Westwood, Poulter, Monty, Manassero doubtful for French Open

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARVIN COLLINS
LEE Westwood, Ian Poulter, Colin Montgomerie and Matteo Manassero may be forced out of the French Open which tees off today.
It was initially feared Westwood might have a blood clot in his leg when the world No 3 withdrew from the pre-tournament pro-am yesterday because of a swelling around the right calf and ankle.
"The doctor (in Paris) has decided there is no DVT (deep vein thrombosis) or blood clot," said Westwood's representative Stuart Cage. "The problem seems to be a reaction to the heat. Lee is going to have an anti-inflammatory dressing put on the muscle and if he rests up tonight then hopefully the swelling will go down and he will be able to play (in the first round) tomorrow.
"He is certainly going to go to the course in the morning and will make a decision then," added Cage.
World No 8 Poulter also withdrew from the pro-am because of an infected insect bite that caused a swelling in his groin. The Briton said he would pull out of the tournament if the swelling did not go down.
Italian teenager Manassero was also doubtful after being struck on the left hand by a ball while practising on Tuesday. The 17-year-old, playing one of his seven invitations as he tries to win a European Tour card for next season, is in pain and unable to flex the hand properly.
Montgomerie was another pro-am withdrawal due to a calf tear and a damaged Achilles. Europe's Ryder Cup captain is being injected with painkillers.
Ross McGowan, in fifth place on the Ryder Cup table, has already pulled out of the French Open because of a swollen right wrist.
McGowan, who retired during last week's BMW International Open in Munich, will also miss next week's Scottish Open in a bid to get fit for the Open at St Andrews which starts on 15 July.
Meanwhile, Jose Maria Olazabal returns to action for one week only, admitting that his battle with rheumatism has to put a question mark over him becoming Europe's next Ryder Cup captain.
The French Open at Le Golf National is Olazabal's first event since last October and it is also likely to be his last for a few months.
"I'm giving it a try this week, but it's definitely the rest of the summer off," said the 44-year-old, whose problems go back to the mid-1990s when he could not play for 18 months and feared his future would be in a wheelchair. "I feel better, but still have pain in my shoulders," he said.
"It's just a game of wait and see, but it feels like a slow process - it feels like the finishing line is near, but you never get to it."
Olazabal is favourite to succeed Montgomerie following October's match at Celtic Manor, but part of the reason for appointing Montgomerie was that he is still a Tour regular.
"Sure I want it," said Olazabal, "but the decision is not mine and a couple of things have to come into place.

No, he's not going to be Donald Trump's Director of Golf at Balmedie!

PETER SMITH COMING HOME FROM NEW ZEALAND  

IN AUTUMN FOR GOOD

. . . AND HE’S OPEN TO OFFERS

A COLIN FARQUHARSON "EXCLUSIVE" STORY

One of the North-east’s leading golf personalities of the 1980s and 90s, Peter Smith is coming from New Zealand to spend his senior years among his ain folk.

Born at Udny Station 50 years ago the son of a Highland League footballer, Peter Smith, was Murcar Golf Club professional from 1983 to 1986 and won the Northern Open at Murcar in 1992 with an aggregate of 264 which still stands as a record for the tournament.

He qualified from Challenge Tour to play on the European Tour from 1990 to 1994 and then was Newmachar’s director of golf from 1996 until 2000, the year he and his wife Carol emigrated to New Zealand.
Down there, Smith won the New Zealand club professionals’ championship in 2003 and one other event around that time.
In 2006, he was head-hunted by Hilversum Golf Club to become its head professional but his family never really settled in the Netherlands and he returned to New Zealand.
The last couple of years, Smith played various satellite tours on the Continent to prepare himself for last year’s European Seniors Tour School on the Algarve.
“I started badly but was playing well by he end of the tournament. I just gave myself too much ground to make up and there are not a lot of qualifying spots on the Seniors Tour available.” he recalled earlier this week on a flying visit to Aberdeen and was my guest for tea and scones at the Kippie Lodge Club (pictured above) on the western outskirts of the city.
  “But I came over recently and qualified to play in the PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall last weekend. I played with guys like Sam Torrance, Barry Lane, Sandy Lyle and Andy Oldcorn and I thought I  was a little bit unlucky to finishwith a triple bogey and a double bogey which pushed me well down the final placings from seven at time to 37th.
“But it has whetted my appetite to have another go at the Seniors Tour School later this year. The friendly atmosphere at a Seniors Tour event was great. Sam, Barry, Sandy and Andy could not have been nicer. I knew them 20-30 years ago but, compared to them, I'm just a rookie as a senior golfer.
"That did not make the slightest bit of difference. They were as chatty on and off the golf course as if I played with them every week. The atmosphere was in direct contrast to what it's like at the Seniors Tour Qualifying School, must of it caused by nerves, just like at the younger guys' Q School. But having now experienced a Seniors tournament as a player, I am determined to make the grade at the second attempt.
"Why are we coming back to the North-east for good after 10 years in foreign parts? The answer is that Carol and I are simply homesick. I want to spend my senior years back in the North-east which has a great golfing scene and great golf courses. People who live here don't really appreciate what they've got. You've got to be like me and travel round to the other side of the world to realise that the North-east in general and Aberdeen in particular is a very nice place to live."
Smith laughs at the suggestion that he is coming back to the North-east to be Director of Golf at Trump International but he does admit that he is looking to get involved in some way in the North-east golf scene on his return.
“Even if make it to the Seniors Tour, it really is a part-time circuit, with not nearly so many events as the European Tour. So there is scope to play on the over-50s tour and have a fulfilling job at the same time here in the North-east,” he says.
“I'm not blowing my own trumpet but I  feel I have an awful lot of golf experience – I was manager of a golf resort for two years in New Zealand, for instance – that could be of use to someone, some club or business when I get back here to stay. I am open to offers."
Peter Smith knows he is coming home at a bad time, when Britain is still struggling to come out of a recession but he's a self starter, intelligent and articulate. If he has to, he will start his own golf-orientated business.

Scottish senior men's amateur stroke-play championship
Pollok Golf Club.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 71
T1 KING, Geoff (65+) West Essex 70 -1
T1 MACDONALD, Scott (65+) Dunfermline 70 -1
T1 TAYLOR, Ian Royal Burgess 70 -1
T1 DONKERSLEY, Adrian Gerrards Cross 70 -1
T1 MILLAR, Dave Berwick-upon-Tweed 70 -1
T6 GORDON, Lindsay Turnhouse 71 Par
T6 KINLOCH, James Cardross 71 Par
T6 MARKS, Jonathan (65+) Woodbridge 71 Par
T6 JESSUP, Dave Rochester and Cobham Park 71 Par
T6 BALDWIN, John (65+) Sunningdale 71 Par
T6 FULLER, Gordon Ralston 71 Par
T6 CHRISTY, Colin Kilmacolm 71 Par
T13 STRACEY, Andrew Littlestone 72 +1
T13 HALCROW, Colin Windyhill 72 +1
T13 JERMINE, John (65+) Sunningdale 72 +1
T13 MILLER, Derek Murrayfield 72 +1
T13 HUTCHEON, Ian (65+) Monifieth 72 +1
T13 SLATER, Philip Sandiway 72 +1
T13 TEMPLE, Martyn (65+) United States 72 +1
T13 STAFFORD, Tony Dun Ochil 72 +1
T21 EDGAR, Bob Blackpool North Shore 73 +2
T21 GRIFFITHS, Basil Llanymynech 73 +2
T21 CAMERON, Norman Porters Park 73 +2
T21 BROWN, Terence Stand 73 +2
T21 MCLELLAN, Ron Turnberry 73 +2
T21 MITCHELL, Billy Effingham 73 +2
T21 SMETHURST, Roy (65+) Crewe 73 +2
T21 JOHNSTON, John Lanark 73 +2
T21 THOMSON, Gordon Bearsden 73 +2
T30 LYNCH, Sean (65+) Minchinhampton 74 +3
T30 PAULEY, Ray Woodhall Spa 74 +3
T30 SMITH, David (65+) Stirling 74 +3
T30 CRELLIN, Paul Prenton 74 +3
T30 STEWART, Iain Curragh 74 +3
T30 POND, Stuart Worksop 74 +3
T30 LIRONI, Mark (65+) Cathkin Braes 74 +3
T30 JAMIESON, Peter Cathkin Braes 74 +3
T38 GROUNDS, Aidan Falkirk Tryst 75 +4
T38 GRAY, Richard Cowglen 75 +4
T38 KIRWAN, Joe Bramhall 75 +4
T38 ERSKINE, William Kilsyth Lennox 75 +4
T38 ARNOLD, Douglas Copthorne 75 +4
T38 LANE, David (65+) Goring and Streatley 75 +4
T38 DOODSON, David (65+) Temple 75 +4
T38 LAIRD, Andrew (65+) Deeside 75 +4
T38 MCDONALD, John Cowglen 75 +4
T38 DOUGLAS, Marshall (65+) Thornhill 75 +4
T38 PATERSON, George Northern 75 +4
T38 WIGLEY, Michael Royal North Devon 75 +4
T38 ELDER, Allan Kirkcaldy 75 +4
PROJECT CUT MARK AFTER ROUND 2
T51 CAMPBELL, Ian Kinross 76 +5
T51 JOHNSTON, James Northumberland 76 +5
T51 GRIEVE, Brian (65+) King James VI 76 +5
T51 FIDDES, Alistair Deeside 76 +5
T51 FRASER, John Royal Burgess 76 +5
T51 BRADY, Scott Burntisland 76 +5
T51 PAYNE, George Prestbury 76 +5
T51 REES, Glyn Fleetwood 76 +5
T51 MACBRYDE, Glen Stone 76 +5
T51 RUSSELL, Kenneth Wigtown and Bladnoch 76 +5
T51 WATT, Jim Edzell 76 +5
T51 SMALE, Sam Royal St George's 76 +5
T51 MILLER, David Kilmarnock (Barassie) 76 +5
T51 BOOBIS, Gerry Ravelston 76 +5
T51 MACDONALD, Gordon Callander 76 +5
T66 RUSSELL, John United States 77 +6
T66 HALL, Duncan Whitecraigs 77 +6
T66 GORRIE, William Glasgow 77 +6
T66 MASON, Ian Royal Cinque Ports 77 +6
T66 DICKSON, Ian Lundin 77 +6
T66 MACLEAN, Ronald Hamilton 77 +6
T66 BREWER, Ashley Denham 77 +6
T66 THOMSON, Kenneth Bramall Park 77 +6
T66 JOHNSTON, John W Royal Aberdeen 77 +6
T75 MACNAUGHT, Alan Colchester 78 +7
T75 WRIGHT, Alastair Goring and Streatley 78 +7
T75 WHYMARK, Stephen Woodbridge 78 +7
T75 GILL, Robert Gerrards Cross 78 +7
T75 MCCART, Donald Sherwood Forest 78 +7
T75 MACDONALD, Robert Bruntsfield Links 78 +7
T75 TAYLOR, Alastair Turnhouse 78 +7
T75 CUMMING, Ian Eastwood 78 +7
T75 AMAN, Jalil Grangemouth 78 +7
T75 QUINN, Sandy (65+) Stirling 78 +7
T75 MACINTYRE, Bill Harpenden 78 +7
T75 WALKER, Robert Crewe 78 +7
T87 WALLACE, William (65+) Strathaven 79 +8
T87 BROWN, William Strathaven 79 +8
T87 LINDSAY, Donald Windyhill 79 +8
T87 MILLAR, David (65+) St Andrews New 79 +8
T87 RITCHIE, Alex Bothwell Castle 79 +8
T87 WILSON, James Frilford Heath 79 +8
T87 MARTIN, Denis Newbiggin 79 +8
T87 CAMPBELL, Andrew Kinross 79 +8
T87 BAX, Peter Mid-Herts 79 +8
T87 STEWART, Robert Tulliallan 79 +8
T87 MCNALLY, Thomas Williamwood 79 +8
T87 PATON, James Kirkintilloch 79 +8
T99 MCINTYRE, John (65+) Lundin 80 +9
T99 LANG, John Bruntsfield Links 80 +9
T99 GRAHAM, Gordon Irvine 80 +9
T99 KINNIBURGH, Hugh Lanark 80 +9
T99 MORTON, Wilson Dunbar 80 +9
T99 BROADFOOT, John Turnberry 80 +9
T99 HUMBLE, Bob Kilspindie 80 +9
T99 BANNERMAN, Stewart (65+) Glasgow 80 +9
T99 FRANKLIN, Geoffrey Beaconsfield 80 +9
T99 MURPHY, Derek Kinross 80 +9
T109 MCQUADE, Denis Glenbervie 81 +10
T109 BRODIE, Andrew Glasgow 81 +10
T109 STEEL, Graham (65+) Moor Park 81 +10
T109 CAMERON, Allan Gourock 81 +10
T109 FRY, Graham Westgate and Birchington 81 +10
T109 CARSON, Tom Lockerbie 81 +10
T115 BOYD, Peter Fereneze 82 +11
T115 JORDAN, Robert United States 82 +11
T115 BENNETT, Trevor (65+) Great Barr 82 +11
T115 JENKINS, Michael Duff House Royal 82 +11
T119 KINLOCH, Peter Cardross 83 +12
T119 ADDIS, Philip Parkstone 83 +12
T121 GILCHRIST, Tom Western Gailes 85 +14
T121 ELLIS, Stephen Innellan 85 +14
123 CHRISTIE, Brian Wilton 86 +15
124 NELSON, David (65+) Aboyne 87 +16
125 STEWART, Charles (65+) Moray 88 +17
DQ FORBES, Duncan (65+) Sonning DQ
DQ NAIRN, Robbie Lochmaben DQ
WD RODAKS, George Moffat WD
WD MOIR, Colin (65+) Worksop WD
WD TOMISSON, Patrick Nairn WD
+SCOREBOARD FROM THE SGU WEBSITE

BLAIRGOWRIE'S STEWART REEKIE SCORES

FIRST TARTAN TOUR WIN AT DUFF HOUSE ROYAL

Blairgowrie’s Stewart Reekie scored his first Tartan Tour victory today in the Duff House Royal Golf Club Centenary pro-am.
Reekie shot a seven-under-par 61 at the Banff venue with a bogey-free card packed with birdies – the first, fourth, fifth and ninth to be out in 30 (four under par) and the 12th, 15thj and 18th to be home in 31 (three under).
He earned £1,178, his biggest cash prize as a professional.
The Perthshire man was chased home by two Aberdonians: Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) with a 62 and Scott Henderson (Kings Links) with a 64.
Lornie earned £942 for birdies at the fourth, seventh, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th in halves of 32 and 30. His only bogey came at the short 13th.
Henderson birdied the third, fourth, sixth, 13th and 15th in halves of 32. His only bogey was at the ninth. His payslip was for £706.
Two teams totalled the low mark of net 19-under-par 117: B J Services (UK) Ltd, with David Patrick (Elie) as their pro won with the better net inward half: 61 to 64. The winning amateur trio were Neil Farquharson (9), Dave Madden (18) and Alan Aitken (18).
The losers on the countback were Huntly Motors’ Graham Green (5), Jacqueline Green (19) and Don Garrett (3). Lindsday Mann (Carnoustie) was their pro.

PRO TOTALS
Par 68
61 Stuart Reekie (Blairgowrie) £1,178.
62 Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) £942.
64 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) £706.
65 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Chris Kelly (Cawder), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) £435 each.
66 James McGhee (Turnhouse), Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Chris Doak (unatt), Colin Gillies (Braid Hills) £247 each.
67 Mark Finlayson(Edzell), Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park) £170 each.
68 Andrew Crerar (Panmure), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Stephen Gray (Hayston) £141 each.
69 Michael Rae (Alyth), David Patrick (Elie), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Craig Ronald (Carluke) £100 each.
70 Craig Knowles (Panmure), Gary Lochhead (Kings Links), Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) £359 each.
71 Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill), Mark King (Kingsfield), Sean O’Donnell (Balbirnie Park), Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) £53 each.
72 Andrew Cooper (Newmachar), Kenny Walker (Castle Park), Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Nathan Keast (Duff House Royal), David Park (Wishaw) £53 each.
73 Sandy Aird junior (McDonald Ellon) £53.,
74 Gary Holland (Duff House Royal), Lee Vannet (Carnoustie GL), Euan Cameron (Hamilton), Donald McKay (Wellsgreen) £53 each.
75 Steven Chalmers (Banchory) £53.
77 Iain Buchan (Craibstone) £53
78 James Calam (unatt) £53.
79 Alan Fleming (North Highland College), Iain Donaldson (Meldrum House) £53 each.
NR Bob Strachan (Pine Lodge) £53.

CRAIG LEE PICKS UP SCENT OF

ANOTHER BIG CHEQUE ….

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Seven shots is a lot of ground to make up in one round but Craig Lee is sure to have a crack at the leaders over Thursday's final round of this week’s PGA EuroPro Tour event, the Stoke-by-Nayland Championship at the Suffolk venue near Colchester.
The Aspire Golf Centre tour pro, pictured right, winner of the £10,000 first prize at Bovey Castle a few weeks back, followed up his opening 71 with a six-under-par 66 for 137 to be joint 11th, seven behind the two-stroke leader on 130, Irishman Brendan McCarroll (67-63).
Lee birdied the third, fifth, eighth, ninth, 1oth, 11th and 14th, dropping just one shot, at the 12th.
Young Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) has played the first two rounds well for a pair of two-under-par 70s – now, from joint 16th place, he has to finish on a high, which he has not really done yet on the tour.
McAllister had birdies at the first, second, fifth,1 4th and 19th, dropping shots at the eighth, 11th and 17th.
Other Scots qualifiers for the last round charge were Kevin McAlpine (67 for 141), Paul Doherty (75 for 141), Jason McCreadie (70 for 143), Steven Mackie (72 for 144), John Henry (2 for 144).
The top 50 players and ties qualified with aggregates of 145 or better.
Newmachar’s Martin Lawrence missed out by one with a75 for 146, the same total as nother Scot, Colin Goudie, who slumped from 68 to 78.
Zack Saltman (Aegon) is still missing more cuts than he makes. He failed in this one with a 72 for 147, the same total as Ellon’s Ross Cameron (76) and Carnoustiie’s Keir McNicoll (71).
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
130 Brendan McCarroll (Ire) 67 63.
132 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) 69 63.
133 Jamie Moul (Eng) 64 69.
134 Daniel Perrett (Eng) 67 67.
135 James Freeman (Eng) 68 67.
Scottish scores:
137 Craig Lee 71 66 (jt 11th).
140 Shaun McAllister 70 70 (jt 16th).
141 Paul Doherty 66 75, Kevin McAlpine 74 67.
143 Jason McCreadie 73 70 (jt 29th).
144 Steven Mackie 72 72, John Henry 72 72 (jt 39th).
MISSED THE CUT (145 or better)
146 Martin Lawrence 71 75, Colin Goudie 68 78.
147 Zack Saltman 75 72, Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) 71 76, Keir McNicoll 76 71.

Star-studded field for English men's mid-am at Sherwood Forest

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Eight former champions plus the current title-holder will be in the 132-strong field for the English Men’s Mid Amateur Championship for the Logan Trophy at Sherwood Forest Golf Club from Friday to Sunday (July 2 to 4).
John Longcake from Cumbria won the title over his home course at Silloth-on-Solway last year for the third time, becoming the fourth triple winner of the Logan Trophy since its inception in 1988.
Longcake (picture © Tom Ward), champion first in 2003 and for the past two years, is expected to be challenging again but this year’s entry is particularly strong notwithstanding the other former title holders, Robert Godley (Hillside, Lancashire), Charlie Banks (Stanton-on-the-Wolds, Nottinghamshire), Stephen East (Moortown, Yorkshire), Barry Downing (Hallamshire, Yorkshire), Steve Sansome (Kilworth Springs, Leicestershire), Nigel Chesters (Hawkstone Park, Shropshire & Herefordshire), Paul Griffiths (Sandwell Park, Staffordshire) and Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor, Hampshire).
Two men in form are Mark Wharton (John O’Gaunt, Bedfordshire) and Jamie Miller (Fulford, Yorkshire). Both were involved in a four-way playoff recently for the European Mid-Amateur Championship in France but missed out to Frenchman Francois Illouz. Illouz won’t be at Sherwood Forest as he is an official of the French Golf Federation and is involved with the conflicting French Open.
However, Wharton and Miller will hope to go one better but there are other likely contenders such as former England internationals John Kemp (John O’Gaunt, Bedfordshire), James Crampton (Spalding, Lincolnshire), Roger Roper (Wike Ridge, Yorkshire) and Andrew Carman (Coventry, Warwickshire).
Kemp lost out narrowly to Longcake at Shifnal two years ago, while Crampton, an England cap in 2005 and SSS and Handicapping Manager with the English Golf Union, is the newly crowned Lincolnshire Champion. Roper, an England cap back in the Eighties, could also feature, while Carman, an international in 1979 and 1980 and a former chairman of England selectors, is now a seniors international who has finished third and ninth in the last two English Seniors Championships.
The Logan Trophy is open to players over 35 years of age, is played over 54 holes with a cut after 36, the leading 45 players and ties going through to the final round.
Play starts at 7.30 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, admission is free. For those unable to attend, live scoring and news updates are available on the Championships section of EGU website www.englishgolfunion.org.

EAST OF SCOTLAND WINNER PETER LATIMER NOW

SEVENTH TOP SCOT IN

RandA  WORLD RANKINGS

East of Scotland Open winner Peter Latimer from Markinch is one of the biggest movers in the updated R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings this week.
Latimer, 22, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a winner on the US golf circuit more than once during his past four years at Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina, has shot up 142 places from last week to No 284.
He is seventh highest ranked Scot.
Fraserburgh’s Kris Nicol went up 62 places to 183rd and the only Scots ahead of him in the table are Banchory’s James Byrne in 17th place (down 12), Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 53rd (up 12) and Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 162nd (up two).

RandA WORLD AMATER RANKINGS
1 Jim Jeong (SKo) no change.
2 Peter Uihlein (US) no change.
3 Russell Henley (US) no change.
4 Bud Cauley (US) +1.
5 Patrick Reed (US) -1
6 Andrea Pavan (Ita) no change
7 Nick Taylor (Can) +1.
8 Jonathan Randolph (US) -1.
9 Scott Langley (US) no change.
10 Romain Wattel (Fra) no change.
Leading English rankings:
14 Tommy Fleetwood -3.
20 Matthew Nixon -5.
Scots’ rankings:
17 James Byrne -5.
53 Ross Kellett +12.
162 Michael Stewart +2.
183 Kris Nicol +62.
197 Stuart Ballingall -6.
255 Jiames White -4.
284 Peter Latimner -142.
369 Philip McLean -66.
424 David Law -91.
463 Scott Crichton +31.
521 Greg Patgerson +47.
577 Glenn Campbell +9.
584 Gordon Yates -57.
635 Paul Shields +97+

No place for battling Campbell, but still a true champion

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Former  US Open winner Michael Campbell failed in his Open chmpionship qualifying bid to make it to St Andrews but the Kiwi left Fife yesterday with his head held high and, what's more, he showed all the hallmarks of a true champion.
Campbell has suffered such a slump in form recently that you almost feared it would be case of watching car-crash golf as the man tried to earn a place over the Old Course in two weeks.
On a glorious morning in Fife, you feared the worst for Campbell when he started with two bogeys but what followed thereafter was not nearly as bad as some of those in a small gallery might well have feared.
There's a chance that other players in Campbell's position at the moment might well act like spoilt kids and get angry with themselves at every opportunity.
But there was no sign of that whatsoever with the man who held off Tiger Woods down the stretch to claim that US Open success.
Campbell almost looked as though he was out playing a bounce game, though that certainly shouldn't be taken as him taking his predicament lightly.
He hit some stunning shots and, with all due respect to his playing partners, the Kiwi's ball-striking was a class apart. Campbell clearly looked to be enjoying himself and, after getting himself back to one-under by the turn in the morning, he set out on his back nine with a spring in his step.
He had good birdie chances at his tenth, 11th and 12th and, on another day, they all might have dropped. As he headed up the hill to the fourth tee, his caddie did his bit to keep him going by saying he didn't think anyone would be shooting the lights out. Little did he know that James Byrne was posting an eight-under 64 around that time. On hearing of that score after signing a 72 for himself, Campbell knew he needed to shoot the lights out in the afternoon but, as had been the case in the morning, his putter stayed cold.
A 77 for a total of 149 and a share of 36th wasn't what he was looking for on his trip to Fife but, hopefully, it won't be too long until this former major winner is back firing on all cylinders again.




Page 1 of 1

Last Updated: 29 June 2010 11:40 PM
Source: The Scotsman
Location: Edinburgh
Bookmark:
Del.icio.us Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon
Comment on this Story

In order to post comments

Scots miss out on Open spots after play-off heartbreak

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Scotland's representation in the Open Championship in two weeks stayed at six after three players - Lloyd Saltman, James Byrne and Callum Macaulay - all suffered heartbreak as they lost in play-offs in yesterday's Local Final Qualifying in Fife.
At the end of a dramatic day at Fairmont St Andrews, Ladybank, Kingsbarns and Scotscraig, there was joy for 12 players as they savoured clinching a place in the 150th anniversary of the world's oldest major but, sadly, there was disappointment for a sizeable Scottish contingent.
And no-one will be feeling the pain of missing out on the party on the Old Course more than Saltman, Byrne and Macaulay, who all came so close to securing their tickets, only to lose out in the cruelest of circumstances.
Returning to the course where he'd also qualified in 2005 before going on to win the Silver Medal as leading amateur, Saltman shared the lead after a four-under 66 in the morning at Scotscraig and, after seven holes of his afternoon round, the Archerfield Links player had improved to six-under.
However, he then ran up a double-bogey 6 at the 17th - his eighth - dropped two more shots at the third and seventh before shaving the hole at the ninth - his 18th - with an eagle putt, a 71 leaving him in a play-off with English duo Steven Tiley and Gary Clark as Paul Streeter, a 43-year-old from Lincoln, secured the top spot there on 135 (69, 66).
In the rough off the tee, Tiley failed to hit the green with his second at the first play-off hole, leaving Saltman, the last to hit in there, a real opportunity. He completely mis-hit his approach off a hard-baked lie, though, and came up 60 yards short. From there, the Scot hit his third to about 15 feet but was unable to save his par, leaving the two others to go through after they made 4s, Tiley having holed from further away than Saltman.
"To have come so close to getting back to St Andrews and miss out is a sore one," he said. "I thought I needed to make the eagle putt on the last but I'm pleased that I came here and gave myself a chance at least."
Byrne, the 21-year-old from Banchory who just missed out on a place at St Andrews when he lost in the final of the Amateur Championship to South Korea's Jin Jeong at Muirfield less than a fortnight ago, made the most of benign early morning conditions to card an eight-under 64 at Kingsbarns for a three-stroke lead at the halfway stage.
"It was like target golf in the morning and I could have shot 61 as I missed three putts inside eight feet," conceded the Arizona State student. "I had five eagle putts from close range and missed one from ten feet at the 16th to go to ten-under before bogeying the 17th.
As the wind stiffened around middway, though, it was a totally different course that Byrne stepped back out on to in the afternoon.
Starting at the tenth on this occasion, he was out in three-over before birdies at the third and fourth - his 12th and 13th - put him seven-under for the day.
However, an untimely shank then cost him a triple-bogey 7 at the fifth and the Scot had to dig deep to cover the last four holes in level-par, getting up and down from a bunker at the ninth - his closing hole - for a 76.
That left him three behind the top qualifier there, Irishman Colm Moriarty with rounds of 67 and 70, and the pain felt by that shank was magnified when Bryne missed from three feet for a birdie at the second hole of the play-off that would have taken him through along with Tom Whitehouse. Instead another amateur, Jamie Abbott, progressed with a birdie from ten feet at the next.
After rounds of 68 and 69 at Ladybank, Macaulay found himself in a four-man play-off for one spot with English duo Simon Edwards and Paul Wesselingh and Clodomiro Carranza from Argentina. Edwards went through after the Windermere man holed a five-footer for birdie on the first hole.
At the only venue that didn't require a play-off, Zane Scotland, who, at the age of 16, became the youngest player to qualify for an Open when he earned a place at Carnoustie in 1999, secured one of the spots at Fairmont St Andrews.
He shot 137, one behind English amateur Laurie Canter, with Dane Mark F Hastrup securing the other place there on 138.

Els changes mind  - he will play in Barclays Scottish Open

Ernie Els has had a late change of mind about his countdown to The Open at St Andrews and will now play next week's Barclays Scottish Open.
Missing the cut in Germany last Friday prompted a rethink by the world number six and although entries had closed for Loch Lomond, there was scope for him to be given a sponsor's invitation.
Winner of the event in 2000 and 2003, Els joins a field featuring three of golf's four current major champions in Graeme McDowell (US Open), Phil Mickelson (Masters) and YE Yang (US PGA).
For McDowell it will be his first tournament since his triumph at Pebble Beach, but he and defending champion Martin Kaymer are the only Europeans in the world's top 30 taking part.
Third-ranked Lee Westwood last week joined Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson in deciding they did not want to use the event as their warm-up for the following week's major.
Many of them are at this week's French Open and then travel on to Ireland for the JP McManus Pro-am at Adare Manor on Monday and Tuesday. Tiger Woods will also be in action there.

ZANE SCOTLAND EARNS OPEN RETURN 11 YEARS

AFTER BECOMING YOUNGEST QUALIFIER

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R AND A
Zane Scotland, who became the youngest player to qualify for The Open when he earned a place in the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie, then aged just 16, finished in second place on the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews to earn his first Open Championship appearance in over a decade, at Local Final Qualifying today.
Scotland had led by two after an opening six-under-par 66, a round which included a pitching wedge holed from 120 yards for eagle at the par-four first — his 10th hole of the morning. The 27-year-old followed up with a one-under-par 71 to take the second of three Open berths available at the venue.
“I’ve been playing well on the Challenge Tour, but this is my best round of the year. I’ve been waiting for it for a while,” said Scotland of his first round. “I missed out by a shot last year, so it’s nice to get in. I’ve been working really hard on my game and it seems to be paying off.”
Finishing top of the leaderboard at Fairmont St Andrews was amateur Laurie Canter. A former national tennis player, Canter shot rounds of 67 and 69 to edge out Scotland by one stroke.
“I’ve just been picked for the England team at the European Championships in Sweden, and I get back on the Sunday before The Open, so I’m going to be busy,” said the 2010 South African Amateur Champion, who has been mentored by former Ryder Cup player Gordon Brand Jnr. “It’s been a good year and playing in The Open will make it even better.”
At Ladybank, England’s Phillip Archer, one of the few players to have signed for a 60 on the European Tour, a feat he accomplished at the 2006 Celtic Manor Wales Open, finished on a total of six under par to finish at the top of the leaderboard, tied with 18-year-old English amateur, Tyrell Hatton.
“It feels great,” said the 38-year-old, who made the cut at Royal Birkdale in 2008, his only other Open appearance. “To play in a Major adds a different aspect to your career, and there will be no better one than this, the 150th Anniversary Open at the Home of Golf.”
It was Ireland’s Colm Moriarty who took the first of the three Open Championship places available at Kingsbarns. His seven-under-par, two-round total of 137 left the 31-year-old three shots clear of the field.
“It’ll be my first time in The Open,” said the Challenge Tour player, who was a member of Great Britain and Ireland’s 2003 winning Walker Cup team. “I’m delighted to make it to St Andrews.”
2010 Amateur Championship runner-up James Byrne, who had led the field by three at the half-way stage following an opening round of eight-under-par 64, found himself in a four-man, sudden-death play-off for the two remaining Open places available, after a second round 76. The 21-year-old failed to regain his morning form, leaving Englishmen Paul Whitehouse and 23-year-old amateur Jamie Abbott to qualify.
England’s Paul Streeter led the field by two strokes at Scotscraig on a five-under-par total of 135.
“I went to look at the Old Course yesterday and it brought a lump to my throat,” said the 43-year-old. “It will be a dream to play there.”
Fellow Englishman Gary Clark, winner of the Bronze Medal at the 1995 Open Championship, and Steven Tilley both came through a three-man play-off for the two other available Open places. Missing out was Scotland’s Lloyd Saltman, the winner of the Silver Medal for the leading amateur at the 2005 Open Championship.
The other successful qualifiers were Denmark’s Mark F Haastrup (Fairmont St Andrews) and Simon Edwards of England (Ladybank).
Across four venues in Fife, 288 players were competing for 12 places in the 150th Anniversary Open Championship. Three berths were available at each course.
Full hole-by-hole scores are available on Opengolf.com.
The 150th Anniversary Open Championship will take place on 15-18 July 2010 on the Old Course at St Andrews.
OPEN QUALIFYING SCOREBOARD

FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS (Par 72)

136 (x) Laurie Canter 69 67
137 Zane Scotland 66 71
138 Mark Haastrup (Den) 69 69
Following players failed to qualify
139 (x) Todd Adcock 68 71, Tjaart Van der Walt (Rsa) 68 71
140 Martin Sell 72 68, Steve Lewton 72 68, Steve Parry 72 68, (x) Adam Keogh 70 70, Andrew Oldcorn 69 71
141 Stephan Gross (Ger) 71 70
142 Barry Lane 68 74
143 Scott Dunlap (USA) 72 71, (x) Sam Matton 73 70, Richard Neil-Jones 70 73
144 (x) William Bowe 71 73, Robert Watkins 72 72, Joakim Haeggman 72 72, Scott Henry 69 75
145 (x) Tom Lewis 75 70, Billy Fowles 75 70, Gary Marks 71 74, Lee Slattery 70 75
146 Ian Ridgway 72 74, Aran Wainwright 69 77, Scott Henderson 70 76, Steven Jeppesen (Swe) 74 72
147 John Wells 74 73, Craig Sutherland 74 73, Christopher Cannon 73 74, Chris Roake 74 73, Matt Ford 73 74
148 (x) Scott Larkin 71 77, Yasin Ali 72 76, Steve Uzzell 73 75, Neil Vowles 73 75, Patrick Devine 74 74, Iwan Griffiths 72 76
149 Tim Rice 76 73, Nick Soto 76 73, Daniel Casey 75 74
150 Abbas-Ali Mawji 76 74, Neil Evans 74 76, Graham Cox 77 73
151 Gareth Edwards 72 79, David Carter 77 74
152 John Barclay 76 76, (x) Josh Sims 78 74, Michael Ramsden 72 80
153 David Astin 75 78, Paul Simpson 73 80
154 (x) Tommy King 75 79, Jon Williamson 80 74, Lee Harper 78 76, Chris Mathews 78 76
155 Christopher Sands 76 79, Sean Whiffin 76 79, Steven Harrison 76 79, Dominik Weisser (Ger) 79 76, Michael Davenport 78 77
157 Martin O'Connor 77 80
158 Matthew Bookatz 74 84, Alfredo Da Corte (Ita) 79 79
159 (x) Matt Jager (Aus) 77 82
162 (x) Warwick Grant 80 82, Thomas Luke 80 82
163 (x) Alexander Main 83 80
165 Stuart Mason 83 82
166 Gary Lenaghan 82 84
167 Craig Harman 80 87
Scratched: Mark Davis, Iain Pyman

KINGSBARNS (Par 72)

137 Colm Moriarty 67 70
140 (after play-off) Tom Whitehouse 71 69, (x) Jamie Abbott 70 70
Following players failed to qualify
140 (x) James Byrne 64 76, (x) Grant Little 73 67
141 Ian Walley 71 70, Daniel Gaunt (Aus) 71 70
142 Matthew Baldwin 70 72, Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 70 72
143 Michael Nesbit 71 72, (x) Jonathan Hurst 70 73, (x) Hugo Dobson 74 69, Daniel Wardrop 73 70
144 Lewis Parker 68 76, Raphael De Sousa 72 72, Peter Fowler (Aus) 69 75, Michael Watson 71 73, Craig Goodfellow 69 75, Gary Sawyer 74 70
145 Eric Ramsay 72 73, (x) Paul Ferrier 70 75, Craig Matheson 75 70, Dale Whitnell 71 74
146 Llewellyn Matthews 72 74, Simon Dunn 73 73, Thomas Haylock 76 70, Sam Osborne 72 74
147 Chris Benians 74 73, (x) Chris Jess 73 74, Simon Griffiths 71 76, Cian McNamara 76 71, (x) Shane Winstone 76 71, (x) Will Roebuck 75 72
148 John Kelly (USA) 70 78, Darren Rands 72 76
149 Richard Edginton 74 75, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 72 77
150 (x) Matthew Southgate 71 79, Ricky Lee 74 76, Ralph Levett 76 74, John Clarke 76 74, Stephen Gray 73 77
151 John Fisher 76 75, Charlie Lidyard 74 77, Craig Gordon 75 76
153 (x) Paul Howard 78 75, (x) Liam Bell 75 78, Rory Kirwan 78 75, Laurence Allen 76 77, Jon Bevan 78 75, Adam Gray 76 77
154 (x) Sam Dodds 79 75, Alan Crompton 70 84, Greg Hazelby 75 79, Jason Partridge 75 79
155 Jak Hamblett 76 79, (x) Marcus Ferguson-Jones 77 78, John Dignam 75 80
156 James Westwood 77 79, Inaki Alustiza (Spa) 78 78, (x) Richard Smith 79 77
157 (x) Benjamin Smith 78 79, Jack Woods 75 82
158 Matthew King 72 86
160 (x) Fraser Moore 78 82
161 Carl Edwards 77 84
162 (x) Deal Fallon 73 89
164 (x) David Allen 80 84
169 Mark Butler 84 85
DQ: Daryl Ley
NR: Julien Clement (Swi)
Scratched: Mark Laskey

LADYBANK (Par 71)

136 (x) Tyrrell Hatton 67 69, Phillip Archer 66 70
137 (after play-off) Simon Edwards 71 66
The following players failed to qualify
137 Paul Wesselingh 70 67, Clodomiro arranza (Arg) 68 69, Callum Macaulay 68 69
138 Matthew Cort 71 67
139 (x) Michael Stewart 71 68, (x) David Coupland 71 68, (x) Andrew Cooley 69 70
140 Rob Harris, John Galagher 72 68, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 70 70
141 Jamie Spence 73 68, Elliot Saltman 69 72, Scott Barr (Aus) 74 67, Ross Bain 76 65, Greig Hutcheon 72 69, Steve Surry 71 70, (x) Jack Senior 69 72
142 (x) John Carroll 70 72, Jamie McLeary 70 72, (x) David Law 73 69, Justin Evans 70 72
143 (x) Chris Paisley 70 73, (x) Charlie Cossins 71 72, Kevin Harper 74 69
144 Andy Turner 74 70, Martin Woodbridge 73 71, (x) Garrick Porteous 72 72
145 Graeme Bell 71 74, Sean McDonagh 73 72, Russell Berry 76 69, Daniel Sugrue 71 74
146 (x) Olly Smith 75 71, (x) Jordan Findlay 73 73, (x) Jerome Titlow 73 73, (x) Luke Burrows 77 69
147 (x) Adam Andrews 71 76, James Ruth 74 73, (x) Curtis Edwards 77 70, Daniel Barton 74 73, (x) Fred Jewsbury 76 71
148 (x) Billy Hemstock 73 75, James Gill (Nzl) 72 76, Fernando Pasqualucci (Ita) 76 72, (x) Mark Ashworth 76 72
149 (x) Zhiqun Lam (Sin) 78 71, (x) Kevin Freeman 74 75, Luca Bordogna (Ita) 75 74
150 Thomas Hansen (Nor) 72 78, Jonathan Gidney 72 78, George Parker 77 73
151 Craig Smith 79 72
154 (x) Neil Wain 79 75, Simon Forsstrom (Swe) 76 78
155 Iain Colquhoun 79 76, (x) Michael Wallwork 80 75, Jack Winer 76 79
156 Joseph Feather 78 78
157 Alan Reid 79 78, Jeremy Robinson 74 83
158 (x) Mitchell Hadfield 87 71, Mark Kerr 79 79
161 Tony Piccolo 84 77
163 Tom Hesketh 82 81
169 Jamie Garner 86 83
NR: Ally Mellor, Sam Cairns, Adam Frayne
Scratched: Jamie Elson
DQ: Christopher Clarke

SCOTSCRAIG (Par 70)
135 Paul Streeter 69 66
137 (after play-off) Gary Clark 68 69, Steven Tiley 69 68
Following failed to qualify
137 Lloyd Saltman 66 71
138 Matt Allen 69 69
139 David Higgins 66 73, Barry Taylor 73 66
140 Ryan Blaum (USA) 72 68, Tim Stewart (Aus) 67 73, Daniel Seymour 68 72
142 Sebastian Garcia-Grout (Spa) 68 74, Gianluca Pietrbono (Ita) 73 69, Jeremy Kavanagh 69 73
143 (x) Stiggy Hodgson 73 70, Matthew Richardson 72 71
144 Benjamin Briscoe 68 76, Steven Duncan 74 70, Michael Bush 71 73, Vince Guest 70 74, James Sheffield 67 77, Chris Doak 72 72
145 (x) Ross Kellett 71 74, Peter O'Keeffe 72 73, (x) Ross Bell 72 73, (x) Ben Loughrey 76 69
146 Jose Ocejo 71 75, Gabriel Canizares (Spa) 72 74, David Smith 71 75
147 Marc Etherington 74 73, Robert Bardsley 73 74, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 71 76, Andrew Willey 72 75, Pontus Ericsson (Swe) 76 71, Scott Emery 73 74, Barry Hume 72 75, (x) Scott Nightingale 67 80, Ben Nash 71 76
148 Roderick Bastard 74 74, Mark Thomas 76 72
149 David Green 75 74, Peter Ellebye (Den) 72 77, Leslie Dawson 76 73, (x) Adam Carson 72 77, Nick Ansell 75 74, Paul Bradshaw 73 76, (x) Andrew Palmer 71 78, (x) Ashley Walton 76 73
150 Chris Gill 72 78, Jamie Howarth 73 77

151 (x) Andrew Wallace 79 72, Lee Clarke 73 78, James Wilkinson 76 75, Christopher Evans 75 76

152 James Sibbles 74 78

153 Justin Brink 77 76, Jonathan Cheetham 80 73, Reinier Saxton (Ned) 78 75, Scott Margetts 74 79, Matthew Stables 73 80

155 (x) Callum Tarren 76 79, Ewan Hogarth 74 81, Mathias Johansson (Swe) 77 78

156 Chris Hiscock 78 78, Ben Ross 80 76

157 (x) Darren Renwick 78 79

158 (x) Scott Melton 77 81

159 Danny Chapman 85 74

161 (x) Reece Phillips 80 81

162 Samuel Briars 80 82

Scratched: Scott Arnold (Aus), Darren Murphy, Marco Ruiz (Par)

DOHERTY BAGS THE BIRDIES FOR THIRD PLACE

South Wales-based former Scottish boys match-play champion Paul Doherty had a bag of nine birdies and three bogeys in returning a six-under-par 66 to start the second day of the PGA EuroPro Tour event at Stoke-by-Nayland Golf Club, Suffolk in third place.
Doherty is two shots behind leader Jamie Moul from Essex and one behind Graeme Clark from Doncaster.
Lesser known Scot Colin Goudie is tied for ninth place on 69.
Sean McAllister (Craigielaw) had a 70 for joint 24th place.
Ross Cameron (Ellon), Craig Lee (Aspire) and Martin Lawrence (K Club) are bracketed on the 71 mark in joint 30th position.
FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 72
64 Jamie Moule (Eng).
65 Graeme Clark (Eng).
66 Paul Doherty (Sco).
67 James Bushby (Eng), Neil Walker (Eng0, Brendan McCarroll (Ire), Alex Belt (Eng), Daniel Perrett (Eng).
68 Michael Lowe (Eng), Ian Keenan (Eng), George Woolgar (Eng), Colin Goudie (Sco), James Freeman (Eng), Michael Collins (Ire), Luke Goddard (Eng).
70 Shaun McAllister (Sco).
71 Ross Cameron (Sco), Craig Lee (Sco), Martin Lawrence (Sco).
72 Steven Mackie (Sco), John Henry (Sco).
73 Jason McCreadie (Sco).
74 Kevin McAllpine (Sco), Mark Rae (Sco).
75 Zack Saltman (Sco).
76 Keir McNicoll (Sco).
78 Euan McIntosh (Sco).
82 Andrew Barton (Sco).

Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-am championship regional qualifier at Crieff

BRECHIN PAIR WIN TRIP TO THE BAHAMAS

The Brechin Golf Club partnership of professional Stephen Rennie and eight-handicap amateur member Ian Anderson won themselves a trip to the Bahamas by heading a field of 70 pairs at the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-am championship regional qualifier at Crieff Golf Club today (Tuesday).
Stephen and Ian had a net round of 61, 10 under par, and won by a single shot from Ratho Park’s Andrew Erskine and Bob Wills, who plays off 15. Rennie won a cheque for £500 and Erskine received the £350 runners-up cash prize.
There was a tie for third place on 64 between Kenneth Campbell and William Deans (handicap 20) of Machrihanish Golf Club and Deeside’s pro Frank Coutts and 14-handicap member Jimmy Wilson. Campbell and Coutts both earned £200.
This was one of 16 regional finals of a tournament that has involved 700 clubs in domestic eliminators and 70,000 amateurs.
Rennie and Anderson will go forward to the Grand Final at Sandals Resort, Emerald Bay on on the island of Grand Exuma in the Bahamas from November 23 to 28. They had one net eagle – a 2 at the 412yd 16th – nine net birdies and a net bogey 4 in halves of 34 and 27.
Erskine and Wills had two net eagles – at the third and fifth – and five net birdies in two halves of 31.
Campbell and Deans had two halves of 32, which included an eagle at the nine and five birdies.
Coutts and Wilson did well to share third place on seven under par, considering that their halves of 31 and 33 included a double bogey 5 at the short 13th and also a bogey 4 at the fourth. They had an eagle 3 at the sixth as well as eight net birdies.
James Smallwood (Fereneze) and Andrew Carlton (Paisley), the professionals in the who finished joint fifth on 65 reach received £50.
ALL THE SCORES FROM CRIEFF
Par 71
61 Stephen Rennie and Ian Anderson (Brechin).
62 Andrew Erskine and Bob Wells (Ratho Park).
63 Kenneth Campbell and Williams Deans (Machrihanish), Frank Coutts and Jimmy Wilson (Deeside).
Professional names only:
65 James Smallwood (Fereneze), Andrew Carlton (Paisley).
66 Greig McSporran (Kinross, Paul Jamieson (Dunblane), Alan Gowran (East Renfrewshire), Simon McLean (Airdrie), Martyn Huish (North Berwick), Stuart Syme (Dumfries and Co), David Naylor (Banchory), Robin Fyfe (Nairn), Bert Mackay (Loch Lomond).
67 Greg Cowbrough (Muckhart), Kevin Phillips (Winterfield), Fraser Galloway (Ladybank), David Watt (Hilton Park), Andrew Crerar (Panmure), Christopher Nugent (Dunfermline), Martin Piggot (Loch Ness), Alan Tait (Dalmahoy), Martin Goldie (Lochgelly), Gordon Stewart (Cawder), Craig Donnelly (Balbirnie Park), William Yule (Ballater).
68 Tomn Eckford Ranfurly Castle), Derek Watters (Gourock), David Torrance (Nairn Dunbar), Mel Douglas (Inverness), Steven Moir (Aboyne), Sandy Aird junior (McDonald Ellon), Richard Hall (Turnberry Hotel).
69 Mark Pirie (Pitlochry), Charles Dernie (Blairgowrie), David Murchie (Crieff), Alastair Webster (Edzell), Stuart Wilson (Eastwood), Dean Vannet (Peterculter), Sandy Aird senior (Forres), George Bruce (Westhill).
70 Tolm Melville (Alyth), Allan Knox (King James VI), Ian Graham (Crow Wood), Robert Farrell (Cardross), Kevin Stables (Elgin), Ian Bratton (Newburgh on Ythan), Andrew Cooper (Newmachar).
71 Kenneth Kelly (Baberton), Graham Sked (Kilspindie), Jason Boyd (Royal Montrose), Colin Munro (Ralston), Paul Wardell (Whitekirk), Peter McNiven (Forfar), Craig Montgomerie (The Roxburghe), Gary Forbes (Murcar Links).
72 Niall McGill (Craigie Hill), Iain Nicholson (Kilmacolm), Gavin Cook (Prestonfield), Graeme Lennie (Crail GS), Lee Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle), Graeme Lisle (Carlisle).
73 Graeme Bell (Linlithgow), Alan Logan (Cochrane Castle), Gary McFarlane (Clober).
76 Vincent Brown (Westerwood), Gordon Dunn (Turriff).
78 Gary Holland (Duff House Royal).
81 Grant Roberton (Lanark).

ends

Gleneagles winners Hedblom, Havret hoping for happy returns

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY I M G
Peter Hedblom and Grégory Havret, the 2009 and 2008 champions, have confirmed they will play in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles from August 26 to 29, both seeking to win the Championship for a second time.
Hedblom secured his sixth career victory at the Championship last year with spectacular five under par 67 and, after a lacklustre start to the season, is looking forward to returning to defend his title. He explained, “Last year I had a similar start to the season and until the week before the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles I hadn’t had a single top 30 finish. I lost in a play off the week before and then things just clicked for me when I arrived at Gleneagles. It is a very special place and I always look forward to returning and I will go all out to defend my title. I think the field will be unbelievably strong this year as it is the final qualifying event for the European Ryder Cup team and everyone is trying to make one final attempt to qualify or to catch Monty’s eye for a captain’s pick!”
The 2008 Champion, Grégory Havret, finished second at the US Open last week with an impressive final round 72, three shots better than his playing partner Tiger Woods. Havret has jumped up the rankings from No.391 to No.104 and is looking forward to the rest of the season with his eye firmly on a place in the European Ryder Cup team.
He explained, “Finishing second was a big surprise but a big disappointment too as I was in a great position. However, I take a lot of positives out of my performance and feel I played very well and handled the pressure. I am pleased overall with the way I handled it and obviously it has given me a real boost towards my goal of qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team. With only ten weeks to go, every point is going to count and I think for many players it will come down to the final week at Gleneagles. I have played well at Gleneagles over the past couple of years so hopefully it will be a great week for me.“

Top picture by Robin Wilson is the the men's James Braid winners at Brora Golf Club. Left to right - Golf Writer Malcolm Campbell (captain of James Braid Society with Braid Trophy in absence of Bill Case) Marine Hotel Trophy winner, Iain Stewart, Dunrobin Cup winner Michael MacLean and Marjory Mackie (Cardross), great granddaughter of James Braid).
Lower picture, also by Robin Wilson, shows the mixed foursomes winners with Royal Marine Hotel manager Joan Duncan - left to right -Marine Trophy winners, Rikki Mackay and Leslie Cranna, Joan Duncan, Links Trophy winners, Marlene Bokas and John Sutherland.

Youngsters Iain Stewart and Michael MacLean to fore at

Brora's James Braid Open

By ROBIN WILSON
Only 24 hours after the official opening of Brora Golf Club's Junior Clubgolf Academy, two of the club's promising junior members, Iain Stewart and Michael MacLean, who have come through the Academy, won three of the trophies in the Royal Marine Hotel “James Braid” Open at Brora.
Iain Stewart (age 15) won two of the trophies, the Royal Marine Hotel Trophy for overall net and the Kidd Cup for best in the Class 1 handicap section, and an even younger Michael MacLean (age 12) won the Dunrobin Cup in Class 2.
Play for the field of over 100 competitors began at 6.30 am and in the first group on the course was local member Roddy Cameron who faced a strong outward half breeze to be three over par after nine. But with a helping wind for the next nine holes he birdied two of them to come home in 33 for 71. Adding a second round 73 (36-37) in the afternoon, Cameron's gross of 144 led for the remainder of the day and was favourite to win the Howey Cup for a second time 20 years after he last won it.
The home member's anticipated celebration was ended when the last player off the course at 8pm, Chris Mailley (Royal Dornoch), matched Cameron's first round score with halves of 34 and 37and when added to his opening 73 (37-36) tied Cameron on 144 to retain the scratch cup he had won 12 months ago, on this occasion on the better second round score.
Not exactly the fairest way to sort out ties but now the accepted solution when players can't hang around for play-offs.
At work at 4am to present the course in first class condition were the greens staff headed by head greenkeeper James MacBeath. MacBeath, the reigning Brora club champion, was back out on his links competing at 11am but his golf did not match the high standard of his course and after a tired looking first round 77, 41 of the strokes taken on the back nine holes, he was just a spectator to playing partner Mailley in the second round.
Through both rounds visitor Stephen Burt of Murcar Links Golf Club was the only player to match the par of 69. After getting to know his way about in Round 1 with a 76 the North-east scratch player completed his second round with a birdie 2 on the 18th green to match par with halves of 35 and 34 to move him up the field into third place.
In a rare outing local member George Duncan took five shots of his first round 75 to claim fourth place with a fine one over par 70.
Iain Stewart, the younger brother of Scottish junior international Calum Stewart, is getting closer to his brother's scratch rating every season and Saturday's momentous win gets his handicap into single figures for the first time.
A gross 78 in Round 1 posted a net 68 but then followed a superb gross 74 in Round 2 from halves of 39 and 35, his finishing birdie two the climax to lifting the sponsors' main trophy by two shots, 132 to 134 from Stan Dodd (Royal Dornoch).
Twelve-year- old Michael MacLean distinguished himself with a handicap-bursting gross 85 in round one for a net 66, then followed it up in round two with net 71 for 137, holding off another club junior, Kyle Sutherland (13), by a shot for a treasured win of the Dunrobin Cup. Many putts have been holed on the Brora greens since this cup was presented to the club 75 years ago by the Duke of Sutherland. Its first winner Alec MacLean, a great uncle of Michael's!
Present at Brora for the weekend to mark the centenary year of Braid's fifth and historic Open Championship win in June 1910 at St. Andrews was his great granddaughter Marjory Mackie who stays in Cardross. Mrs Mackie, who was accompanied by her daughter Fiona and Fiona's husband Ronnie Collins, presented the trophies to the winners after which the Collins, both accomplished musicians on fiddle and guitar, gave a first performance of a tribute song they have written and set to music in praise of the five time Open Champion James Braid.
Results. (All Brora unless stated)
CSS 71 70 (both home and away)
Scratch
Howey Cup
144 C Mailley (Royal Dornoch) 73 71, R S Cameron 71 73.
145 S. Burt (Murcar Links) 76 69, G. Duncan 75 70.
Handicap
Class 1
134 S Dodd (Royal Dornoch) (9) 69 65, A MacDonald junior (12) 67 67).
136 R Sutherland (10) 69 67.
138 A Fairburn (King James V1)  (12) 67 71,
139 O MacLennan (8) 69 70.
Class 2
 Dunrobin Cup
137 M MacLean (19) 66 71.
138 K Sutherland (20) 73 65.
143 B. Ross (Dunfermline) (14) 72 71.
Royal Marine Hotel Trophy and Kidd Cup
132 I Stewart (10) 68 64.
James Braid Trophy (Confined)
141 B Case (US) (7) 70 71
Best Morning and Afternoon rounds outwith winners
Round 1: R. Mackay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)  (5) 68.
Round 2: J Turner (Tyneside) (5) 68.

BRORA OPEN MIXED FOURSOMES
The sponsors' weekend at Brora continued over into Sunday when the Ladies Committee welcomed another 100 golfers to the club for the open mixed foursomes competition where there seems seems to be no end to the winning combination of local pair, John “Porter” Sutherland and Marlene Bokas. They retained the Links Trophy but with a poorer score than last year's winning 76.
Twelve months ago they were one of only two pairings to break 80. This time, with a more difficult wind than the men had to contend with the previous day no couple got into the 70s. Sutherland and Bokas won with a scratch 80 (38-42).
Their best outward hole was the eighth, where they had a birdie four. Two successive 6s, at the 10th and 11th, marred their inward card.
There were good handicap scores and winning the Royal Marine Trophy with nett 67 were a new and untried pairing of Rikki MacKay (Brora) and Lesley Cranna (Golspie). MacKay is a former junior member now living in Inverness. He rejoined Brora this season, taking advantage of the introduced lower membership fees for under 30-year-olds.
In the two handicap categories Ian Butcher (St. Andrews) and local member Dawn Powell won the low section with nett 73 and in the high section a nett 68 saw a Royal Dornoch-Nairn Dunbar club combination of Peter and Mandy Lee topping the list. With another successful return from Fortrose, George and Sheoina Leonard were runners up. Honorary member Robert Beaton (Golspie) and local Wilma MacGregor came third.
Representing the sponsors to present the trophies was Royal Marine Hotel General Manager, Mrs. Joan Duncan in the company of Lady Captain, Mrs. Angela MacBeath.
Results (All Brora unless stated)
Scratch
Links Trophy
J D Sutherland and M. Bokas 80; A McHoul and J. McHoul (Musselburgh) 82; J Gunn and L MacWilliam (Lybster) 85; A J Gill and A Grant 86.
Handicap
Class 1 – I Butcher (St Andrews) and D. Powell 73; M. Mackintosh and L. MacKay 74; M. MacDonald (Wick) and  B. Little 75.
Class 2 – P Lee (Royal Dornoch) and M Lee (Nairn Dunbar) 68.5; G and S Leonard (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 69;  R I Beaton (Golspie) and W MacGregor 70.
Royal Marine Hotel Trophy – R MacKay and L Cranna (Golspie) 67.

Aberdeenshire Council today granted full planning permission

DONALD TRUMP’S GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION

STARTS ON THURSDAY

Aberdeenshire Council today granted full planning permission for the construction of Donald J. Trump’s championship links golf course in the North-east of Scotland.
With full planning approval, work will commence later this week - on Thursday, July 1, 2010.
Commenting on Formartine Area Committee’s decision, Donald J. Trump stated: "Today my team will finally get to work and build the world’s greatest golf course for Scotland and for the great game of golf. We are building on the finest piece of land I have ever seen and we will turn it into a national jewel – people will travel from around the world to play the course and experience its beauty."
Appointed in February of this year, SOL Golf Course Construction Limited, the lead contractor for the construction of the golf course, will mobilise on July 1, 2010. Initial works will include the creation of construction access routes and compounds, and other associated infrastructure requirements, followed by the detailed shaping of the golf course.
Future detailed applications include the maintenance facility and clubhouse, which are currently being prepared for submission later this year. Detailed designs for subsequent phases will be presented in due course.
After more than four years of planning and development, The Trump Organisation has engaged over 20 leading Scottish consultants in the preparation of its plans, and has invested over £40 million to date.
Nine planning applications and a lengthy public inquiry have formed part of the rigorous process the project has undertaken in order to reach this stage. It is widely accepted that this project is the most scrutinised application in recent UK history.
Upon completion of all future phases, including the hotel, resort accommodation and leisure facilities, Trump International – Scotland is anticipated to generate an annual GVA of £50M and over 1200 permanent jobs.
The Trump Organisation wishes to express its gratitude to Aberdeenshire Council, the entire legal and project development team, and most importantly to the people of the North-east of Scotland who publicly supported the project.
The championship golf course is scheduled for completion in 2012.

2010 NFU MUTUAL FIFE ORDER OF MERIT for
THE MACKAY BOWL

Positions after 12 events.

1 James White (Lundin) 340pt
T2 Brian Soutar (Leven GS) 300pt
T2 Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 300pt
4 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 280pt
5 Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 260pt
6 Ian Bell (Scotscraig) 235pt
7 Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park) 225pt
8 Darren Gould (Ladybank) 195pt

The next counting events for the 2010 NFU MUTUAL FIFE ORDER OF MERIT are the Fife Stroke Play Championship at Drumoig on July 4 and the Cameron Corbett Vase at Haggs Castle on July 3 and 4.

Emily Taylor to represent England in R and A Junior Open

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATIONLancashire’s Emily Taylor will represent the English Women’s Golf Association in the Junior Open Championship at Lundin Golf Club, Fife  from July 12-14.
An international field of leading U16 golfers will compete while the world’s best are preparing for the 150th anniversary Open Championship, just 12 miles away at St Andrews.
The Junior Open is run by the R and A which invites all affiliated nations to enter their best U16 boy and girl golfers. Almost 80 countries will be represented.
The competition started in 1994 and is closely linked to The Open Championship. It is staged every two years and played on a nearby course.
Emily Taylor, 15, (Royal Lytham & St Annes) won the Scottish U16 open stroke-play championship and the girls’ title at the Fairhaven Trophies. On both occasions she set a course record in the final round.
Emily, pictured, will represent England in the Girls’ Home Internationals in August and she is a member of the English Women’s Golf Association U18 Squad.
The English Golf Union will be represented in the Junior Open by Nick Ward of Redbourn, Hertfordshire. Both English players are in the Gold category and will compete over 54 holes.

Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer
EWGA

Scot will be flown from Virginia, USA to Northern Ireland in September

Neil Henderson, Alison Goodwin

top Faldo qualifiers for Euro final

NEWS RELEASE
Neil Henderson, a former Scottish schoolboys title-winner and Junior Champion of Champions from The Glen Golf Club, North Berwick, claimed a spot in his second Faldo Series Europe Grand Final when he won both the overall and the Boys’ Under-21 prizes at the Faldo Series UK Championship at The Roxburghe near Kelso.
Henderson, pictured right with his Faldo winners' medal, a student at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, put together rounds of 73 and 69 for an impressive two-under par total of 142. That gave him a three-stroke victory over Craig Ross (Kirkhill) and Simon Fairburn (Galashiels) for the overall prize and a four-shot win over Daniel Kay (Dunbar) and Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) in the Boys’ Under-21 event.
The victory at The Roxburghe earned Henderson a place in the 2010 Faldo Series Europe Grand Final, to be staged over the Faldo Course at the Lough Erne Resort, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, on September 21-23, where he will be joined by Boys’ Under-18 winner Ross, Boys’ Under-16 winner, Ewan Scott, and by Alison Goodwin and Lesley Atkins, who won the Girls’ Under-21 and Under-16 events respectively.
It will be Henderson’s second appearance in a Faldo Series Grand Final, having previously won the Under-18 title at the Faldo Series UK Championship at The Roxburghe back in 2007.
Henderson opened the event with a one over par 73 and then moved ahead of the field with a spectacular eagle on the 546-yard par-5 5th. He dropped a shot on the 469-yard par-4 10th but then romped home with three birdies to leave the rest of the field trailing in his wake.
Henderson’s nearest challengers for the overall prize turned out to be Ross and Fairburn who both produced rounds of 73 and 72 to share first place in the Under-18 event, two shots ahead of Grant Forrest (Galashiels).
Ross had looked odds on to emerge as winner of the Under-18 event when he produced an eagle on the 523-yard par-5 14th but Fairburn birdied the 422-yard par-4 18th to force a tie before succumbing to a birdie three on the first hole of the subsequent sudden-death play-off.
Ewan Scott, a hugely promising scratch handicapper from the St Andrews Golf Club, will join Henderson and Ross at the Faldo Series Grand Final at Lough Erne after producing rounds of 76 and 72 to finish three shots ahead of Cameron Farrell from Cardross in the Boys’ Under-16 event.
Scott, the first Scot to win the English Boys’ Under-14 Stroke Play Championship, went into the second round one shot behind overnight leader, Blair Carnegie (Dunblane New) but took control with a fine level par 72 that left him three shots ahead of Farrell and four in front of Craig Howie (Peebles)
Alison Goodwin (Glenbervie) and Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) can also look forward to a trip to Northern Ireland after winning the Girls’ Under-21 and Girls’ Under-16 events. Goodwin produced a second round of 72 to emerge a clear winner in the Under-21 event while Aitken carded rounds of 75 and 79 to finish six shots ahead of Clara Young (North Berwick) in the Under-16 tournament.
+LATER NEWS: The Nick Faldo Series organisers will make arrangements to fly Neil Henderson to Northern Ireland for the European Final from his college at Norfolk, West Virginia - if Old Dominion Univeresity do not require him for a college circuit tournament. There does not seem to be a clash of events at the moment.

Leading results from the Faldo Series UK Championship at The Roxburghe
Boys’ Under-21
142 Neil Henderson (The Glen) 73 69
146 Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 72 74, Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) 74 72
151 Kyle McClung (Wigtonshire County) 76 75
154 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 73 81
Boys’ Under-18
145 Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 73 72, Simon Fairburn (Galashiels) 73 72 (Ross won sudden-death play-off)
147 Grant Forest (Craigielaw) 75 72
149 Jamie Lynch (Falkirk) 76 73
151 Andrew Whyte (St Andrews New) 76 75, Greg Smail (Craigielaw) 81 70
Boys’ Under-16
148 Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 76 72
151 Cameron Farrell (Cardross) 77 74
152 Craig Howie (Pebbles) 76 76
153 Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 77 76
155 Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) 79 76
Girls’ Under-21
153 Alison Goodwin (Glenbervie) 81-72
166 Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) 84-82
175 Jordana Graham (Southerness) 89-86
Girls’ Under-18
154 Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) 75 79
160 Clara Young (North Berwick) 82 78, Lauren Whyte (St Andrews New) 82 78
162 Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) 81 81
163 Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) 81 82

SENIOR DUO TARGET QUARTET OF TITLES

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Treble title winners Ian Hutcheon and David Lane will both be bidding for their fourth Scottish Seniors Open Stroke Play Championship when the event gets underway tomorrow (Wednesday 30 June – Friday 2 July) at Pollok GC.
Defending champion Lane, from Goring & Streatley in Berkshire, returns to Glasgow a few miles across the city from where he collected his first Scottish title, nine years ago at Killermont. The former Senior British Open Amateur Champion pipped Hutcheon to the title by two shots last year at Panmure and a win this week would take him within one title of record-breaker Charlie Green, who collected the title no fewer than five times between 1991 and 1998.
Hutcheon, now 68-years-old, continues to show the younger generation how the game should be played and won the Angus Men’s County Championship over his home course of Monifieth earlier this month for a remarkable seventh time, edging out current Scottish Champion of Champions title-holder Ross Bell. The former Walker Cup star’s Scottish Seniors title wins came in 2003, 2004 and 2007 and will once again start among the favourites for the flagship event in the domestic seniors’ circuit.
The winner of the last year’s SGU Seniors Order of Merit, George Paterson (Northern) is seeking his first national title, while the former Scottish Seniors Champion Stephen Ellis, from Innellan GC in Dundoon, is a good candidate to pick up his second win in the event.
Former shinty star and seniors internationalist John Fraser (Royal Burgess) – a non executive director on the SGU Board – will be looking to improve on his bronze medal finish from twelve months ago, with Peter Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), father of European Challenge Tour player Scott, aiming to replicate some of his son’s recent good form in the professional ranks.
A strong field of 132 players from across the UK and further afield will line-up on Wednesday, with the top 40 players and ties making the cut for Friday’s final round. Pollok, laid out by the famous course architect Dr Alister MacKenzie, hosts the Championship for the first time.

Stand by for the Steve Paulding shake-up of Scottish golf
FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
The man who put Great Britain on track for cycling glory at the Sydney Olympics is aiming to have a Scot in the top 15 in the world rankings by the time golf makes its return to sport's biggest stage at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janiero. He concedes that's a "mammoth" task, though, after failing to see anyone showing the same drive and determination that took Chris Hoy to the top of his sport.
Steve Paulding is the Scottish Golf performance director who, after ten months getting to know his new sport, is about to shake things up, starting with an independent review of the coaching programme. Ian Rae, the national coach, has headed up that in the men's game for more than a decade, with Kevin Craggs now his equivalent on the ladies' side. National junior coach Spencer Henderson is the third man at the top of the pyramid at the moment but he's heading off soon to become the Turkish national coach.
Working under them are a team of eight Scottish Academy coaches and, led by Paulding with the full backing of the SGU and SLGA, the whole system is to come under close scrutiny in a review that will be undertaken by the PGA.
"You don't sack coaches when you've just become World and European champions [Scotland's men hold both those titles at present] but I want to benchmark where we are," said Paulding, a Welshman who was an elite level cyclist himself, competing in the Commonwealth Games and World Championships before, as the head coach, he watched ten members of his GB team win medals at the 2000 Olympics.
 "Are we using the best techniques? Are we using the best methodologies? Do we have the best coaches in the places they are? How can we raise those standards? I am reviewing the whole of the coaching structure and think there are things going forward that we can do better. I'm challenging everyone to step up to the mark and am able to do that independently because I don't bring my own opinions and views to it."
That's because Paulding, who, in addition to the likes of Hoy, Jason Queally and Craig MacLean, also worked with top sprinters Christian Malcolm and Mark Lewis-Francis during a spell in high performance athletics coaching at Brunel University, isn't a golf man, something he freely admits. He also believes it's a good thing.
"I haven't been involved with golf so I have no baggage. I come here with a clean slate - no-one either likes me or hates me because I have done something in the past," he mused. "That gives me a unique opportunity to knock on doors and I've used that over the ten months to create the ideas I now want to take forward in golf."
What that entails for the structure and make up of the coaching programme will be determined by the PGA's review, the results of which should be known by the middle of September, but one area Paulding has definitely targeted for change is winter training. "I don't think we are best using our off-season periods," he said before outlining how he'd like to see squads spend longer blocks of time overseas, South Africa or the Middle East ideally, instead of heading here, there and everywhere to either practise or play in tournaments in preparation for the domestic season.
While determined to help Scotland continue to do well in team events, Paulding, who would like to see a model being used whereby the head coach is working with personal coaches rather than having a hands-on role with players, is keen to see individual performances in particular improve and says that won't happen unless changes are made.
"Some people think it is all about the technical aspect of a swing but that isn't it. The issue here is do our players have the mental drive and determination to dedicate themselves to golf? At 14 and 15, Chris Hoy was a very confident youngster with a driving ambition and he was willing to tell people of it. I'd like to see a lot more Scottish golfers standing up, puffing their chest out, looking high and saying what they are going to do and saying who's going to help me come and do it - I don't see a lot of that happening.
"If anyone had told me Chris would be a triple gold medallist at an Olympic Games I'd have laughed in their face and put money against it because at that time he didn't show those attributes. But he believed in himself and trained full-on for 12 years like a maniac to achieve his goals. Each time he pushed harder and harder. I don't see a lot of our golfers with that drive. I don't see them leaving no stone unturned.
"We can't continue to do what we have done. We are world class in the first part of the game [driving and iron play] but short game and putting is an area we need to improve on. I also think there is a huge need to increase our focus on the psychological aspects of game. We have to be really innovative. It is a great advantage to have golf in our culture, as is the fact we have fantastic courses. But we have to know what our limitations are and we have to identify them quickly and start to put in interventions to change it."
Paulding, who is excited that £1 million is being devoted to players once they make the transition to the paid ranks, insists his main focus has to be the amateur game but, at the same time, he wants to look at the world rankings in the future and see them making much prettier reading for Scottish golf than they do at present. "By 2016 I would like to see a Scottish player in the top 15 (professionals) in the world [Martin Laird is the highest at the moment at No 114]," he said. "From where we are at the moment that is a mammoth task but I will aim for that because it will keep us pushing harder over the next six years."
******
FINAL qualifying for the Open Championship takes place at four courses in Fife today. Sadly, the 36-hole event isn't what it used to be, with the chances of a club professional or an amateur making it into the world's oldest major very slim indeed.
A total of 288 players will tee it up at Fairmont St Andrews, Ladybank, Kingsbarns and Scotscraig but only 12 of them will earn spots in the Old Course field alongside the world's top players. Yet it used to be the case that as many as 12 places were up for grabs at each qualifying venue.
It changed following the R and A's decision to introduce International Final Qualifiers around the world and, while these events may have been a good thing for players in the Far East, South Africa, Australia and America, they've certainly not done any favours for the rank and file British golfer.
They still face stiff competition at this stage, with former US Open champion Michael Campbell, ex-Ryder Cup players Phillip Price, Barry Lane, Joakim Haeggman and Jarmo Sandelin as well as 2002 Scottish Open winner Edoardo Romero among those teeing it up in Fife today.
Just to be in with a chance of earning one of those spots a player will have to produce the two best rounds of their life back-to-back and, while it certainly shouldn't be easy to get into an event like the Open Championship, some of the romance has definitely been sucked out of the qualifying process in recent years.
It's also sad that Lundin and Leven Links have both been dropped for the final qualfying this time around. These neighbouring clubs saw some of the world's top players grace their fairways in the past yet have now been left out in the cold. What a pity as Lundin looked and played like a perfect Open qualifier when it hosted the East of Scotland Open at the weekend.

Editor's note: Lundin Golf Club is hosting the R&A Junior Open on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Open championship week.

Canter gets the call for England's European men's team

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Laurie Canter (Saltford, Somerset), with a string of successes this year including victory in the South African Amateur Championship, has been named in the England team for the European Men’s Team Championships at Österåkers Golf Club in Sweden on 6th – 10th July.
The 20 year old joins Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall, Lancashire), Billy Hemstock (Teignmouth, Devon), Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire), Matt Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire), and Chris Paisley (Stocksfield, Northumberland), all of whom played against France in May, in a strong side that will attempt to regain the title last won in 2005.
Canter’s call-up follows an impressive run of success that saw him win the South African title in East London early this year followed by further wins in the Hampshire Hog and West of England Stroke Play. He has also finished runner-up in the Hampshire Salver and joint fourth in the Duncan Putter (picture © Tom Ward).
Fleetwood, 19, finished top scorer with three points from four in the international with France and reached the last 16 of last week’s Amateur Championship, going out to county colleague Nixon. He then returned to France to qualify for the French Open on the European Tour. Earlier this year, the Lancastrian finished runner-up in the New South Wales Amateur, the Spanish Amateur and the Scottish Champion of Champions, having won the Scottish Open Stroke Play last year. A member of last year’s Walker Cup team, he was capped for the first time in the 2008 Home Internationals following a runner-up spot in the Amateur Championship.
Hemstock, 26, the current Devon Champion, has also been enjoying a successful time over the past two years including runner-up in the Duncan Putter and the Irish Open Amateur in 2008 and second last year when representing the EGU in the Chiberta Grand Prix in France. He made his England debut in the French match last month. Also in 2009, he finished third in the Tillman Trophy, the Finnish Amateur and the European Amateur and he reached the last 16 of the English Amateur. Over the winter, Hemstock represented the EGU in the Simon Bolivar Cup in Venezuela and in the Jones Cup in America.

Lewis, 19, also made his full England debut against France having topped the Titleist Footjoy EGU Boys Order of Merit last year, which followed a successful season in which he won the English Boys and British Boys titles. He also helped England win the Boys Home Internationals and was a member of the winning Jacques Leglise team against the Continent of Europe. This year he has won the Berkhamsted Trophy, finished second in the Welsh Open Stroke Play, third in the Selborne Salver and Hampshire Salver and reached the last 16 of the Amateur Championship before losing to eventual champion Jin Jeong of South Korea.

After beating Fleetwood, Nixon, 21, reached the Amateur Championship semi-finals before going out to James Byrne of Scotland. British Boys Champion in 2006, Nixon made his England debut in the Boys Home Internationals the following year, reached the quarter finals of the English Amateur in 2008 and helped Lancashire win the English County title. Last year, he finished third in the West of England Stroke Play, fourth in the Brabazon Trophy and made his debut as a full cap in the Home Internationals, losing only one game in four. In 2010, he has finished third in the Lytham Trophy and the Selborne Salver.
Paisley, 24, graduated from the University of Tennessee last year, when he also made his England debut in the Home Internationals and was selected for the Walker Cup. He was also a member of England’s winning European Nations Cup in Spain earlier this year along with Fleetwood and Lewis, and was a semi-finalist in last week’s Amateur Championship, losing to eventual winner Jin Joeng. In 2008, he won the Czech Amateur Championship, finished runner-up in the Tillman Trophy, the English Amateur Championship and the South of England Open Stroke Play Championship and also played for GB&I in the 2008 St Andrews Trophy.
England has won the European Team title on nine occasions, the most recent being the 2005 triumph at Hillside, while they were finalists last year, losing to Scotland in the final at Conwy.