Two top 10 finishes in West Florida earn past Scottish boys champion Paul Ferrier $1,939

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Paul Ferrier, Scottish U18 boys' match-play champion in 2007 when he was a member of Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh, has finished ninth in his two most recent events on the West Florida Pro Golf Tour.

Paul, pictured, shot rounds of 72, 69 and 73 for a two-under total of 214 in the Winter Haven Challenge, finishing 13 shots behind the runaway winner by six, Kevin Aylwin. Ferrier earned $551 for that performance.
Then Ferrier finished ninth again in the more lucrative Donald Ross Classic at Sara Bay Country Club with scores of 75, 66 and 71 for four-under 212, five behind the winner, Sebastian Mark.
Ferrier earned $1,388 from that tournament.
 
 

Maverick McNealy wins Mark McCormack Medal as World No 1 Amateur

R and A NEWS RELEASE

American college student Maverick McNealy is the winner of the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading player in the 2016 World Amateur Golf Ranking™.

"To win the McCormack Medal is both very special and a huge honour,” said McNealy. “Amateurism is something that is very important to me, and I really appreciate all that the USGA and The R and A do to promote and support the amateur game at all levels. It is very humbling to join the list of previous winners."

A first-team All-American, McNealy won four collegiate events in 2016 for Stanford University, and made the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his only US PGA Tour start of the year. 

In four career US Tour starts, McNealy has made the cut three times.

As winner of the Mark H. McCormack Medal, McNealy receives an exemption into The 146^th Open at Royal Birkdale and 2017 U.S. Open Championship as long as he remains an amateur.

+As a member of the touring Stanford University team, McNealy will play at Crail (Sept 8), Carnoustie (Sept 9), St Andrews (Sept 10), Kingsbarns (Sept 11), Cruden Bay (Sept 12), Trump International (Sept 13 am), Royal Aberdeen (pm), Nairn (Sept 14), Castle Stuart (Sept 15) and Royal Dornoch (Sept 16) next month.

English boys' county title race is blown wide open by Day 2 results The title race at the English boys’ county championship is wide open after Wiltshire and Northamptonshire both bounced back from first-day defeats to win their matches today. It means they join Yorkshire and Hertfordshire with one win apiece after two days of the championship at Cumberwell Park in Wiltshire. All four counties are in with a chance of winning the title tomorrow when the round robin match is completed – and it’s quite likely that a countback will be needed to decide the destination of the trophy. As matters currently stand Wiltshire – the defending champions – hold a slender advantage, having won 10.5 games so far. Yorkshire and Northamptonshire have each won nine, while Hertfordshire have amassed 7.5. Today, Northamptonshire were first to play their way back into the championship, defeating Yorkshire 5-4. They declared their intentions with a 2-1 win in the foursomes, helped by inspirational play from Ben Jones and Callum Farr who had a run of five consecutive birdies, followed by two eagles.  They made their debut at Boys’ County Finals last year and this was their first win from five foursomes sessions. “That gave us a lot of confidence,” said team coach Adam Myers. “Knowing that we only had to halve the afternoon singles was a big boost.” In the afternoon, Jones led the way and, helped by yet another eagle, claimed the first singles point. The next three games went Yorkshire’s way but Northamptonshire finished strongly with wins from their youngest two players, Robin Williams – who has won all four of his games - and Charlie Salter “We have some big characters in our team and they thrive under pressure,” said Myers, who had picked up his side after yesterday’s defeat by reminding them: “It’s still all to play for and if we beat Yorkshire we are still in with a chance.” In the other match, Wiltshire defeated Hertfordshire 6.5-2.5 and won the praise of team manager Ian Welding. “They were just unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable,” he said. “Yesterday a couple of putts didn’t go our way but we played some good golf. I knew if we just had the belief we could turn things around and the guys embraced that.” Wiltshire also laid the foundations of their success with a 2-1 foursomes win. Then James Cooper – a member of the host club – set them on course in the singles when he squeezed past Danny Daniels to win one up after an excellent game. Cooper (pictured top) was seven under par, with the highlights including an eagle two on 17 to get back to all square and a conceded birdie on the last for his point. Jamie Cooper edged them closer with a halved result against Jon Hopkins, who holed a monster putt for an eagle two on the 17th and followed up with another good putt for a birdie on 18 to get back on level terms. Jake Bolton birdied the par three 16th to win 3 and 2 and guarantee Wiltshire a halved result, before Ollie Jeans provided the winning point with his 2up victory. “We were disappointed yesterday and we knew we needed to win today – and we had loads of belief,” he said. Tom Stagg completed Wiltshire’s scoreline, finishing two up after birdies on the 16th and 18th. Tomorrow’s order of play is: Yorkshire v Hertfordshire, starting at 8am. Wiltshire v Northamptonshire, starting at 8.24am. Click here for full results and start times Image copyright Leaderboard Photography Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193 EDITORS’ NOTES

 Chillas and Quinn T4 in PGA Super-60s' 

tournament at Gleneagles

Aberdeen-born John Chillas and his amateur partner Sandy Quinn are lying joint fourth on 64, three behind the joint leaders, after the first round of the 36-hole PGA Super-60s tournament over the Queen's Course at Gleneagles.

Chillas, pictured, won the Scottish professional title twice - 25 years apart! - and was also a three-time winner on the European Senior Tour before he retired to set up a coaching school in Central Scotland. 

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Anglo-Scot Murray White after historic hat-trick

PGA NEWS RELEASE

By ADRIAN MILLEDGE

A new partner but a familiar scenario. That was the story of Murray White’s latest foray into the PGA Super 60s Championship.
Having become the first PGA pro to defend the title successfully last year, White is well-placed to create an unprecedented hat-trick of wins.
Last year at Caldy Golf Club he was partnered by seven handicapper Glyn Radcliffe. This time at Gleneagles, Bob Head, a four handicapper from Moor Park, Hertfordshire, is riding shotgun.
And thus far it has been impossible to see the join. The pair negotiated the Queen’s Course, the shortest of the three at the world- renowned Perthshire resort and Ryder Cup venue, in seven-under-par.

White’s position at the business end of the tournament, which carries a £10,300 prize fund, was not the only similarity with last year, however.

Then the Scot, pictured, who represents the Centurion Golf Club, St Albans, needed to prevail in a sudden death play-off to claim the £1,250 winner’s cheque.
Now, 12 months on, the prospect of an action replay looms large.
Bob Cameron, who is retired and represents Sundridge Park, and his amateur partner Gordon Hedley, also negotiated legendary course designer James Braid’s handiwork in seven-under.
Cameron, who played on the Senior Tour, accounted for six birdies but was indebted to his partner after the pair bogeyed the par four 16th.
It was the solitary blemish on their scorecard and Hedley made amends in style with a nett eagle at the last.
While that ensured a share of pole position for the pair, White and Head were denied sole occupation of it by a bogey at the par four sixth.
By contrast, Bramall Golf Club pro Richard Green and Joe Kirwan went bogey free, as did Scots John Chillas and Sandy Quinn.
As a result, the former ended the first round of the 36-hole tournament in third place two shots adrift of the leaders on five-under and one clear of the latter.
Given the better-ball basis of the tournament – a format that can result in fortunes and scores changing with bewildering rapidity – the leading pair will know the final round is unlikely to become a private contest between them.
In addition to them and the duos on five and four-under, 11 other pairs plotted their way round the sun-kissed Queen’s Course in sub-par figures and will be hopeful of preventing Murray from making yet more golfing history

Scots' scores on EuroPro Tour at The Oxfordshire

Scots' first-round scores in this week's PGA EuroPro Tour event at The Oxfordshire today:
par 72
(Englishman Matthew Cort leads with a 65)
66 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) T2
69 Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan) T12
71 John Henry (Clydebank and Dist), Jordan McColl (Kingsbarns Pro Acad) T30
72 Louis Gaughan (Bathgate), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Craig Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC), John Duff (Newmachar), Fraser Moore (Glenbervie), Sean Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC), Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) T45
74 C Sutherland (Lynx Golf), K Nicol (Paul Lawrie GC) T80.
75 Z Saltman (Archerfield Links) T93
76 Wallace Booth (Eastwood), Scott Borrowman (Dollar) T112
77 Ryan Campbell (Falkirk) T128
78 Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm) T135

+The leading 50 players and ties after 36 holes qualify to play in the third and final round.


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Cort leads by one from on-the-mend McDonald

 on a day of hot stuff at The Oxfordshire

NEWS RELEASE BY NICK TEALE

Race To Desert Springs leader Matthew Cort posted a first-round 65 to lead the FORE Business Championship on seven under par after the first round of the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour event at The Oxfordshire GC today.

Cort (Beedles Lake Golf Club) already has two EuroPro wins this season and sits comfortably at the top of the Race To Desert Springs Order of Merit, from which the top five at the end of the season earn Challenge Tour playing rights for 2017.

Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock (Barassie)), pictured, a Walker Cup player in 2015 who turned pro in March this year, marked his return from injury with a 66 and shares second on six under at the end of the hottest day of the year in Oxfordshire.

 Alex Wrigley (Hartlepool Golf Club) also shot six under for his first round.

Miles Collins (Stoke by Nayland Golf Club), Mark Laskey (Brocket Hall/Team Honma) and Luke Cornford (Cooden Beach Golf) share fourth on five under, with four golfers three back after signing for opening rounds of 68.

Cort carded five birdies on the front nine, starting with a three at the first. From the fourth he put together a run of four consecutive birdies and on the back nine broke par again at the 15^th and 17^th.

McDonald had started at the tenth tee and was level par after nine holes with two birdies and two bogeys. 

However, five birdies and an eagle at the 7^th on his last nine saw him come home in 30 and sign for an opening-round 66 on the par-72 course. 

Wrigley’s 66 came with eight birdies, his only dropped shots coming in the form of a double-bogey at the 8^th.

The FORE Business Championship is a 54-hole strokeplay event with a cut to be made after the second round. Spectator entry is free throughout the event and live scoring can be found at www.europrotour.com.

A two-hour highlights package from the FORE Business Championship will be broadcast on Sky Sports on Tuesday, September 6.

Byrne in top 30 at ADT event in Indonesia

James Byrne from Banchory was in joint 27th position at the end of the first round of this week's Asian Development Tour event, the Ciputra Golfpreuneur tournament, at Damai Indah Golf Club, Indonesia.
Byrne shot a two-under-par 70 with five birdies and three bogeys in halves of 34-36 and lies six shots behind the co-leaders Indra Hermawan (Indonesia) and Sutijet Kooratanapisan (Thailand0.

Picture of Paul O'Hara receiving Scottish YP Championship Trophy

 Paul O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure), left, receives the Scottish Young Professionals Championship Trophy from Kenny Campbell, captain of the host West Lothian Golf Club. Picture by courtesy of Jim Brown.

SCROLL DOWN FOR A REPORT AND ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

Paul O'Hara wins Scottish young pros' title for 

third time - by eight strokes

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Paul O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure) coasted to an eight-stroke victory in the £8,000 Scottish Young Professionals' Championship with rounds of 67, 65, 63 and 68 over West Lothian Golf Club's Par 71 course for an impressive 21-under-par aggregate of 263.
It was his third win in the tournament over the past four years and earned him £1,000.
Alastair Forsyth (Mearns Castle) came through into second place on the final day with rounds of 65 and 69 for 271. His earlier scores were 71 and 66. He earned £800.
Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey), a previous winner of the title, shot the lowest final round of 66, after earlier scores of 68, 72 and 69, for a total of 275. He earned £610.
O'Hara's third-round, bogey-free 63 was the lowest of the tournament and included birdies at the fourth, fifth, ninth, 10th, 12t5h, 14th, 157 and 17th in halves of 33 and 30.

SCOTTISH YOUNG PROFESSIONALS' CHAMPIONSHIP
West Lothian Golf Club, Bo'ness
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
263 P O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure) 67 65 63 68 (£1,000).
271 A Forsyth (Mearns Castle) 71 66 65 69 (£800).
275 G Hay (Grantown on Spey) 68 72 69 66 (£610)
280 C Marr (Musselburgh) 75 70 67 69, M Owenson (Gullane) 67 70 73 70 (£425 each).
281 G Forbes (Mar Hotel) 71 69 73 68 (£350)
282 C Farrell (Cardross) 70 71 72 69 (£320)
283 S Binning (Mearns Castle) 72 68 76 67 (£300)
285 R Munro (Duddingston) 73 70 70 72, S Maxwell (Eastwood) 71 70 69 75 (£260 each)
287 G McDougall (Elie Links) 73 72 72 70 (£220)
288 R Clark (Golf Dedication Centre) 72 68 73 75 (£200)
289 J Bell (Lanark) 73 73 73 70, P Mitchell (Stirling) 71 74 74 70, D Flannery (Caldwell) 73 66 77 73 (£165 each)
290 K McNiven (Gleneagles) 75 72 75 68, I Anderson (Colville Park) 72 75 70 73 (£147 each)
291 S Craigon (Balbirnie Park) 73 73 72 73 (£140).
292 M Kanev (Bruntsfield Links) 73 73 72 74, S Speirs (Swanston New) 74 72 72 74 (£136 each)
293 R Tinker (Piperdam) 73 75 75 70, C Billows Gleneagles) 76 69 74 74 (£131 each)
295 J Brown (Dumfries and Co) 73 74 74 74, D Ramsay (Moray) 74 74 74 73, C Adam (unatt) 73 75 73 74 (£125 each).
296 C Robinson (Elderslie) 74 72 75 75, T Ogilvie (Duke's) 75 72 78 71, A Burns (Bothwell Castle) 73 70 77 76 (£117 each)
299 J Ferrie (Hilton Park) 78 69 75 77 (£112)
300 E Bowden (North Berwick) 74 72 79 75, C Porciani (Trump Turnberry) 76 70 77 77 (£108 each).
301 J Gallagher (Westerwood) 73 73 77 78 (£105)
304 E MacDonald (Musselburgh) 73 73 81 77 (£102)
305 K Moran (Balbirnie Park) 72 73 79 81 (£100).


 









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