Daniel Young's one-under 69 earns him only T37 placing

Daniel Young from Perth is lying joint 37th in a field of 133 players despite a first-round score of one-under-par 69 in the Alps Tour event in Italy, the Open La Pinetina at La Pinetina Golf Club.

Three players are sharing the lead on 64 - Luca Galliano, Stefano Pitoni and Simon Fernoux.

Young is the only Scot in the field.

Scottish senior men's open amateur championship at Glasgow Killermont

Ian Brotherston comes home in 30

.. after outward half of 42

Glenearn's David Shields and Stephen East (Moortown) share the first-round lead on two-under-par 68 at the end of the first day of the Scottish senior men's open amateur 54-hole championship at Glasgow Golf Club's Killermont course.

They lead by one shot from Johnny Lawrence (Moor Allerton) and Alan Mew (Stoneham).

Shield had the day's biggest bag of birdies - seven in all - at the first, seventh, eighth, 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th. But was almost as prolific with his bogeys, dropping shots at the second, ninth, 10th, 12th and 16th in halves of 34.

East's was the steadier round with four birdies to offset two bogeys, also in halves of 34.

Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and Co), pictured above, had the proverbial "game of two halves" adding up to a two-over-par 70. Brotherston toiled to a 42-stroke outward half having dropped five shots to par in only his first three holes.

But he was a different player after the turn, coming roaring home in only 30 strokes with birdies at the 11th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th.

Scottish senior open amateur championship

Glasgow Golf Club's Killermont course
FIRST ROUND
Par 70 
68 D Shields (Glenearn) (PICTURED RIGHT) 34-34, S East (Moortown) 34-34
69 J Lawrence (Moor Allerton) 34-35, A Mew (Stoneham) 34-35
70 G MacDonald (Glenbervie) 37-33, R Stewart (Tulliallan) 37-33, T McLevy (Blairgowrie) 37-33, J Wright (Wildernesse) 36-34, R W Smith (Nairn) 37-33, R A Clark (Erskine) 37-33, L Blair (Grangemouth) 37-33.  
71 T Christie (Northenden), K Yuille (Luffness New), R Jordan (Hacienda), B J G Bingham (Royal Troon), N Chesters (Hawkstone Park) D Alexander (London Hunt), G Bell (Downfield), A Belford (Prestwick St Nicholas), A Stracey (Denham), T Whittaker (Beaconsfield).
72 I Brotherston (Dumfries and Co), I Angus (Duff House Royal), S Burke (Remedy Oak), D Hailton (Mortonhall), A Harkness (Southerness), N Evans (St Mellons), L Chancellor (Inverness), I Attoe (Worplesdon), G Wilson (Caird Park).
73 M Mercier (Jupiter Hills), P Wharton (John O'Gaunt), A Brewer (Denham), S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen), C Calkins (Hacienda), M Baker (Chester le Street), G C Barrie (Callander), A K Helm (Merchants of Edinburgh), D Gardner (Broomieknowe), J W Johnston (Royal Aberdeen), R Head (Moor Park), D Logie (Craigie Hill).
74 M H Stones (Boyce Hill),  J Willis (Carlisle), D Wilson (Blairgowrie), D Nelson (Northenden), R Craw (Glenbervie), M Ready (Old Fold Manor), L Gordon (Turnhouse, C W M Jones (West Sussex), J Evans (Vale of Llangollen), L L McLaughlin (Strathaven), I Jeen (St Andrews New),  Dempsey (Tulliallan), J Fraser (Royal Burgess), A Carman (Coventry),  R Galgut (Littlestone), B Brooks (Meldrum House), T Stafford (Downfield), S Carpenter (Stourbridge), R Elmes (Stoneham), W K Anderson (Cardross), L Bruckner (Hindhead).
75 M Partridge (Thorndon Park), R Stewart Millar (Cochrane Castle), A J Waddell (Glasgow), R Latham (Woodhall Spa), R Barnes (East Kilbride), K Smith (Dun Whinny), S Fawcett (Woodhall Spa), R Doebler (Hacienda), J Watt (Edzell), D Downie (Kirriemuir), R J Humble (Kilspindie).
76 B Harris (Denver), J McArthur (St Andrews New), W Irvine (Lanark), D Cameron (Moor Park), C Banks (Stanton on the Wolds), G MacBryde (Trentham), J Baldwin (Sunningdale), I Kerr (Peterborough), I Gillan (Bishopbriggs) R Goolsby (Hacienda).
77 P Simpson (Alnmouth), L Pirie (Millport), H Petersson (Swe), D A Lamond (Glasgow), R Clark (Walton Heath), M Galway (Brighton), J McManus (Uphall), R P Ford (Scotscraig), C Aukett (Boyce Hill), G Rees (Fleetwood), A G Ross (Deeside), R G Fraser (Glasgow), D Dickson (Lochmaben), J Stuart Taylor (East Kilbride), J R Hunter (Newbattle), B Mitchell (Hankley Common), J Yuill (Newmarket), G J Catt (Richmond), K Diss (John O'Gaunt), S Meiklejohn (Aberdour).

+DAVID SHIELDS picture by courtesy of STEPHEN ELLIS

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

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BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Seven Scots make it to last 32 but four play

 each other in Round 3

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Eleven Scots qualfied for the match-play stages of the British Amateur and seven of them have progressed to the last 32 at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club on the South Wales coast.

Scotland is bound to have at least two players in the last 16 because  the bad news is that there are two third-round ties featuring four Scots - top seed Connor Syme (Drumoig) plays Jamie Savage (Cawder), pictured right, and No 2 seed Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) plays former British boys champion Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden).

The three other Scots to make it through to the third round are Lawrence Allan (Alva), pictured left, a student at Southeastern Louisiana University, college, who won at the 19th, reigning Scottish amateur champion left-hander Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) and Grant Forrest (Craigielaw).
Those who were knocked out today were Craig Howie (Peebles) in the first round, and, in the second round, Craig Ross (Kirkhill), Barry Hume (Haggs Castle), who was squeezed out at the 19th, and Chris Maclean (Balmore). 

SCROLL DOWN TO READ the RandA summary of the day's play and, farther down, all of today's first and second round results.

ENEFER EASES INTO THIRD ROUND OF 

THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

 Porthcawl, South Wales:  William Enefer led the way in a strong showing from the English and Scottish players in the second round of The 121st Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl today.

The England A international, who finished tied third in the Welsh Open Stroke Play Championship and tied seventh at the Irish Amateur Open Championship last month, eased to a 5 and 4 win over Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli to claim a place in the third round tomorrow.

In squally conditions on the South Wales coast, Scotland’s Connor Syme, the leading qualifier after the stroke play stage, continued his fine form to dispatch Spain’s Xabier Gorospe with a 4 and 2 win. The Australian Amateur Champion won three consecutive holes from the 11th to take a firm grip of the match.

Syme’s fellow Scot Jamie Savage saw off a strong challenge from England’s Gian-Marco Petrozzi to win the match at the first extra hole. The 2014 Amateur Championship Quarter-Finalist secured the match with a fine gap wedge to 3ft.

Grant Forrest, the runner-up last year at Carnoustie, won a close match with Ireland’s Sean Flanagan by one hole. The Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup player holed from 35ft at the 14th to win the hole and won the next to go 3 up but mistakes on the next two holes left him 1 up playing the 18th. When Flanagan’s birdie putt narrowly missed the hole, Forrest had two putts to seal the win.  

England Boys’ international Harry Hall also progressed with a 4&3 victory over Luca Cianchetti.

Elsewhere, Dylan Perry triumphed in an-Australian clash with Travis Smyth by 3&2 to set up a third round match with another player from down under, Cameron Davis, who defeated Swede Jesper Svensson by the same margin.

The highest-ranked remaining player in the field is Ivan Cantero who is fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking^TM. The Spaniard, who has two wins this season at the Copa Andalucia and the French Amateur Championship, came out on top against Scotland’s Christopher MacLean by two holes after winning his first round match in the morning by 4&3 against Englishman Jordan Matthew.

Key quotes:
William Enefer
“I’ve had a lot of good performances recently and a few top tens. I’ve been playing quite well and hopefully it will continue. I don’t think I’ve played my best golf so far – I feel I’ve got better to come.

“I played pretty solid and I didn’t make many mistakes. I forced my playing partner into mistakes and he’s ranked pretty highly compared to me – so it’s a bit of a scalp to beat him.”

Connor Syme
“I didn’t quite play my best golf today but I ground it out quite well. I got up and down when I needed to and holed a few key putts so I’m happy to get through the first round of match play.
“The first two days it kind of felt quite easy almost. I was doing what I wanted to do – hitting the shots on my lines. But today I was a little bit off. Conditions were fine, it was just one of those things, my timing was a little bit off. I will go and get it sorted on the range now.”

Dylan Perry

“I played really well today. It’s a matter of it coming together and a matter of patience on these golf courses. I got to off to a flyer start – I think I was 3-under through the first seven holes and then 4-up through nine – and then Travis started to come back towards the end and then I finished 3&2 so it was a good day.

Ivan Cantero

“I live in the north of Spain and we have similar courses. I like the wind and the rain - it is good for me. Tomorrow is similar to today, it is shot by shot. It’s a very long tournament and has very good players so let’s go.

“Alex Larrazabal (the 2002 Amateur Champion) is my best friend in Spain and a very good example for me.”

Grant Forrest

“Last year I didn’t really have anything going coming into the event – I just kept plugging away and before I knew it I was in the final. It's just staying patient and taking one shot at a time.”

For the full second round results and the draw for tomorrow’s third round visit championships.randa.org.

British Amateur Championship

CLICK HERE


RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
D Sutton (Walsall) bt M Herrmann (Ger) at 19th.
H Ellis (Meon Valley) bt V L Lopes (Por) at 19th.
B Windred (Aust) bt T Harris (Castletown) 1 hole.
I Cantero (Spa) bt M Jordan (Royal Liverpool) 4 and 3.
Y Yuan (China) bt C Braeunig (Ger) 4 and 3.
S Flanagan (Co Sligo) bt F Lacroix (Fra) 1 hole.
J Freiburghaus (Swi) bt J Thomson (Rotherham) 5 and 4.
A Chapman (Carus Green) bt J Hume (Naas) 2 and 1.
R Sciot-Sasiegrist (Fra) bt O Farrell (Evesham) 2 and 1.
M Zapletal (Cze) bt R Foley (Swi) 4 and 2.
P McBride (The Island) bt J Girao (Por) 4 and 3.
B Coletta (Aust) bt D McElroy(Ballymena) 5 and 3.
M Iten (Swi) bt C HOWIE (Peebles) 2 and 1.
A Herrmann (Ger) bt I Saulo (Fin) 2 and 1.
J Li (Bath) bt R Caron (Ned) 3 and 2.

SECOND ROUND
C Syme (Drumoig) bt X Gorospe (Spa) 4 and 2.
J Savage (Cawder) bt G-M Petrozzi (Trentham) at 19th.
W Enefer (Wrekin) v S Mazzoli (Ita) 5 and 4.
N Maheut (Fra) bt V Van Veen (Ned) 3 and 1.
C Davis (Aust) bt J Svensson (Swe) 3 and 2.
D Perry (Aust) bt T Smyth (Aust) 3 and 2.
L Lipold (Aut) bt C ROSS (Kirkhill) 3 and 2.
A Meronk (Pol bt U Coussaud (Fra) 4 and 3.
H Hall (W Cornwall) bt L Cianchetti (Ita) 4 and 3.
L ALLAN (Alva) bt T Rosenmueller (Ger) at 19th
S Gregory (Corhampton) bt A Nel (SAf) 2 holes.
P Mazier (Fra) bt J Savoie (Can) 1 hole.
A Del Rey (Spa) bt A Wilson (Wynyard) 3 and 2.
B McKenzie (Rowlands Castle) bt J Goth-Rasmussen (Den) 3 and 1.
J Sainz (Spa) bt B HUME (Haggs Castle) at 19th.
A Matlari (Ger) bt G Castagnara (Ita) 2 and 1.
J Yule (Middleton Hall) bt A Plant (Sundridge Park) at 19th.
D Micheluzzi (Aust) bt Sutton 3 and 1.
W Heffernan (Aust) bt Ellis 2 and 1.
R MacINTYRE (Glencruitten) bt Windred 4 and 3.
Cantero bt C MacLEAN (Balmore) 2 holes.
Yuan bt P Melching (Ned) at 20th 
G FORREST (Craigielaw) bt Flanagan 1 hole.
Freiburghaus bt A Rozner (Fra) 4 and 3.
Chapman bt F Donaggio (Ita) 3 and 2.
Sciot-Siegrist bt T Gandy (Isle of Man) 1 hole.
C Rafferty (Dundalk)  bt Zapletal 2 and 1.
A Beckley (SAf) v McBride bt A Beckley (SAf) 4 and 3.
J Bower (Meltham) bt Coletta 4 and 3.
Iten bt D Brown (Masham) 2 and 1.
E FERGUSON (Bearsden) bt Hermann 2 holes
A McDOUGALL (Elderslie) bt Li at 19th

ends Round 2 results

Birdie at last hole wins Jo'burg City Masters for 

Craig Hinton from Thame

JOHANNESBURG — Craig Hinton finally shook off the bridesmaid tag on the MENA Golf Tour, winning the Jo’burg City Masters, co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Big Easy Tour, with a birdie on the closing hole at Glendower Golf Club today.

Starting the day a good three shots off the pace, the 27-year-old Englishman from Thame closed with a four-under 68 to finish seven-under for the tournament, two clear of a four-man group which included N.J. Arnoldi and David Ashley, who both carded matching 66s.

A four-time runner-up on the MENA Golf Tour, Hinton eagled the par-4, seventh and birdied the next two holes to get his nose in front for the first time in the tournament.

He dropped a shot on the par-5, 15th after making the turn at four under, but held his nerve, capping his round with a birdie for his maiden win on the MENA Golf Tour. 

“It was a good yardage for the club I had. I was a little indecisive – I mean I slightly pulled it, but it was nice to have a tap-in,” said Hinton about his finish on the challenging par-four 18th.

Hinton’s brilliant approach shot on the 18th wasn’t his only special moment during the final round. An eagle-two at the par-four seventh sparked the momentum for his title run.

“It was a slow start, but the eagle on seven sort of kick-started the round. I had a couple birdies after that and it kind of gave me a chance to win the tournament,” said Hinton after receiving the winner’s trophy. 

“I though I’d get to 10 – 10 was in my head. When I got to seven early through the front nine I thought there were a lot of chances on the back nine. I looked at the scoreboard at four and no one really had made the charge. I just sort of made par coming in.” said Hinton.

Hinton’s approach of looking at the leaderboards throughout the round is one some golfers don’t agree with, but for him it’s a way of calming himself and knowing what he needs to do.

“I looked at every single one. Yeah, it’s good to know here you are. Walking up 18, I even asked one of the rules officials what the guys were doing behind. I think you need to know what you need to do up the last and if you can take a risk or not take a risk,” explained Hinton.

“I love the golf course. It suits my eye the whole way around and there wasn’t one tee shot I didn’t enjoy. It’s a great golf course in great condition and I look forward to coming back sometime,” said Hinton. 

On a lay-out which required precision and nerve, overnight leader Siphiwe Siphayi of South Africa fell away after dropping three shots in his first five holes. 

He responded with a couple of birdies and an eagle (on the 15th), but kept bleeding shots along the way, eventually settling for a 74 to finish in a tie for ninth on three-under along with England’s Luke Joy, a two-time winner on the MENA Golf Tour.

The South African duo of Omar Sandys and Riekus Nortje carded 67 and 69 respectively for a share of second as David Meyers won the amateur division on a level-par after returning a final round 74.

The MENA Golf Tour will travel to Pretoria for the third and final event — The Roar — in South Africa this season to be held at Waterkloof Golf Club from June 22 to 24.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3x72)

209 Craig Hinton (ENG)      71 70 68

211 N.J. Arnoldi (RSA)        77 68 66

211 David Ashley (ENG)     77 68 66

211 Omar Sandys (RSA)     74 70 67

211 Riekus Nortje (RSA)     73 69 69

212 Francois Coetzee (RSA) 77 71 64

212 Jaco Prinsloo (RSA)      69 77 66

212 Sipho Bujela (RSA)      72 72 68

213 Luke Joy (ENG)           73 72 68

213 Pieter Kruger (RSA)      74 67 72

213 Siphiwe Siphayi (RSA) 74 64 75
SELECTED TOTAL
218 Paul Doherty (Sco) 74 72 72 (T30)

TO VIEW ALL THE TOTALS

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Wright and Fox's better-ball 62 leads PGA 

Four-ball final qualifiers at Musselburgh

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

West Linton's Gareth Wright and Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) headed the five pairs who qualified at Musselburgh Golf Club today (WED) for the £33,250 Grand Final of the Golfbreaks.com PGA Four-Ball tournament at Varden Park, Cheshire from August 17 to 19.

Wright and Fox shot a better-ball, nine-under-par score of 62 with bogey-free halves of 32 and 30. They had birdies at the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, 12th, 13th, 14th, 16th and 18th.

They had two shots to spare over three runner-up pairs: Mark Hillson (Kilconquhar Castle) and James McGhee (Whitehill House), who had halves of 33 and 31 in compiling a better-ball 64, Gareth Hardy (Prestwick St Nicholas) and Michael Rae (Drumoig) 33-31, and Craig Gordon (Edinburgh HGolf Centre) and Paul Malone (Braid Hills) (30-34).

The fifth and final qualifying pair in a field of 15 teams were Craig Goodwin (Duff House Royal) and Sam Binning (Mearns Castle) with a 65 (33-32).

GOLFBREAKS.COM PGA FOUR-BALL SCOTTISH QUALIFIER

Musselburgh Golf Club.

QUALIFIERS FOR GRAND FINAL
Par 71

62 G Wright (West Linton) and G Fox (Clydeway Golf).

64 M Hillson (Kilconquhar Castle) and J McGhee (Whitehill House), G Hardy (Prestwick St Nicholas) and M Rae (Drumoig) 33-31, C Gordon (Edinburgh GC) and Paul Malone (Braid Hills) 30-34.

65 C Goodwin (Duff House Royal) and S Binning (Mearns Castle) 33-32.

NON-QUALIFIERS

66 P Scanlan and Anthony Mackrell (Playsport Golf) 34-32.

67 S Savage (Dalmuir) and C Everett (Caldwell) 33-34.

68 E Macpherson (Brodick) and C Armstrong (Burntisland) 34-34, C Marr and N Huguet (Musselburgh) 34-34.

69 M Huish and O Huish (North Berwick) 33-36

71 G Tarplee and D Ord (Parklands) 37-34, M Loftus (Mearns Castle) and S Payne (Cowglen) 36-35, D Ramsay (Moray) and R Clarke (Golf Dedication Centre) 34-37.

72 G Forrester (St Andrews GS) and F Robertston (Lundin) 37-35

73 S Clelland (Hayston) and G Robertson (Airdrie) 36-37

Gordon's College pupils top of the Aberdeen 

golf class at Craibstone
 
Robert Gordon's College pupils won three titles at the Aberdeen schools stroke-play tournament at Craibstone Golf Club.
Kirsten Watson won the girls' handicap competition with a net 70 off a handicap of 19.
Six-handicapper Cameron Black earned the 12 and under handicap top award with a net 67 off six.
Ruaridh Fenwick claimed victory in the 23-25 handicap section with a net 65 off 16.
Bucksburn Academy's Liam Waldron was the scratch winner with a 71 - the same score as that returned by Jack Pirie (Aberdeen Grammar). Liam was placed first with a better back nine-hole tie-breaking score.
RESULTS
BOYS
LEADING SCRATCH 
71 Liam Waldron (Bucksburn Acad) (better inward half), Jack Pirie (Aberdeen Grammar).
73 Cameron Black (Robert Gordon's College)
76 Jonathan Bell (Aberdeen Grammar)
77 Brook Smith (Kincorth Acad)
78 Alastair Kinghorn (Albyn School)
79 Reece Smith (Kincorth Acad)
83 Liam Strath (Aberdeen Grammar)
87 Greig Pirie (Aberdeen Grammar)
LEADING HANDICAP
0-12 handicaps
65 Liam Waldron (Bucksburn Acad) (6)
67 Cameron Black (RGC) (6)
68 Jack Pirie (Aberdeen Grammar) (3), Brook Smith (Kincorth Acad) (9).
71 Jonathan Bell (Aberdeen Grammar) (5), Alastair Kinghorn (Albyn School) (7)
72 Reece Smith (Kincorth Acad) (7)
77 Liam Strath (Aberdeen Grammar) (6), Greig Pirie (Aberdeen Grammar) (10).
13-24 handicaps
65 Ruaridh Fenwick (RGC) (16), Ben Newlands (Hazlehead) (17), Scott Mathieson (Hazlehead) (16).
66 Robbie Bothwell (RGC) (20).
68 Peter McPherson (Albyn ) (16)
69 Andrew Wiseman (Albyn) (24)
72 Mark Gilmour (Grammar) (12), Elliot Cameron (Albyn) (15), Angus Ferguson (Grammar) (12)
74 Andy Bremner (RGC) (24)
75 Matthew Saunders (RGC) (22)
78 Matthew Lynas (Albyn) (16)
79 Mark Corray (RGC) (16)

GIRLS
LEADING SCRATCH
77 Sarah Black (RGC)
LEADING HANDICAP
70 Kirsten Watson (RGC) (19).
72 Sarah Black (RGC) (5), Rachel Mathieson (Hazlehead) (19).
 


 

Tonight's Aberdeen Links Championship ties postponed until 

Friday, Finals night now Friday, June 24

Tonight's (Wednesday) programme of semi-final matches in the Aberdeen Links Champonship,  sponsored by  Tennants Caledonian and the Kings Links Golf Centre, has been washed out after even more rain.

The semi-finals will now be played on Friday evening with the same times.
The finals have been put back to Friday, June 24, with tee times as scheduled.