-hander Darren Hexley (Inverness), won the incorporated North District Youths' championship for a second time with rounds of 77 and 72 for 149.

+Picture above by courtesy of Robin Wilson shows Duncan Stewart (left) and Darren Hexley with their trophies.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
CSS 74 72
Championship Cup
140 D Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 74 66.
144 L Chancellor (Inverness) 72 72, G Paterson (Moray) 72 72.
145 J Gunn (Royal Dornoch) 75 70.
147 K. Matheson (Royal Dornoch) 71 76.
148 R A L Cameron (Inverness) 76 72.
149 D Hexley (Inverness) 77 72, D McIntosh (Nairn) 76 73, S Dingwall (Muir of Ord) 75 74, J S D Campbell (Grantown on Spey) 75 74.
150 D Thorburn (Thurso) 77 73, M Ferries (Tain) 75 75.

Youths Championship (Murray Watt Trophy)
149 D Hexley (Inverness) 77 72.
152 J Forbes (Inverness) 72 80.
154 K Godsman (Hopeman) 76 78.
155 M Murray (Brora) 78 77, M Isacs (Nairn Dunbar) 74 81.

HANDICAP
G Paterson (Moray) (1) 142, R A L Cameron (Inverness) (2) 144, D Hexley (Inverness) (2) 145.

CARLY STRUGGLES OVER LAST NINE TO
FINISH SIXTH IN SKANDIA GIRLS' OPEN

Comrie kid Carly Booth, 15 next month, finished best of the Scots who made it to the final day of the Skandia Junior Opens in Sweden on Sunday – but she would have been very disappointed with her joint sixth finish in the girls’ 54-hole event at Bastad Golf Club north of Malmo.
Carly started the final round in joint third position after two creditable rounds of 74.
The +2 handicap youngster then slumped to a closing nine-over-par 80, including an inward half of 42 in which she had threee double bogeys, for a total of 228.
The consolation for Miss Booth is that the event was a qualifier for the European Junior Solheim Cup team to play the United States over the same course from September 10 to 12 and even sixth place will earn her some points.
Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall outclassed the field to win the girls’ title by NINE strokes with scores of 74, 67 and 71 for one-under-par 212.
Nathalie Manson from near Stockholm was runner-up with 70, 76 and 75 for 221.
Guila Moninaro, the Italian girl, who was a member of the European Junior Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor alongwith Carly Booth last autumn, finished on the same 15-over-par mark as the Scot. Guila scored 70, 81 and 77.
In the boys’ 54-hole competition at Falkenberg Golf Club, near Gothenburg, Paul Shields from Kirkhill Golf Club, Cambuslang finished joint 12th on four-over-par 220. He had rounds of 70, 76 and 74. Paul; had three birdies in his final round but also five bogeys.
Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton), the only other Scots boy to survive the 36-hole cut, had rounds of 82, 75 and 81 for joint 65th position on 238. Andrew had a triple bogey 78 at the third and a double bogey 67 at the 13th in his closing round.
Boys’ champion was Norway’s Anders Kristiansen with scores of 72, 70 and 69 for an impressive five-under-par total of 211. He won by a shot from Sweden’s Daniel Jennevret with 73, 70 and 69.
The top English boy was Andrew Johnston (North Middlesex) in joint fifth place on level par 216 with scores of 70, 72 and 74, despite a double bogey 7 at the first and a bogey 5 at the second. Andrew birdied the 17th and 18th in his final round.
SCOREBOARD
Boys: Falkenberg GC, Par 216 (3 x 72)
Leading final totals
211 Anders Kristiansen (Norway) 72 70 69.
212 Daniel Jennevret (Sweden) 73 70 69.
214 Daniel Lokke (Denmark) 73 73 68.
Other totals:
216 Andrew Johnston (North Middleseec 70 72 74 (jt 5th).
218 Henry Smart (Walton Heath) 80 72 66 (jt 9th).
220 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 70 76 74 (jt 12th).
223 Billy Britton (Pedham Place) 73 75 75 (jt 20th).
238 Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) 82 75 81 (jt 65th).
Missed cut
160 Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 79 81.
162 William Bremner (Edzell) 83 79.

Girls: Bastad GC, Par 213 (3 x 71)
Leading final totals
212 Caroline Hedwall (Sweden) 74 67 71.
221 Nathalie Manson (Sweden) 70 76 75.
225 Charlotte Lorentzen (Sweden) 70 72 77.
Other totals:
228 Carly Booth (Comrie) 74 74 80, G Molinaro (Italy) 70 81 77.

ends

ABERDEEN & DISTRICT JUNIOR PENNANT
LEAGUE RESULTS AND TABLES

Latest results in the Aberdeen & District Junior Pennant League, sponsored by Paul Lawrie Junior Golf Development:

Newmachar 6, Alford 0.
Hazlehead 6, Peterculter 0.
Murcar Links 4, Royal Aberdeen 2.
Northern 1 1/2, Cruden Bay 4 1/2.
Stonehaven 2, McDonald Ellon 4.
Kintore 6, Caledonian 0.
Westhill 6, Nigg Bay 0.
Newburgh 4, Inverurie 2.
Cruden Bay 1/2, Peterhead 5 1/2 (brought forward from June 3).
Newburgh 2 1/2, Westhill 3 1/2 (brought forward from June 17).

HOW THEY STAND

SECTION A
Hazlehead.......3-3-0-0-16-2-6pt
Inchmarlo ......2-2-0-0-9.5-2.4-4pt
Peterculter ....4-2-2-0-13-11-4pt
Oldmeldrum..2-1-1-0-7.5-4.5-2pt
Newmachar ...4-1-3-0-8-16-2pt
Alford .............4-0-4-0-0-24-0pt
SECTION B
Peterhead .....4-4-0-0-19.5-4.5-8pt
Murcar Links 4-3-1-0-16.5-7.5-6pt
Ryl Aberdeen 4-2-2-0-15.5-8.5-4pt
Cruden Bay ...5-1-3-1-9-21-3pt
Auchmill ........2-0-1-1-3-9-1pt
Northern ...... 3-0-3-0-2.5-15.5-0pt
SECTION C
Portlethen ...3-3-0-0-13.5-4.5-6pt
McD Ellon ... 4-3-1-0-16-8-6pt.
Deeside ....... 3-2-1-0-12.5-5.5-4pt
Stonehaven. 4-2-2-0-11.5-12.5-4pt.
Kintore ....... 4-1-3-0-11-13-2pt
Caledonian . 4-0-4-0-1.5-22.5-0pt
SECTION D
Westhill....... 4-3-0-1-18-6-7pt
Newburgh .. 3-2-0-0-10-8-4pt
Aboyne ...... 3-1-1-1-8-10-3pt
Inverurie ... 3-1-2-0-8.5-9.5-2pt
Banchory ... 1-0-1-0-2.5-3.5-0pt
Nigg Bay .... 2-0-2-0-1-11-0pt.

Semi-finals between four section winners on Sunday, July 15 (12.00).
Final at McDonald Ellon on Sunday, July 29 (12.00).

ROMERO LEADS FROM TWO ZIMBABWEANS
WITH ONE ROUND TO GO IN US SENIORS

Two Zimbabweans - Dennis Watson and Nick Price - who used to play junior golf together "back home" - will be in the final threesome off the tee in the last round of the US PGA Seniors' championship over the Kiawah Island Ocean Course today.
The third player in the group will be the tournament leader, Eduardo Romero from Argentina.
Romero is on seven-under-par 209, two shots clear of Price and Watson.
England's Mark James is 10 shots off the pace in joint eighth place.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
209 Eduardo Romero (Arg) 68 70 71.
211 Nick Price (Zim) 71 70 70, Dennis Watson (Zim) 71 71 69.
212 Joe Ozaki (Jap) 69 71 72.
Other scores:
217 Mark James (Eng) 74 71 72 (jt 8th).
224 Costantino Rocca (Ita) 74 74 76 (jt 54th).

DOAK EQUALS PORTPATRICK COURSE RECORD

Chris Doak equalled the professional course record of seven-under-par 63 in winning the £7,500 Portpatrick Golf Club charity pro-am on Saturday.
Dean Robertson (Czech Design) was runner-up with a 64 and there were two players in third place on 65 - Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) and Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range).

SIMON YATES FINISHES JOINT EIGHTH IN
SK TELECOM OPEN IN SOUTH KOREA

Scots exile Simon Yates earned $14,424 for a joint eighth place finish in the SK Telecom Open at the BA Vista Country Club, Seoul in South Korea today.
Local hero Bae Sang-moon was on top of the world as he rolled to an emphatic six-stroke triumph, leadng from start to finish for his maiden success on the Asian Tour.
The Korean young gun fended off a late charge by Australian Aaron Baddeley and Kim Hyung-tae with a steady five-under-par 67 at the BA Vista Country Club.
Bae delivered a winning total of 17-under-par 271 and walked away with the top prize of US$129,171.
Baddeley, twice a winner on the US PGA Tour, enjoyed a bogey free 68 while Kim carded a 69 to claim joint second place. Australia’s Unho Park recorded his second top-five finish this season when he shot a 69 in tied fourth position together with Korean duo of Kang Kyung-nam and Choi Hyuk-jae who carded matching 70s. American David Oh shot a 71 for a 279 total also in joint fourth place.
Bae, who picked up the game at the age of nine, was thankful to have his mother Si Ok-hee on the bag this week as he fired six birdies against a lone bogey on the final day.
“I am extremely happy. I dedicate this win to my mother as she has been instrumental in my success today,” said the winner.
“This is the last time my mother will caddie for me as she is getting tired. My mom is 51-years-old. I am thankful to have her on the bag today as she helped calm my nerves,” admitted Bae.
“I was nervous when I got up this morning, thinking about the final round. But my mother told me to picture how I felt during the first round and that put me in the right frame of mind,” said Bae.
Playing in his third SK Telecom Open, Bae was delighted to reach his goal of earning full playing rights on the Asian Tour as his win comes with a two-year exemption.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72). Players from Korea unless stated.

271 Bae Sang-moon 64-69-71-67.
277 Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 71-67-71-68, Kim Hyung-tae 65-71-72-69
279 Choi Hyuk-jae 71-65-73-70, Unho Park (Aus) 67-70-73-69, Kang Kyung-nam 69-69-71-70, David Oh (US) 70-68-70-71
281 Jun Tae-hyun 65-76-73-67, Young Nam 69-69-73-70, Simon Yates (Sco) 68-72-69-72
282 Park No-seok 70-70-74-68, Mark Brown (NZ) 72-70-71-69, Park Boo-won 73-67-71-71
283 S.K. Ho 71-68-74-70, Kang Wook-soon 74-68-71-70, Kane Webber (Aus) 68-74-71-70, Bryan Saltus (US) 70-69-73-71, Kim Kyung-tae 69-72-70-72
284 Woo Chang-wan 73-70-73-68, Jung Ji-ho 67-71-74-72
285 Corey Harris (US) 73-71-71-70, Choi Sang-ho 67-73-75-70, Kwanchai Tannin (Tha) 72-71-72-70, Mo Joong-kyung 73-70-71-71, Kim Hye-dong 73-70-71-71, Kong Yong-joon 70-69-74-72, Han Min-kyu 72-68-72-73, Kang Sung-hoon 66-68-77-74, Park Jun-won 70-70-72-73.
Other Scots' final totals:
286 Ross Bain 73 70 72 71 (jt 30th) ($4,682).
287 Simon Dunn 69 70 73 75 (jt 36th) ($4,090).

JANICE EIGHT BEHIND LEADERS GOING INTO
FINAL ROUND OF CORNING CLASSIC

Janice Moodie goes into the final round of the LPGA Corning Classic at Corning, New York State in a tie for 17th place, eight strokes behind the three joint leaders.
Four of the top seven on the leaderboard are from Korea.
Janice has had scores of 69, 72 and 67 for eight-under-par 208.
The leading British player is Becky Morgan from Wales. She is sharing sixth place on 205 after scores of 69, 66 and 70.
Laura Davies is tied for 13th place on 207 with a hat-trick of 69s.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
206 Paula Creamer (US) 66 68 66, Beth Bader 65 66 69, Young Kim (Kor) 68 64 68.
201 Mi Hyun Kim (Kor) 68 67 66.
204 In-Kyung Kim (Kor) 67 69 68.
205 Na-On Min (Kor) 70 67 68, Becky Morgan (Wal) 69 66 70.
Other scores:
207 Laura Davies (Eng) 69 6969 (jt 13th).
208 Janice Moodie (Sco) 69 72 67 (jt 17th).
For a full scoreboard, log on to: www.lpgascoring.com/leaderboard.html
Labels: Pro Ladies

WEATHER IS THE ONLY WINNER SO FAR
IN CROWNE PLAZA INVITATIONAL

The third round of the weather-hit Crowne Plaza Invational at Colonial has still to be complete on Sunday morning. Each of the three days so far has seen a weather-forced stoppage. Another one on Sunday will cause the organisers major headaches.
There was a six-way logjam for the pole position before even more rain and loss of light ended the day's play early at the Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth in Texas on Saturday.
Scott Verplank shot five birdies in 13 holes late in the day to join fellow Americans Pat Perez, Kevin Na, Arron Oberholser, Ben Curtis and South African Rory Sabbatini in the lead.
They are all on nine under par, a shot ahead of five players including Jim Furyk and overnight leader Tim Clark.
Another group of five including Tom Lehman are a further shot adrift.
Verplank began his round with a birdie on the first and never looked back.
The veteran also picked up shots at the fourth, seventh, 10th and 11th to post a total score of 136 with five holes of his penultimate round to play.
Torrential rain had plagued the first two days at Colonial Country Club, suspending play on both days, and the pattern continued on Saturday.
Twenty-eight golfers had to complete their second rounds in the morning before the third round could start.
And after yet another day of periodic rainfall, the entire remaining field of 70 golfers will have to finish their third rounds this morning.

SALLY WATSON'S LATE BIRDIES LIFT
HER IN FIRST ROUND OF
THUNDERBIRD INTERNATIONAL

Florida-based Sally Watson, 15, from South Queensferry had a first-round score of three-over-par 75 in the girls' section of the Thunderbird Junior International tournament over the 6,271yd girls' Raptor course at Grayhawk Golf Club, Scottsdale in Arizona.
Sally, pictured right, bogeyed the third, fifth and sixth before she settled to birdie the long seventh and turn in two-over-par 38.
A double bogey 6 at the 10th and a bogey at the 12th knocked her back to five over, but she finished strongly with birdies at the 14th and 18th for 37 home.

That gave her a share of 12th place in the strong international field.
Kimberley Kim from Hawaii was the first-round leader by three shots with a 67.
In the boys' event, Jack Hiluta (Chelmsford) was the best of the four English Golf Union squad members over a course measuring 7,113yd.
Hiluta had a 72 to be six shots behind the pacemaker, Arnond Vongjanij, based at Bradenton, Florida where David Leadbetter has his IMG Golf Academy.
LEADERBOARD
Boys
66 A Vongvanij.
67 S Frankly.
Other scores:
72 Jack Hiluta (Chelmsford).
75 Matthew Haines (Rochester & Cobham), Matthew Nixon (Ashton under Lyne).
80 Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle).
Girls
67 Kimberly Kim.
70 Vicky Hurst, Ayaka Kaneko.
Other score:
75 Sally Watson (Sco) (jt 12th).

JAMIESON NEEDS GOOD FINAL ROUND
TO BOOST SIZE OF HOOTERS' CHEQUE

Scott Jamieson needs to produce a spectacular final round on Sunday if he is to pick up a sizeable cheque at the conclusion of the NGA Hooters Tour's Touchstone Energy Open at Brook Valley Country Club.
The Glasgow rookie pro has had rounds of 73, 71 and 75 for three-over-par 219 over a course that measures 6,821yd with a par of 72.
Jamieson birdied the sixth and 15th in his third round but also had a double-bogey 6 at the 14th. Double bogeys at this level of competition - and the standard is at least as good if not better than say the European Challenge Tour - are usual fatal to high-finish prospects.
Scott is sharing 55th place.
Gareth Maybin, the Ballyclare, Ulster player, who has made a lot of dollars from the Hooters Tour over the past two years, found, as he well know, that a par-72 in the third round cost him about 10 places in the standings.
Sharing the lead on 12-under-par 204 are Americans Martin Flores from Mansfield, Texas and Aaron Wright from Orlando, Florida.
Irishman Chris Devlin, now based at Birmingham, Alabama, is in third place, a shot behind the leaders.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72). 6,821yd.
204 Martin Flores (US) 69 67 68, Aaron Wright (US) 70 64 70.
205 Chris Devlin (Ire) 68 68 69.
Other scores:
213 Gareth Maybin (NIr) 72 69 72 (24th).
219 Scott Jamieson (Sco) 73 71 75 (jt 55th).
Maybin's earlier rounds were 72 and 69. He is in 24th place on 213.

SPENCER BUCHAN WINS BRANGAN CUP
IN PHOTO FINISH WITH KRIS NICOL

Spencer Buchan (Royal Aberdeen) pipped Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) for the Brangan Cup in the tightest of tight finishes to the Duff House Royal club's 36-hole men's open tournament today.
Both players finished on 133, and both players had rounds of 66 and 67. It went to a card comparison of the second rounds and the tie-breaker was eventually Spencer Buchan's better inward half.
Gary Thomson (Moray) was third on 136 with 70 and 66.
R Ord (Oldmeldrum) had the lowest net total of the day - 132 (63-69) off four of a handicap
LEADING SCRATCH
133 S J Buchan (Royal Aberdeen) 66 67 (better inward half), K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 66 67.
136 G Thomson (Moray) 70 66.
137 D Morrison (Duff House Royal) 70 67 (better inward half), B A Innes (Murcar Links) 66 71.
138 A Reith (Royal Aberdeen) 68 70 (better inward half).
LEADING HANDICAP
132 R Ord (Oldmeldrum) (4) 63 69.
135 S Stevens (Deeside) (3) 64 71.
137 B Elsby (Pitreavie) (5) 69 68.

+Our apologies to Spencer Buchan for getting his first name wrong in our first report.

RAIN-FOG-RAIN ... NO, IT'S NOT SCOTLAND,
IT'S MADRID AND THE STOP-START-STOP
CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT

It was another disastrous day weather-wise on the European Challenge Tour's Open Mahou de Madrid at the Casino Club de Golf Retamares.
The first day had been bad enough with flooding. The second day got off to a bad start with the first two hours lost because of thick fog. After play did start, the rains returned in the afternoon and play had to be suspended for another couple of hours.
The officials have decided to cut the event to 54 holes they could be pushed even to get three rounds completed.
Scot Peter Whiteford, for instance, has played only three holes in his second round. There cannot be an official 36-hole cut until every player has completed 36 holes.
But West Linton-based Welshman Gareth Wright and Scott Henderson will have packed their bags and left Madrid already. Gareth had a disastrous 10-stroke slump from 67 in the first round to 77 in the second for 144.
Henderson followed up his opening 81 with a 77 for 158.
The projected cut-off score is 141.
LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2 x 71). 6,575yd.
134 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 65, Vicente Apron (Spa) 66 68.
135 Carlos Balmaseda (Spa) 66 69, Martin Maritz (SAf) 70 65.
Other scores:
137 Jamie McLeary (Sco) 70 67 (jt 15th).
138 Eric Ramsay (Sco) 68 70 (jt 22nd).
144 Gareth Wright (Wal) 67 77.
158 Scott Henderson (Sco) 81 77.
Still to complete two rounds: P Whiteford (Sco) 71 - .

BRYAN FOTHERINGHAM DROPS DOWN
TO 17th PLACE - EIGHT SHOTS BEHIND
LEADER IN WELSH STROKE-PLAY

Bryan Fotheringham from Forres, Scotland's leading hope in the Welsh men's open amateur stroke-play championship at Machynys Peninsula, dropped down to a share of 17th place at the halfway stage.
Bryan has had rounds of 69 and 73 for 142 - eight shots behind the leader, Jonathan White (Saunton) with 68 and 66.
Fotheringham was the only Scot to beat the cut at 146.
Overnight leader with a 67, John Parry (Harrogate) broke par in the second round again with a 70 but some players were shooting very low numbers and John has slipped down to fifth place on 137.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72). CSS 74 74
134 Jonathan White (Saunton) 68 66.
135 Neil Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire) 69 66, Paul Waring (Bromborough) 68 67.
136 Dale Marmion (Delamere Forest) 71 65.
137 John Parry (Harrogate) 67 70.
138 Ben Evans (Rye ) 71 67, Sam Matton (Bowood) 69 69, Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs) 68 70.
139 Gareth Evans (Northcliffe) 71 68, Rhys Enoch (Truro) 69 70, Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch) 69 70.
Other scores:
142 Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) 69 73 (jt 17th).
MISSED THE CUT (146)
147 Colin Heuchan (Southerness) 76 71.
151 Zander Culverwell (Dunbar) 75 76, Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 75 76.
155 Andrew Weir (Montrose Mercantile) 80 75.

BROADHURST SHARES LEAD AGAIN
- AND ATTACKS GOLF WRITERS FOR
NOT GIVING HIM PUBLICITY

Ross Fisher and Paul Broadhurst both finished with a hat-trick of birdies to be joint leaders entering the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth tomorrow.
Broadhurst used his Press Conference to attack the assembled golf writers for not giving his first-round share of the lead any prominence in their stories.
Making reference to what he called "The Justin Rose Show", the 41-year-old Broadhurst had matched the 26-year-old's opening 66, but then struggled to find his name in a headline anywhere on Friday morning.
"I went to the papers on Friday hoping to read about myself and I didn't," said the former Ryder Cup player, who now has a chance to win the European Tour's flagship event five years after his career was hanging by a thread.
"I got a couple of lines and it annoyed me a little bit. The fact that I am now sharing the lead with Ross Fisher will be in the Sunday papers, won't it?"
Fisher is the same age as Rose and, although he does not yet have the same high profile, that will change if he is the one to lift the first prize of almost £480,000.
While joint halfway leader Rose fell back into fifth place with a 73, Fisher had a rollercoaster ride of a 69 on the very course where he learnt to play the game.
South African ace Ernie Els, who lives on the Wentworth estate, has revealed that he plans to react to criticism of one of the holes he has re-designed.
Els was hired by the Surrey club to toughen up the famous West Course, but no end of players have thought during this week's championship that he went too far by bringing in water on both sides of the drive down the long 12th.
Els himself eagled the hole today with a brilliant three-iron to three feet, but he commented: "I think I will move the left side (of the ditch) back into the rough."
He added: "What I wanted to do is challenge the guys, but I've seen some shots and had a lot of comments. The rest of the course is standing up very well, though."
Els also eagled the fourth, which he has stretched to 552 yards, and had three birdies - but his card showed two bogeys, a double-bogey and a triple-bogey as well.
The triple came on the 396-yard seventh, where he was bunkered in two and four-putted.
Els is on level par 216, the same mark as Colin Montgomerie who had a 70.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72). Players from GB&I unless stated.
206 Paul Broadhurst 66 72 68, Ross Fisher 70 67 69.
207 Richard Sterne (SAf) 68 73 66, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 67 70 70.
209 Justin Rose 66 70 73.
210 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 70 68 72.
211 Anders Hansen (Den) 74 70 67, Markus Brier (Aut) 73 68 70, Nick Dougherty 69 71 71
212 Paul Casey 73 67 72, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 70 66 76
213 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 77 69 67, Richard Green (Aus) 73 73 67, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 72 73 68, Lee Westwood 71 72 70, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 72 72, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 68 71 74, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 68 71 74, Padraig Harrington 69 69 75
214 Peter O'Malley (Aus) 71 72 71, Thongchai Jaidee (Thai) 73 70 71, Luke Donald 71 72 71
215 Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 77 68 70, Vijay Singh (Fij) 73 72 70, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 70 73 72, Simon Khan 67 75 73, James Kingston (SAf) 70 71 74
216 Stephen Dodd 72 74 70, Colin Montgomerie 70 76 70, Peter Lawrie 76 69 71, Steven Jeppesen (Swe) 73 72 71, Brett Taylor 71 73 72, Ernie Els (SAf) 68 76 72, Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 73 71 72, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 72 72 72, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 72 72 72, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 71 72 73, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 73 68 75, Lee Slattery 69 71 76
217 Andrew Oldcorn 74 71 72, Marc Warren 70 75 72, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 74 70 73, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 71 73 73, Andres Romero (Arg) 70 72 75, Oliver Wilson 70 71 76, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 72 78, Matthew Millar (Aus) 69 69 79
218 Ariel Canete (Arg) 72 73 73, Christopher Hanell (Swe) 72 72 74, James Hepworth 71 72 75, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 72 71 75, Richard Bland 71 71 76
219 Yang Yong-eun (Kor) 68 78 73, Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) 70 76 73, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 72 74 73, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 75 73, Garry Houston 74 71 74, Miles Tunnicliff 71 73 75, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 68 75 76, Paul McGinley 74 69 76, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 72 70 77, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67 71 81
220 Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 70 75 75, Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 72 72 76, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 72 70 78
222 Rafael Echenique (Arg) 70 76 76, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 76 70 76, Louis Oosthuizen (SAf) 69 77 76
223 Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 74 72 77, Johan Axgren (Swe) 75 71 77, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 72 73 78
224 Marcel Siem (Ger) 73 72 79
225 Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 76 79
226 Mark Foster 71 75 80
227 Brett Rumford (Aus) 77 69 81

BYRNE WINS FOR FIRST TIME

ON LAST APPEARANCE ON

SGU JUNIOR TOUR

United States-bound James Byrne (Banchory) won his last competition on the Scottish Golf Union Junior Tour over the Newmachar Hawkshill course today.

Byrne, 18, pictured right, had very good rounds of 68 and 71 for a five-under-par total of 139. He won by four strokes from Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 68-65 and Michael Main (Thornton) 76-67.

Highlight of Byrne’s first round was a purple patch of five birdies in seven holes from the 10th.

“It feels good to have finally managed to win on the Junior Tour on what will be my last event on it,” said Byrne who starts a four-year golf scholarship at Arizona State University in August.

“That’s the best I’ve ever hit it and if I had putted a bit better I could have scored a lot lower than 139.”

Byrne is a member of the Scotland side to play in Japan in July in the World boys’ team championship and there is an SGU Junior Tour event scheduled at that time.

LEADING SCORES

Par 144 (2 x 72). CSS 74 74

139 J Byrne (Banchory) 68 71.

143 M Main (Thornton) 76 67, M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 68 75.

147 C Gaittens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 74 73, F Fotheringham (Nairn) 73 74, S Fraser (Royal Aberdeen) 76 71, B Sloan (Hamilton) 74 73.

148 S McLaren (King James VI) 73 75, E Brown (Kilmarnock Barassie) 76 72, K Smith (Kilmarnock Barassie) 75 73.

149 N Henderson (The Glen) 74 75.

150 M Dailly (Erskine) 75 75, C Baird (Bothwell Castle) 78 72.

151 C Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 72 79, D Law (Hazlehead) 73 78, A Wallace (Glenbervie) 77 74.

152 T Sharkey (Helensburgh) 77 75, M Bookless (Sandyhills) 77 75, D Currie (Kilmarnock Barassie) 75 77.

153 S Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 77 76, A Sweeney (Carnoustie) 73 80.

154 M Cunningham (Longniddry) 78 76.

155 D Young (Craigie Hill) 79 76, J Ross (Royal Burgess) 82 73.

156 T Blennerhassett (Dalmahoy) 77 79.

157 F Moore (Falkirk Tryst) 80 77, T Spencer (Inchmarlo) 77 80.

158 R Elder (Nairn Dunbar) 80 78, F McKenna (Balmore) 76 82.

159 S Boyle (Harburn) 84 75.

160 E McLaren (Dumfries & Galloway) 73 87.

161 G Reid (Newbattle) 79 82.

162 J Bradley (Paisley) 81 81.

163 C Gray (West Kilbride) 83 80.

164 J Anderson (Glenrothes) 81 83.

168 C Wyper (Hayston) 83 85.

169 G Stirling (Caldwell) 85 84.

170 S Connell (Inverness) 86 84.

TRISH JOHNSON WINS ITALIAN LADIES
OPEN - HER FIRST TITLE FOR THREE
YEARS - AT THE AGE OF 41

BY BETHAN CUTLER
From the Ladies European Tour website.
England’s Trish Johnson claimed her first title in three years on an exciting final day at the BMW Ladies Italian Open over the Sheraton Parco de Medici course in Rome today.
It was her 18th worldwide victory and her first since the 2004 Wales Ladies Open. Johnson’s final round six-under-par 66 took her to 15-under-par 273 in total, one stroke ahead of last week’s Deutsche Bank Ladies’ Swiss Open champion, Bettina Hauert of Germany, who had a course record 10-under-par 62 to finish on 14-under-par.
Australia’s Sarah Kemp carded a final round 68 and finished tied for third position with Frenchwoman Sophie Giquel (69) on 12-under.
Meanwhile, the overnight leader Stefania Croce of Italy had a final round 73 to share seventh position with Sweden’s Louise Friberg, Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley and Spain’s Carmen Alonso, on 11-under-par.Johnson predicted ahead of her final round that she would need a 66 to reach 15-under to win the tournament, but she had to fight to overcome Bettina Hauert, who leaped out of the pack with a 62, which lowered her career low round by four shots.
Hauert began the day tied for 24th place on four-under-par but came charging up the leaderboard and held a three-stroke advantage at the end of her round.She carded two birdies on her front nine, for an outward total of 33 and then played the back nine in eight-under-par 29, with four birdies and two eagles, to tie the Ladies European Tour’s record for the lowest nine holes in a tournament.
Beginning the day at nine under par, two shots adrift of the lead, Johnson fired three birdies and a bogey on her front nine to turn in 33, and then birdied the 12th and 14th holes to reach 13-under-par, just one stroke behind the leader.
However Trish dropped a shot at the par-3 15th hole when she pulled her eight-iron slightly into the bunker. She played an excellent bunker shot to three feet from the pin but her putt just lipped out.
She recovered with birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to draw level with the clubhouse leader.Then, needing to birdie the par-5 18th for victory, Johnson hit her 105-yard approach shot to three feet with a 52 degree wedge and rolled in the birdie putt.
“I was feeling quite sick actually at that stage. I tried not to think about anything and to just breathe. I use a ball marker that just says, “Relax!” because I’m not the best at that,” said the 41-year-old London-based Arsenal FC supporter Johnson.
“I said this morning that a 66 or 15-under-par would win it but Bettina had an excellent score and deserved to win. Something felt very good today and I have played very well all week.
“It feels fabulous. I’ve done a lot of work with my coach Scott Margets over the winter and I had a fabulous putting lesson with Christine Langford which has helped a lot.
“I had a dreadful year last year and I didn’t enjoy that. I just wanted to win again. I’ve never thought about quitting. I don’t think age has anything to do with it. You either want to win or you don’t.”
Johnson, who collected a first prize of €60,000, was invited by the event title sponsor BMW to attend the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at The Wentworth Club on Sunday, where she will present the male champion with the trophy and she said she was looking forward to it.
Trish also receives 40 Solheim Cup points’ as a result of her victory which bodes well for her chances of making her eighth appearance in the transatlantic encounter, which takes place in Sweden in September.
CLARE QUEEN JOINT 21st
Clare Queen finished just outside the top 20 in joint 21st place with rounds of 70, 68, 73 and 70 for 281. She earned 4,920 Euros. In her final round Clare, who represents The Carrick at Cameron House on the Ladies European Tour, had birdies at the seventh, eighth, 14th and 18th. She had bogeys at the fourth and 16th.
Over the four rounds Miss Queen had 14 birdies. A double bogey 7 at the eighth in her third round cost her a top-20 finish .
Picture of Trish Johnson with the trophy by courtesy of Ladies European Tour website.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
273 T Johnson (Eng) 68 70 69 66 (60,000 Euros).
274 B Hauert (Ger) 70 70 72 62 (40,600 Euros).
276 S Kemp (Aus) 68 68 72 68, S Giquel (Fra) 73 69 65 69 (24,800 Euros each).
277 I Tinning (Den) 69 73 70 65, F Piovano (Ita) 68 72 70 67 (15,480 Euros each).
Other scores:
278 R Coakley (Ire) 67 74 70 67 (jt 7th) (9,740 Euros).
281 C Queen (Carrick at Cameron House) 70 68 73 70 (jt 21st) (4,920 Euros).

CARLY MOVES UP INTO SHARE OF THIRD
IN SWEDISH GIRLS’ TOURNAMENT

Perthshire’s Carly Booth managed to get only one birdie in a second-round 74 but she still managed to moved up into a share of third place in the Skandia Junior Open girls’ tournament at Bastad Golf Club, Sweden today.
Carly, who has her 15th birthday next month, birdied the fourth in very steady halves of 36 and 38 for a three-over-par round, her second 74 of the competition.
On 148, she is seven shots behind the leader, Swedish girl Caroline Hedwall who had a superb second round of 67, covering the inward half in only 31 shots, for a two-round tally of one-under-par 141. She leads by five strokes from compatriot Nathalie Mansson.
Italy's Giula Molinaro, like Carly a member of the European Junior Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor last autumn, dropped back down the field after an 81 - 11 shots more than her first round - to joint eighth place.
In the Skandia Junior Open boys’ competition at Falkenberg Golf Club, near Gothenburg, Paul Shields (Kirkhill) was lying ninth equal after rounds of 70 and 76 for 146. Paul had birdies at the first, seventh and 11th in his second round but seven bogeys cancelled them out.
Paul and Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) were the only Scots boys to survive the 36-hole cut.
Andrew Campbell was on 157 with scores of 82 and 75 (36-39). Andrew had birdies at the third, fourth, 17th and 18th in his second round but a double bogey 6 at the 16th cost him the chance of matching the par of 72.
New Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Ferrier (Baberton) was eliminated on 160 after rounds of 78 and 81 (42-39). He had double bogeys at the second and 13th in his second round in which his only birdie came at the short 18th.
William Bremner (Edzell), beaten in the Scottish boys final at Dunbar in April, totalled 162 with scores of 83 and 79 (38-41). William had double bogeys at the second and 14th and birdies at the first, sixth and ninth.
English boy Andrew Johnston (North Middlesex) shares the lead with two Swedes on 142. Andrew has had rounds of 70 and 72.
SKANDIA JUNIOR OPEN LEADERBOARDS
Boys (at Falkenberg)
Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from Sweden unless stated
142 A B Kristiansen 72 70, A Jacobsson 70 72, A Johnston (North Middlesex) 70 72.
143 M Larsson 75 68, D Jennevert 73 70, J Ahgren 72 71.
Other scores:
146 P Shields (Kirkhill) 70 76 (jt 9th).
148 B Britton (Pedham Place) 73 75 (jt 19th).
152 H Smart (Walton Heath) 80 72 (jt 38th).
157 A Campbell (Dumbarton) 82 75 (jt 61st)
MISSED CUT
160 P Ferrier (Baberton) 79 81.
162 W Bremner (Edzell) 83 79.
Girls (at Bastad)
141 C Hedwall 74 67.
146 N Mansson 70 76.
148 C Lorentzen 76 72, C Booth (Comrie) 74 74.
Other score:
151 G Molinaro (Italy) 70 81 (jt 8th).

NAOMI EDWARDS BEATS MELISSA
REID IN FINAL OF ENGLISH
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Yorkshire’s Naomi Edwards made it third time lucky when she won the English women’s close amateur championship final at Littlestone Golf Club, Kent today.
The 23-year-old from Ganton had twice been runner-up in this championship and finally claimed the title when she beat Derbyshire’s Melissa Reid 2 and 1 in the 18-hole final. “It feels fantastic,” said Naomi.
“I’m so relieved! I knew it was going to be a tough match but you have to be positive,”added Naomi, who was one under par in the final.
She rates it as the biggest moment in her career, which has included playing in the Curtis Cup and previous victories in the English mid-amateur championship, the St Rule Trophy and the Welsh open stroke-play.
Naomi took charge early in the match and was three up after eight holes, helped by birdies on the par-5 fifth and seventh holes.
But Melissa began a fightback with a birdie three on the 12th where she holed a superb putt over a saddle in the green. She then narrowed the margin to one hole with a par on the 15th.
CLOSING HOLES DECISIVE
Naomi sealed the title over the tough closing holes. She was just short of the long 16th green in two and almost holed her long eagle putt, leaving the ball stone dead. Melissa’s approach to the green took a hard bounce right over the putting surface into thick rough by the next tee. Her delicate chip finished within 3ft of the hole but, in what she later blamed on a lapse in concentration, she missed the putt.
On the 173-yard 17th Melissa appeared to have the advantage. Her ball was about 20ft from the pin while Naomi’s eight-iron bounced straight through and down a steep bank at the back of the green.From there, and unable to see even the top of the pin, she played an exquisite shot with a lob wedge to within about 15ft.
Melissa’s birdie attempt lipped out and Naomi took her chance, ramming home the putt for a half – and the championship.
She puts her success down to her fresh focus on her golf. “I know where I want to be, where I want to go,” said Naomi, who is considering turning professional at the end of 2008.
Before the championship she also worked hard with ELGA coach Lawrence Farmer and came to the event with just one swing thought.
“I used it through the week and it worked. Sometimes I can get too many thoughts in my head!” she laughed.
Final - Naomi Edwards (Ganton) bt Melissa Edwards (Chevin) 2 and 1.

SAM TORRANCE MISSES CUT
BY ONE IN USA SENIOR PGA
CHAMPIONSHIP

Sam Torrance, Gordon Brand, Bill Longmuir, D J Russell and Tony Jacklin all missed the 36-hole cut in the US Senior PGA championship over the Ocean course at Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Sam scored 76 and 77 for 153 - just one shot too many to qualify.
Eduardo Romero from the Argentine leads the field by two strokes with a six-under-par tally of 138.
Joe Ozaki (Japan) is next of 140 with seniors-debutant Nick Price third on 141.
Mark James is the only British player in with any sort of chance and he is seven shots off the pace on 145.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
138 Eduardo Romero (Arg) 68 70.
140 Joe Ozaki (Jap) 69 71.
141 Nick Price (Zim) 71 70.
Other scores:
145 Mark James (Eng) 74 71 (jt 9th).
1487 Costantino Rocca (Ita) 74 74 (jt 33rd).
Non-qualifiers included:
153 Sam Torrance (Sco) 76 77.
154 Gordon Brand (Eng) 78 76.
157 Bill Longmuir (Sco) 78 79.
163 D J Russell (Eng) 81 82.
169 T Jacklin (Eng) 84 85.

After three missed cuts and a withdrawal, Simon Dunn, who has Scottish blood in his veins, is enjoying his outing at the SK Telecom Open in Seoul, South Korea.
This is a "diary page," written by Simon for the Asian Tour website:

DUBAI-BORN SCOT ENJOYING LIFE ON
THE ASIAN PGA TOUR

By Simon Dunn
I played poorly in the past four events. I hurt my back before the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. I actually injured my back at the Pine Valley Beijing Open. I pulled a muscle on the lower back and it ruined it for me basically. It is fine now but it is one of those things. It does not affect my game at all now. I did some physiotherapy and it’s back to normal, no pain at all.
I was born in Dubai in 1979 and have been living there ever since. My father was Scottish and my mom is Malaysian. I’m Scottish by default, I guess. I studied Sports Management and graduated from the Campbell University in North Carolina.
I graduated in 2002 and turned professional in the beginning of 2003. This is my fifth year as a professional and I’m enjoying my golfing career. My father passed away but my mom lives in Edinburgh. I’m now staying in Dubai with my wife.
Dubai is nice. There are several sand golf courses there which are fun to play. It is getting warm now but a nice place to be in. It is in between Europe and Asia.
This is my first full season on the Asian Tour and I’m enjoying the ride. The last three four tournaments hurt my ranking but if I pick up the pace this week, then maybe I might put myself back into position for the re-rank.
I didn’t play too well today which was difficult but hope to pick up some valuable money for the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit. I was playing well the first two days but today I had to scramble. It was windy today at the BA Vista Country Club and difficult to control the ball.
When I’m not playing well, it is even harder to control the ball. One over today is not too bad but I hope to do better tomorrow.

My goal is to try and make sure that I make it into the top-60 on the UBS Order of Merit but I’ve left myself a lot of work to do. If I play well tomorrow, it will help towards that goal. I really want to finish in the top-60. In the second half of the year, I’ll find out really where I stand.

YATES JOINT FOURTH

AFTER THREE ROUNDS

IN SOUTH KOREA

Korea’s Bae Sang-moon was rock solid at the top of the pack as he opened up a four-stroke lead in the third round at the SK Telecom Open at Seoul, South Korea today.
Bae, who led since the opening day, solidified his position at the top of the leaderboard after a three-day total of 12-under-par 204 and took a commanding lead ahead of compatriot Kim Hyung-tae, who was even-par for the day, and American David Oh who shot a 70 in joint second place at the US$600,000 event.
Australia’s Aaron Baddeley, the winner of two PGA Tour titles, continued his rise when he carded a 71 in tied fourth spot alongside Choi Hyuk-jae who endured a slow 73 for a 209 total at the wind swept BA Vista Country Club.
Scottish exile Simon Yates, pictured above, enjoyed a bogey free round when he shot a 69 together with Kang Kyung-nam who stayed in the hunt after a 71 also in joint fourth place.
The 37-year-old Yates fired two birdies on the front nine and after a third birdie on the 10th hole, Yates, who is also an avid racing car driver, went on to par the remaining eight holes.
“It was very gusty out there. I stayed positive and it turned out well. The highlight for me was making no bogeys. I was putting solid out there. I hit it to three feet at the second hole and two- putted the par-5 third hole,” said Yates.
“I can’t afford to hit a wild shot here. I think seven under is not that far away from the leader. I have been playing well for a month now and hope to continue my run into the final round,” added Yates, who chalked up three top-10s this season on the Asian Tour that included a third place finish at the BMW Asian Open last month.
Three Scots in all made the halfway cut - Simon Dunn, who had a third-round 73 for 212 and joint 14th position and Ross Bain, who had a 72 for jt 38th place on 215.

A fourth Scot, Barry Hume from Glasgow, also plays the Asian Tour but no sign of his scores in recent events.

THIRD-ROUND LEADERS
Par 216 (3 x 72)

204 Bae Sang-moon (Kor) 64-69-71
208 Kim Hyung-tae (Kor) 65-71-72, David Oh (US) 70-68-70
209 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 71-67-71, Choi Hyuk-jae (Kor) 71-65-73, Simon Yates (Sco) 68-72-69, Kang Kyung-nam (Kor) 69-69-71
210 Unho Park (Aus) 67-70-73.

Other scores:

212 Simon Dunn (Sco) 69 70 73 (jt 14th).

215 Ross Bain (Sco) 73 70 72 (jt 38th).

BARON FINISHES 42 OVER PAR IN
NCAA DIV 2 CHAMPIONSHIP

Chris Baron from Oldmeldrum will be glad it’s all over – the NCAA Division 2 men’s golf championship at The Meadows Golf Club, Allendale, Michigan.
At the end of his freshman year at Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina, Chris encountered the toughest golf course in his life, with rock-hard fairways and “jungle-thick” rough if you missed them.
Baron finished 42 over par for the four rounds over the par-71, 6,992yd course.
He scored 76, 80, 87 and 83 for 326 and 97th place in a field of 105 players.
Christian Ries (Columbus State) won the individual title with rounds of 73, 71, 70 and 71 for one-over-par 285 – six shots clear of Hernan Borja (Barry) with 70, 73, 75 and 73.
Belmont Abbey College, with a 65-over-par total of 1201, finished joint sixth of 20 in the team event won by Barry University with 50-over-par 1186.

JANICE IN JT 44th PLACE BUT MHAIRI FAILS
TO BEAT THE CUT IN CORNING CLASSIC

Janice Moodie was in joint 44th position after two rounds of the LPGA Corning Classic at Corning, New York State.
Janice has had rounds of 69 and 72 for three-under-par 141 over the 6,188yd, par-72 course.
Mhairi McKay failed to make the cut at one-over-par 145 with scores of 71 and 74.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72). 6,188yd.
131 Beth Bader 65 66.
132 Young Kim (Kor) 68 64.
134 Paula Creamer 66 68.
135 Becky Morgan (Wal) 69 66, Mi Hyun Kim (Kor) 68 67.
Other scores:
138 Laura Davies (Eng) 69 69 (jt 18th).
140 Johanna Head (Eng) 68 73 (jt 38th).
141 Janice Moodie (Sco) 69 73.
Non-qualifiers included:
145 Mhairi McKay (Sco) 71 74.

JAMIESON MAKES CUT WITH STROKE TO
SPARE IN HOOTERS’ TOUR EVENT IN US

Scott Jamieson made the halfway cut with a stroke to spare in the NGA Hooters Tour’s Touchstone Energy Open at Brook Valley Country Club, Greenville in North Carolina.
The rookie pro from Glasgow had rounds of 73 and 71 – thanks to late birdies at the 14th and 15th, for a tally of level par 144 and joint 43rd position among the 64 qualifiers from a starting field of 168.
Ulsterman Gareth Maybin from Ballyclare qualified in joint 16th place with 72 and 69 for 141 – seven shots behind leader Aaron Wright from Orlando, with 70 and 64 for 10-under-par 134.
Wright leads by two from Irishman Chris Devlin, based in Birmingham, Alabama. Devlin has had a pair of 68s.
David Skinns from Lincoln and Colin Spiers of Dunkeld missed the cut at 145.
Skinns shot 73 and 77 for 150, Speirs 76 and 77 for 153.
First prize in the $200,000 satellite tour event is $33,566

LAIRD MISSES ONLY SECOND CUT THIS SEASON
ON UNITED STATES NATIONWIDE TOUR

Former Scottish youth champion Martin Laird from Glasgow missed only his second cut in 11 starts on the US Nationwide Tour this season with scores of 74 and 70 for level par 144 in the Melwood Prince George's County Open at The Country Club at Woodmore, Mitchelville in Maryland.
Martin, seventh in the No 2 tour's money list with $124,270 from 10 events, had a double bogey 6 in his first round and that was to come back to haunt him.
At the end of the day, Laird had missed the cut by two strokes, i.e. those with two-under-par 144 totals and better qualified.
Three players led on nine-under-par 135 - South African Jaco Van Zyl with 70 and 65, and Americans Patrick Sheehan (69-66) and Peter Tomasul (68-67).

BON ACCORD COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT
MURCAR LINKS AND WIN MAITLAND SHIELD

Bon Accord scored a one-hole overall win over Murcar Links to win the City of Aberdeen foursomes for the Maitland Shield at East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre this evening.
Murcar Links, with a long history of success in foursomes events, looked set to have their named engraved on the Maitland Shield once again until Bon Accord turned the two-leg tie on its head over the last five holes.
Bon Accord’s Dave Grieve and Barrie Edmond finished five up on Murcar Links’ Anthony Bews and Neil McKinnon after a cluster of late wins.
In the second leg it was Murcar Links who had the dominant pairing but Bryan Innes and Terry Mathieson finished “only” four up on Graeme Somers and Matty Greig of Bon Accord – not enough to wipe out the five-hole lead established by the Bon Accord first string.

FINAL
Bon Accord beat Murcar Links by one hole.
D Grieve & B Edmond 5, A Bews & N McKinnon 0.
G V Somers & M Greig 0, B Innes & T Mathieson 4.

RAMSAY, ONLY ONE OVER PAR, FAILS TO

MAKE THE CUT IN THE CROWNE PLAZA

INVITATIONAL AT COLONIAL

Richie Ramsay was not going to make the halfway cut in the rain-delayed Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, this week's US PGA Tour event at the Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth in Texas.

They still have not completed the second round. Some 27 players have to g out first on Saturday morning to finish off their 36-hole totals. Only then will the halfway cut figure be finalised.

But the projected figure - and the computers are pretty good with their arithmetic - is that those with 36-hole totals of 139 (one under par) or better will make it.

Richie, playing 35 holes on Friday after only one hole on Thursday, scored a highly creditable 69 and 72 for a one-over-par aggregate of 141.

In his first round of one-under-par 69, Ramsay, the US amateur champion, had birdies at the third, sixth, 11th and 17th with bogeys at the ninth, 10th and 14th.

In his second round, the Royal Aberdeen member started at the 10th - and birdied it to move to two-under-par for the tournament. But that's as good as it got for Richie. He bogeyed the 12th to be one under par and then dropped another shot at the third and a final one at the fifth before parring the remainder for a 71.

Having played in two rounds of the Masters, this further outing on the US PGA Tour will have underlined for Richie, who is expected to turn pro after the Walker Cup match in September, just how high the standards are in America.

Tim Clark, with a bag of 14 birdies so far, is leading the "Colonial" field with rounds of 65 and 64 for 11-under-par 129.


ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

MOUL DIGS IN AT THE TOP OF
R&A WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS

Brabazon Trophy winner Jamie Moul strengthened his position at the top of the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings with his success in the English amateur stroke-play championship. He has now been in the No 1 position for 15 consecutive weeks.
The top-ranked 20 are:
1 Jamie Moul (Eng).
2 Jamie Lovemark (US).
3 Billy Horschel (US).
4 Chris Kirk (US).
5 Rhys Davies (Wal).
6 Pablo Martin (Spa).
7 Lloyd Saltman (Sco).
8 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng).
9 Bronson LaCassie (Aus).
10 Webb Simpson (US).
11 Kyle Stanley (US).
12 Rory McIlroy (NIr).
13 Richie Ramsay (Sco).
14 John Parry (Eng).
15 Dustin Johnson (US).
16 Niklas Lemke (Swe).
17 Alan Wagner (Arg).
18 Rohan Blizard (Aus).
19 Gary Boyd (Eng).
20 Kevin Chappell (US).
Other Scots in top 150:
79 John Gallagher.
84 Paul O'Hara.
100 Keir McNicoll.
122 Duncan Stewart.
124 Scott Henry.
127 Craig Watson
130 Jonathan King.
142 Callum Macaulay.
143 Wallace Booth.

FIGHTING FOTHERHAM IN JOINT

SIXTH PLACE WITH 69 IN

WELSH OPEN STROKE PLAY

Bryan Fotheringham from Forres, fighting to regain his place in the Scotland men's home international team - if not a place in the side for the European men's team championship at Western Gailes in early July - had a battling round of 69 in the first round of the Welsh open amateur stroke-play championship at Machynys Peninsula today.

That put Bryan, pictured right, in joint sixth place behind John Parry (Harrogate). Winner of the Spanish open amateur title earlier this year, the Yorkshireman the first-round leader with a 67.

LEADERBOARD

CSS 74.

67 J Parry (Harrogate).

68 L Campbell (Rochester & Cobham), J Whitge (Saunton), P Waring (Bromborough), G Wolstenhome (Kilworth Springs).

69 L Thomas (Vale of Glamorgan), N Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire), B Fotheringham (Forres), N Edwards (Whitchurch), W Bowe (Workington), R Enoch (Truro), S Matton (Bowood).

70 J Freeman (Worksop), A Runcie (Abergele), L Matgthews (Southerndown), O Farr (Ludlow), M Cryer (Coventry), M Bicknell (Stoneham), M Davies (Kington).

Other scores:

75 Zander Culverwell (Dunbar) (jt 55th).

76 Colin Heuchan (Southerness) (jt 62nd).

80 Robert Carson (Marriott Dalmahoy), Andrew Weir (Montrose Mercantile) (jt 91st).

HENDERSON HORROR ROUND IN RAIN-DELAYED CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT

IN MADRID

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:

Edoardo Molinari rediscovered his touch on the greens to putt himself onto the verge of European Challenge Tour history at the Open Mahou de Madrid.
The Italian, who has won twice on the 2007 Challenge Tour Schedule already this season to sit at the top of the Rankings, can secure instant promotion to the European Tour by winning at the Casino Club de Golf Retamares his weekend.
After play was wiped out due to flooding at the golf course on Thursday, Molinari got his first round underway this afternoon and shot to the top of the leaderboard with an opening six under par 65, joining Frenchman Nicolas Billot in a tie for first place.
“I played very well today,” said Molinari. “I hit the ball well and finally holed putts, which was a relief because I didn’t hole anything last week in Belgium.
“Today I made some important ones from around four and five metres. If I keep playing like this I know that another victory will come. It’s always difficult to win, but I will have a chance if I can putt like I did today.”
Billot put together seven birdies and just a single dropped shot to join Molinari in the lead, one stroke ahead of Spanish duo Vicente Apron and Carlos Balmaseda, Sweden’s Klas Eriksson and Argentina’s Julio Zapata.
Like Molinari, Billot attributed the success of his first round to his putting ability.
He said: I holed good putts today – everything from between two and three metres seemed to go in, which always makes a different to your round.”
The second round of the Open Mahou de Madrid will be tee off on Saturday morning, when a decision will be made on whether or not the tournament will have to be reduced to 54 holes in order to finish on Sunday afternoon.
Scott Henderson, pictured above, had a horrendous round of 81 in the rain-delayed first round.
The Aberdonian had a triple bogey 7 at the sixth, a double-bogey 5 at the ninth and a double-bogey 6 at the 18th in halves of 41 and 40. He is lying joint 148th in a field of 155 players.
But there was better news of Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay who had a 68 and Jamie McLeary a competent round of 70, one shot better than Peter Whiteford.
For some reason, it was only Henderson among the Scots who found the course very difficult.

LEADERBOARD
Par 71. 6,575yd.
65 Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra), Edoardo Molinari (Ita).
66 Klas Eriksson (Swse), Julio Zapata (Arg)k Vicente Arpon (Spa), Carolos B almaseda (Spa).
Other scores:
67 Gareth Wright (Wal), James H Williams (Wal).
68 Eric Ramsay (Sco) (jt 15th).
70 Jamie McLeary (Sco) (jt 34th).
71 Peter Whiteford (Sco) (jt 51st).
81 Scott Henderson (Sco) (jt 148th).

ROSE AND CABRERA SHARE LEAD ON
BAD DAY FOR SCOTS AT WENTWORTH

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:

Angel Cabrera earned himself the moniker of the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ when he powered his way to victory in the BMW PGA Championship two years ago and the Argentine moved through the gears once again to take a share of the halfway lead with Justin Rose of England.
Cabrera made the fastest possible start to Friday’s second round on the West Course at Wentworth Club by holing his eight iron approach to the first green for a surprise eagle 2.
Five hours later and the South American was receiving the applause from the packed grandstand behind the 18th green after a closing birdie completed the best card of the day, a six under par 66 that equals the lowest score for the refined West Course.
Route 66 took Cabrera right to the top of the leaderboard on eight under par 136 alongside Rose, who added a 70 to his opening 66 to remain in a share of the lead.
A stroke behind on seven under par 137 is Wentworth Club-attached professional Ross Fisher, who staged his own grandstand finish by playing the last three holes in a birdie-eagle-birdie flurry for a five under par 67, and Marcus Fraser of Australia, who was round in 70.
HARRINGTON HOPES ALIVE
Padraig Harrington lies a further shot back on six under par, the Irishman keeping his hopes of an Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship double, and subsequent €1 million bonus, very much alive with a second 69.
Paul Broadhurst of England, the joint overnight leader, remained at six under after a level par 72 and also on that mark were Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez (68), third last year, Shiv Kapur of India (71) and Australian Matthew Millar (69).
“I was very lucky to win here two years ago. It meant an awful lot to me, but it’s in the past now, and I’m enjoying the chance of being in perfect position for the weekend after that 66. To make six under on a very tough course is very good," said Cabrera who had three 2s and no bogeys on his scorecard.
“Wentworth is great. I always love coming here and it seems to bring out the best in me. The West Course is very similar to a lot of courses we play in Argentina where driving is the key. You have to keep the ball in position off the tee."
Rose, who led at halfway three years ago, endured a mixed day in contrast to his superbly controlled 66 of Thursday, registering seven birdies – three in his last three holes - and five bogeys for a 70.
“The finish turned the day from a bad day into a good day,” he said. “That was a great way to finish and salvage the day.
“It’s a great start, and it’s nice to be in the hunt going into the weekend. It’s about jostling for position and trying to stay with the lead or as close to it as possible.”
For Harrington, it’s also about a €1 million bonus in addition to the €725,000 first prize and a wonderful eagle at the 17th, when he hit his hybrid approach to six feet of the pin and rolled in the putt, kept that huge windfall in his sights.
A BIT OF ENTERTAINMENT
“Generally I wouldn't have any inclination of how much money we are playing for on a given week, because you do not want to be focusing on it too much, thinking what a certain putt might be worth if you miss it. But this week there is a side bonus and I am very conscious of it. It’s actually providing me with entertainment, but I am not going to let it hang over me and distract me.”
Fisher, who briefly held the lead on the final day of the Dubai Desert Classic in February, showed once again that he has the mental strength to cope with the highs and the lows of the game.
The 26 year old Englishman started his second round with a double bogey 6 but responded immediately by picking up a shot with a birdie 2 at the par-3 second.
Further birdies followed at the fourth, seventh, eighth and 12th holes, either side of a bogey at the 10th, before his spectacular birdie-eagle-birdie finish.
“I guess I’m just very level-headed, very easy-going. I just enjoy playing golf and I’m a confident type of guy on the golf course,” explained Fisher.
“I feel really good in myself and with my game at the moment. To hear your coach say, 'You know, you're absolutely perfect. Your divots are perfect. You’re flushing it’, gives you so much confidence. And obviously the last two days have shown it and I’m not just here to make up the numbers and represent Wentworth Club. I’m here to win the tournament, which I firmly believe I can do.”
THE MAN FROM CORDOBA
Fisher and Rose, a regular visitor to this golfing paradise in Surrey, would certainly be popular winners come Sunday evening but Cabrera, who hails from Cordoba in Argentina, a colonial city with a strong automobile industry, has proven to be a tough man to overtake at the West Course.
It has not been a good tournament for the Scots in the field.
Only Andrew Oldcorn, Marc Warren, both on 145, and Colin Montgomerie (146) survived the cut which saw those with 146 or better qualifying for the weekend rounds.

SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
136 A Cabrera (Arg) 70 66, J Rose (Eng) 66 70.
137 R Fisher (Eng) 70 67, M Fraser (Aus) 67 70.
138 P Broadhurst (Eng) 66 72, P Harrington (Ire) 69 68, M A Jimenez (Spa) 70 69, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67 71, M Millar (Aus) 69 69.
Other scores:
140 P Casey (Eng) 73 67 (jt 13th).
143 L Donald (Eng) 71 72, L Westwood (Eng) 71 72 (jt 27th).
144 E Els (SAfr) 68 76 (jt 36th).
145 A Oldcorn (Sco) 74 71, M Warren (Sco) 70 75, VJ Singh (Fiji) 73 72 (jt 49th).
146 C Montgomerie (Sco) 70 76, J M Olazabal (Spa) 70 76. (jt 60th).
MISSED THE CUT
148 A Forsyth (Sco) 71 77, I Poulter (Eng) 73 75.
149 P Lawrie (Sco) 74 75.
150 A Coltart (Sco) 76 74, S Gallacher (Sco) 76 74, C Lee (Sco) 76 75, G Orr (Sco) 72 78..
152 G Brand jun (Sco) 74 78, S Drummond (Sco) 77 75, S O'Hara (Sco) 78 74.
153 M Campbell (NZ) 78 75.
156 G Hutcheon (Sco) 84 72.
157 S Lyle (Sco) 73 84.

DOUBLE BOGEY KNOCKS BACK CLARE
IN BMW ITALIAN LADIES OPEN

A double bogey 7 at the long seventh knocked Clare Queen back to a share of 17th place in the third round of the BMW Italian Ladies Open over the Sheraton Golf Parco de Medici course in Rome today.
Clare had earlier moved one under par with a birdie at the fifth. Later she birdied the 16th and bogeyed the 18th in halves of 36 and 37 for a one-over-par 73 and a running total of five-under-par 211.
As she said before the round, Clare is still not holing the birdie chances she is setting up but a top-10 finish is still within her reach with a sub-par final round.
At the top of the leaderboard, a big gallery is assured for the Saturday finale with two Italians, veteran Stefania Croce and rookie Anna Rossi in first and second position after 54 holes.
Stefania, 39, from Bergamo, has only once won as a tour pro and that was 15 years ago in her rookie season of 1992. It was the Ford Ladies Classic.
Stefania had a third-round 69 for 11-under-par 205. Anna had a 69 for 206.
In third place on 207 are Becky Brewerton from Wales, Trish Johnson from England and Sophie Giquel of France.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
205 Stefania Croce (Italy) 72 64 68.
206 Anna Rossi (Italy) 69 68 69.
207 Sophie Giquel (Frfance) 73 69 65, Becky Brewerton (Wales) 69 71 67, Trish Johnson (England) 68 70 69.
Other score:
211 Clare Queen (Carrick at Cameron House) 70 68 73.

IT'S THE LIFE OF REILLY FOR HOME PRO
WINNER AT LOCHWINNOCH PRO-AM

Home-club professional Gerry Reilly had a £928 payday today when he won the £5,500 Lochwinnoch Golf Club pro-am by two strokes with a four-under-par round of 67.
Gerry had a roller-coaster round, which included an eagle at the fifth, birdies at the second and eighth and birdies at the second, eigth, 15th, 16th and 17th in halves of 35 (one under par) and 32 (three under).
Joint runners-up on 69 were Colin Gillies (Kingsfield), Jim McKinnon (Irvine) and Sam Cairns (Westerwood).
Brian Mason (Drumoig Driving Range) led the Lochwinnoch Golf Club Junior Team to victory with a net notal of 58. The team members were (handicaps in brackets): David Gray (9), Scott Gordon (15) and Martin White (18).
LEADING PROFESSIONALS
Par 71
67 Gerry Reilly (Lochwinnoch).
69 Colin Gillies (Kingsfield), Jim McKinnon (Irvine), Sam Cairns (Westerwood).
71 D Robertson (Czech Design), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR), Craig Ronald (Carluke), Edward Thomson (Largs), Brian Mason (Drumoig DR).
72 C Doak (unatt).

WALKER BIRDIES 14th, 15th, 18th TO WIN
PGA EUROPRO TOUR EVENT AT
CARDRONA HOTEL, PEEBLES

Englisman Neil Walker clinched a dramatic one-shot victory on the final day of the latest PGA EuroPro Tour tournament.
Walker fired a birdie at the 18th hole for a 71 and a 12-under-par total of 204 to defeat compatriot Christopher Hanson and scoop £10,000 at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf and Country Club at Peebles.
At the start of the day, Walker, who finished second at Wensum Valley last month, was one shot ahead of Hanson but the lead frequently changed hands on a thrilling end to the competition.
Walker bogeyed three of the first five holes and that gave Hanson, who represents Crosland Heath club, Huddersfield, the upper hand as he had a three-shot advantage after 43 of the 54 holes.
A double-bogey 5 by Walker at the par 3 13th looked like it could prove costly but he responded in fantastic style by birdieing the 14th, 15th and 18 to snatch victory.
Hanson also signed off with a 71 for 205 and earned the £5,000 runner-up prize.
Matthew Ford (Marriott Tudor Park) finished third after a third-day 68 left him on 10-under 206. His cash prize was £2,500. He was left regretting one poor hole on Wednesday when he registered a triple bogey 7 at the third.
The South Wales-based Doherty brothers from Glasgow had their best payday for a while.
Former Scottish boys match-play champion Paul crammed six birdies into a closing round of 70 to finish joint sixth on 212. Paul birdied the 10th, 13th, 17th and 18th to climb up the leaderboard in dramatic fashion in the closing stages. He earned £1,100.
Older brother Jack finished 10th equal of 215 after a seven-birdie 67 which included bogeys at the 11th and 12th. Jack earned £725.
FINAL SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
204 N Walker (Eng) 68 65 71 (£10,000).
205 C Hanson (Crosland Heath) 66 68 71 (£5,000).
206 M Ford (Marriott Tudor Park) 72 66 68 (£2,500).
How the Scots finished:
212 Paul Doherty (Vale of Glamorgan) 71 71 70 (jt 6th) (£1,100).
215 Jack Doherty (Vale of Glamorgan) 74 74 67 (jt 10th) (£715).
217 Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) 73 73 71, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 72 70 75 (jt 19th) (£401 each).
218 Mark Loftus (Cowglen) 73 72 72 (jt 24th) (£355).
219 Freddy Valenti (Pryors Hayes) 74 73 72 (jt 28th) (£311).
221 David Patrick (Mortonhall) 74 73 74 (jt 40th) (£250).
224 Christopher Campbell (Carnegie Club, Skibo Castle) 71 75 78, Graham Gordon (Aberdeen) 75 70 79 (jt 51st) (£200 each).
225 Thomas Higson (Eyemouth) (73 75 77 (jt 54th).
Retired: Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 75 72 -.

SCOTS STROKE PLAY CHAMPION MELISSA REID IN ENGLISH

FINAL v NAOMI EDWARDS

Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play champion Melissa Reid, 19, from Chevin, Derby will play Yorkshire's Naomi Edwards (Ganton), 23, in the 18-hole final of the English women's amateur golf championship at Littlestone Golf Club, Kent tomorrow.

Both played for GB&I in last year's Curtis Cup match in the United States.

"Hopefully it will be third time lucky for me," said Naomi. "I've lost twice in the final."

She beat the top seed, English stroke-play champion Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), by 3 and 1 in the first semi-final.

Melissa, pictured above, reached her first English final by beating Anna Scott (Consett & District) by two holes.

Miss Reid clinched victory with a grandstand finish in which she birdied three of the last four holes.

This was the six-foot Miss Scott's first competition of the year. A student at the University of Georgia State, she had been ruled out of the game with injury for the past seven months.

In the other semi-final, Naomi Edwards surged three holes up after only six holes but Liz Bennett promply fired back with three consecutive birdies to be all square by the turn.

There after it was nip-and-tuck. Naomi edged ahead with a birdie at the 13th but was pulled back on the next. She went ahead again at the 15th and crucially moved to two holes up with a fine birdie at the long 16th.
The 173yd 17th was the decisive hole. Naomi fired a five-iron to the heart of the green while Liz's tee shot finished on the steep face of a greenside bunker. It was all she could do to hack the ball into the sand. Her next shot also stayed in the trap and she conceded the hole and the match.

RESULTS:

QUARTER-FINALS

Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) bt Danielle Montgomery (Lambourne) 5 and 4.

Naomi Edwards (Ganton) bt Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) at 19th.

Anna Scott (Consett & District) bt Emma Lyons (West Surrey) 3 and 1.

Melissa Reid (Chevin) bt Claire Aitken (The London) 4 and 2.

SEMI-FINALS

Reid bt Scott 2 holes.

Edwards bt Bennett 3 and 1.

SHIELDS IS TOP SCOT IN SKANDIA
JUNIOR OPENS IN SWEDEN

Cambuslang teenager Paul Shields led the Scots challenge in the Skandia Junior Open at Falkenberg Golf Club, Sweden today.
In pleasant temperatures around the 20 degrees mark, with little or no wind, the Kirkhill Golf Club junior member shot a two-under-par 70 (34-36) to be joint fourth after the first round, only one shot behind the three joint leaders.
Shields had three birdies (the first, sixth and seventh) and one bogey in an outward two-under-par 34.
After the turn, Paul had two more birdies, at the 10th and 12th but cancelled them out with bogeys at the 11th and 14th.
Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Ferrier (Baberton) was back in joint 56th place with a 79 (39-40). He had a double bogey 6 at the 16th .
Andrew Campbell from Dumbarton was in joint 76th place in a field of 95 with an 82 (42-40). He had a triple bogey 6 at the last and a double bogey 6 at the second
William Bremner (Edzell) was sharing 82nd place with an 83 (41-42). He had double bogeys at the second, sixth and 16th.
In the Skandia Girls’ Open at Bastad Golf Club, 14-year-old Carly Booth from Comrie, Perthshire, the only British or Irish player in the field, had a three-over-par 74 (37-37) to be in joint sixth place in a field of 71.
Carly would have been a couple of shots closer to the joint leaders on 70 had she not run up a double-bogey 6 at the 16th
Earlier Miss Booth had birdied the third, 11th and 14th but dropped shots at the first, ninth and 10th.

LEADERBOARDS
BOYS
Par 72. Players from Sweden unless stated
69 Mark Jargren, Jens Dantorp, Mortan Emil Bergan.
70 Paul Shields (Kirkhill), Andrew Johnston (North Middlesex), Fredrik Kollevold, Alexander Jacobsson.
Other scores:
73 Billy Britton (Pedham Place) (jt 15th).
79 Paul Ferrier (Baberton) (jt 56th).
80 Henry Smart (Walton Heath) (jt 67th).
82 Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) ()jt 76th).
83 William Bremner (Edzell) (jt 82nd).
GIRLS
Par 71.
70 Nathalie Mansson, Giulia Molinaro (Italy).
71 Amanda Strang.
72 Josephine Janson.
73 Therese Kolbaek.
74 Carly Booth (Comrie), Caroline Hedwall, Johanna Rodert, Alessia Knight.

FIFE GOLF ASSOCIATION SUMMER INTER-CLUB LEAGUES
Sponsored by Innes Johnston & Co, Solicitors & Estate Agents

Results:

DIVISION 1
Leven Thistle 3, Thornton 3.
Kirkcaldy 2, Burntisland GH 4.
Thornton 3.5, Burntisland GH 2.5.
Burntisland 3, Thornton 3.

HOW THEY STAND
(columns: played, won, halved, lost, for, against, points)
Thornton........... 3-1-0-2-8-7-4
Burntisland GH 3-1-2-1-8-7-3
Leven Thistle .. 1-0-0-1-3-3-1
Kirkcaldy.......... 1-0-1-0-2-4-0

DIVISION 2
Lundin 4, Pitreavie 2.
Dunnikier Park 4.5, Balbirnie Park 1.5.

HOW THEY STAND
Dunnikier Park 1-1-0-0-4-1-2
Lundin .............. 1-1-0-0-3-1-2
Balbirnie Park.. 1-0-1-0-1-4-0
Pitreavie .......... 1-0-1-0-1-3-0

DIVISION 3
Dunfermline 4, Drumoig 2.
Dunfermline 4, Drumoig 2.
Scotscraig 3, Drumoig 3.
Forrester Park 4, Dunfermline 2.

HOW THEY STAND
Forrester Park 1-1-0-0-4-2-2
Dunfermlin ...... 2-1-1-0-6-6-2
Scotscraig ........ 1-0-0-1-2-2-1
Drumoig .......... 2-0-1-1-4-6-1

DIVISION 4
Cowdenbeath 6, St Michaels 0.
Lochgelly 5.5, Leven GS 0.5.
Cowdenbeath 5, Leven GS 1.
St Michaels 4, Lochgelly 2.

HOW THEY STAND
Cowdenbeath 2-2-0-0-11-1-4
Lochgelly ...... 2-1-1-0-7-4-2
St Michaels .. 2-1-1-0-4-8-2
Leven G S .... 2-0-2-0-1-10-0
Scoonie .........0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Elmwood ......0-0-0-0-0-0-0

SCHWARTZEL WINS EUROPEAN TOUR
SHOT OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL

Charl Schwartzel’s stunning three iron approach to the 16th green in the final round of the Open de España at Centro Nacional de Golf, which paved the way for an eagle three that ultimately secured his second title on The European Tour, has been recognised as The European Tour Shot of the Month for April.
“There were some great tournaments and some wonderful golf played in April, so I am particularly delighted to have earned the panel’s vote for the Shot of the Month Award,” commented Schwartzel, whose previous European Tour victory came at the 2005 Dunhill Championship.
“I remember the shot clearly. I had the perfect yardage for my three iron and even though the shot was slightly into the wind, it felt the right club and I put a good swing on it. As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going to be good.”
Carlos Rodiles of Spain, winner of The 2006 European Tour Qualifying School, received the runner-up vote for his own brilliant approach to the 16th at Centro Nacional de Golf. Third place went to Richard Sterne for his magnificent chip-in at the 72nd hole of the Volvo China Open at Shanghai Silport Golf Club.
The European Tour Shot of the Month Award is presented to the Tour Member for the shot judged to be the most outstanding played during each calendar month on The European Tour International Schedule. The winners so far this year are Retief Goosen of South Africa (January), Mikko Ilonen of Finland (February) and Anton Haig of South Africa (March). The winning shots from each month are entered towards The European Tour Shot of the Year.

JAMIESON IN DANGER OF MISSING OUT
ON HOOTERS TOUR PAY CHECK

Three late bogeys may have cost Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson a pay check this weekend in the NGA Hooters Tour’s Touchstone Energy Open at Brook Valley Counctry Club, Greenville in North Carolina.
Rookie Jamieson, who has done well on this US satellite circuit, bogeyed the 14th, 17th and 18th for a one-over-par 73 after birdieing three long holes, the second, sixth and 13th and also the par-4 ninth. He also had bogeys at two short holes, the third and eighth.
Jamieson is sharing 65th place with David Skinns from Lincoln – and only the leading 60 and ties in a huge field of 168 after 36 holes will qualify for the weekend’s 36 holes.
First prize is around $36,000.
Colin Speirs from Dunkeld needs an even bigger improvement than Jamieson if he is to survive after a double bogey 7 at the 13th in a 76 which put him in 116th place.
Ulsterman Gareth Maybin from Ballyclare, one of the leading players on the Hooters Tour over the past two years, is bang on the borderline in joint 44th place on par 72.
Joint leaders are Ben McClung – sounds like some Scottish forefathers there? – from Jacksonville, Florida and Matthew Borchert from Orlando on five-under-par 65.

HAS CHRIS ENOUGH BALLS TO

PLAY FINAL ROUND OF
AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP?

Chris Baron from Oldmeldrum, coming up to the end of his freshman year at Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina, is playing the toughest golf course he has ever experienced – and he’s got the scores to prove it!
Chis, pictured right, a low-handicap player who played for North-east boys' representative teams before leaving for the States last autumn, is competing in the NCAA Division 2 men’s championship over 72 holes at The Meadows Golf Club, Allendale in Michigan.
It’s a 6,992yd, par-71 course with, as one report has put it, “hard fairways and super-thick rough … so much so that lost balls have become an issue.”
The leading team, Barry University, are 38 over par with 890 for the three rounds so far. Chris’s college team, Belmont Abbey, are a combined 56 over par but are in ninth place of the 20 competing teams with a tally of 908.
Baron has himself scored 76, 80 and 87 for 30 over par 243 and he is in joint 93rd place in a field of 105 of the best NCAA Division 2 college golfers.
In his third round, Chris had two triple bogeys and three double bogeys – and a birdie at the fifth! He had a double-bogey 5 at the short seventh, a triple bogey 7 at the long eighth, a double bogey 6 at the 12th, a triple bogey 8 at the long 14th and a double bogey 6 at the 16 in halves of 42 and 45.

If he has enough balls left for the final round, he deserves a medal for going the distance!
The leader, Christian Ries (Columbus State University, is the only player under par with one round to go. He has scored 73, 71 and 70 for 214 – to lead by three from team-mate Andrew Georgiou (73-71-73).

RICHIE RAMSAY PARS FIRST HOLE - AND
THEN PLAY IS SUSPENDED AT COLONIAL

Richie Ramsay got a par 5 at the long first hole in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial - and then the weather closed in and play was suspended for the rest of the day at Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth Texas.
The US amateur champion from Royal Aberdeen was in the last group off the first tee at 2.30pm local time.
There were some low scores over the par-70 lay-out from those who did complete their rounds. Anthony Kim is the clubhouse leader at seven-under-par 63, one shot ahead of Ted Purdy and Jeff Maggert.
If you want to see all the scores, and the scorecards of those who have and have not completed their rounds, log on to the US PGA Tour's excellent website:
http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r021/

BON ACCORD v MURCAR IN FINAL OF MAITLAND
SHIELD AT EAST ABERDEENSHIRE GOLF CENTRE

Bon Accord will play Murcar in the final of the City of Aberdeen foursomes for the Maitland Shield at East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre on Friday evening.

Semi-finals results:

Bon Accord beat Royal Aberdeen by five holes.
D Grieve & B Edmond 6, F Clark, A Reith 0.
G V Somers & M Greig 0, E Laird & S Buchan 1.

Murcar beat Peterculter by 12 holes.
N McKinnon & A Bews 5, I Thomson & A Dingwall 0.
T Mathieson & B Innes 7, B Taylor, K Austen 0.

CHALLENGE TOUR FIRST DAY HALTED IN
MADRID BECAUSE OF STORMS, FLOODING

This week's European Challenge Tour event in Madrid, the Open Mahou de Madrid at the Casino Club de Golf Retamaros, may have to be reduced to 54 holes.
This follows an early suspension of play today in the first round because of thunder storms and flooding in parts of the course.
Four Scots are in the field - Peter Whiteford, Eric Ramsay, Scott Henderson, Jamie McLeary - plus West Linton-based Welshman Gareth Wright.

NORTHERN OPEN WINNER MURRAY
URQUHART MISSES CUT IN PGA
EUROPRO TOUR EVENT AT PEEBLES

Last week the winner of the Northern Open ... this week failure to beat the 36-hole cut in the PGA EuroPro Tour event at the Cardrona Hotel & Golf Resort, Peebles. That's how it's gone for Murray Urquhart from Inverness.

He had rounds of 75 and 78 for 153 and missed the cut (148 and better qualified for the final round) by a few shots.

Chris Kelly and Paul Doherty, in joint seventh position on 142, are the leading Scots, Kelly with scores of 72 and 70, Doherty with a pair of 71s.

Neil Walker from England, who had a hole in one at the 189yd ninth, leads at 11-under-par 133 with scores of 68 and 65. He is one shot ahead of compatriot Chris Hanson on 134 (66-68).

LEADING QUALIFIERS

Par 144 (2 x 72)
133 Neil Walker (Eng) 68 65.

134 Chris Hanson (Eng) 66 68.

138 Matthew Ford (Marriott Tudor Park) 72 66, Paul Maddy (Gog Magog) 72 66
141 Jeremy Kavanagh (Eng) 69 72, Jonathan Evans (Eng) 77 64.

Scots' scores:

142 Chris Kelly 72 70, Paul Doherty 71 71.
145 Graham Gordon 75 70.
146 Christopher Campbell 71 75, Callum Nicoll 73 73, Mark Loftus 73 73, .
147 Freddy Valenti 74 73, David Patrick 74 73, Paul McKechnie 75 72.
148 Thomas Higson (Eyemouth) 73 75, J Doherty 74 74.

MISSED THE CUT

149 Noel Henderson 72 77, Alan Lockhart 75 74, Neil Mitrchell 76 73, Alasdair Hay 76 73.
150 Craig Matheson 76 74, Elliot Saltman 76 74.
152 Paul Cormack 80 72, Stephen Lamb 77 75.
153 Ian Simpson 77 76, Graeme Brown 80 73, Murray Urquhart. 75 78.
156 Lee Harper 77 79.

161 C Farr 74 87.
164 David Roger 80 84.

Retired: Lee Vannet 76 -, Paul Gault 81 -, Alastair MacKenzie 80 -.

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

CLARE QUEEN ONLY TWO BEHIND IN BMW
LADIES ITALIAN OPEN IN ROME

Clare Queen goes into Friday's third round of the BMW Ladies Italian Open in Rome only two shots behind the triple joint leaders.
Clare, now in joint fifth position, has had rounds of 70 and 68 for six-under-par 138.
"It was steady stuff," said the Scot. "I'm hitting the ball really well but just not holing as many putts as I would like. In the first round I had a lot of chances and didn't take them. The way I'm playing I feel that I am going to make a few birdies over the weekend."
Former "Helen Holm" winner Karen-Margrethe Juul from Denmark, Australian Sarah Kemp and Italian veteran Stefania Croce are sharing the pole position on 136.
Stefania, who has only ever won one event as a pro - the Ford Ladies Classic in 1992 - said that her second-round 64 was the lowest she had ever scored in 15 years as a tour pro.
Clubhouses can be dangerous places if you don't watch where you are putting your feet - as Lisa Holm Sorensen found out to her regret. She fell down a set of stairs in the Sheraton Golf Parco de' Medici clubhouse before her second round. She started the round but eventually had to retire and go to hospital with a suspected broken wrist.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
136 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 68 68, Stefania Croce (Ita) 72 64, Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den) 64 72.
137 Anna Rossi (Ita) 69 68.
138 Clare Queen (Sco) 70 68, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 70 68, Trish Johnson (Eng) 68 70
139 Catrin Nilsmark (Swe) 69 70, Martina Eberl (Ger) 73 66, Rikke Rasmussen (Den) 67 72, Amy Yang (Kor) 69 70, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 68 71
140 Carmen Alonso (Spa) 70 70, Federica Piovano (Ita) 68 72, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 70 70, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 68 72, Becky Brewerton (Wal) 69 71, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 66 74
141 Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 68 73, Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 71 70, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 68 73, Natalie Claire Booth (Eng) 68 73, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 68 73, Rebecca Coakley (Irl) 67 74
142 Sophie Giquel (Fra) 73 69, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 72 70, Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 72 70, Mianne Bagger (Den) 74 68, Sara Beautell (Spa) 71 71, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 71 71, Mette Buus (Den) 71 71, Kiran Matharu (Eng) 74 68, Eva Steinberger (Aut) 71 71, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 75 67, Lara Tadiotto (Bel) 69 73, Louise Friberg (Swe) 67 75, Iben Tinning (Den) 69 73
143 Anna Temple (US) 73 70, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 77 66, Stephanie Arricau (Fra) 75 68, Helena Alterby (Swe) 75 68, Sofia Renell (Swe) 71 72, Rebecca Stevenson (Aus) 73 70
144 Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 75 69, Anna Rawson (Aus) 73 71, Paula Marti (Spa) 77 67, Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 70 74, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 75 69, Leah Hart (Aus) 75 69, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 74 70, Maria Boden (Swe) 72 72, Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin) 72 72, Diana Luna (Ita) 71 73, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 70 74, Joanne Mills (Aus) 73 71, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 70 74
145 Samantha Head (Eng) 71 74, Tullia Calzavara (Ita) 70 75, Marta Prieto (Spa) 75 70, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 72 73, Karen Lunn (Aus) 75 70, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 74 71, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 74 71, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 70 75

MISSED THE CUT

146 Louise Stahle (Swe) 75 71, Maria Beautell (Spa) 69 77, Marina Arruti (Spa) 71 75, Ana Larraneta (Spa) 76 70, Ana B Sanchez (Spa) 78 68, Katharina Schallenberg (Am) (Ger) 71 75, Barbara Paruscio (Ita) 72 74, Nina Karlsson (Swe) 75 71
147 Natascha Fink (Aut) 75 72, Jehanne Jail (Fra) 76 71, Bree Turnbull (Aus) 73 74, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 74 73, Isabella Maconi (Ita) 73 74, Danielle Masters (Eng) 71 76
148 Georgina Simpson (Eng) 74 74, Kirsty Taylor (Eng) 77 71, Sophie Walker (Eng) 76 72, Virginie Auffret (Fra) 72 76, Asa Gottmo (Swe) 76 72
149 Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 74 75, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 79 70, Ellen Smets (Bel) 72 77, Marianna Causin (Am) (Ita) 74 75, Maria Verchenova (Rus) 73 76, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 76 73
150 Anja Monke (Ger) 76 74, Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 76 74, Nienke Nijenhuis (Ned) 75 75, Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin) 76 74, Anna Tybring (Swe) 73 77, Elisa Serramia (Spa) 75 75, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 75 75, Marlene Hedblom (Swe) 76 74
151 Anna Knutsson (Swe) 79 72, Liza Walters (Eng) 74 77, Alessandra Averna (Ita) 75 76, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 74 77, Carlie Butler (Aus) 78 73
152 Katharina Werdinig (Aut) 77 75, Kris Lindstrom (USA) 78 74, Kathryn Imrie (Sco) 77 75, Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 80 72, Lisa Hall (Eng) 75 77, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 76 76
153 Nora Angehrn (Swi) 77 76, Vittoria Valvassori (Am) (Ita) 76 77, Anna Roscio (Am) (Ita) 78 75, Fany Schaeffer (Fra) 78 75, Sarah Heath (Eng) 79 74
154 Shani Waugh (Aus) 78 76, Denise Simon (Ger) 73 81, Claire Coughlan (Irl) 75 79
156 Annamaria Milie (Ita) 77 79, Jo Clingan (Eng) 77 79, Itziar Elguezabal (Spa) 76 80
157 Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 80 77, Anne Lise Caudal (Fra) 82 75
158 Fame More (Eng) 80 78
Ret: Elin Ohlsson (Swe), Lisa Jean (Aus) 76, Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 72, Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe)

BROADHURST AND ROSE SET THE
PACE WITH 66s IN BMW PGA
CHAMPIONSHIP AT WENTWORTH

England's Justin Rose and Paul Broadhurst were the two pacesetters at the start of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, both coming in with six-under-par rounds of 66. Broadhurst, the 41-year-old former Ryder Cup player who has not had a top-10 finish all season, was in the sixth group out and made the most of the ideal early conditions by picking up five birdies in the first eight holes.
Then, later in the day, Rose, pictured above, making his first appearance since coming fifth in the Masters last month and then suffering more back trouble, grabbed eight birdies to make it a tie at the top.
Broadhurst, who narrowly missed out on a return to the European Ryder Cup team last year after a 15-year gap last year, did bogey the ninth, but further birdies came on the 11th and long 17th.
They were one shot ahead of a group which included Essex's Simon Khan, runner-up to David Howell in the event 12 months ago, but perhaps still best known as the player fined a record £8,000 for slow play in Ireland two years ago.
Only two behind the leaders is the world number five Ernie Els, the man who has toughened up the West Course in the last two years and who lives alongside it.
Els actually started with a bogey after pulling his drive into the rough and he also double-bogeyed the 449-yard ninth, but his front nine also contained birdies at the second, fourth and fifth and then had five more birdies on the inward half.
The South African is a six-time winner of the World Match Play on the Wentworth lay-out, but never of the European Tour's flagship event.
Irish Open winner Padraig Harrington returned a tidy 69 to be only three shots off the pace.

Colin Montgomerie, over one of his favourite courses, came back to form with a two-under-par 70, one ahead of Alastair Forsyth.

Greig Hutcheon (Peterculter), who qualified to play in the PGA event as winner of the PGA Scottish Region Order of Merit, had a bad day. He is bottom of the scoreboard with a 12-over-par 84.

Par 72 (players from GB&I unless stated)
66 Justin Rose, Paul Broadhurst.
67 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Shiv Kapur (Ind), Marcus Fraser (Aus), Simon Khan.
68 Mikko Ilonen (Fin), Yong-eun Yang (Kor), Ernie Els (SAf), Alejandro Canizares (Spa), Richard Sterne (SAf), Jyoti Randhawa (Ind).
69 Lee Slattery, Matthew Millar (Aus), Nick Dougherty, Louis Oosthuizen (SAf), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Padraig Harrington.
70 Martin Erlandsson (Swe), Ross Fisher, James Kingston (SAf), Colin Montgomerie, Oliver Wilson, Rafael Echenique (Arg), Angel Cabrera (Arg), Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa), Marc Warren, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Andres Romero (Arg), Wen-chong Liang (Chn), Henrik Stenson (Swe), Thomas Levet (Fra)
71 Brett Taylor, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Graeme Storm, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra), Alastair Forsyth, Chapchai Nirat (Tha), Miles Tunnicliff, Richard Bland, Juan Parron (Spa), Christian Nilsson (Swe), Phillip Price, Sam Walker, James Hepworth, Luke Donald, Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Lee Westwood, Mark Foster, Peter O'Malley (Aus)
72 Gary Orr, Christopher Hanell (Swe), Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg), Peter Hedblom (Swe), Gary Marks, Robert Karlsson (Swe), Stephen Dodd, Niclas Fasth (Swe), Simon Thornton, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa), Christian Cevaer (Fra), Joakim Backstrom (Swe), Mattias Eliasson (Swe), Darren Clarke, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Ariel Canete (Arg), Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Cesar Monasterio (Arg)
73 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned), Steven Jeppesen (Swe), David Park, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Peter Hanson (Swe), Vijay Singh (Fij), Robert Rock, Markus Brier (Aut), Terry Price (Aus), Sandy Lyle, Ian Garbutt, Bradley Dredge, Marcel Siem (Ger), Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Maarten Lafeber (Ned), David Lynn, Paul Casey, Phillip Archer, Ian Poulter, Richard Green (Aus).
74 Garry Houston, David Griffiths, Anders Hansen (Den), Graeme McDowell, Peter Gustafsson (Swe), Simon Wakefield, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Gary Murphy, Alexander Noren (Swe), Andrew Oldcorn, Richard Finch, Paul Lawrie, Thomas Bjorn (Den), Gordon Brand jun, Paul McGinley
75 Anthony Wall, Steve Webster, Johan Axgren (Swe), Kenneth Ferrie, Simon Dyson, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa)
76 Craig Lee, Damien McGrane, Retief Goosen (Rsa), Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Benn Barham, Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Andrew Coltart, John Bickerton, Peter Lawrie, Johan Edfors (Swe), Stephen Gallacher, Paul Wesselingh, Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Gregory Havret (Fra)
77 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Anton Haig (SAf), Kyron Sullivan, Jean Van de Velde (Fra), Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha), Scott Drummond, Mardan Mamat (Sin), Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Brett Rumford (Aus), Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Simon Edwards, Tom Whitehouse, Barry Lane
78 David Carter, Michael Campbell (NZ), Charl Schwartzel (SAf), Steven O'Hara.
79 Andrew Marshall, Darren Fichardt (SAf).
80 Jon Bevitt, Soren Hansen (Den), Gary Emerson.
81 Mark Pilkington, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra).
83 Richard O'Hanlon.
84 Greig Hutcheon.

IAN HUTCHEON WINS SCOTTISH

SENIORS' TITLE FOR THIRD

TIME BY THREE STROKES

When Ben Hogan won the 1953 Open at Carnoustie, he improved his score with every round. Ian Hutcheon did a “Ben Hogan” in reverse in winning the Scottish senior men’s open amateur stroke-play championship for a third time since 2003 at Drumpellier Golf Club today.
The Monifieth man, pictured right, one of the best Scottish amateurs of the second half of the 20th Century, had scores of 70, 73 and 76 over the par-71 lay-out for a six-over-par total 219 to win the over-55s’ title by three strokes from David Lane, the Berkshire player who won the same championship as far back as 2001 and 2002.
“Hutch” got one hand on the trophy with his first-round 70 which gave him a three-shot lead over the field. He increased that to five in the second round and then took his foot off the pedal in the final round.
Ian bogeyed the first, fourth, sixth, 11th, 14th and 16th before he had his first and only birdie at the day at the 17th.
A look at Hutcheon’s birdie count tells the story of the championship. He had five birdies in his first round, three in his second and only one in his third.
David Lane did follow the Ben Hogan style with 77, 74 and 72 for 222.
Joint third on 225 were two Scots, Jim Watt (Letham Grange) and George Paterson from Northern, one of three clubs based at Aberdeen’s municipal links. Watt birdied the 14th and 17th in his final round. For Paterson it was that proverbial “game of two halves.” George had a nightmare 43 (seven over par) to the turn and then pulled himself together to reel off eight pars and a birdie at the 17th in reducing the inward half to one-under-par 34.
The best round of the final day was a level par 71 from Royal Aberdeen’s John Johnston, who made his senior debut in helping Scotland win the over-55s’ home internationals title at Dunbar last autumn.
John had scores of 81, 76 and 71 for 228. After bogeys at the first, fifth and seventh, Johnston birdied the ninth to be out in two-over 32. Then a second birdie, at the 13th, put him only one over par. Then a bogey at the long 15th dropped back to two over par before he had the grandstand finish of the tournament, holing his second for an eagle 2 at the long 18th for 33 home and a par-matching 71.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71) CSS 74 74 74 (reduction only each round)

219 I C Hutcheon (Monifieth) 70 73 76.
223 D Lane (Goring & Streatley) 77 74 72.
225 J Watt (Letham Grange) 75 76 74, G Paterson (Northern) 73 75 77.
227 C Christy (Kilmacolm) 74 77 76, J Baldwin (Sunningdale) 74 78 75, R Smethurst (Crewe) 75 77 75, P Slater (Sandiway) 76 75 76.
228 J W Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) 81 76 71, J Kinloch (Cardross) 78 76 74.
229 I Taylor (Royal Burgess) 75 79 75, D McCart (Castlerock) 79 76 74, C W Green (Cardross) 80 74 75, G Rodaks (Moffat) 78 75 76.
230 B Humble (Kilspindie) 80 78 72, D Longmuir (Verulam) 79 75 76.
231 W Wallace (Strathaven) 80 77 74, S Ellis (Cowal) 77 79 75, G Thomson (Bearsden)78 76 77, I Stewart (Curragh) 81 72 78, R McLellan (Turnberry) 77 74 80.
232 I Broadfoot (Turnberry) 81 74 77, P Jones (Brombrough) 79 77 76, S Pond (Worksop) 80 74 78, M Temple (US) 79 74 79.
233 A Cameron (Gourock) 76 81 76.
234 I Cumming (Eastwood) 76 79 79, A Ferguson (Drumpellier) 77 81 76, H Moxon (Royal Cinque Ports) 78 79 77, I Mason (Royal Cinque Ports) 78 78 78, N Marsden (Moor Park) 76 80 78, G Steel (Moor Park) 75 77 82..
235 W Brady (Drumpellier) 79 76 80, W F Morton (Dunbar) 74 81 80, David Millar (St Andrews New) 76 82 77, D McLaughlan (Crow Wood) 79 77 79.
237 N Cameron (Porters Park) 79 76 82, J S Macdonald (Dunfermline) 78 80 79, R Stewart (Tulliallan) 83 73 81, R Young (Chestfield) 79 75 83.
238 R Gill (Gerrards Cross) 83 75 80, A Fiddes (Murcar Links) 79 79 80, L Gordon (Turnhouse) 81 77 80.
239 R Walker (Crewe) 77 81 81, J Paton (Kirkintilloch) 79 77 83, S Baker (Little Aston) 81 77 81.

240 G McGee (Erskine) 82 75 83.
241 A Waddington (Crewe) 74 83 84.

CARLY BOOTH CHASES JUNIOR

SOLHEIM CUP POINTS IN

SWEDEN THIS WEEKEND

Perthshire prospect Carly Booth, 15 years old next month, is the only British or Irish player in the field for the Skandia Junior Lady Open tournament over 54 holes at Bastad Golf Club, Sweden, beginning on Friday.
Last year Miss Booth, pictured right, played for Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup match at Celtic Manor.
The Skandia Junior Lady Open is a qualifier for places in the Ping Junior Solheim Cup team to play the United States girls at the same venue on September 11 and 12.
Scottish boys’ champion Paul Ferrier (Baberton), William Bremner (Edzell), Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) and Paul Shields (Kirkhill) are competing in the Skandia Junior Open at Falkenberg Golf Club near Gothenburg, also over three rounds from Friday to Sunday inclusive.

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

SCOT CHRIS DOWN THE FIELD IN MICHIGAN

Aberdeenshire player Chris Baron, pictured right, from Oldmeldrum, a student at Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina, was sharing 76th place after rounds of 76 and 80 in the NCAA Division 2 men's championship at The Meadows Golf Club, Allendale in Michigan.

Chris had birdies at the fourth and 12th but a double-bogey 5 at the short seventh dragged him down.

The Scot is 15 strokes behind the leader, Jarin Todd (Sonoma State), who has scored 69 and 72 to lead by two from Hernan Boja (Barry University) with 70 and 73.

Barry (586) lead the team event from Florida Southern (591). Belmont Abbey College (608) are lying 13th of the 20 teams

SEVE PULLS OUT OF US SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

SEVE Ballesteros has withdrawn from this week's US Senior PGA Championship over the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island for "personal reasons."
The "personal reasons" may be that the Spaniard is at last acknowledging he just cannot play the game nowadays to the required standard to compete at this level.

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

MAITLAND SHIELD QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
FROM EAST ABERDEENSHIRE GOLF CENTRE

Quarter-final results on Wednesday evening from the City of Aberdeen club foursomes for the Maitland Shield, hosted for the first time by East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre, were:

Bon Accord beat Nigg Bay by one hole.
A Styles & A Doig 2, L Vitesse & I Welsh 2.
G V Somers & M Greig 3, N Slater & G Grimmer 0.

Royal Aberdeen beat Deeside by seven holes.
F Clark & A Reith 6, A Campbell & T Rennie 0.
E Laird & S Buchan 1, D Kerr,A B Hutchison 0.

Peterculter beat Hazlehead by two holes.
A Dingwall & I Thomson 0, I Still & K Duthie 1.
B Taylor & K Austen 3, G Cheyne & R Hyland 0.

Murcar beat Northern by 11 holes.
A Bews & N McKinnon 2, T Robertson & C McBain 0.
T Mathieson & B Innes 9, S Forsyth & B Rae 0.

+Semi-finals at East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre Thursday evening.

CLARE QUEEN JT 22nd AT END OF
FIRST ROUND IN BMW LADIES
ITALIAN OPEN
Karen-Margrethe Juul, the Danish player who won the Helen Holm Scottish stroke-play title at Troon in 1998, had ever lowest ever score as a professional - an eight-under-par 64 - to lead the BMW Ladies Italian Open at the Sheraton Golf Parco de Medici course by two shots from South African rookie Stacy Bregman.
Almost unbelievably, Karen did not have a practice round. Like many players, she found the Italian airline strikes made getting to the tournament an achievement in itself. Some, like Lora Fairclough from Lancashire abandoned the struggle to get to the venue in time.
Miss Juul flew to Nice and then drove eight hours in a hired car, arriving at her hotel at 10.30pm on Tuesday night ... and she had an early starting time!
"Maybe I should prepare this way more often for tournaments," she joked. "To be honest, I had played the course before, so I knew what to expect."
Clare Queen shot a two-under-par 70 to be lying joint 22nd at the end of the day. Clare had a very steady round. Only one bogey - at the first - and then everything pars and birdies after that. She birdied the fifth, 16th and 17th. Also on the 70 mark is England's Kristy S Taylor.
Kathryn Imrie from Monifieth did not have a good day. She finished with a 77 for a share of 104th place. Kathryn had a double bogey 7 at the third and bogeys at the fourth, fifth and 15th. She had no birdies.
SCOREBOARD
Par 72

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May 23 - BWM Ladies Itailian Open
First round scores in the Ladies European Tour, BMW Ladies Italian Open, Sheraton Golf Parco de' Medici, Italy
(par 72)
64 Karen Margrethe Juul (Den)
66 Stacy Lee Bregman (SAf)
67 Louise Friberg (Swe), Rikke Rasmussen (Den), Rebecca Coakley (Ire)
68 Natalie Claire Booth (Eng), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Federica Piovano (Ita), Virginie Lagoutte Clement (Fra), Nikki Garrett (Aus), Trish Johnson (Eng), Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Sarah Kemp (Aus), Beatriz Recari (Spa)
69 Lara Tadiotto (Bel), Amy Yang (Kor), Iben Tinning (Den), Becky Brewerton (Wal), Catrin Nilsmark (Swe), Anna Rossi (Ita), Maria Beautell (Spa)
70 Tania Elosegui (Spa), Bettina Hauert (Ger), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng), Cassandra Kirkland (Fra), Tullia Calzavara (Ita), Clare Queen (Sco), Sophie Sandolo (Ita), Carmen Alonso (Spa)
71 Mette Buus (Den), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Eva Steinberger (Aut), Marina Arruti (Spa), Danielle Masters (Eng), Diana Luna (Ita), Katharina Schallenberg (Am) (Ger), Samantha Head (Eng), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra), Sofia Renell (Swe), Sara Beautell (Spa)
72 Maria Boden (Swe), Virginie Auffret (Fra), Stefania Croce (Ita), Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin), Barbara Paruscio (Ita), Cherie Byrnes (Aus), Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den), Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal), Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Ellen Smets (Bel)
73 Maria Verchenova (Rus), Anna Tybring (Swe), Isabella Maconi (Ita), Rebecca Stevenson (Aus), Joanne Mills (Aus), Anna Temple (US), Sophie Giquel (Fra), Anna Rawson (Aus), Martina Eberl (Ger), Denise Simon (Ger), Bree Turnbull (Aus)
74 Marianna Causin (Am) (Ita), LeeAnne Pace (SAf), Nicole Gergely (Aut), Felicity Johnson (Eng), Kiran Matharu (Eng), Elisabeth Esterl (Ger), Jenni Kuosa (Fin), Georgina Simpson (Eng), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin), Mianne Bagger (Den), Liza Walters (Eng)
75 Claire Coughlan (Ire), Elisa Serramia (Spa), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Lisa Hall (Eng), Nina Karlsson (Swe), Natascha Fink (Aut), Amanda MoltkeLeth (Den), Louise Stahle (Swe), Marta Prieto (Spa), Karen Lunn (Aus), Stephanie Arricau (Fra), Helena Alterby (Swe), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi), Leah Hart (Aus), Nienke Nijenhuis (Ned), Alessandra Averna (am) (Ita)
76 Itziar Elguezabal (Spa), Nathalie David Mila (Fra), Ana Larraneta (Spa), Marlene Hedblom (Swe), Asa Gottmo (Swe), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Lisa Jean (Aus), Anja Monke (Ger), Lynn Brooky (Nzl), Vittoria Valvassori (Am) (Ita), Jehanne Jail (Fra), HannaLeena Salonen (Fin), Sophie Walker (Eng)
77 Annamaria Milie (Ita), Katharina Werdinig (Aut), Kirsty Taylor (Eng), Veronica Zorzi (Ita), Paula Marti (Spa), Nora Angehrn (Swi), Kathryn Imrie (Sco), Jo Clingan (Eng)
78 Fany Schaeffer (Fra), Ana B Sanchez (Spa), Carlie Butler (Aus), Kris Lindstrom (US), Shani Waugh (Aus), Anna Roscio (Ita) (am).
79 Sarah Heath (Eng), Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Anna Knutsson (Swe)
80 Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Fame More (Eng), Lill Kristin Saether (Nor)
82 Anne Lise Caudal (Fra)
Ret: Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe), Elin Ohlsson (Swe)

DOHERTY AND CAMPBELL LEADING SCOTS
IN PGA EUROPRO TOUR CARDRONA EVENT

Former Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Doherty and Christopher Campbell from the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle were the leading Scottish player on the one-under-par 71 mark at the end of the first day's play in the PGA EuroPro Tour event which began at Cardona Hotel & Country Club, near Peebles today.
Doherty had birdies at the sixth, ninth, 13th and 18th but dropped shots at the seventh, 14th and 16th in halves of 35 and 36.
Late finisher Campbell was heading for a 69 after four birdies but then bogeyed the 16th and 18th for his 71.
Doherty and Campbell, in joint 11th position were both five shots off the cracking pace being set by 21-year-old Huddersfield player Christopher Hanson/
Chris Kelly and Neil Henderson (Glen) were joint 20th on the 72 mark. Henderson had a double bogey 6 at the 16th.
Mark Loftus (Cowglen) had a double bogey 5 at the short 11th in his 73.

SCOREBOARD
Par 71
66 C Hanson (Crosland Heath).
68 N Walker (Eng).
69 A Scallon (Eng), T Haylock (Eng), J Kavanagh (Eng).
Scots scores:
71 P Doherty, C Campbell.
72 C Kelly, N Henderson.
73 M Loftus, T Higson.
74 F Valenti, J Doherty, C Farr, D Patrick.
75 G Gordon, M Urquhart, A Lockhart,P McKechnite.
76 L Vannet, E Saltman, C Matheson, A Hay, N Mitchell.
77 L Harper, I Simpson, S Lamb.
80 D Roger, G Brown, P Cormack.
81 P Gault.

Scottish men's senior open amateur stroke-play championship

HUTCHEON LEADS BY FIVE AS

48 PLAYERS WITH 158 OR BETTER
QUALIFY FOR FINAL ROUND

A total of 48 players with 36-hole totals of 158 or better qualified for tomorrow's third and final round in the Scottish men's open amateur senior stroke-play championship at Drumpellier Golf Club.
Ian Hutcheon, pictured right, from Monifieth stayed on course for a third win. He had a 73 for 143 and increased his overnight lead of three strokes to five from George Paterson of the Aberdeen Links' municipal club, Northern. George scored 75 in his second round for 148.
Hutcheon was one of the early starters and he had birdies at the third, sixth and 17th but a double bogey 6 at the 18th and single bogeys at the second, eighth and ninth in halves of 37 and 36.
If Hutcheon has a serious rival over the last 18 holes, it can only be George Paterson because the five players in joint third place are eight strokes behind the leader on 151.
Two of the Scotland team who won last year's senior home internationals' title at Dunbar failed to survive the second-round cut. Gordon MacDonald (Callander) and Brian Grieve (King James VI), both of whom finished joint third behind Stephen Ellis 12 months ago, made their exit today, MacDonald on 161 and Grieve on 163.
For a time, in mid-afternoon, the projected cut was as low as 155 before the scores began to rise.
Royal Aberdeen's John Johnston wasn't going to make it if it stayed at 155. John finished with a triple bogey 7 for a 76 and a tally of 157, which in the end got him through with a shot to spare.
Johnston had an uninspired outward half of 40 with bogeys at the first, fourth, sixth and eighth. Then he lifted his game with birdies at the 12th and 13th only to crash heavily at the last.
QUALIFIERS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
143 I C Hutcheon (Monifeith) 70 73.
148 G Paterson (Northern) 73 75.
151 R McLellan (Turnberry) 77 74, C Christy (Kilmacolm) 74 77, P Slater (Sandiway) 76 75, J Watt (Letham Grange) 75 76, D Lane (Goring & Streatley) 77 74.
152 R Smethurst (Crewe) 75 77, G Steel (Moor Park) 75 77, J Baldwin (Sunningdale) 74 78.
153 I Stewart (The Curragh) 81 72, M Temple (US) 679 74, G Rodaks (Moffat) 78 75.
154 S Pond (Worksop) 80 74, C W Green (Cardross) 80 74, D Longmuir (Verulam) 79 75, R Young (Chestfield) 79 75, G Thomson (Bearsden) 78 76, J Kinloch (Cardross) 78 76, I Taylor (Royal Burgess) 75 79.
155 J Broadfoot (Turnberry) 81 74, N Cameron (Porters Park) 79 76, W Brady (Drumpellier) 79 76, D McCart (Castlerock) 79 76, I Cumming (Eastwood) 76 79, W F Morton (Dunbar) 74 81.
156 R Stewart (Tulliallan) 83 73, D McLaughlin (Crow Wood) 79 77, I Mason (Royal Cinque Ports) 78 78, N Marsden (Moor Park) 76 80, S Ellis (Cowal) 77 79, P Jones (Bromborough) 79 77, J Paton (Kirkintilloch) 79 77.
157 G McGee (Erskine) 82 75, J W Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) 81 76, A Waddington (Crewe) 74 83, A Cameron (Gourock) 76 81, H Moxon (Royal Cinque Ports) 78 79, W Wallace (Strathaven) 80 77.
158 S Baker (Little Aston) 81 77, B Humble (Kilspindie) 80 78, A Fiddes (Murcar Links) 79 79, J S Macdonald (Dunfermline) 78 80, R Walker (Crewe) 77 81, A Ferguson (Drumpellier) 77 81, D Millar (St Andrews New) 76 82, L Gordon (Turnhouse) 81 77, R Gill (Gerrards Cross) 83 75.
FAILED TO QUALIFY
159 N Swenson (US) 84 75, G Rees (Fleetwood) 83 76, D Millar (Berwick) 80 79, S Gaston (Rothesay) 79 80, I Dickson (Lundin) 78 81, A Elder (Kirkcaldy) 78 81, C Moir (Worksop) 79 80, W Millar (Dullatur) 80 79, B Edgar (Blackpool North Shore) 81 78.
160 A Wight (Glencorse) 86 74, R Paton (Nairn) 83 77, D Doodson (Temple) 83 77, W Kerr (Reddick) 82 78, B Hodgson (Penrith) 81 79, P Crompton (Eaton) 80 80, R Fulker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 77 83, K Bruce (Edzell) 76 84, P Saggers (Nairn) 80 80, J McArthur (St Andrews New) 81 79, A K Pirie (Hazlehead) 83 77, G Payne (Prestbury) 81 79.
161 T Bennett (Great Barr) 82 79, G MacDonald (Callander) 82 79, D Perrie (Paisley) 81 80, A Campbell (Kinross) 80 81, D Sergeant (Bishopbriggs) 79 82, A Laird (Deeside) 80 81.
162 M Jenkins (Duff House Royal) 86 76, J Kirwan (Bramhall) 84 78, G Broster (Hoylake) 83 79, J Wilson (Frilford Heath) 82 80, L Wallace (Melrose) 82 80, D Jamieson 81 81, H Milligan (Hamilton) 81 82.
163 K Howie (West Kilbride) 83 80, D Martin (Newbiggin) 83 80, B Grieve (King James VI) 80 83, B Methven (Royal Aberdeen) 78 85.
164 W Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox) 88 76, N Hilliard (Colchester) 87 77, D Anderson (Pumpherston) 85 798, P Tomisson Nairn) 84 80, C Halcrow (Windyhill) 85 79.
165 P Boyd (Ferenez) 86 79, J Thomas (Ravensworth) 83 82, M Douglas (Thornhill) 81 84.
166 A Ritchie (Bothwell Castle) 86 80, D Bunker (Nairn Dunbar) 83 83, F Urquhart (Inverness) 82 84, T Gray (Lanark) 82 84, E Hammond (Kirby Muxloe) 80 86, L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) 79 87, H Brown (Lothianburn) 79 87.
167 C Roseweir (Strathaven) 89 78, S Bannerman (Glasgow) 85 82, F Sharp (Boat of Garten) 84 83, P Kinloch (Cardross) 83 84, M Toole (Brokenhurst Manor) 76 91, Derek Miller (Murrayfield) 83 84.
168 G Jenkinson (Catghkin Braes) 89 79, J McLean (Bathgate) 87 81, M Lironi (Cathkin Braes) 83 85, W Erwin (US) 83 85, R Lumsden) 81 87.
169 F Hutcheon (Monifieth) 84 85, D Martin (Ranfurly Castle) 81 88.
170 L Bushby (Strathmore) 92 78, B Christie (Bridge of Allan) 89 91, R Nelson (Bothwell Castle) 84 86, T McLean (US) 83 87.
171 D Bruce (Ravenspark) 80 82, G Fletcher (Kelso) 88 83, J Westwood (Moray) 85 86, J Cecchini (US) 85 86.
172 D Lindsay (Windyhill) 90 82, S Quinn (Stirling) 89 83, W Crosbie (Blairgowrie) 89 93, P Costello (Hirsel) 89 84, M Bund (US) 80 92.
174 G Edwards (Bromborough) 94 80, J Stevens (Hayston) 87 87, A Williamson (Bruntsfield Links) 86 88, B Highley (Buchanan Castle) 86 88.
176 J Wilson (Paisley) 92 84.
177 W Morgan (Wynyard) 91 86, D Albutt (Tain) 89 88.
185 G Adde (Sweden) 97 88.
Disqualified - D Smith (Stirling) 84 DQ.

CHAMPION DEANO SCORES FIRST WIN
OF TARTAN TOUR SEASON

Last year’s Scottish PGA champion Dean Robertson (Czech Design) scored his first win of the new Tartan Tour season with a four-under-par round of 67 in the Belhaven Best shotgun pro-am at Cardross Golf Club today.
Robertson picked up the £706 top prize with birdies at the second, third, fourth, sixth, ninth and 18th in halves of 32 (three under par) and 35 (one under). He had back to back bogeys at the seventh and eighth.
Mark King (Kingsfield) was runner-up on 68 with Alan Purdie (Kingsbarns) third on 69.
Stevie Gray (Hayston) led the Iris Mortgates amateur trio of Richard Nimmo (handicap 9), Thomas Cullen (11) and Stephen Hearns (13) to victory in the team event with a net score of 59.
LEADING PROFESSIONALS
Par 71
67 D Robertson (Czech Design).
68 M King (Kingsfield).
69 A Purdie (Kingsbarns).
70 J McKinnon (Irvine), F McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle), J Stevenson
(Braehead), E Thomson (Largs), E Cameron (Hamilton), C Doak (unatt).

Royal & Ancient Golf Club Press Release

MICHAEL LUNT (72) DIES SUDDENLY

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews regrets to announce that Michael Lunt, Captain of the Club, died suddenly on the night of Tuesday, May 22, aged 72.
Michael Stanley Randle Lunt, pictured above, joined The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1963 and subsequently served on The R&A’s Championship Committee and on the Rules of Golf Committee.
In May 2006 he was named Captain and drove himself into office on Thursday 21 September.Michael Lunt had a distinguished career in golf both as an administrator and as a player that started, aged 14, with four years of international representation for England boys.

AMATEUR AND ENGLISH CHAMPION
He won the Amateur Championship in 1963 at St Andrews and the English Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1966, a feat his father Stanley had achieved in 1934.
Between 1959 and 1965, Michael played in four Walker Cup matches and in his last appearance was a member of the 1965 side that gained a halved match against the United States at Five Farms, Maryland, the first time Great Britain and Ireland had gained any success on American soil since the matches began in 1922.
He played for England between 1956 and 1966 and was the non-playing captain from 1972-1975.
After being educated at Uppingham School, Michael Lunt was commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and served in Egypt from 1953-1955 before taking up a directorship in the Birmingham-based family textile business. This was followed by a time as Sales Manager for Slazenger and then, after 11 years as secretary–manager of Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, he retired in 1998.
He is survived by his wife Vicki, his daughter Sophie, his son Jason and two grandchildren.

Next time you are in a golf buggy on a hilly course, or one along clifftops, just remember the following story on the wires today from California ... take more care!

GOLFER DIES WHEN BUGGY GOES OVER CLIFF

An American golfer died on Tuesday after his golf cart plunged 75 feet off a California cliff and crashed on to a road below.
Edwin Payne, 65, teed off with three friends on the second hole of the Pala Mesa Resort course about 50 miles north of San Diego at around 10 a.m. and then got into his cart.
The vehicle veered off the concrete pathway, traveled down a 25ft embankment and went over the edge of the cliff.
Payne, a recently retired real estate agent from Irvine, was ejected shortly before the cart hit the road beneath the cliff and died on impact.
No one else was involved in the crash.

"The New Number One in Spain"

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO

GOLF RESORT SPONSORS

THE GOLF CHANNEL

The leading new golf resort in Spain, Hacienda del Alamo, is to sponsor Europe’s golf channel GOLF TV.
It’s the first time an individual resort has ever secured such a deal. From tomorrow, for the next six months, all of the prime-time programming on the channel will carry the Murcia resort’s branding and logo along with a strong advertising presence
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort has been widely acclaimed as “the new number one in Spain”. Set in 550 hectares in Murcia, it boasts a fabulous Dave Thomas-designed championship golf course which, at 7,400yd, is the longest in Spain.
When completed the luxury resort will have close to 4,000 villas, 400 apartments, a five-star hotel and spa plus a second golf course. Last month it broke all records by selling 100 apartments worth a total of €27 million in just 10 days.
Announcing the tie-up with Golf TV, Hacienda del Alamo's Glasgow-born Director of Communications Chris Mann commented:
“We are delighted to be associating Hacienda del Alamo with The Golf Channel in this unique deal, which has only recently become possible due to a relaxation of television regulation. We have advertised with the channel before to great success and so the natural progression was to move to sponsorship.
"We believe that this campaign will significantly increase our awareness amongst the many golfers across Europe who wish to invest in property at a luxury golf resort like ours.”
To support its six-figure sponsorship deal, Hacienda del Alamo has commissioned a series of eight adverts from leading UK production company Equinox-TV which will begin airing tomorrow. The adverts carry the slogan “an investment to appreciate”.
Hacienda del Alamo's Director of Golf, Billy Sim, is also a Scot, from the North-east.

The Golf Channel
Was Europe’s first 24-hour golf channel when launched in November 2003. On Sky Digital Channel 423 it is distributed to 8.4 million homes and is now owned by JJB Sports, the UK’s largest sports retailer and a member of the FTSE 250. An estimated 1.1million golfers have tuned in to The Golf Channel which is available free-to-air and unencrypted so wider distribution and availability is possible.
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort is sponsoring prime time on The Golf Channel UK and will be aligned next to key programmes including:

+ Live LPGA Golf:
The UK home of the LPGA Tour with over 20 live events featuring the world’s best female golfers. Regularly draws large audiences and with a dedicated UK team based at the event, coverage is unsurpassed.

+Academy Live
Living room lessons by the best golf instructors in the world. At last count five of the world’s top six coaches regularly give lessons on air. Coaches include. Butch Harmon, Rick Smith, David Leadbetter, Dave Pelz, Jim Mclean & Jim Flick.

+Playing lessons from the pros
Top golf professionals allow cameras to follow them on the practice rounds where they proceed to give you their innermost thoughts on the game as well as course strategies. Great mix of players old & new, Phil Mickleson, Paul Casey, Nick Price, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Sam Torrance, Nick Faldo, Jim Furyk & Laura Davies amongst them.

+Top 10
An instant hit with viewers and new for 2007, Top 10 features a countdown of themed moments in golf. June includes Top 10 improbable winners & Top 10 memorable moments on tours. With player insight and expert commentary the shows always provides stimulus for debate.

+Golf Central
The UK’s only dedicated daily golf show with news, player’s views and highlights from every major tour. Hosted by the UK’s Tom Abbott, Golf Central is where everyone within the industry and those who love the game goes to in order to find out what’s happening in the world of golf.

CHRIS BARON SEVEN OFF PACE IN MICHIGAN

Oldmeldrum's Chris Baron was in joint 46th position at the end of the first round of the NCAA Division 2 men's golf championship at The Meadows Golf Club, Allendale in Michigan. Baron, a freshman student at Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina, had a five-over-par score of 76 over the 6,992yd course. He had one birdie, at the short 13th, and six bogeys to be seven shots behind the leader, Jarin Todd (Sonoma State University).
Belmont Abbey College were lying in joint 10th position of 20 teams.

TUESDAY NIGHT MAITLAND SHIELD RESULTS
FROM EAST ABERDEENSHIRE GOLF CENTRE


Peterculter beat Portlethen by two holes.
A Dingwall & D Egland 3, L Shand & K Horne 0.
B Taylor, K Austen 0, S Wallace & R Penny 1.

Hazlehead beat East Aberdeenshire by eight holes.
I Still & K Duthie 8, D Corkey & N Forbes 0.
R Hyland & G Cheyne 0, I Kynoch & S McIntosh 0.

Northern beat Auchmill by five holes.
C. McBain & T Robertson 5, B Nicholson & S Scott 0.
B Rae & S Forsyth 0, J Nicholson & L Taylor 0.

Murcar Links beat Newmachar by six holes.
A Bews & N McKinnon 5, J Wilson & E McIntosh 0.
T Mathieson & D Raitt 1, K Riley & C Simpson 0.

TARTAN TOUR'S TOP 20 MONEY-WINNERS

1 Murray Urquhart (Inverness) £8,339.72 (4).
2 David Patrick (Mortonhall) £7,939.48 (5).
3 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) £7,572.43 (7).
4 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range) £4,260.58 (7).
5 David Orr (East Renfrewshire) £4,196.08 (5).
6 Stephen Gray (Hayston) £4,006.90 (10).
7 Greig Hutcheon (Peterculter) £3.820.85 (8).
8 Colin Gillies (Kingsfield) £3,407.53 (5).
9 Chris Kelly (Cawder) £3,262.35 (7).
10 Chris Doak (unatt) £3,247.62 (5).
11 Mark Loftus (Cowglen) £2,539.77 (8).
12 James McKinnon (Irvine) £2,506.64 (6).
13 Gary McFarlane (Clober) £2,431.43 (4).
14 Craig Lee (All Golf Swing Centre) £2,230.97 (8).
15 Samuel Cairns (Westerwood) £2,109.86 (7).
16 Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) £2,072.16 (8).
17 Dean Robertson (Czech Design) £1,971.00 (7).
18 Fraser McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle) £1,676.12 (9).
19 Euan Cameron (Hamilton) £1,662.61 (5).
20 Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) £1,592.56 (5).
+Figures in brackets are number of events played.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD IN SEMI-FINALS OF
IRISH WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), only 12 years of age and the twin sister of Leona who won the Scottish Under-16 girls' golf championship at Craigielaw in early April, is through to the semi-finals of the Lancome Irish women's amateur championship at Lahinch Golf Club.
In the semi-finals, Lisa will play Marian Riordan (Tipperary) while Karen Delaney (Carlow) meets Maura Morrin (The Curragh), conqueror of Karen's younger sister Tara in the quarter-finals.
+Switch over to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk, for all the day's Irish results.

NICK FALDO NAMES OLAZABAL, McGINLEY
AS VICE-CAPTAINS DESIGNATE FOR
RYDER CUP OF 2008 AT VALHALLA

European Ryder Cup Captain Nick Faldo has named José Maria Olazábal and Paul McGinley as his two vice-captains designate for the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla where Europe will seek a fourth consecutive victory in the biennial contest.
Spaniard Olazábal, 41, has played in seven Ryder Cup teams, having made his debut in 1987, and formed a record partnership with his fellow countryman Severiano Ballesteros, winning 11 of their 15 matches together and halving a two more.
In the 2006 Ryder Cup, Olazábal was unbeaten after teaming up with another Spaniard in Sergio Garcia at The K Club and winning both their matches, and then winning his singles tie as Europe claimed a record-equalling 18 ½ - 9 ½ victory.
Irishman McGinley, 40, has appeared in the last three European Ryder Cup teams and holed the winning putt in 2002 at The Belfry. He has been on the winning team on all three occasions.
Speaking ahead of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club, Faldo said: “I've decided to have two vice captains designate. Two guys that I feel I have good chemistry with. And one is mainly based and playing in America and one is mainly based and playing in Europe, and I know that was very important for me to have good eyes and ears close to the ground, good feedback so we can discuss things and we'll start opening up communication lines with the players later on. But to have two players of their character and playing stature, I think is very important for me."

Scottish senior open amateur stroke-play championship

IAN HUTCHEON LEADS BY THREE SHOTS WITH
A 73 IN FIRST ROUND AT DRUMPELLIER


So is it a case already of "Who's going to be second?" to Ian Hutcheon, the three-stroke leader after only one round of the Scottish senior men's open stroke-play championship at Drumpellier.
Hutcheon certainly knows what it takes to win his native over-55s' crown because he did it in 2003 and 2004.
Ian was the only man in the capacity field of 144 to get under the testing par of 71 with a 70.
He made his round with four birdies on the outward half, at the second, third, seventh and ninth. A couple of bogeys knocked him back to "only" two under par for the first nine.
A bogey at the 18th chipped a shot off his overnight lead.
George Paterson, from the Aberdeen Links club Northern, did well to return a 73 to be Hutcheon's nearest challenge at the end of the day.
Defending champion Stephen Ellis from Cowal could do no better than a 77 and even Gordon MacDonald, one of the driving forces behind the new SGU Seniors Circuit this summer, had to settle for an 82. Gordon is a former winner of this title and he has won the Spanish senior open championship for the past two years.
The big field is thinned out considerably after the second round. Only 44 and ties will progress.

ALL THE FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
70 I C Hutcheon (Monifieth).
73 G Paterson (Northern).
74 A Waddington (Crewe), C Christy (Kilmacolm), W F Morton (Dunbar), J Baldwin (Sunningdale).
75 J Watt (Letham Grange), R Smethurst (Crewe), G Steel (Moor Park), I Taylor (Royal Burgess).
76 I Cumming (Eastwood), N Marsden (Moor Park), M Toole (Brokenhurst Manor), A Cameron (Gourock), P Slater (Sandiway), D Millar (St Andrews New), K Bruce (Edzell).
77 D Lane (Goring & Streatley), R Walker (Crewe), A Ferguson (Drumpellier), S Ellis (Cowal), R McLellan (Turnberry), R Fulker (Kilmarnock Barassie).
78 B Methven (Royal Aberdeen), J Kinloch (Cardross), H Moxon (Royal Cinque Ports), A Elder (Kirkcaldy), I Dickson (Lundin), J S Macdonald (Dunfermline), G Thomson (Bearsden), G Rodaks (Moffat), I Mason (Royal Cinque Ports),
79 C Moir (Worksop), D McLaughlin (Crow Wood), W Brady (Drumpellier), D Longmuir (Verulam), M Temple (US), J Paton (Kirkintilloch), H Brown (Lothianburn), P Jones (Brombrough), I Hunter (Maidenhead), A Fiddes (Murcar Links), D Sergeant (Bishopbriggs), D McCart (Castlerock), R Young (Chesterfield), N Cameron (Porters Park), R Gaston (Rothesay), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen).
----------------------------PROJECTED 36-HOLE CUT MARK ----------------------

80 P Saggers (Nairn), M Bund (US), A Laird (Deeside), S Pond (Worksop), C W Green (Cardross), W Millar (Dullatur), D Millar (Berwick), P Crompton (Eaton), W Wallace (Strathaven), A Campbell (Kinross), B Humble (Kilspindie), B Grieve (King James VI), E Hammond (Kirby Muzloe).
81 L Gordon (Turnhouse), G Payne (Prestbury), R Lumsden (Newcastle Utd), J Broadfoot (Turnberry), D Jamieson (Sene Valley), I Stewart (Curragh), J W Johnston (Royal Aberdeen), B Hodgson (Penrith), S Baker (Little Aston), J McArthur (St Andrews New), H Milligan (Hamilton), B Edgar (Blackpool North Shore), D Perrie (Paisley), D Martin (Ranfurly Castle), M Douglas (Thornhill),
82 T Gray (Lanark), S Sander (US), T Bennett (Great Barr), G MacDonald (Callander), G McGee (Erskine), F Urquhart (Inverness), W Kerr (Redditch), J Wilson (Frilford Heath), L Wallace (Melrose).
83 D Martin (Newbiggin), A K Pirie (Hazlehead), D Doodson (Temple), T McLean (US), R Gill (Gerrards Cross), G Broster (Hoylake), D Miller (Murrayfield), D Bunker (Nairn Dunbar), P Kinloch (Cardross), G Rees (Fleetwood), R Paton (Nairn), R Stewart (Tulliallan), J Thomas (Ravensworth), A Wright (Goring & Streatley), K Howie (West Kilbride).
84 D Smith (Stirling), N Swenson (US), J Kirwan (Bramhall), P Tomisson (Nairn), F Sharp (Boat of Garten), F Hutcheon Monifieth), R Nelson (Bothwell Castle).
85 C Halcrow (Windyhill), J Cecchini (US), M Lironi (Cathkin Braes), W Erwin (US), D Anderson (Pumpherston), S Bannerman (Glasgow), J Westwood (Moray),
86 A Ritchie (Bothwell Castle), P Boyd (Fereneze), M Shephard (Handsworth), B Highley (Buchanan Castle), M Jenkins (Duff House Royal), A Ritchie (Bothwell Castle), A Williamson (Bruntsfield Links.
87 J Noon (Leven), G Fletcher (Kelso), J Stevens (Hayston), N Hilliard (Colchester).
88 G Fletcher (Kelso), W Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox).
89 G Jenkinson (Cathkin Braes), B Christie (Bridge of Allan), D Albutt (Tain), P Costello (Hirsel), C Roseweir (Strathaven), W Crosbie (Blairgowrie), S Quinn (Stirling).
90 D Lindsay (Windyhill), D Bruce (Ravenspark), T Grant (Mill Green).
91 W Morgan (Wynyward), G Edwards (Bromborough).
92 J Wilson (Paisley), L Bushby (Strathmore).
94 G Edwards (Bromborough).
97 A Goran (Sweden).

KILLEEN CASTLE ESTATE POST TAKES RODDY
CARR BACK TO IRELAND AFTER 20 YEARS

Roddy Carr returns to Ireland to market and promote major new golfinitiatives

The Directors of Killeen Castle Estate, Ireland's finest new golf, hotel and residential development situated at Dunsany, Co. Meath, are delighted to announce they have secured the services of Roddy Carr.
A son of the legendary late Joe Carr, Roddy will market and promote:

1 Killeen Castle.
2 The Solheim Cup to be played on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course in 2011.
3 The staging of five Ladies Irish Opens, commencing next year.

Roddy has been in business for 20 years as a tourism consultant and golf events promoter in Spain with Severiano Ballesteros and international sportsmarketing and promoter with IMG, the world's leading sports, entertainment and media company, based in New York.
Recently Roddy represented Killeen Castle in the successful bid to bring the Solheim Cup to Ireland for an historic first time.
As part of that project he will be promoting, marketing and staging the Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle, in association with the Ladies European Tour and also reviving the Ladies Irish Open, commencing in 2008.
In addition, Carr will market and promote worldwide the overall development at Killeen Castle, which will set a new benchmark for levels of excellence, hospitality and golfing experience, and will be one of the finest golf, hotel and residential developments in the world.
Brian Wallace, on behalf of Killeen Castle, says: "We are delighted that a person of the stature of Roddy Carr has agreed to assist us with Killeen Castle and the Solheim Cup. He brings 25 years'international experience in the golf business as a player of distinction, events promoter and a respected sports marketing and tourism expert, having worked on similar major projects in the Far East, the Caribbean and throughout Europe."
Roddy Carr says: "It was the level of quality and attention to detail of the construction and the vision of excellence for the overall product at Killeen Castle that persuaded me to accept the task of marketing and promoting Killeen Castle.
"I have not come across this degree of commitment in pursuit of excellence in my 20 years working abroad in the business. It will be great for me and my wife Patty and young children to return to Ireland after so many years living abroad."
Championship course architect Jack Nicklaus says of his signature design ,which is scheduled to open for play in April, 2008: "I am proud to be part of what is happening at Killeen Castle. It is phenomenal, with the historic castle as a focal point and dramatic backdrop to the 18th hole. Killeen Castle is a wonderful facility to stage The Solheim Cup in 2011 or the Ryder Cup in the future."
The Killeen Castle Estate is situated in a 560 acres wooded development beside Dunsany and the village of Dunshaughlin in County Meath.
An agreement has been signed with Starwood Hotels and Resorts to manage the Luxury Collection hotel, which will be incorporated into the existing historical castle. It dates to 1181 when built by the de Lacy family.

MAITLAND SHIELD RESULTS FROM EAST
ABERDEENSHIRE GOLF CENTRE

Last night's opening results in the City of Aberdeen inter-club foursomes tournament for the Maitland Shield, being played for the first time at East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre, were:

Nigg Bay beat Westhill by six holes.
L Vitesse & I Welsh 4, S Green & A Hay 0.
G Grimmer & N Slater 2, C Munro, F Clarke 0.

Bon Accord beat Caledonian by five holes.
A Styles & A Doig 0, M Greig, G Somers 0.
B Edmond & D Grieve 5, S Finnie & D Mullen 0.

Deeside beat Craibstone by six holes.
A Campbell & D Kerr 3, A Ross & N Henderson 0.
A B Hutchison & T D Rennie 3, G Rennie & B Hardie 0.

Royal Aberdeen w.o. Stonehaven scr.

RICHIE RAMSAY'S HECTIC MONTH IN AMERICA
- ALL BECAUSE HE WON US AMATEUR TITLE

How's this for a golfing schedule?
Richie Ramsay left Aberdeen at 06.30 last Saturday for the United States and is not due to return until Friday/Saturday, June 25/16.
He is playing in this week's US PGA Tour event, the Crowne Plaza Invitational at the Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas.
Then, next week, it's another US PGA Tour event, the Morgan Stanley Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, Dublin, Ohio.
Finally, Richie, the current US amateur champion, will play in the US Open at Oakmont Country Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from June 14 to 17.
That will be followed by a private visit to New York also involving golf.
When the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club member returns to Scotland it will be to compete in the European amateur team championship at Western Gailes during the first full week in July.

Press Release from St Andrews Links Trust

GREAT FIELD (as usual) FOR

THE ST ANDREWS LINKS

TROPHY TOURNAMENT

Sponsored By Burberry

Lloyd Saltman and Jamie Moul, currently the ‘men in form’, lead a high-class international field of 144 players who will be competing for the St Andrews Links Trophy over the Old Course and Jubilee Course from June 8 to 10.
Saltman, pictured right, the winner of the Links Trophy in 2005, has started the season in sensational style by winning four consecutive tournaments including a recent two-shot win in the Irish Amateur Open Championship. In attempting to increase that tally and to add his name to the Links silverware for a second time, he will have to beat a field that includes 50 players of +3 handicap or better.
With Walker Cup selection in the minds of players from the four Home Countries, the St Andrews Links Trophy has again underlined its position as one of the strongest stroke play tournaments anywhere in the world.
Saltman’s victory two years ago saw him finish four strokes clear of Jamie Moul, the English international who has held the No 1 spot in the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings for 14 weeks. That position was underlined at the weekend with his joint win in the English open stroke-play championship at Forest of Arden.

ENGLISH CHALLENGE
Moul must be considered a contender for the Links Trophy but is only one of many top English players who will be competing at St Andrews. Others include John Parry, the newly crowned Spanish Amateur Champion, Gary Boyd who had a 100% record in the recent match against Spain, David Horsey, joint winner of the West of England Championship and Stephen Lewton, a double-winner earlier in the year in Australia.
Irish hopes for the title lie with 18-year-old Rory McIlroy, the backmarker at plus 5.1 and the current European title holder and Irish close champion.
The field includes 17 of the GB&I Walker Cup squad for the match at Royal County Down on September 8 and 9. Nigel Edwards, one of the squad, is already a three-time member of the team and is keen to play well at St Andrews to reinforce his claim for a fourth appearance in the match. Edwards is joined in the field by fellow Welsh Internationals Zac Gould and Llewellyn Matthews.
The St Andrews Links Trophy has always attracted a strong overseas entry although since Stuart Bouvier of Australia won the Trophy in 1990, its second year, the winners have all come from Scotland or England. This year, with a strong overseas entry from 13 countries the time might be right for a second foreign name on the Trophy.
South Africa has entered seven of its strongest players including Louis de Jager, winner of the South African Amateur, the Boland Open and the Gauteng North Open, plus Prinavin Nelson, the North West Open Amateur Champion.

SEVEN FROM AUSTRALIA
Australia also has seven players, one of whom, Rohan Blizard, the Australian Amateur Champion, also has the SBS International and the Tasmanian Open titles to his name.
Other overseas countries with strong entries include the U.S. with 10, Germany, seven and Portugal four.
The field of 144 will play one round on the Jubilee Course on Friday, June 8, one on the Old Course on Saturday, June 9 and the top 40 qualifiers and ties then play 36 holes over the Old Course on the Sunday.
The draw for the first two days can be viewed at http://www.standrews.org.uk/.

ELGIN WIN SENIOR NORTHERN COUNTIES CUP
FOR FIRST TIME WITH WIN OVER INVERNESS

By ROBIN WILSON

Brora Golf Club remain the only club to have won the B D Fraser Senior Northern Counties Cup twice after the 2004 winners, Inverness, lost in this year's final at Nairn Dunbar last week to first time winners, Elgin.
Tain and Strathpeffer Spa, Ross-shire’s only two clubs to have entered, were late withdrawals, having failed to muster a required four players. Strathpeffer’s withdrawal gave Elgin after a first-round win over Turriff a clear run through to the quarter-finals where they beat former winners Cruden Bay and then other former winners, Duff House Royal, in the semi-finals for a place in the final.
Holders Brora's hopes of a third win were ended by Duff House Royal in the second round and in the same round Royal Dornoch were ousted by a Cruden Bay second team.
The format is that both sets of foursomes play to the final green for a combined holes position and the final match was so tight that it came down to two crucial putts on the 18th green.
Both games were in an all-square position playing the final hole. Inverness’s first couple Fraser Urquhart and Gordon Fraser had a putt to remain level with Elgin’s Bryce Milne and Jimmy Innes but Gordon Fraser’s attempt from about eight feet slipped past to put the Elgin pair one up.
Arriving behind in the second pairing for Inverness were Jocky Thomson and Jim Elliot against Elgin’s Doug Porter and Jim Lumb. Thomson for Inverness found the green in regulation to guarantee a par-5 while Elgin missed to the right. Porter chipped up to about the same distance as Inverness had missed from and Lumb became their hero when he downed the putt to half the hole and lift the cup for the first time.

NCLGA OPEN DAY AT STRATHPEFFER

The Northern Counties Ladies Golf Association had an open county day at Strathpeffer Spa last week when association president Isobel McIntosh (Inverness) returned the best gross score, a 78, beating her age by eight shots.
The Silver Division Handicap results were Lorraine Nixon (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (18) 61; Eilidh Syrjanen (Strathpeffer Spa) (13) 67; Maureen Ritchie (Muir of Ord) (17) 69.
Bronze Davison - Aline Drummond (Fortrose & Rosemarkie ) (22) 65.
The next NCLGA county open is a firstvisit to the Isle of Skye Golf Club at Sconsor.
Meanwhile a touring group of 21 Northern members from Orkney arrived on the mainland on Monday to play at Royal Dornoch, Muir of Ord, Grantown on Spey, Inverness and Invergordon during the week.

CHRIS KIRK PIPS RHYS DAVIES, PABLO
MARTIN FOR BEN HOGAN AWARD

Welsh Walker Cup player Rhys Davies, who will complete his four notable years at East Tennessee State University by leading the college squad into action in the season-ending NCAA Division 1 championship at the end of this month, has just failed to win the annual Ben Hogan Award.
The award, meant to acclaim the leading male player on the US college circuit, went to Chris Kirk (Georgia) at a formal banquet at the Colonial Country Club.
Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State), who is about to turn professional, having won a European Tour event recently as an amateur, and Edinburgh-born Davies, winner of 10 college individual titles over four years, were also on the short lee for the Ben Hogan Award.
Kirk won four events during the 2006-07 season but his college career total of seven is still three light of Rhys Davies' CV figure.
Kirk will remain an amateur until after this autumn's Walker Cup match at Royal County Down. He is presuming - quite rightly - that he will be in the American line-up.

JENNA WILSON LEADS TARTAN ARMY
OF 18 AT BRITISH WOMEN'S OPEN
AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

There will be 18 Scots travelling to Alwoodley, Leeds for the British women’s open amateur championship from June 12 to 16.
The Ladies Golf Union has announced that all entrants with handicaps of 0.8 or better have had their entries accepted.
The Scots are:
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) +2.5.
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) +2.4.
Carly Booth (Comrie) +2.3.
Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) +1.9.
Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) +1.3.
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) +1.1.
Roseanne Niven (Crieff) +1.0.
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) +1.0.
Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) +0.6.
Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) +0.5.
Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh) +0.4.
Lauren Mackin (Majorca) 0.0.
Laura Murray (Alford) 0.1
Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 0.2
Sara Bishop (Cochrane Castle) 0.4
Jane Turner (Mortonhall) 0.4
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 0.4.
Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 0.5.

ON WAITING LIST
Emma Fairnie (Dunbar) 2.4.

DAVID HOWELL UNABLE TO DEFEND

BMW PGA TITLE THIS WEEK

AT WENTWORTH

Defending champion David Howell (pictured right) has been forced to withdraw from this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club due to injury.
The 31 year old Englishman, who was in imperious form when he won the title by five shots on the West Course 12 months ago, has been plagued by back problems for some time and although he attempted to be fit for his defence, it was not to be.
“Obviously I feel gutted,” he said. “It is my first big event of the year back in Britain on a course where I have won and just half a mile from where I live.
“It is not a nice situation but at the end of the day, I know that I have won this great title and I hope to have the chance to win it again. I would love to have gone out and defended it but if you are not fit, you are not fit.
“It was always touch and go but in the end I felt I couldn’t risk it. I hit 50 shots today, just as I did two days ago, to see how it felt. I decided if I was pain free I would play nine holes ON Tuesday and then the Pro-Am on Wednesday but unfortunately I wasn’t pain free.
“I have had scans on the SI joint (sacroiliac joint at the base of the spine) and it shows signs of strain. I wanted to give it a shot and I checked with the physio but we felt it was really too soon to play.
“At the end of the day it was a common sense decision. The scans had shown inflammation and I didn’t want to endanger my health for other big events later in the season. It was close, but not close enough.”
Seven players from the top 15 of the Official World Golf Ranking will lead the quest for the €725,000 first prize from the €4,350,000 prize fund in the BMW PGA Championship including current number 11, Padraig Harrington, who has the additional incentive of a €1 million bonus if he can complete back-to-back triumphs on The European Tour International Schedule following his emotional victory in the Irish Open at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort last week.

INCHMARLO YOUNG PROFESSIONAL BARNARD
EQUALS WISHAW RECORD OF 62


Inchmarlo Golf Centre, Banchory young professional Mark Barnard spreadeagled the field in the qualifying round for the Wishaw Golf Club 36-hole pro-am today (Monday).
Mark equalled the professional course record of 62 with halves of 30 (five under par) and 32 (two under) which included an albatross 2 at the par-5, 480yd fourth hole.
“Mark used a driver and then holed his second shot with a rescue club, which would be the equivalent of a four-wood,” said Scottish PGA tournament director Michael MacDougall.
Barnard’s bogey-free round, which earned him £100, also included birdie 3s at the second, ninth, 13th and 15th.
Next best among the 29 qualifiers for the two-round pro-am at the same venue on June 2 and 3 was Eddie Thomson (Largs) with a 65.
The cut-off point for the qualifiers was 71. There were 10 players on that mark and a card countback was used to eliminate only one. The unlucky man was Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle).
LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 69
62 M Barnard (Inchmarlo).
65 E Thomson (Largs).
67 A Marshall (Houston GR), E Davie (Dunblane), D McLure (Troon Welbeck), R Clark (Dumfries & Co), S Savage (Dalmuir).
68 S Catlin (Greenburn), L Vannet (Carnoustie GL), S Gray (Hayston).
Limit score for qualifying: 71 Nine players on this mark go through. C Elliott (Haggs Castle) also had a 71 but lost out on a card play-off.

R&A'S WORLD RANKINGS TO DETERMINE
FIELD FOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
FOR THE FIRST TIME

The World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), a weekly performance table of the world’s top 1,200 players in men’s amateur golf, has been used for the first time to determine the field for the Amateur Championship that will be played this year at Royal Lytham & St Annes and St Annes Old Links from June 18-23.
Created by The R&A as the universal standard for entry into the Amateur Championship, the ranking is a weekly table of playing performance for the world's top amateur players in 450 ranking events and currently includes players from almost 50 countries.
National handicapping systems will no longer be used as the primary condition to identify the international starting field of 288 players in the Amateur. An established number of exempt players will be joined by the leading players that enter from those in the top 800 of the new R&A ranking.
The R&A first proposed the WAGR as a means of clarifying entry into its championships but an 18-month trial introduction has gone further, with the criteria now seen as a valid indicator of player rankings throughout the elite amateur game.
Director of The R&A, Mike Tate, said: “WAGR clearly identifies the top amateur players in the world based on current form and presents them with the opportunity to play in the Amateur Championship."
Dates and venues for all R&A championships and the Walker Cup this year are:
Boys' Home Internationals, Machynys Peninsula, August 7-9.
Seniors Open Amateur Championship, Nairn and Nairn Dunbar, August 8-10.
Boys' Amateur Championship, Royal Porthcawl, August 13-18.
British Mid-Amateur Championship, Alwoodley, August 15-19.
Jacques Leglise Trophy, Notts, August 31-September 1.
Walker Cup, Royal County Down, September 8.

+There is a whisper - and it is only a whisper - that the R&A are considering setting up world amateur rankings for WOMEN! Remember where you heard it first.

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

SAD SEVE TIES FOR LAST PLACE WITH TREVINO
ON UNITED STATES SENIORS TOUR' DEBUT

Seve Ballesteros began to get the hang of playing on the US Seniors Tour on Sunday - but by that time it was too little to late in the Regions Charity Classic over 54 holes in Alabama.
The Spaniard turned 50 years old last month and, with his worldwide tournament record, he was able to walk on to the Champions (Seniors) Tour in the States. This was his long-awaited debut at this level.
Seve sadly tied for last place with 67-year-old Lee Trevino. He scored 78, 81 and 73 for a 16-over-par total of 232.
Brad Bryant won the title at 12 under par 204 after a play-off with RW Eaks.

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

Scottish Golf Union Press Release

SCOTTISH SENIORS EMBARK ON
TITLE QUEST AT DRUMPELLIER

The Scottish Seniors Open Amateur Championship gets underway on Tuesday at Drumpellier Golf Course in Coatbridge. It is the first counting event in the inaugural SGU Seniors Order of Merit.
Boasting a strong line-up, including the usual contingent of international entries from Europe and the US vying for the seniors national crown, the draw includes a number of familiar names associated with the championship’s 29-year history.
Among the title hopefuls is current champion Stephen Ellis, whose victory at Ranfurly Castle last year marked the biggest win of his golfing career, and he will be hoping that history repeats itself as he embarks on his title defence.
Past champion from 2005, Gordon MacDonald will also be looking to clinch the event double, but this year will be unable to match fellow rival Ian Hutcheon’s record of winning the seniors crown two years in succession, after Hutcheon reigned victorious at Glasgow Gailes (03) and Alyth (04).
Another big name in the championship and one to watch is that of the legendary Charlie Green (Cardross), winner of the event no fewer than five times and most capped Scottish international. The 1962 Open silver medalist and five times Walker Cup competitor must be one of the most seasoned and successful players in the field.
Alongside Green is fellow cap Brian Grieve, a member of last year’s victorious seniors Home International team, who will also hope to challenge the title on the par 71 parkland course.
The seniors championship, hosted for the first time at Drumpellier, attracted more than 176 entries (from competitors aged 55 or over) with the one of the lowest ballots in the history of the event set at 5.2, and looks set to be one of the most hotly contested titles.
Wednesday's end-of-play cut after 36 holes will reduce the field to the top 40 players and ties for Thursday's third and final round.

A FEW DOLLARS MORE FOR CATRIONA

Catriona Matthew earned $9,415 for a joint 31st place finish in the Sybase Classic tournament at Upper Montlcair Country Club, Clifton in New Jersey on Sunday.
Catriona had rounds of 69, 78, 72 and 72 for a three-over-par total of 291 over the 6,433yd, par-72 course.
Mexico's Loreno Ochoa chalked up her 11th professional career win and her second on the LPGA Tour this season with scores of 68, 67, 67 and 68 for a total of 18-under-par 270.
She won by three shots from Sarah Lee whos cored 66, 69, 65 and 73.
Becky Morgan from Wales finished joint 52nd on 296 after scores of 72, 72, 77 and 75.

FIFE HANDICAP EVENTS 2007


1) FIFE HANDICAP SINGLES MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP (16 ENTRANTS)

DRAW FOR ROUND 1 to be played by June 21.

LEVEN THISTLE (Home Club) versus DUNFERMLINE (Away Club)

ST MICHAELS (Home Club) versus DRUMOIG (Away Club)

EARLSFERRY THISTLE (Home Club) versus LOCHGELLY (Away Club)

DUNNIKIER PARK (Home Club) versus ELMWOOD (Away Club)

LADYBANK (Home Club) versus LUNDIN (Away Club)

KIRKCALDY (Home Club) versus PITREAVIE (Away Club)

SCOTSCRAIG (Home Club) versus THORNTON (Away Club)

BALBIRNIE PARK (Home Club) versus HOLDER (Away Club)

The winner must report the result to David Moir by email or by fax no later than midnight on the Closing Date of that round but preferably as soon as the tie is played.

A new draw is made for each round.


2) FIFE HANDICAP FOURSOMES MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP (17 ENTRANTS)

DRAW FOR ROUND 1 to be played by June 7.

ELMWOOD (Home Club) versus HOLDERS (Away Club)

DRAW FOR ROUND 1 to be played by 28 JUNE 2007

WINNERS OF ROUND 1 (Home Club) versus DRUMOIG (Away Club)

PITREAVIE (Home Club) versus LADYBANK (Away Club)

LOCHGELLY (Home Club) versus BURNTISLAND GHC (Away Club)

THORNTON (Home Club) versus KIRKCALDY (Away Club)

EARLSFERRY THISTLE (Home Club) versus LUNDIN (Away Club)

BALBIRNIE PARK (Home Club) versus SCOTSCRAIG (Away Club)

ST MICHAELS (Home Club) versus LEVEN THISTLE (Away Club)

DUNFERMLINE (Home Club) versus DUNNIKIER PARK (Away Club)

The winner must report the result to David Moir by email or by fax no later than midnight on the Closing Date of that round but preferably as soon as the tie is played.

A new draw is made for each round.

ROYAL TROON TO HOST NEXT YEAR'S SENIOR BRITISH

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

By STEVEN FRANKLIN
Press Officer, European Seniors Tour

Royal Troon Golf Club has been announced as the venue for next year's Senior Open Championship, continuing the championship’s close affiliation with The Open championship rotation.
One of the great links courses in Scotland, the Old Course at Royal Troon will host the 2008 Senior Open Championship from July 24-27 when the cream of international Senior golfing talent will compete for the replica Claret Jug.

Since the Open of 2004, the Royal Troon clubhouse has had a major "facelift," which has seen the main entrance switch from the opposite side of the clubhouse from the 18th green to the east end of the clubhouse (pictured above), facing the members' car park.

It will be the fourth consecutive year the over-50s' championship has been staged in Scotland and the first at Royal Troon. The Scottish sequence began at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in 2005, followed by the Westin Turnberry Resort in 2006 and Muirfield, which is staging this year’s Championship from July 26-29.
The visit to Royal Troon will also represent the seventh time that the championship has taken place on Ayrshire’s spectacular golfing coastline.
David Hill, Director of Championships for the R&A, said: “The R&A are delighted to announce that the Senior Open Championship will be played at Royal Troon Golf Club for the first time in 2008 and we thank the members and officials at Royal Troon for their support.
“Royal Troon is no stranger to holding major championships, having staged the Open championship on eight occasions, and we can be assured of another high quality golf tournament to remember.”
OPEN VENUE SINCE 1923
Arthur Havers was the first man to lift the Claret Jug at Royal Troon in 1923 and was followed by Bobby Locke (1950), Arnold Palmer (1962), Tom Weiskopf (1973), Tom Watson (1982), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Justin Leonard (1997) and Todd Hamilton (2004).
Tickets for this year’s Senior Open Championship presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, which carries a prize fund of US$2 million, can be purchased in advance by visiting The European Tour Ticketing Operation at http://www.europeantourtickets.com/ or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0800 023 2557.
An adult season ticket (which allows entry to the course on all four tournament days plus the practice day on Wednesday July 25) costs £50 if purchased before July 1. Any one-day ticket costs £15 and entry to the practice day is £10. After July 1 the charges are £60 for a season pass and £20 for any one-day ticket.
There is no entry charge for Under-16s, providing an adult accompanies them, and car parking is also free.
For further information about the 2007 Senior Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, and the latest news please visit: http://www.senioropengolf.com/

MARTIN LAIRD SEVENTH ON US NATIONWIDE
TOUR MONEY TABLE AFTER JT 20 FINISH

Martin Laird from Glasgow, a former Scottish youths champion, is lying seventh in the US Nationwide Tour money table after a joint 20th finish in the latest event, the BMW Charity Pro-am over 72 holes at The Cliffs Golf Club, South Carolina,
Laird, averaging drives of 309yd, had rounds of 67, 72, 71 and 69 for a seven-under-par total of 279.
Winner of a Nationwide Tour event a few weeks ago, Laird has amassed $124,270 so far this season.
Australian Nick Flanagan birdied the last three holes on Sunday in completing rounds of 68, 72, 66 and 65 for 15-under-par 271. It was his second Nationwide Tour win in a row. If he wins a third this season, he will automatically qualify to step up to the main US Tour. Flanagan has won $229,077 this year.
Welshman Richard Johnson finished third on Sunday with scores of 66, 69, 68 and 70 for 273, two shots behind the winner.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
271 Nick Flanagan (Aust) 68 72 66 65.
272 Nicholas Thompson (US) 72 658 68 64.
273 Marc Turnesa (US) 70 70 67 66, Richard Johnson (Wal) 66 v69 68 70.
Other totals:
279 Martin Laird (Sco) 67 72 71 69 (jt 20th).
280 Gary Christian (Eng) 71 70 69 70 (jt 24th).
283 Keith Nolan (Ire) 73 700 70 70 (jt 43rd).

VIKKI DOUBLES HER MONEY WITH JT THIRD
FINISH AT KANSAS CITY CHAMPIONSHIP

The improving Vikki Laing doubled her money from seven events on the US Futures Tour this season to $6,640 by finishing joint third on Sunday in the Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City Championship over a very tough 6,277yd, par-72 course at Leawood South Country Club.
Vikki, from Musselburgh but resident in America since her four years at the University of California Berkeley, earned $3,920 for scoring 71, 74 and 75 for a seven-over-par total of 220 over what was, by common consent, the toughest course the Futures Tour has visited this year – thick rough, narrow fairways, hard greens.
Former US Curtis Cup player Liz Janangelo from West Hartford beat former LPGA Tour player Emily Bastel from Ohio at the third extra hole of a play-off to take the $11,200 top prize after they had tied on four-over 217 at the end of three rounds.
Janangelo, who played for the US against GB&I at Formby in 2004, had rounds of 70, 71 and 76, was scoring her second win of the season. She tops the Futures Tour money table with $28,526. Bastel, a former LPGA Tour player, scored 70, 75 and 72. Her pay cheque was for $8,000.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71)
217 Liz Janangelo (Connecticut) 70 71 76, Emily Bastel (Ohio) 70 75 72 (Janangelo won play-off at third hole).
220 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 71 74 75, Rachel Bailey (Australia) 77 72 71, Allison Fouch (Michigan 74 75 71, Kim Augusta (Rhode Island) 70 74 76.

MASTER GOLFER ZACH WINS IN GEORGIA
AGAIN - AFTER A PLAY-OFF

US Masters champion Zach Johnson beat Japan's Ryuji Imada in a sudden-death play-off to claim victory in the AT&T Classic at Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia.
The 31-year-old birdied the first extra hole, the 18th, to take the title after third-round leader Imada had found the water.
Johnson, whose two previous titles - including the Masters - also came in Georgia, forced a play-off after storming into contention on the final day.
The American shot a five-under-par 67 to move to 15 under while Imada, who was two under for the day, needed to birdie the final hole to stay in contention.
Johnson's chance for victory came when Imada fired his second shot on the par-five 18th into the water hazard in front of the green.
"I admire (Imada's) courage in going for the shot," said Johnson. "I understand why he hit his shot. If it was a little bit right it may have carried on.
"We (then) thought about laying up but at the same time I had a perfect lie, perfect yardage. It was a really pretty routine shot."
Camilo Villegas, Matt Kuchar and Troy Matteson tied for third at 12 under.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72). Players from US unless stated.

273 Zach Johnson 71 66 69 67, Ryuji Imada (Jap) 67 67 69 70 (Johnson won play-off at first hole).
276 Matt Kuchar 70 72 64 70, Camilo Villegas (Col) 70 67 68 71, Troy Matteson 70 64 69 73
277 Bob Estes 71 69 67 70, Stephen Marino 67 71 69 70, Chris Tidland 71 67 71 68
278 Robert Gamez 70 69 71 68, Olin Browne 69 69 74 66, Jonathan Byrd 69 72 68 69, Briny Baird 69 71 70 68, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 70 69 71 68
279 Joe Ogilvie 68 70 69 72, Gavin Coles (Aus) 74 68 69 68
280 Billy Andrade 70 68 72 70, Lee Janzen 69 70 67 74, Kevin Sutherland 65 71 71 73, Parker McLachlin 70 72 72 66, Steve Elkington (Aus) 70 70 67 73
281 Brian Davis (Eng) 69 74 68 70, Craig Kanada 67 70 73 71, Tommy Armour III 67 71 70 73
282 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 69 70 70 73, John Merrick 70 73 73 66, Neal Lancaster 72 71 70 69, Darron Stiles 71 67 73 71, Stewart Cink 70 73 71 68, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 72 70 72 68
283 Charles Warren 73 67 70 73, Tag Ridings 69 71 70 73, David Toms 71 68 74 70, J.P. Hayes 72 70 72 69, Bill Haas 69 72 72 70, John Cook 71 70 70 72, DJ Brigman 68 67 73 75, Bob Heintz 73 67 74 69, Franklin Langham 71 70 68 74
284 Kevin Na (Kor) 70 73 70 71, Tim Petrovic 73 68 71 72, Garrett Willis 71 71 72 70, Jason Bohn 69 72 69 74
285 Kent Jones 70 73 71 71, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 71 72 73 69, Dicky Pride 68 73 74 70, Daisuke Maruyama (Jap) 71 71 74 69, D.J. Trahan 70 71 70 74
286 Jerry Smith 71 72 68 75, Michael Allen 74 67 74 71, Paul Azinger 71 70 76 69, Paul Stankowski 70 72 76 68, Shaun Micheel 72 70 71 73, Jaco Van Zyl (SAf) 72 69 70 75, Glen Day 72 71 70 73, Bob May 67 73 70 76
287 J J Henry 74 69 73 71, Tom Johnson 73 70 74 70, Brian Gay 70 72 73 72, Dan Forsman 72 69 77 69, Michael Putnam 75 66 74 72
288 Steve Jones 71 70 70 77
289 Marco Dawson 72 70 76 71, Mark Hensby (Aus) 71 70 74 74, Steve Lowery 71 72 76 70
292 Duffy Waldorf 72 71 75 74, Grant Waite (NZ) 69 74 77 72, Ryan Armour 70 73 77 72
294 Hunter Mahan 74 69 78 73, Craig Bowden 71 72 78 73, Bob Burns 75 68 78 73
295 Eric Axley 72 69 75 79

Jonathan "Ace" King leading Scot at Forest of Arden

MOUL AND FRENCHMAN BECHU
SHARE BRABAZON TROPHY
AFTER TIE ON SEVEN-UNDER 281
England international Jamie Moul and Frenchman Romain Bechu finished joint winners of the Brabazon Trophy yesterday at Marriott Forest of Arden, the first time since 1995 that the title has been shared.
The pair ended on seven-under-par 281 with Moul closing with a 72 and Bechu with 67. They finished just a shot ahead of another Frenchman, Kenny Le Sager and four ahead of David Horsey and Sam Hutsby.
The win will boost Moul’s place at the top of the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings and should cement his selection for the GB&I Walker Cup team for the Royal County Down match against the United States in the autumn.
Moul put himself in the driving seat with a morning 67 one ahead of Le Sager. But he was unable to shake off the French connection as Bechu came surging through with a 67 of his own. “I’m delighted to have finished as joint winner but I should have scored better in the afternoon to have won outright,” said Moul.
“But I started badly with four bogeys in the first six holes and although I played nicely on the back nine I had chances on 12 and 16 but couldn’t convert them.”
He had another chance on the long 17th but chipped poorly. “I found out what the situation was on the 17th fairway, but that chip was about four inches short of where I wanted it,” he added. With Bechu having already set the target, Moul came to the 211yd 18th, needing a birdie 2 for an outright win ... but his 25ft putt rolled just wide.
“I would have like the chance of a play-ff to win the title on my own but I’m delighted to add the Brabazon to my list of successes.”
Bechu, the reigning French amateur champion from Biarritz, was equally pleased,especially with his morning 67.
“That is the first time I’ve ever had a bogey-free round,” he said. “I have been coming back after being away from the game for three years as I was sick. Being nine under for the day got me to the title.”
There were four Frenchman in the leading 12 positions at the end of the tournament.
Horsey, who went into the final day at the top of the leader board, suffered with a morning 75 that dropped him back to eighth place. But he bounced back with a closing 70 for 285 alongside teenager Hutsby, who won the George Henriques Salver for the leading GB&I under-20 player.
Another to celebrate was Glasgow Golf Club member Jonathan King who holed his five-iron tee shot at the last in the third round for his first ever hole-in-one (See Tom Ward Photography image above).That helped Jonathan to finish as the leading Scot on 293.
Pre-tournament favourite Lloyd Saltman from Craigielaw failed to make it five 72-hole open tournament victories in a row, having already won the Scottish Champion of Champions' tournament at Leven, the Craigmillar Park Open in Edinburgh, the Lytham Trophy and the Irish open amateur stroke-play championship. After starting with a 77, Lloyd finished on 296 - 15 shots behind the joint winners.

Full details of all the results, daily news reports and photos of the event can be found Championships Section of the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4 x 72). CSS 76 75 73 74.
281 R Bechu (France) 71 75 68 67, J Moule (Stoke by Nayland) 72 70 67 72 (no play-off, title shared).
282 K Le Sager (France) 74 71 65 72.
285 D Horsey (Styal) 70 70 75 70, S Hutsby (Liphook) 71 71 70 73.
286 F De Vries (Netherlands) 73 73 71 69, R Kilpatrick (Banbridge) 73 68 71 74.
287 A Kaleka (France) 76 69 72 70.
288 B Parker (Royal Birkdale) 73 77 72 66, R Enoch (Truro) 71 72 69 76.
289 S Piaget (Switzerland) 72 77 69 71, J Freeman (Worksop) 76 67 73 73, C Scotto (France) 71 71 71 72 75.
290 A Johnston (North Middlesex) 74 72 75 69, A Bernadet (France) 71 74 74 71.
291 B Grace (South Africa) 75 723 73 71, J Parry (Harrogate) 75 74 70 72, G Blainey (Berarwood Lakes) 76 72 70 73, J Caldwell (Clandeboye) 71 77 70 73.
202 M Thistleton (Hayling) 77 73 71 71, S Uzzell (Hornsea) 74 75 71 72.
293 M Haines (Rochester & Cobham) 78 70 73 72, J King (Glasgow) 77 73 70 73, G Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs0 71 76 73 73, G Evans (Northcliffe) 74 73 72 74, N Edwards (Whitchurch) 74 73 71 75.
294 S Lewton (Woburn) 74 76 73 71, C Wood (Long Ashton) 73 76 74 71, K McNicoll (Carnoustie) 72 75 76 71, I Urquizu (Spain) 75 74 71 74.
295 J Abbott (Fynn Valley) 76 74 72 73, N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 79 71 71 74.
296 G Boyd (Cherwell Edge) 75 74 74 73, L Saltman (Craigielaw) 77 73 71 75, S Haywood (Rothereham) 72 75 74 75, S Benson (Wentworth) 76 71 74 75, B Westgate (Perranporth) 76 72 72 76, L Matthews (Southerndown) 74 73 73 76.
297 E Dubois (France) 76 73 76 72.
298 J-J Wolff (France) 74 75 75 74. S Grant (Birr) 73 77 73 75, S Foster (Coventry Hearsall) 72 75 76 75.
299 B Hebert (France) 73 73 74 79, J Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale) 73 76 69 81.
302 L Garcia del Moral (Spain) 73 75 69 75.
304 P Cutler (Portstewart) 73 76 80 75, A Hodkinson (Hallowes) 74 76 77 77. R Neil-Jones (Rochester & Cobham) 73 77 70 84.

JAMIESON BOOSTS ROOKIE PRO EARNINGS TO $11,237

Scott Jamieson boosted his rookie professional season earnings to $11,237 on the NGA Hooters Tour with a cheque for $900 for a 72nd place finish in the Chesdin Realty Open at Lake Chesdin Golf Club, Chesterfield, Virginia today (Sunday).
Jamieson, who played four years on the American college circuit as a student at Augusta State University, hasa played in five events and missed one cut on this US satellite tour since turning pro last November.
Scott had rounds of 76, 69, 79 and 74 for a total of 10 over par 298.
Ulsterman Gareth Maybin from Ballyclare finished joint third on 275 with scores of 66, 70, 69 and 70 and earned $10,007. David Skinns from Lincoln picked up $2,080 for finishing tied 27th on 283 with scores of 71, 73 69 and 70.
The top prize of $36,168 was won by Nick Rousey from Pensacola, Florida. He had rounds of 65, 65, 68 and 69 for 21-under-par 267. He won by seven strokes from Steve Gilley (Georgia).

Scottishgolfview.com is indebted to Hugh Hunter for supplying the above picture of the Clackmannanshire team who lost to Fife at Thornton today. If you have any golf team pictures you want displayed, e-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com.

SCOTTISH AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Results in today's first sectional ties in the Scottish Golf Union men's area team championship were:
GROUP A
Lanarkshire 6, Renfrewshire 3.
South 9, Ayrshire 0.

GROUP B
Fife 5, Clackmannanshire 4.
North-east 6 1/2, Argyll & Bute 2 1/2.

GROUP C
Lothians 7 1/2, North 1 1/2
Stirlshire 4, Glasgow 5.

GROUP D
Dumbartonshire 5, Borders 4.
Perth & Kinross 5 1/2, Angus 3 1/2.

First home winner in Irish Open for nearly 30 years

HARRINGTON PLAY-OFF VICTORY PUTS
HIM UP TO 11th IN WORLD RANKINGS

Padraig Harrington ended 29 years without an Irishman winning the Irish Open at Adare Manor today - but he had to beat Welshman Bradley Dredge at the first hole of a play-off before he could claim the title and the 416,660 Euros first prize.
Harrington finished with a 71 for five-under-par 283. Dredge put together a great final round of 68 (after a great third round of 69) to tie on 283.
The Irishman's victory sees him climb one place in the Official World Golf Rankings to 11th.
Marc Warren from East Kilbride was the highest placed Scottish finisher in a share of 12th place. Marc finished off with a 71 for 293 and won 35,611 Euros.
Sandy Lyle and Alastair Forsyth were bracketed together in 21st place on 294.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
283 Padraig Harrington (Ire) 73 68 71 71, Bradley Dredge (Wal) 75 71 69 68 (Harrington won play-off).
287 Simon Wakefield (Eng) 70 72 73 72.
290 Simon Dyson (Eng) 68 78 75 69, Peter Hanson (Swe) 68 78 73 71, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 74 72 72 72, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 74 74 73 72.
Scots' scores:
293 Marc Warren 76 73 73 71 (jt 12th).
294 Sandy Lyle 72 74 76 72, Alastair Forsyth 72 72 74 76 (jt 21st).
297 Stephen Gallagher 76 73 77 71 (jt 37th).
304 Gary Orr 76 75 79 74 (jt 67th).

CLARE QUEEN WINS 7,577 EUROS FOR Jt

13th PLACE IN LADIES' SWISS OPEN

Clare Queen (Carrick at Cameron House) earned herself Euros 7,577 for a joint 13th place finish in the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open at Golf Gerre Losone, Switzerland today.Clare had rounds of 73, 71, 76 and 70 for two-over-par 290.

In her final round she birdied the third, fourth and eighth and dropped only one shot at the fourth.

After her birdie at the eighth, the Scot, pictured right, covered the remaining 10 holes in level par with a regulation figure at each.

Kathryn Imrie finished a shot behind her compatriot on three-over 291 with scores of 76, 73, 698 and 73. Kathryn's patchy last round had birdies at the eighth, 11th and 15th but a double bogey at the ninth and single bogeys at the third and fifth.

At the top of the leaderboard there was a three-way play-off for the title at the first prize of 45,018 Euros.

It was won by 24-year-old German Bettina Hauert who thus scored her maiden professional win. She birdied the last seven holes she played, the 16th, 17th and 18th, in the regulation fourth round to return a 72 and then a birdie at each of the four play-off holes, all of them halved except the last one.

The other play-off contestants were Paula Martin (Spain), who had birdied the 17th and 18th to get into the play-off, and Anna Rawson (Australia) who birdied the 18th to tie on 285.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

285 Bettina Hauert (Germany) 68 73 72 72, Paula Marti (Spain) 73 73 69 70, Anna Rawson (Australia) 72 72 69 72 (Hauert won play-off at fourth extra hole).

286 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Denmark) 74 71 71 70.

287 Trish Johnson (England) 74 73 71 69, Eleanor Pilgrim (Wales) 68 75 70 74.

Other totals:

290 Clare Queen (Carrick at Cameron House) 73 71 76 70.

291 Kathryn Imrie (Monifieth) 76 73 69 73.

292 Liz McKinnon (NZ) 70 73 76 73.

HOME WINNER IN CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT
AT ROYAL WATERLOO, BELGIUM

From MICHAEL GIBBONS
Press Officer, European Challenge Tour

TELENET TROPHY at ROYAL WATERLOO GOLF CLUB, BELGIUM
FOUR-ROUND TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72). 6,968yd.

271 Nicolas Vanhootegem (Bel ) 68 65 68 70;
275 Felipe Aguilar (Chi ) 66 72 69 68;
277 Robert Coles (Eng ) 70 71 72 64;
278 Didier De Vooght (Bel ) 65 66 72 75;
279 Anthony Snobeck (Fra ) 71 72 67 69;
280 Inder Van Weerelt (Ned ) 72 68 70 70; Peter Baker (Eng ) 70 68 71 71;
281 Christophe Brazillier (Fra ) 71 72 70 68; Edoardo Molinari (Ita ) 72 70 67 72; Stuart Davis (Eng ) 71 69 70 71; Miguel Rodriguez (Arg ) 72 68 71 70; Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel ) 65 70 72 74;
282 Thomas Nielsen (Den ) 73 70 70 69; Anthony Tarchetti (Eng ) 70 69 68 75; Magnus A Carlsson (Swe ) 67 70 73 72; Mikael Lundberg (Swe ) 67 74 69 72;
283 Iain Pyman (Eng ) 75 69 69 70; Alvaro Velasco (Esp ) 68 70 72 73; Toni Karjalainen (Fin ) 72 68 73 70; Jerome Theunis (Bel ) 67 72 75 69; Julio Zapata (Arg ) 72 72 68 71; Anders Schmidt Hansen (Den ) 72 72 70 69; Niki Zitny (Aut ) 71 72 68 72;
284 Roope Kakko (Fin ) 70 70 75 69; Ross Mcgowan (Eng ) 71 71 70 72; John E Morgan (Eng ) 72 69 73 70;
285 Van Phillips (Eng ) 74 70 70 71; Jean Hugo (Rsa ) 72 70 73 70; Wil Besseling (Ned ) 70 73 74 68; Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra ) 70 71 72 72; Peter Whiteford (Sco ) 76 67 74 68; Robin Swane (Ned ) 68 73 73 71;
286 Fredrik Widmark (Swe ) 71 71 74 70; Raphaël Eyraud (Fra ) 71 73 71 71; Stuart Little (Eng ) 71 72 72 71; Denny Lucas (Eng ) 67 76 73 70; Gary Clark (Eng ) 69 71 73 73; Olivier David (Fra ) 71 72 71 72; Julien Grillon (Fra ) 72 68 72 74 ; Scott Henderson (Sco ) 70 73 72 71;
287 Wilhelm Schauman (Swe ) 73 69 71 74; Magnus Persson (Swe ) 69 73 72 73; Andrea Maestroni (Ita ) 72 69 75 71;
288 Klas Eriksson (Swe ) 74 69 70 75; Julien Xanthopoulos (Fra ) 72 71 75 70 ; Bertrand Coathalem (Fra ) 71 70 74 73; Rafael Gomez (Arg ) 70 73 71 74; Carlos De Corral (Esp ) 71 73 71 73; Tobias Dier (Ger ) 69 73 73 73; Kevin Harper (Eng ) 72 72 75 69 ;Gareth Paddison (Nzl ) 72 70 70 76;
289 Manuel Merizalde (Col ) 71 72 73 73; Christian Reimbold (Ger ) 72 67 77 73;
290 Arnaud Langenaeken (Bel ) 75 69 69 77; Christian Aronsen (Nor ) 69 74 71 76; Jacob Okello (Ken ) 75 69 73 73; Eric Ramsay (Sco ) 71 73 72 74; Alvaro Salto (Esp ) 71 70 72 77;
291 Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe ) 70 71 77 73; Lars Brovold (Nor ) 69 73 77 72 ; Raphaël De Sousa (Sui ) 71 71 72 77; Xavier Feyaerts (Am) (Bel ) 72 71 72 76;
292 Euan Little (Sco ) 73 69 75 75; 2
293 Pontus Ericsson (Swe ) 72 72 75 74; Paolo Terreni (Ita ) 75 66 77 75;
294 Mickael Dieu (Fra ) 73 70 78 73; Mikko Korhonen (Fin ) 77 67 77 73;
295 Gustavo Rojas (Arg ) 74 70 75 76; Manoel Willems (Bel ) 73 70 75 77; Julien Foret (Fra ) 69 74 76 76;
298 Jose Luis Adarraga Gomez (Esp ) 74 68 76 80;
299 Benjamin Miarka (Ger ) 69 75 79 76;