News from satellite professional tours in United States

KIRKPATRICK HEADING FOR FISTFUL
OF DOLLARS IN FLORIDA

Florida-based Scot David Kirkpatrick put himself in left for one of the leading pay-outs at the end of the NGA Pro Tour Winter Series' event at West Orange Golf Club in Florida today.
Kirkpatrick had a second-round, four-under-par 67 for a 36-hole tally of six under par 136.
That gave him a quadruple share of second place, only one shot behind the leader, American George Bradford (65-70).

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
Players from US unless stated
135 George Bradford 65 70.
136 David Kirkpatrick (Sco) 69 67, Travis Perkins 66 70, Rob Johnston 67 69, Casey Wittenberg 70 66.
Other scores:
147 Paul Curry (Eng) 72 75 (jt 63rd).
148 Tom Tryon 74 74 (jt 71st).

LEE RHIND PULLS OUT OF TEXAS EVENT

Lee Rhind from Uphall withdrew from the Tight Lies Tour Winter Series' event, which started at The Clubs of Kingwood Forest, Kingwood in Texas.
Mike Wendling led the field at the end of the first round with a four-under-par 68.

Field of 95 for North-east Alliance meeting at Buchan venue

CARNEGIE AND CORMACK
TIE ON FOUR-UNDER-PAR
61 AT INVERALLOCHY

Inverallochy’s winter course will never stage the Open but it gave a lot of fun to most of the field of 95 for today's North-east Alliance.

It provided a bonanza of scores in the 60s with Kemnay amateur Craig Carnegie and Inchmarlo assistant professional Paul Cormack, pictured right, jointly heading the birdie parade on the four-under-par 61 mark.
Two-handicapper Carnegie had the “magic” figure of 29 for his outward half with birdies at the third, fifth, seventh and ninth but he was caught over the last two holes by Cormack.
Carnegie finished bogey 5-par 4 while Cormack’s scores at the 17th and 18th were birdie 3-birdie 3 – a three-shot swing in favour of Paul who had halves of 30 and 31.

Cormack had eight 3s in a row on his scorecard, from the fourth to the 11th inclusive
Third placed Ian Bratton, the Newburgh professional, had seven 3s in his inward half of 29 for a 62.

Almost everyone was "raving" about the quality of the Inverallochy greens. "Better even than Buckpool" - and that's praise indeed - was the general comment.

Deeside's Gordon Gray, for instance, had only 23 putts on the finest greens he has played on for many a long day.

Gordon had only 23 putts - 12 for the first nine holes, followed by a three-putt and then single putts on the last eight greens. Pity Gordon's tee-to-green game had not been of the same standard but we'll draw a veil over that!

Leading returns:

SCRATCH
Par 65
61 C Carnegie (Kemnay), P Cormack (Inchmarlo) ap.
62 I Bratton (Newburgh) p.
63 I Welsh (Nigg Bay), S Finnie (Caledonian), J Nicolson (Auchmill).
64 A Campbell (Deeside).
65 G Grimmer (Nigg Bay), C Nelson (MacKenzie Club) p, E Kennedy (Stonehaven),T Mathieson (Murcar Links).
66 B Main (Murcar Links), R Hyland (Newmachar), R MacDonald (Kemnay) p.
67 S Scott (Auchmill), R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) p, S Murray (Aspire) p, N Reid (Deeside) ap, G Ingram (Inverurie), N Murray (Cruden Bay) p, W S Urquhart (Murcar Links).
68 J Hamilton (Murcar Links), F Bisset (Banchory), S Troup (King’s Links) ap, S Fraser (Northern), C Clark (MacKenzie Club) p.

(p denotes professional; ap, assistant professional)

HANDICAP
Class 1 – C Carnegie (Kemnay) (2), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 59; J Kinsella (Braemar) (8), K Davidson (Turriff) (8) 62; I Welsh (Nigg Bay) (scr), S Finnie (Caledonian) (scr), G Grimmer (Nigg Bay) (12), G Ingram (Inverurie) (4), J Hamilton (Murcar Links) (5), K Minty (Turriff) (8), A Stewart (Hazlehead) (8) 63.
Class 2 – K Lumsden (Northern) (16) 61; P Cornfield (Auchmill) (11), I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14) 62; M Kydd (Newburgh) (10), G Homer (Lumphanan) (12), R Addison (Newburgh) (18) 63.

LEADING SCORECARDS

Inverallochy par 65

OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-4-3-4-4-33. IN: 3-4-4-3-4-3-4-4-3-32

CRAIG CARNEGIE 61

OUT: 4-3-3-4-2-4-2-4-3-29. IN: 3-4-5-3-3-2-4-5-3-32

PAUL CORMACK 61

OUT: 5-3-4-3-3-3-3-3-3-30. IN: 3-3-5-3-5-3-4-3-2-31

IAN BRATTON 62

OUT: 4-3-4-5-3-5--3-3-3-33. IN: 3-4-3-3-3-3-3-4-3-29

+Next Wednesday's meeting is at Montrose.

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JORDAN’S BEEN A SILLY
LAD, SAYS HIS DAD
Fraserburgh boy, recovering from
pneumonia, was told not to play golf

Former British boys golf champion Jordan Findlay has been given a rollicking by his dad Iain in a transatlantic telephone call after the 18-year-old from Fraserburgh had to retire, feeling “desperately unwell,” before the end of the third round in the Ping Arizona Intercollegiate tournament.
“Jordan’s been a silly lad. He should never have started this 54-hole tournament. He had pneumonia while he was home over the Christmas holidays. But he insisted in going off on a short holiday with his pals to Tenerife where he spent most of the time in bed with sickness and diarrheoa. He lost a lot of weight, something like 1 1/2stone,” said Mr Findlay.
“I took him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary before he returned to East Tennessee State University and the specialist’s advice was to rest as much as possible and not to pick up a golf club for several weeks until he built up his strength again.
FEELING ROTTEN
“But, even though he had been feeling rotten, Jordan decided that he owed it to the college coach to play in this the first tournament of the second half of the American college season.
“Jordan should have known he was just too weak, still too dehydrated to attempt to play tournament golf. He said to me on the phone last night after he had been taken from the course to hospital in Tucson for a check-up because he was feeling so bad, ‘This could ruin my whole year.’ I said to him: ‘It will ruin your year if you don’t listen to medical advice.’ ”
Starting with a quintuple bogey 9 at the par-4 first hole, Findlay was 26 over par for his first two rounds (an 87 and an 81). He was a further 12 over par for the 10 holes he completed in his third round before the East Tennessee State University head coach took him off the course and back to the clubhouse for his own good.
“I could hardly swing the club, I felt so weak,” said Jordan who was a member of the Scotland team who won the British boys' team championship at Lossiemouth last summer when he also played for Scotland in the European youths' team championship in Spain.

EUROPEAN TOUR GOLFER OF THE MONTH

Retief Goosen’s spectacular birdie-eagle finish for a one-stroke victory in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters has earned him the European Tour Golfer of the Month Award for January.

HSBC ENDING SPONSORSHIP
OF WORLD MATCH-PLAY
EVENT AT WENTWORTH

Five years after announcing a 10-year deal to sponsor the World Match-Play Championship at Wentworth, banking giants HSBC have announced that this October's event will be their last.
The company created the biggest first prize in the sport - £1million - when they took over in 2003, but have decided to switch their main focus after this year to the Champions tournament in China.
Giles Morgan, head of global sports marketing and sponsorship for HSBC, said: "It's been a very difficult decision. We've had five great years but have decided as a business it's time to move on."
He added: "We are going to leave on a high this year. We want to make it the best ever and go out with a bang. It's a brilliant event and I think we have helped to rebuild it."
Guy Kinnings, managing director of golf in Europe and Australia, added: "HSBC have been a excellent partner to the World Match Play Championship and have been integral in developing the qualification system and working with the European Tour to turn it into an official world ranking event.
"We are looking forward to delivering another great Championship in 2007 with HSBC, and will then look to work with a new partner to deliver the 45th event and beyond."

R&A GOLF COURSE COMMITTEE
ISSUE TURFGRASS CLIMATE MAP

The R&A Golf Course Committee has launched a worldwide climate map, to provide guidance on grass species selection. The climate map can be viewed at The R&A’s best practice website, www.bestcourseforgolf.org
The interactive map shows the parts of the world where warm or cool season grasses are most appropriate and defines the Transition Zone where neither warm nor cool season species grow to their optimum potential.
The grasses used to establish a course often dictate its future sustainability and through time, with the correct management practices, grass composition can be influenced towards a mix of the more sustainable species. The map, which is linked to text describing the turfgrass species in detail, will help course developers, architects, turf managers and facility managers make an informed choice of the most sustainable grasses for their situation.
It has been developed in conjunction with Maplecroft, specialists in interactive mapping of complex environmental, social, economic and political issues.
Robert Webb, Chairman of The R&A Golf Course Committee, said: “We have made many improvements and enhancements to our best practice website since it was launched nearly three years ago, but this particular feature is particularly noteworthy. Everyone concerned with the development and management of the golf course will now be able to access information that will help in meeting our target of making courses more sustainable. This is a big step forward, and we are delighted with the work done by Maplecroft.”

Further information:

Steve Isaac
Assistant Director – Golf Course Management
The R&A
Tel: 01334 460000

Worrying news from Texas for Fraserburgh teenager's family

JORDAN FINDLAY IN HOSPITAL
AFTER ARIZONA NIGHTMARE

Fraserburgh exile Jordan Findlay was taken to hospital in Tucson after feeling so unwell that he was unable to complete the third round in the Ping Arizona Intercollegiate tournament over the Arizona National course. It was the first event of the second half of the American college golf season.
While 18-year-old Jordan was back home in Fraserburgh over the Christmas holidays, it had been thought then that he was suffering from some kind of flu. He had lost weight and was not feeling 100% but after being taken to various doctors by his father, no particular illness could be pinpointed.
Findlay returned to East Tennessee State University, where he is in the middle of his second year, and though he still felt very much below par – in a personal health context – he felt he had to play for the team in the Ping Arizona Intercollegiate.
But Jordan’s mystery illness was soon reflected in his standard of scoring.
A 9 AT PAR-4 FIRST HOLE
The former British boys’ champion began the tournament with a 9 at the par-4 first hole and returned an 87 (45-42) – 16 over par for the 6,793yd course – in the first round and then an 81 (38-43) in the second.
He began the third and final round in last position in the high-class field of 89. Starting at the 12th, he had double bogeys at the 12th, 16th and 17th and was 12 over par for the day – with eight holes still to play – which meant he was 38 over par for the 46 holes he had completed over the three rounds – when Jordan indicated that he could not go on.
He was taken off the course and then to hospital. His father Iain is waiting anxiously to hear if the doctors can find out what is wrong with his son.
+Later the East Tennessee State University website said that Jordan Findlay had been suffering from pneumonia.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
199 Brian Prouty (Arizona) 62 67 70.
203 Charlie Beljan (New Mexico) 70 65 68, Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) 69 66 68.
Other totals:
206 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 68 69 69(jt 5th).
211 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 69 76 66.
228 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 76 74 78.
Retired (during third round): Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 87 81 -.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
829 UNLV.
833 Brigham Young.
840 Arizona.
841 Tennessee.
842 UC-Irvine.
848 East Tennessee State.
850 Arizona State.
856 Arizona B.
857 Pepperdine.
862 Oregon.

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KIRKPATRICK ON TRAIL OF
A FEW DOLLARS MORE

Florida-based Scot David Kirkpatrick, a Scotland amateur international player in the early 1990s, was sharing 11th place at the end of the first round of the NGA Pro Tour Winter Series event at West Orange Golf Club, Winter Garden, Florida.
Kirkpatrick returned a three-under-par 69 (35-34) to be four shots behind the leader, American George Bradford (33-32).
Englishman Paul Currey is back in joint 38th place with a 72 (36-36).
And there's a once-familiar name "down among the dead men."
It's Ty Tryon, the teenager who won his way on to the US PGA Tour less than a decade ago but whose game went into a spectacular decline. For the last few years he has been playing the mini-tour events, such as this one. Tryon's golf does not get any better. He had halves of 38 and 36 for a two-over-par 74.
Even on mini-tours, that's not going to win a fistful of dollars.
LEADING SCORES
Par 72
Players from US unless stated
65 George Bradford 33-32.
66 Travis Perkins 34-32, Matt Stanchina 33-33.
Other scores:
69 David Kirkpatrick (Sco) 35-34 (jt 11th).
72 Paul Curry (Eng) 36-36 (jt 38th).
74 Ty Tryon 38-36 (jt 67th).

ANDREW HAY JOINT FIFTH IN FLORIDA

Playing in his second tournament within a week, former North-east boys' champion Andrew Hay from the Aberdeen suburb of Westhill, a second-year student at Webber International University in Florida, shot a five-over-par 77 (36-41) to finish joint fifth this week in a field of 34 for the Webber International invitational stroke-play college event at Lake Wales Country Club, Lake Wales in Florida.
The tournament was won by three shots by one of Hay's team-mates, Craig Isabel from Stanford-le-Hope, England, with a 69 (33-36).
Another Webber International student, Iain Stoddart from Uphall finished joint 17th on 83 (43-40).
Eight of the Webber International men's golf roster of 17 players come from Scotland or England.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 72, 6,489yd course
69 Craig Isabel (Webber International) 33-36.
72 Curtis Alford (Warner Southern College) 34-38.
74 Alex Evans (Webber International) 35-39.
76 Brian Brennan (Webber International) 37-39.
77 Andrew Hay (Webber International) 36-41, Dustin Young (Warren Southern College) 389-39, Rob Turner (Webber Intenational) 38-39.
Other scores:
78 Craig Taylor (Webber International) 36-42.
83 Iain Stoddart (Webber International) 43-40.
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DAVID CORKEY (81) WINS

EAST ABERDEENSHIRE

WINTER OPEN

East Aberdeenshire member Dod Laing had by far the best net score of the day in winning the Class 1 handicap section of the East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre Winter Open.
Dod, with a net 72 off 11 of a handicap, had two shots to spare from Gary Thompson (EAGC) in a field of 55.
Inchmarlo member Raymond Smith won the Class 2 by a single shot from Darren Stuart.
The scratch section, offering the highest prize voucher of the day (worth £100) was won by regular North-east Alliance campaigner David Corkey, pictured right, with an 81. John Nicolson and Alec Allan, both of Auchmill, finished one stroke behind on 82.
Dod Laing, who plays off 11, did not get off to the best of starts with a 6 at the 274 yd first hole. However, he steadied himself to play the next 12 holes in five over par, good going considering playing conditions were as tough as many could remember with winds of up to 40 mph which delayed the event by almost an hour.

SCRAMBLED WELL
Afterwards Dod reflected that he struggled with his driving but scrambled very well, getting up and down on numerous occasions to save par.
Raymond Smith, who plays off 19, had never played the course previously and he also found the conditions tough, commenting “It was a great challenge, the weather was very strong. It was a little wet underfoot but for January the course was fantastic.”
Raymond’s score could have been even better had it not been for an errant tee shot at the 15th (the dreaded “Hill,” 515yds uphill all the way) where he carded a 9! Darren Stuart was left to rue three closing bogeys to miss out by a shot.
Due to the success of the event (55 of the initial entry of 84 played), a third Winter Open is being considered by the East Aberdeenshire council for a Sunday in March, which gives golfers a great opportunity to get some pre-season preparation.
+++East Aberdeenshire Golf Club has been given the honour of staging the Aberdeen Pennant League final (Sunday, July 22) and the City of Aberdeen men's foursomes for Maitland Shield (May 21-25) for the first time in the upcoming season.

Leading scores:

SCRATCH
1st DAVID CORKEY (East Aberdeenshire) 81 (£100 voucher)
2nd JOHN NICOLSON (Auchmill) 82 (£50 voucher)
3rd ALEC ALLAN (Auchmill) 82 Better inward half (£25 voucher)

HANDICAP
Class 1
1st DOD LAING (East Aberdeenshire) (11) 72 (£50 voucher)
2nd GARY THOMPSON (East Aberdeenshire) (11) 74 (£25 voucher)
3rd KEVIN SELLAR (Auchmill) (7) 76 (£15 voucher)
Class 2
1st RAYMOND SMITH (Inchmarlo Golf Club) (19) 74 (£50 voucher)
2nd DARREN STUART (East Aberdeenshire) (14) 75 (£25 voucher)
3rd GEORGE FYVIE (East Aberdeenshire) (14) 77 (£15 voucher)

CLARE QUEEN PIPPED IN

PLAY-OFF FOR PLACE

IN AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Clare Queen, pictured right, was beaten in a four-way play-off for the last qualifying spot in the MFS Women's Australian Open which starts at Royal Sydney Golf Club on Thursday.
English amateur Danielle Montgomery tied with the best score of 71 with another amateur, Jenny Lee, in the qualifying round at St Michael's Golf Club, Sydney.
The play-off on 75 featured the Scottish tour pro from Drumpellier and amateurs Stacey Keating, Sylvia Donohoe and Justine Lee.
Keating won the sixth and last qualifying place with a birdie at the first sudden-death hole.

California-based Mhairi McKay has withdrawn from the MFS Women's Australian Open and next week's ANZ Masters.

Mhair, who partnered Janice Moodie, as Scotland finished fourth in the recent Women's World Cup in South Africa, says she is "too tired" for further tournaments at the moment.

WATSON THIRD AND McEWAN
SIXTH IN NEW SOUTH WALES
INTERNATIONAL EVENT

Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire), pictured left, and Steven McEwan (Barassie) finished a very creditable third and joint sixth in the prestigious Lake Macquarie International tournament at the Belmont Golf Club, New South Wales.
The 72-hole event ended in an all-Australian play-off over three holes between Blake McGrory and Justin Roach after they had tied on 282. McGrory won the title.
Watson, in his 41st year, did splendidly to be the leading international player in third place only two shots behind the play-off contestants on 284.
Craig had rounds of 74, 70, 70 and 70.
McEwan, Scottish boys’ open stroke-play champion in 2005, achieved his best ever men’s international field finish with scores of 72, 69, 72 and 73 for a share of sixth place on 286.
Bryan Fotheringham from Forres, the third Scot in the big field, finished joint 63rd on 300 after a nightmare opening round of 83. He did well to beat the cut with a second-round 72 and finished off with scores of 74 and 71.
England’s Stephen Lewton finished joint 13th on 290, Gary Wolstenholme joint 27th on 292 and David Horsey joint 36th on 294.

LEADING TOTALS
282 Blake McGrory (Aus) 72 69 71 70, Justin Roach (Aus) 71 67 75 69 (McGory won three-hole play-off).
284 Craig Watson (Sco) 74 70 70 70.
Other totals:
286 Steven McEwan (Sco) 72 69 72 73 (jt 6th).
290 Stephen Lewton (Eng) 72 75 70 73 (jt 13th).
292 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) 70 74 75 73 (jt 27th).
294 David Horsey (Eng) 72 71 75 76 (jt 36th).
298 Jason Palmer (Eng) 72 70 78 78 (jt 49th).
299 Llewellyn Matthews (Wal) 71 76 77 75 (jt 54th).
300 Bryan Fotheringham (Sco) 83 72 74 71 (jt 63rd).

PROFESSIONAL NEWS FROM ROUND THE WORLD

MONTY AND SAM TO PLAY IN
JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

An impressive contingent of Ryder Cup stalwarts and Canada’s No 1 player have further boosted the star-studded field for this year’s Johnnie Walker Classic, which tees off at the Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket, Thailand, from March 1-4, 2007 and is presented by Johnnie Walker, the world’s leading Scotch whisky brand.
The European Ryder Cup team’s talisman, Colin Montgomerie, reigning captain Ian Woosnam and former captain Sam Torrance will line up alongside past US Masters champion, Mike Weir in the US$2.44 million tournament, referred to as Asia’s premier golf event since its inception in 1990.
This year’s star attractions at the Johnnie Walker Classic already include three of the world's top 10 players: Adam Scott of Australia at No. 3, South Africans Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, currently ranked fifth and eighth in the world respectively, plus Englishman, Paul Casey, who won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship two weeks ago and is currently ranked 13th in the world.
FANTASTIC FIELD
Ben Anderson, Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker, commenting on the latest signings said, “Once again the Johnnie Walker Classic is bringing a fantastic field of top international golfers to Asia and it will be a real treat for local golf fans to be able to watch some truly inspiring world-class golfing action right on their very own doorstep. “And as for the players themselves, we wish them the very best of luck and hope that in the spirit of Johnnie Walker’s 'Keep Walking' message, which aims to inspire people to progress towards their dreams and ambitions, their performance at the tournament will inspire many others to take their own first step towards their own goals,” concluded Anderson.

OMEGA TO BE TITLE SPONSORS FOR WORLD CUP

The International Federation of PGA Tours has announced that Omega has further enhanced its involvement in golf with the signing of an agreement to become title sponsor of the Mission Hills World Cup in China.
The World Cup is the oldest and most prestigious global golf team event in the world inviting two-man teams from as many as 28 nation.
It is hardly surprising that it has been labelled “The Olympics of Golf”, a title of huge significance in today’s China.
The 12-year contract, concluded at the European Tour’s headquarters at Wentworth, Surrey, will see Mission Hills Golf Club, China, host the Omega Mission Hills World Cup through to the year 2018.
Meanwhile, this year's World Cup - November 22 to 25 - will lose its association with the World Golf Championships (WGC), officials said on Monday.
The two-man team competition, which began as the Canada Cup in 1953, had been a WGC event since 2000 when Americans Tiger Woods and David Duval triumphed in Buenos Aires, "The event, although sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours, will not fall under the umbrella of the World Golf Championships," the federation said in a statement.
In recent years, the WGC-World Cup has failed to attract the game's best players.
World number one Woods has not played since 2001 and other notable absentees from last December's edition in Barbados included Americans Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk and South Africans Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.

Tiger Woods is greatest golfer ... but is he a golf architect?

"If a top player is involved in course
design, it usually means it will be
over-budget and over-schedule"
- says leading designer Harradine

Tiger Woods’ first course design globally will raise the stakes in Dubai by up to 50 per cent but the craze for signature courses is being driven too much by marketing, leading course designer Peter Harradine has claimed.
In the liveliest debate of the first day of GolfEx Dubai 2007, Harradine questioned whether money is becoming the only criteria for course designs.
“The whole world is based on marketing,” said Harradine. “Tiger is the best athlete that’s ever walked the earth, but as a golf architect? If a top player is involved in a course design, it usually means it will be over budget and over schedule. My signature stands for quality, built on time and on budget.”
Harradine didn’t reserve criticism for the players so much as developers and owners. “The players aren’t daft, if they know they can ask for $1 million or $2 million more they will, and good luck to them – they realise that daft people will pay them.”
TOP PLAYERS DEFENDED
Jeremy Slessor, Managing Director of European Golf Design, defended the use of top players putting their names to projects, saying the increased pulling power invariably leads to higher revenues. “It may be marketing, but as a mechanism it works. If you put Langer’s name on a course you know it will be played by Germans,” he said.
KPMG’s Andrea Satori said that a financial definition of a signature course would be one costing between $800,000 and $2 million.
Harradine also called for designers to offer uncomplicated layouts, saying the current trend was for fancy championship par-72 courses over 8,000 yards. “We have forgotten the normal punter who just wants a good experience,” he added.
Despite his reservations for the unbridled growth in signature courses, the Managing Director of Harradine Golf welcomed the fact that the world number one has chosen Dubai for his first design worldwide.
“The fact Tiger is developing his first course here is great news,” he said. “It will raise the stakes by 50 per cent not only it terms of fees but also budgets. We now have a very high benchmark.”

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MICHELE'S "SUFFERING"
WILL CONTINUE IF
SHE KEEPS ON
PLAYING MEN'S EVENTS,

says KEN SCHOFIELD
Michelle Wie will continue to “suffer” if she persists in taking on the men at their own game – that’s the view of Ken Schofield CBE, former CEO of the PGA European Tour, speaking on the opening day of the second GolfEx Dubai, the premier exhibition for the region’s golf industry.
“Will someone please tell the lovely Michelle Wie that the ladies have a superb tour and history?” said the Scot (pictured right).
“She would do well to focus on that and add to it – or maybe she believes she is right to play with the men and suffer and suffer.”
But Alexandra Armas, Ladies European Tour Executive Director, said: “If she (Wie) believes she can do it, then why not? These players are there to elevate women’s golf to another level and we have to work with that.”
Schofield, who is part of a seven-man panel looking into why England’s cricketers suffered so humiliatingly to Australia this winter, also questioned whether co-sanctioned tours are beneficial to mid-range professionals who struggle to play enough tournaments.
WAY FORWARD?
“If you look at the Buick Tournament that’s played over two courses, maybe that is the way forward,” he said. “I’m sure that a prize money cap wouldn’t be popular with the players.”
Schofield also paid tribute to Tiger Woods’ remarkable consistency over the last ten years and his willingness to play worldwide and be seen as the premier ‘global golfer’.
He also rejected as an “insult” the suggestion that the US team’s poor record in the Ryder Cup was down to an uncaring approach.
Armas highlighted the ongoing growth in the Ladies European Tour, which has four new tournaments this year, taking the total to 24. But she acknowledged greater efforts still need to be made in promoting the women’s game and challenging old perceptions - the average prize fund for women’s events is 400,000 Euros, far below that of most men’s events.
YOUNG AND FASHIONABLE
“There’s an image of it as boring, old and traditional but the reality is it’s young and fashionable,” she said. “We have to work hard to get the message across.”
The biggest event in the ladies’ calendar, the Solheim Cup, will be held in Halmstad from September 14-16.

FRED FUNK WINS BY ELEVEN
STROKES - AND THAT'S A
RECORD FOR SENIORS TOUR

Fred Funk set a US Champions (Seniors) Tour winning record on Sunday that will probably not be challenged until Tiger Woods starts playing the over-50s circuit.
Funk had rounds of 65, 64, 64 for a 23-under-par total of 193 over a par-72 course, designed by Arnold Palmer, at Kahuku, Hawaii.
That won him the Turtle Bay championship by 11 shots - and that's two shots more than the previous biggest winning margin on the Champions Tour.
Funk went to the turn in his final round in only 30 shots, six under the card.
"That has to be the finest three days of putting that I've had in my career," said Funk who, at 50, is still a regular on the US PGA Tour.
He has won two of his five starts on the Champions Tour.
His prize was $240,000.
LEADING TOTALS
193 Fred Funk 65 64 64.
204 Tom Kite 67 65 72, Loren Roberts 69 69 66, Tom Purtzer 70 68 66, Denis Watson 71 65 68.

NEW SGU PRESIDENT DAVID
MOIR PUTS THE
RECORD STRAIGHT:
NEVER ANY SUGGESTION
OF "A MUTINY"
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
David Moir has made his first public statement as the new president of the Scottish Golf Union.
“Mention has been made in the media of ‘a mutiny being averted’ at Sunday’s SGU agm. The record should be put straight - there was never any suggestion of a “mutiny,” said the Edinburgh-born R&A staff man who lives at Lundin Links, Fife.
“An overwhelming majority of golf clubs and areas of Scotland want to retain the existing two-tier system of governance but have instructed their representatives on the Scottish Golf Union Executive Council to investigate how the system can be improved in respect of accountability, communication and consultation.
“The SGU Executive Council, acting on behalf of the shareholders, is presently carrying out these instructions.”
David worked as an architect from 1962 to 1995 before he went to St Andrews University for two years (1996-97) at the age of 52 to gain a diploma in information technology.
That set him off in a new career and he became Entries manager with R&A Championships Limited in 1997.
IN GOLF ADMIN FOR 36 YEARS
Now 62, David has an impressive CV in golf administration stretching back over more than 30 years with the Fife Golfing Association, Lundin Golf Club, the Scottish Golf Union and the R&A.
“It is 36 years since I was elected to serve on the council of my club, Lundin Golf Club, which I joined as a junior Member in 1957, and, in 1972, I was elected to represent Lundie on the Executive Council of Fife Golfing Association of I am now Honorary Life President,” said David, an ardent Hibs supporter and also an international rugby fan.
“I have missed fewer than half a dozen Five or Six Nations matches at Murrayfield sincd 1956 and am a member of Glenrothes RFC.
“Being installed as President of the Scottish Golf Union is a great honour for me especially as I am the first President from the Kingdom of Fife since the late Alex Gardner some 25 years ago.
“I take it as recognition of 35 years of very enjoyable work in Scottish golf administration at all levels.”
“I take it as a great compliment that it is made by my peers, the representatives of the areas and golf clubs of Scotland on the SGU Executive Council.”

SCROLL DOWN TO READ DAVID MOIR'S IMPRESSIVE CV

TAYLOR (68) WINS BY FIVE

SHOTS IN NORTH

ALLIANCE AT BRORA

By ROBIN WILSON
After their failings at Tain the previous week, when neither returned a card, Wick’s Ronnie Taylor and Thurso’s Doug Thorburn made amends at Brora on Sunday by finishing first and second respectively to surge ahead in the North of Scotland Alliance Quaich rankings.
Switched to Brora due to the scheduled Struie course at Dornoch still recovering from the heavy rainfall over the past months, the Brora fixture came close to being called off even before the Caithness members arrived. An early morning gale made play near impossible.
The Alliance Secretary (Robin Wilson) said after his round: “I can’t remember playing the second hole in such difficult conditions as I did on Sunday. It was near impossible to find the fairway from the tee and while I was searching in the bent for the two balls I played, other golf balls from the players behind, whom I waved through, were flying over my head and onto the beach. I really did think of suspending play.”

STERNER STUFF
But Alliance golfers are made of sterner stuff and the gale abated slightly to allow Taylor and Thorburn show their class. Taylor opened with two birdies, something close to impossible had he been out an hour earlier, and, taking further advantage of Brora’s excellent greens, the Wick +2 handicapper recorded three more birdies in halves of 33 and 35 to win by five shots from Thorburn.
Scratch player Thorburn matched Taylor’s birdie 2 on the ninth hole but was five behind with 38. He also matched Taylor over the next nine holes to remain five behind with a 73.

It was significant that the handicap winners also came from where they are exposed to windy conditions. Early starter Bruce Fraser (Tain) posted a very creditable net 72 but was overtaken on the inward nine-hole count by Steve Efemey (Reay) with Robin Wilson recovering after his opening problems to get a third place.
Ullapool members will tell you something about gales and their weather experience paid off in the higher handicap section. Gary MacDonald became the first Ullapool member to take a first place in an Alliance outing. Almost last off the course. he recorded a 71 to win by five from clubmate Angus MacDonald.

+Picture shows Ron Taylor and son William getting in some putting practice before the round at Brora (picture by Robin Wilson).

Results:

SCRATCH

68 R Taylor (Wick).

73 D Thorburn (Thurso).

75 M Ferries (Tain).

77 B Fraser (Tain), B Ferries (Tain), D MacKay (Reay), W Taylor (Wick), L Parnell (Reay).

HANDICAP

Class 1 – S Efemey (Reay) (9), B Fraser (Tain) (5) 72; R J Wilson (Brora) (5), W R Taylor (Wick) (4), P O’Hare (Thurso) (9) 73.

Class 2 – G MacDonald (Ullapool) (13) 71; A MacDonald (Ullapool) (15) 76; D Mackenzie (Thurso) (12), P Etheridge (Brora) (11) 77.

DAVID GRANT MOIR ... NEW PRESIDENT OF THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION

T H I S I S H I S L I F E

DATE/PLACE OF BIRTH 01/11/1944/Edinburgh (within shouting distance of Easter Road!)

MARRIED 10/04/1969 to Elena

FAMILY

Grant Moir
Assistant Director - R&A Rules Limited
Antonia Pettifer
Primary Teacher, St Agatha’s School, Leven

Four grandchildren – Chloe, Jacob, Zoe and Lucia

HOME

23 Links Road
Lundin Links
Fife KY8 6AS

BUSINESS

R&A Championships Limited
St Andrews
Fife KY16 9JD

CONTACT

+44 (0) 1333 320373 (home)
+44 (0) 7789 373216 (mobile)
+44 (0) 1334 460000 (business)
+44 (0) 1334 460005 (fax)
davidmoir@randa.org (email)

EDUCATION

1956 to 1961 Buckhaven High School
1962 to 1969 Dundee School of Architecture, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art
1969 Diploma in Architecture (Dip Arch)
1971 Associate of the Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (ARIAS)
1971 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
1996-97 St Andrews University. Diploma in Information Technology.

EMPLOYMENT
1969 to 1974 Glenrothes Development Corporation Architect
1974 to 1980 Sinclair & Watt, Kirklandhill House, Den Walk, Methil Project Architect
1980 to 1995 David Moir - Architect, 5 Scoonie Place, Leven Sole Principal Architect
1995 & 1996 Intergolf Ltd - part-time Tour Manager for American golfing visitors to Scotland
1997 to 2002 Entries Manager, R&A Championships Limited
Responsible for the liaison with and administration of players and management agencies in the organisation of all pre-event aspects of R&A Championships – The Open, Amateur, Seniors, Boys, Mid-Amateur and Junior Open Championships. Designer of The R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking.

GOLF ADMINISTRATION

SCOTTISH GOLF UNION

1989 to 1996 Co-opted member of the SGU Championship Committee with special responsibility for the mobile office and on-course scoring systems. Communications Sub-Committee.
1994 Scotland Team Manager, Greek Amateur Championship, Glyfada, Athens. Accompanied the Scottish Ladies team to the same Nations Cup.
1996 to 2002 Fife Area Representative on the SGU Executive Committee.
SGU Championship, Golf, Special Tasks and President’s Committees.
1997 Qualified Referee at the Rules of Golf Schools of the R&A and SGU. Refereed at all Home Internationals since 1997 and at The St Andrews and Jacques Leglise Trophy matches abroad, the finals of the Scottish Amateur and Boys Championships and international matches between Scotland and France, Italy and Sweden.
1998 Scotland Squad Manager, European Individual Championship, Celtic Manor, Wales.
2000 to 2002 Championship Convenor. In addition to normal convenor’s duties, involved in the set-up of the SGU Events Department and in the design and installation of pre-championship and on-course communications and computer programs.
Scottish Golf Re-Structure Working Group.
2003 to 2006 SGU Championship Committee.
2006 to 2008 GB&I Zone Representive on the Championship Committee of the European Golf Association.
2006 Vice-President
2007 President

FIFE GOLFING ASSOCIATION

1973 to 2002 Executive Member
First Fife Youths Convenor with responsibility for the forming of a Youths Section.
Press Officer
Coaching Committee
Committee for the production of The History of Golf Clubs in Fife
1980 to 1984 Vice-President / President
1986 to 2006 Tournament Convenor and Chairman of Selectors
Publicity Convenor
1993 to 1995 Initiated sponsorship through Dunfermline Building Society for golf at “grass-roots” levels and successfully negotiated with the Scottish Sports Council for a Sportsmatch grant.
Arranged equipment sponsorship for the Fife County Team with Reebok UK to a retail value of approximately £8000.
2000 Committee Convenor for the publication of the 2nd edition of The History of Golf Clubs in Fife
2007 Elected Honorary Life President FGA Centenary Committee

LUNDIN GOLF CLUB

1956 to 2007 Club Member 1965 to 2003 Scratch Team Member
1971 to 1982 Council Member
1972 to 1978 Match Convenor
1974 to 2007 Convenor of the East of Scotland Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship - a counting event for the R&A WAGR, the Scottish Rankings and the SGU Order of Merit.
1978 to 1982 Vice-Captain / Captain

1992 to 1999 Match Secretary and member of the Match Committee.
1995 Chief Recorder at The Open Championship, Final Qualifying Competition at Lundin
2000 Elected Honorary Life Member

INTERESTS

Holding onto a single figure handicap which is increasing with age and girth

Watching golf, rugby union (missed less than 6 Five/Six Nations matches at Murrayfield since 1956 / member of Glenrothes RFC), football (Hibernian FC) and cricket

Travel

Inventing board games, amassing trivial facts, statistics and useless information, writing them down then throwing them away

SPAIN BEAT ENGLAND FOR
TITLE ON COUNTBACK

England's youngsters were denied a third successive victory in the annual Costa Ballena Quadrangular tournament in Spain where they were beaten by the hosts on the final day.
Having overcome Germany and Finland, England required a draw with Spain to complete a hat-trick and they were well on course after taking the foursomes 2-1.
But they slipped in the afternoon, winning only one of the six singles, that being secured by last year’s boy captain Sam Hutsby as Spain bounced back to complete a 6-3 victory.
That meant Spain, who had lost to Germany, and England had two wins each but the Spanish took top spot with 17 match points to England’s 15.5.
So close was the contest that just one more singles win would have given England overall victory by half a point.
England’s top scorers were Hampshire-based Hutsby and Gareth Evans from Yorkshire, the English Champion of Champions, both with five wins from six..
Fellow Yorkshireman Steve Uzzell scored 4.5 and Matthew Baldwin from Lancashire four. Results:
England 7.5 Germany 1.5.
Spain 7 Finland 2.
England 5 Finland 4.
Germany 5 Spain 4.
Finland 5.5 Germany 3.5.
Spain 6 England 3.

LOCH LOMOND APPOINTS
NEW GENERAL MANAGER
Niall Flanagan was today announced as the new general manager of Loch Lomond Golf Club, the private international club that is home to The Barclays Scottish Open golf championship.
Flanagan joins Loch Lomond with over 20 years of experience in the golf and club industries, most recently having held a senior management position in the St Andrews Links Trust in Scotland.
During his tenure at St Andrews, Flanagan was involved with the design and development of the Castle Course, sat on the committee for the 2005 Open Championship and was the inaugural chairman of the St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association.
Prior to working at St Andrews, Flanagan was a member of the Executive Management Committee of Dubai Golf, responsible for all aspects of the strategic and functional management of the Nad al Sheba Club.
TOP-POST EXPERIENCE
He has also held the position of Director of Golf at Celtic Manor, the host venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, been Tournament Director with the Professional Golfers Association, and from 1992 to 1995, he was the Club Administrator at the Wentworth Club, venue of the PGA and World Matchplay Championships.
Commenting on the appointment, Loch Lomond Chairman Lyle Anderson said:
“We are delighted to welcome Niall Flanagan as General Manager of Loch Lomond. He brings with him a wealth of experience from both an operational and a tournament perspective, which I am certain will be of great value as we further our goal of establishing Loch Lomond as the finest international private golf club.”
Flanagan said:
“I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to take over the reigns at Loch Lomond. It is an exceptional golf course with outstanding facilities, from the 18th century clubhouse to the luxury accommodation, the new spa and the links course at Dundonald

Seventh US PGA Tour win in a row by Woods

TIGER CLICKETY-CLICKS IN

LAST ROUND TO WIN BUICK

INVITATIONAL BY TWO

Tiger Woods caught the overnight joint leaders over the final round of the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Club, San Diego in California.

Tiger shot a closing round of six-under-par 66 for a 15-under-par total of 273 to have two shots to spare at the finish from Charles Howell.

It is the third year in a row that Woods has won the "Buick" and is his seventh straight tournament win on the US Tour.

Only one man has ever done that before - the late Byron Nelson who went on to set the mark of 11 in a row in the 1940s. Nobody thought that figure would ever be even threatened ... until now.

LEADING TOTALS

US players unless stated

Par 288 (4 x 72)
273 Tiger Woods 66 72 69 66.
275 Charles Howell III 70 64 73 68.
276 Brandt Snedeker 61 70 74 71.
277 Andrew Buckle (Aus) 66 71 68 72, Mark Calcavecchia 66 74 68 69, Bubba Watson 67 74 69 67.
278 Bart Bryant 66 73 70 69, Jeff Quinney 64 74 70 70.
279 Nick Watney 69 69 70 71, Charlie Wi (Kor) 63 72 73 71, Robert Allenby (Aus) 70 70 71 68, Rich Beem 67 68 73 71, Ian Poulter (Eng) 72 68 71 68.
280 Kevin Sutherland 65 71 70 74, Stewart Cink 68 71 71 70.
281 Ryuji Imada (Jap) 68 71 69 73, Michael Putnam 71 66 74 70, Lee Janzen 72 66 74 69, Ryan Moore 70 69 73 69.
282 Steven Marino 65 74 71 72, Bill Haas 69 66 72 75, Craig Kanada 66 75 72 69.
283 Dudley Hart 71 68 72 72, Robert Garrigus 65 73 72 73, Gavin Coles (Aus) 65 75 71 72, Parker McLachlin 70 67 76 70, Bob Estes 70 71 71 71, Kevin Stadler 68 72 69 74, Brett Wetterich 70 71 70 72, Troy Matteson 71 67 69 76.
284 Charley Hoffman 72 67 73 72, John Senden (Aus) 64 75 75 70, Cameron Beckman 70 68 72 74, Tripp Isenhour 71 70 73 70, Cliff Kresge 65 72 71 76, Johnson Wagner 65 74 70 75, Steve Allan (Aus) 67 73 71 73, Mark Wilson 73 68 71 72.
285 Vijay Singh (Fij) 75 66 74 70, Tom Johnson 74 67 69 75, Mark O'Meara 70 69 74 72, DJ Brigman 66 70 77 72, Jamie Lovemark 66 74 73 72, Rich Barcelo 70 68 71 76.
286 Chris Riley 70 71 74 71, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 70 68 73 75, Zach Johnson 72 69 73 72, Ted Purdy 74 67 73 72, Darron Stiles 65 73 71 77, David Duval 66 75 75 70
287 Phil Mickelson 74 66 73 74, Paul Gow (Aus) 71 70 73 73, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 72 69 70 76, Justin Rose (Eng) 68 73 73 73, Glen Day 73 65 76 73.
288 Hunter Mahan 75 65 75 73, Tom Byrum 71 70 72 75, Michael Allen 66 75 72 75, Craig Barlow 75 66 75 72
289 Matt Hendrix 70 70 74 75, John Merrick 72 68 76 73, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 71 70 73 75, Bob Tway 72 66 76 75
290 Harrison Frazar 74 67 74 75, Douglas Labelle 67 74 77 72, Tommy Armour III 68 73 76 73
291 Brett Quigley 67 71 78 75, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 70 70 76 75, John Mallinger 70 70 73 78, Jason Bohn 71 69 77 74
293 Jeff Gove 73 68 75 77
294 Todd Hamilton 71 67 80 76
295 Michael Bradley 72 68 80 75

MACDONALD WINS NORTH
ALLIANCE BY FOUR SHOTS

Mike Macdonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) was out on his own, recording a four-stroke victory in Saturday's North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture at Garmouth & Kingston Golf Club with a three-under-par 66.

LEADING SCORES
SCRATCH
66 M Macdonald (FR).
70 S Mitchell (M), M Menzies (E), G Morrison (F/R) p, G Hay (G).
71 K Thomson (M).
72 J A Grant (G), S Wilson (I), W Donnelly (F), S Johnston (E).
73 R Stewart (G), J S D Campbell (G).
74 J R Ingram (BG).
75 J Simpson (F), D F Sharp (BG), J Bellshaw (FR), B Inch (E), D Hexley (I).
76 M Smith (ND).
77 I Rodger (E) p, S G Milne (E).
78 D Milne (G), R Aitken (M), R McKerron (F), I Hamilton (E).

HANDICAP
Class 1 (handicaps eight and under)
64 S Mitchell (M)(6)
65 M Menzies (E)(5)
68 S Johnston (E)(4),R Stewart (G)(5);
69 W Donnelly (F)(3), J R Ingram (BG)(5)

Class 2 (handicaps nine to 14)
67 J Stephen (ND)(12).
69 R Barrett (BG)(14), D Milne (G)(9).
70 G B Thomson (I)(14).
72 D Macleod (LN)(11).

PROFILE OF NEW SGU PRESIDENT COMING UP

Coming up for you on Monday, Scottishgolfview.com will have a profile and picture of David Moir, the new Scottish Golf Union president, from Lundin Links with his chain of office.
The new vice-president is John Sommerville from Kirkcudbright.

Woods hits the front in finale of Buick Invitational

NOBODY CAN HOLD THAT TIGER
OVER CLOSING ROUND

Hold that Tiger! Well, it doesn't seem as if Charles Howell, Andrew Buckle or Brandt Snedeker can hold back Tiger Woods as he strides clear of the field in the final round of the Buick Invitational Torrey Pines, San Diego in Southern California.
Latest positions:
14 under par Tiger Woods after 15 holes.
13 under par Charles Howell after 15 holes.
13 under par Andrew Buckle (Aus) after 14 holes.
12 under par Brandt Snedeker after 14 holes.

COMPLETED TOTALS
279 (nine under par) Ian Poulter (Eng) 72 68 71 68.
287 (one under par) Justin Rose (Eng) 68 73 73 73

Find out how the Scots are faring in USA first on this website

WORLD'S BEST AMATEURS - INCLUDING SCOTS - IN

JONES CUP ACTION AT FREDERICA GC, SEA ISLAND

Scottishgolfview.com will be providing you with the first news nightly - and at breakfast time the following morning - on the big amateur golf tournament being played in the United States this week.
Several top Scots will be in the quality field at Frederica Golf Club (course pictured above, click on image to increase size), Sea Island for the Jones Cup.

So what is the Jones Cup?

Here is what the tournament website has to say on the subject:

JONES CUP HISTORY
The Jones Cup was first contested in 2001 as a prelude to the 38th Walker Cup Match. This event brings together many of the finest amateurs from the United States and abroad for three days of competition and camaraderie.
The Jones Cup was born from the A.W. Jones family and its commitment to amateur golf. The Jones family has owned and operated the Cloister Hotel and Sea Island Golf Club since 1928. The Sea Island Golf Club has played host to seven USGA championships. The Jones Cup is yet another extension of the family’s strong involvement in amateur golf.

O'HARA RUNNER-UP IN 2001
The Jones Cup Invitational was first contested in 2001 (when Scotland's Steven O'Hara finished runner-up to the American winner, D J Trahan). This biennial amateur competition originated as an opportunity to celebrate not only the game of golf, but also the camaraderie and fellowship associated with it.

This 54-hole individual stroke play event is normally contested at Ocean Forest Golf Club. The Rees Jones design opened in 1995 and has hosted the 1998 Georgia State Amateur Championship, the 1999 Southern Amateur Championship and the 2001 Walker Cup Match.
The Jones Cup brings together many of the finest amateurs from the United States and abroad for this three-day competition.
While the golf course proves to be a great venue for this unique event, the Jones Cup’s success and popularity can be attributed to the strength of the players who comprise its field and to the gracious southern hospitality for which Sea Island is known.
CHANGE OF VENUE
Ocean Forest Golf Club has been undergoing a major course renovation since this past December.

As a result, the 2007 Jones Cup will be contested this coming week (Thursday, February 1 to Sunday, February 4) at Frederica Golf Club, Sea Island’s newest private club.
Frederica Golf Club's course was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in the autumn of 2005. The golf course features a dramatic site with significant elevation changes, unique bunkering, and challenging putting greens. Frederica will provide an excellent venue for the 2007 Jones Cup Invitational.

THIS WEEK'S FIELD FOR THE JONES CUP
Seve Benson, Jonas Blixt, Gary Boyd, Seth Brandon, Alan Bratton, Tom Brennan, Tyler Brown, Jordan Byrd.

Jorge Campillo, Tarik Can.

Rhys Davies, Kyle Davis, Duke Delcher.

Austin Eaton III, Nigel Edwards, Gene Elliott.

Carlton Forrester, Rickie Fowler.

Robert Gerwin, Michael Green, Jake Grodzinsky, Rob Grube, Keith Guest, jun.

Jhared Hack, Scott Hardy, Brian Harman, Mark Harrell, Scott Henry, Morgan Hoffmann, Ryan Hybl.

Tim Jackson, Dustin Johnson.

John Kelly, Kevin King, Chris Kirk, Colt Knost, Jeff Knox, Trip Kuehne.

Luke List. Mark Love, Chip Lutz.

Callum Macaulay, Kevin McAlpine, Mike McCoy, Michael McDermott, Jon McLean, Sam MacNaughton, Keir McNicol, Brad Marek, Kevin Marsh, Ben Martin, Buddy Marucci, David May, Dalton Melnyk, Kris Mikkelsen, Jamie Miller, Kelly Miller, Adam Mitchell, Phillip Mollica,

Michael Morrison, Jamie Moul.

Patrick Nagle.

Eoghan O'Connell, Paul O'Hara.

Ben Parker, John Parry, Pat Patterson.

Kevin Quinn.

Toby Ragland, Richie Ramsay, Robert Reisen, Ed Richardson.

Lloyd Saltman, Todd Satterfield, Sam Saunders, Garrett Schneider, Brady Schnell, Gareth Shaw, Webb Simpson, Nathan Smith, Kyle Stanley, Gordon Strother jun, Hudson Swafford, Matthew Swan.

Pat Tallent, Ryan Thomas, Michael Thompson, Brendon Todd, Gator Todd, Kevin Tway.

Peter Uihlein.

Dawie Van der Walt, Arnond Vongvanij.

Paul Waring, Todd White, Brent Witcher, Dave Womack, Gary Woodland.

Danny Yates.

DRYSDALE SHARES 26th
PLACE AT SUN CITY
Scot David Drysdale had a par final round of 72 for a two-over-par final total of 290 and a share of 26th place in the Dimension Data pro-am tournament over 72 holes at Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa.
David, whose hopes of a high finish were torpedoed by a third-ournd 76 earned 14,720 South Africa Rand.
Euan Little from Portpatrick had a nightmare last three rounds after opening with a one-under-par 71. He scored 75-78-77 from Friday through to Sunday for a share of 62nd place on 13-over-par 301. His pay cheque amounted to 4,160 SAR.
South African Louis Oosthuisen won the top prize of 253,600 SAR with a final round of 69 for 11-under-par 277. But he won only by one shot from his fast-finishing compatriot Omay Sandys who signed off with a 65 to pick up the runner-up prize of 184,000 SAR.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
Players from South Africa unless stated
277 Louis Oosthuizen 66 71 71 69.
278 Omar Sandys 77 68 68 65.
280 Michiel Bothma 69 68 70 73.
Other totals:
283 Ross McGowan (Eng) 67 72 70 74 (42,560 SAR).
280 David Drysdale (Sco) 71 71 76 72 (14,720 SAR).
301 Euan Little (Sco) 71 75 78 77 (4,160 SAR).

GOOSEN'S BIRDIE-EAGLE
FINISH PIPS O'HERN
FOR QATAR MASTERS

Retief Goosen of South Africa produced a miraculous finish to claim a one-stroke victory at the expense of Australian Nick O'Hern at the US$2.2 million Commercialbank Qatar Masters today.
The double US Open champion trailed by two strokes with two holes remaining before pulling off a remarkable birdie-eagle finish at the Doha Golf Club to deny a heartbroken O'Hern, who had to settle for a seventh career runner-up finish.
Goosen, the world's No. 8, signed off with a three-under-par 69 for a winning total of 15-under-par 273 and claimed his 14th European Tour victory.
O'Hern, who closed with a 70, had looked poised for a long-awaited triumph in Europe when a birdie on 16 pulled him two clear but the cool South African was given a lifeline with a birdie on 17 and then raised the roof by draining a 30ft eagle putt for a 3 at the par-5 18th. The left-handed Aussie could only par the home hole.
ERNIE ELS THIRD
World No. 5 Ernie Els of South Africa, the 2005 champion, rallied with a 67 to finish third a further stroke back.
The victory was a relief for Goosen, who decided to work with a swing coach last year after a less than fruitful season with only one victory at the Volkswagen Masters-China on the Asian Tour. "It's a great feeling to have a (big) win under the belt again. It's been a while since I last had a win," said Goosen.
"Nick played obviously great. He didn't drive it as well today as he normally does which was surprising. Obviously I never looked like winning, I thought if I could get it to 14-under I might tie with him, but I hit a great putt on the last.
"Having won this early, I'm now looking forward to the rest of the year," he added.
SOMETHING SPECIAL
With his back against the ropes, Goosen need something special and like all great champions, he pulled off the spectacular. "After 15, I said to Colin (his caddie), we somehow need to get to 15‑under.
"I hit a good three‑wood on (the reachable par-4) 16th and went for it but hit a poor chip shot and a poor putt. But I made two great finishing holes. On 18, I never hit the fairway once all week and finally I hit a good drive and hit a good three‑wood," said Goosen.
O'Hern, the co-overnight leader with Richard Green and Goosen, was expecting at least a play-off in front of record crowds before new champion rolled in the unlikely eagle putt. "Two‑up with two to play, I thought I was in good shape," said O'Hern.
"I didn't hit the ball well at all but just my short game kept the round going, which is what it's all about. I never really gave myself a chance to make birdie at the last. The tee shot missed the fairway by a couple of yards and I just had a horrible lie. If I had a wedge in my hand, I might have had a chance. I wasn't really expecting him to make eagle, but as they say, expect the unexpected. It's pretty frustrating," said O'Hern.
Els started the day four shots back before charging up leaderboard. An outstanding finish of three birdies over his closing four holes came up up short. At the end, missed birdie putts on 14 and 17 were decisive in his first 2007 appearance.
CRAZY GAME
"You know, you can't ever give up. Golf is a crazy game as we know. You might chip it in, you might hole a second shot. Something crazy might happen so you always try to keep your options open and keep trying to give yourself a chance for a birdie or an eagle.
"The 14th hole, I can't believe that putt missed. The front nine I was a little scrappy again. Then the back nine I really played nicely. It was really enjoyable," said Els.
Former tournament winner Paul Lawrie finished joint 11th on nine-under-par 279. The Aberdonian played his best golf over the first two rounds and lost his momentum with rounds of 71 and 72 on Saturday and Sunday.
Lawrie had 17 birdies over his first three rounds but only one in his final circuit - at the 10th. His only other deviation from par in his fourth round was a bogey 6 at the 18th, the only time he failed either to birdie or par the hole.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
Players from South Africa unless stated.
273 - Retief Goosen 65-68-71-69 (282,743 Euros).
274 - Nick O'Hern (Aus) 66-69-69-70 (188,495 Euros).
275 - Ernie Els 69-71-68-67 (106,200 Euros).
276 - Richard Green (Aus) 68-65-71-72, Graeme Mcdowell (NIr) 73-68-68-67, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 70-69-71-66 (72,044 Euros each).
277 - Henrik Stenson (Swe) 68-68-70-71, Andres Romero (Arg) 70-71-67-69 (46,653 Euros each).
278 - Liang Wen-Chong (Chi) 69-67-72-70, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71-67-72-68 (35,965 Euros each).
279 - Paul Lawrie (Sco) 69-67-71-72, Søren Kjeldsen (Den) 72-69-66-72, Chris DiMarco (US) 73-66-71-69, Oliver Fisher (Eng) 73-68-70-68, David Lynn (Eng) 73-69-71-66 (27,720 Euros each).
280 - Peter O'Malley (Aus) 73-67-67-73, Nick Dougherty (Eng) 68-71-71-70, Paul McGinley (Ire) 71-68-72-69.
281 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 66-70-73-72, Ariel Canete (Arg) 69-70-72-70, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70-71-73-67.
282 - Edward Michaels (US) 68-69-69-76, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 70-69-70-73, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 70-68-72-72, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70-71-70-71, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 69-68-75-70.
Other scores included:
283 Michael Campbell (NZ) 70 70 70 73 (jt 27th).
284 Lee Westwood (Eng) 71 70 72 71 (jt 34th).
285 Andrew Coltart (Sco) 69 73 72 71 (jt 37th) (11,027 Euros)
289 Seve Benson (Eng) (am) 72 72 74 71) (jt 58th).

Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, San Diego

TIGER TAKES CLOSER ORDER
WITH ONE ROUND TO GO
Who would bet against Tiger Wood winning the Buick Invitational after the world No 1 shot a third-round 69 to go into the final round in joint fourth place on nine-under-par 207, only two shots behind the joint leaders, Andrew Buckle (Australia) and fellow American Brandt Snedeker?

Leading 54-hole totals at Torrey Pines, San Diego in California are:

205 Andrew Buckle (Aus) 66 71 68, Brandt Snedeker (US) 61 70 74.
206 Kevin Sutherland (US) 65 71 70.
207 Tiger Woods (US) 66 72 69, Troy Matteson (US) 71 67 69, Charles Howell (US) 70 64 73, Bill Haas (US) 69 66 72.

Other scores:
211 Ian Poulter (Eng) 72 68 71 (jt 26th).
214 Justin Rose (Eng) 68 73 73 (jt 50th).

MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE NEW SGU
SENIORS TOUR
FOR OVER-50s
By Colin Farquharson
Some snippets of information about the SGU Seniors Order of Merit amateur tour which will be launched in the new season.
Gordon MacDonald (Callander), pictured right, Scottish seniors champion the year before last, told me before he set off for a three-week break in Spain that:
+Each event would be over 36 holes.
+Each field would have a ceiling of 140 players.
+Entry fee for the events under the SGU jurisdiction would be £25.
+Apart from the Scottish seniors championship and British seniors championship which are over 54 holes, each tournament would be held on a Thursday and Friday.
+Players not old enough to play in the Scottish and British seniors championship will be able to play in the 36-hole events on the SGU Seniors Tour .... if they have reached their 50th birthday but there will not be a 50 to 55 years category in the prize lists.
+There will be seven handicap and seven scratch prizes at each event.
+Entries will be accepted from players with handicaps up to and including 12.
+Top voucher prize for the overall winner will have a value of £150.
+The SGU are sending out information packs to all the competitors who took part in last year's Scottish seniors championship.

Scottishgolfview.com hopes to contain regular news from the new SGU Seniors Tour including draws and the scores at the end of each day's play.

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

DRYSDALE LOSES GROUND
WITH A 76 IN THIRD
ROUND AT SUN CITY

Scot David Drysdale dropped down to a share of 34th place with a third-round 76 in the Dimension Data pro-am 72-hole event on the South African Tour at Gary Player Country Club, Sun City.
Drysdale had a double bogey at the fifth on his way to an outward half of three-overp-ar 39.
On the way home, he had a birdie at the 11th but boteys at6 the 10th and 18th. David is on two-over-par 218.
Euan Little from Portpatrick had a nightmare inward half of 42 in returning a 78 for joint 62nd place on 224. Euan had a double bogey at the short 13th and was six over par for the last seven holes.
South African Michiel Bothman leads by one shot with a 54-hole tally of nine-under-par 207.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
Players from South Africa unless stated
207 Michiel Bothma 69 68 70.
208 Vaughn Groenewald 67 72 69, Brandon Peters 68 69 71.
209 Mark Murless 68 74 67, James Kamte 71 71 67, Ross McGowan (Eng) 67 72 70, Tyrne Van Aswegen 68 70 71, Louis Oosthuizen 66 71 72.
Other scores:
218 David Drysdale (Sco) 71 71 76.
224 Euan Little (Sco) 71 75 78.

Qatar Masters is up for grabs after Green's double-bogey finish

PAUL LAWRIE NOW
JOINT 6th, THREE
SHOTS OFF LEAD
Paul Lawrie, a previous winner of the tournament, will go into Sunday's final round in joint sixth place, three shots behind the three joint leaders, Retief Goosen (Australia) and Australian left-handers Richard Green and Nick O'Hern, in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf The title remains on a sword's edge after a double bogey finish by Australian Green, pictured left, brought him back to his challengers.
Searching for his first win in 10 years, Green was cruising on three-under-par for the day at a wind-swept course before an errant drive at the 18th opened the door for playing partners O'Hern and Goosen who tied him on 12-under-par 204 after 54 holes
MID-ROUND SLUMP
Green's 71 was matched by Goosen, who clawed back from a mid-round slump with three brilliant birdies over his last four holes. O'Hern stayed in the hunt for a maiden European Tour title with a 69 that included five birdies.
Asian Tour stalwart Edward Michaels (US) extended his dream run in his first tournament back after a year-long battle with a shoulder injury, charging into tied fourth place with a stunning finish of two birdies and an eagle over his last five holes for a 69.
The American moved into a share of fourth place on 206 with defending champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden, who carded a 70 on a tough scoring day.
Green was, understandably, very disappointed with his 7 at the par-5 last hole. "The wind was out of the right and I always struggle when the wind is out of the right there, especially with a driver in my hand. I was trying to not play that shot, and so maybe focused a little bit too hard on not trying to play that shot and played it," he said.

NO LATE BIRDIES FOR LAWRIE

Lawrie bogeyed the third but got to three under par for the round with birdies at the fourth, eighth, ninth and 10th. He slipped up at the 11th and 13th and, unlike his first two rounds, the last five holes did not yield him a single birdie.

THIRD ROUND LEADERS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
204 Retief Goosen (SAf) 65 68 71, Richard Green (Aus) 68 75 71, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 66 69 69
206 Henrik Stenson (Swe) 68 68 79, Edward Michaels (US) 68 69 69.
207 Paul Lawrie (Sco) 69 67 71, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 73 67 67, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 72 69 66, Liang Wen-chong (Chi) 69 67 72.
208 Ernie Els (SAfr) 69 71 68, Andres Romero (Arg) 70 71 67, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 66 70 73.
209 Alexjandro Canizares (Spa) 70 68 70, Graeme McDowell (NIr) 73 68 68, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 70 68 72.
210 Thogchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 67 72, Nick Dougherty (Eng) 68 71 71, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 70 69 71, Chris DiMarco (US) 73 66 71, Michael Campbell (NZ) 70 70 70, Ariel Canete (Arg) 69 70 72.
211 Paul McGinley (Ire) 71 68 72, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 70 70 71, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70 71 70, Oliver Fisher (Eng) 73 68 70.
212 Jeev Milka Singh (Ind) 69 68 75, Chinarat Phadungsil (Tha) 69 68 75, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67 73 72, Chris Rodgers (Eng) 70 70 72.
Other scores:
213 Lee Westwood (Eng) 71 70 72.
214 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70 71 73, Andrew Coltart (Sco) 69 73 72, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 75 69 70.
219 Kenneth Ferrie (Eng) 70 74 75.

POULTER AND ROSE SURVIVE HALFWAY
CUT IN BUICK INVITATIONAL

Brandt Snedecker, who shot a 61 in the first round, held on to his lead with a 70 in the second round of the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, San Diego in California.
Snedecker's halfway aggregate of 13-under-par 131 gave him a three-stroke lead over Charles Howell.
Ian Poulter (140) and Justin Rose (141) made the cut. Players with 142 or over were packing their bags for the next stop on the US PGA Tour.
LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
131 Brandt Snedecker 61 70.
134 Charles Howell 70 64.
135 Bill Haas 69 66, Rich Beem 67 68, Charlie Wi 63 72.
Other scores:
138 Tiger Woods 66 72.
140 Phil Mickelson 74 66, Ian Poulter (Eng) 72 68.
141 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 75 66, Justin Rose (Eng) 68 73.
Non-qualifiers included:
143 Brian Davis (Eng) 75 68.
144 John Daly 69 75.

McGHEE BEST OF SCOTS IN

AS US COLLEGE SEASON

RESTARTS IN FLORIDA

Scots Paul McGhee, Andrew Hay and Iain Stoddart finished in eighth, 15th and 23rd place respectively in a field of 34 players for the first event of the second half of the American college circuit.
The tournament – the Royal Winter Invitational at Oakwood Golf Club, Lake Wales in Florida - was restricted to teams from three Florida universities: Johnson & Wales ( Miami), Webber International University (Babson Park) and Warner Southern College at Lake Wales.
Drew Downs (Webber International) won the individual title with rounds of 71, 67 and 74 over the par-72 6,681yd course for a total of one-under-par 212.
He won by five shots from Bill Maguire (Johnson & Wales) with 71, 75 and 71.
East Renfrewshire GC member Paul McGhee (Johnson & Wales) shared eighth place on 227 with scores of 74, 75 and 78.
Andrew Hay (Webber International), pictured above, from Westhill, Aberdeen, a winner in his last tournament of the first half of the college season, put together disappointing rounds of 80, 79 and 77 for 236.
Iain Stoddart (Webber International) from Uphall, West Lothian came 23rd with scores of 85, 80 and 79 for 244.
Johnson & Wales won the team event with a total of 894. Webber International (906) were second and Warner Southern College (998) third.

DRYSDALE FIVE OFF THE
PACE IN SOUTH AFRICA


Four South African players shared the lead on seven-under-par 137 at the second of the second round of the Dimension Data pro-am tournament at Gary Player Country Club, Sun City.
Scotland's David Drysdale is five shots off the pace on 142 after a pair of 71s.
A total of 70 players with 36-hole totals of 147 or better qualified for the final two rounds.

LEADING SCORES
Players from South Africa unless stated
PAR 144 (2 X 72)
137 Louis Oosthuizen 66 71, Michiel Bothma 69 68, Brandon Pieters 68 69, James Kingston 69 68.
138 Tyrone van Aswegen 68 70.
139 Ross McGowan (Eng) 67 72, Bradford Vaughan 67 72, Vaughn Groenewald 67 72, Alex Haindl 70 69, C Davidson 68 71.
Other scores:
141 Jeff Inglis (Eng) 68 73.
142 David Drysdale (Sco) 71 71.
143 Justin Walters (Eng) 73 70.
146 Euan Little (Sco) 71 75.
147 Gary Lockerbie (Eng) 74 73.
DID NOT QUALIFY
149 Alan McLean (Sco) 74 75.

Curtain rings down on Florida's Orange Blossom Tour

SUSAN AND
ANGEL ARE
HOLLYWOOD
STARS WITH
FINAL WIN
Leading qualifiers Susan Choi (Natick, Massachusetts) and Angel Sze (San Marino, California) stayed at the top of the board all week as they won the 61st Women's International Four-ball championship at Orangebrook Golf & Country Club, Hollywood, Florida.
In the final they beat Mary Hanyak and Marianne Springer, conquerors of the title-holders in the semi-finals, but the "underdogs" from Wellington, Florida took the title favourites all the way to the 18th green before admitting defeat in what was the last event on the Orange Blossom Tour.
Both partnerships had a couple of birdies each and there was never more than a hole in it after the seventh.
Choi and Sze took a one-hole lead to the 18th tee after Angel holed a 5ft birdie putt at the 17th.
Needing "only" a par 5 at the 18th to clinch victory, Susan hit her second shot in the water. But she knocked her fourth to within 8ft of the flagstick and drained the eight-footer to win the title for her and her partner.
FINAL
Susan Choi and Angel Sze bt Mary Hanyak and Marianne Springer 1 hole.

*Scottishgolfview thanks Brian Gilchrist, director of golf at Orangebrook G&CC, for his daily news service and yet another picture above - "We won! We won!" Susan Choi and Angel Sze cannot contain their joy and excitement when the final putt drops at the 18th.

HERE’S A LITTLE TRICK
TO CALM YOUR NERVES
ON THE FIRST TEE

Don’t ever think you are the only person who gets nervous on the first tee, even if it’s only a club event with partners you know.
You will probably never have heard of Eddie Merrins, a veteran United States teaching professional, who played on the US Tour in his younger days.
But he has some words of comfort and advice:
“First-tee jitters are a real problem for people. Always have been, always will be. The best way to calm yourself a little--I say a little, because a little nervousness can work to your advantage--is to toss your golf ball a few inches in the air and catch it while you wait.
“Do it over and over again. It's an amazing little trick, a form of hypnosis, really. Hypnosis is nothing but deep relaxation, and tossing the ball has a hypnotic, calming effect.
“Just the fact that you're able to catch the ball will give you enough subliminal confidence to get the ball down the fairway when it's your turn to play.”

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

Manager Neil Hobday says local golfers will not be forgotten

N.E. PUBLIC WILL BE
ABLE TO PLAY
DONALD TRUMP LINKS
AT CHEAPER RATE

ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Where will the Donald Trump International Links, when it comes into play in 2009, slot into the golfing spectrum?
Will it have the members-and-guests-only exclusivity of say Loch Lomond Golf Club?
Or will it take a leaf out of the Kingsbarns book with an availability to anyone who is prepared to pay a visitor’s green fee of well over £100 a round?
That’s the question I put to Neil Hobday, the project manager of the multi-million pounds project on the Menie House Estate at Balmedie, 12 miles north of Aberdeen.
“You’ve hit the two business models absolutely on the head that we are going to be combining. We are going to combine private with public.
We have the space. We will have two courses with facilities. We will have a five-star hotel and a clubhouse. We have a mansion house (Menie House), pictured above, which is going to be the private members’ clubhouse,” said Neil.
“So, we can the Loch Lomond-style membership and they will have all those privileges and playing rights, staying in the luxury of a five-star mansion.
“Then there is Kingsbarns Links model, which is at the high-end of the pay-and-play market. So, yes, the public will be able to play over our courses.”
GOLF TOURISTS
And, like Kingsbarns, Hobday anticipates that the Donald Trump Internationals Links will attract a lot of golf tourists from North America, from Scandinavia, from Japan and so on.
But, whereas Kingsbarns has to advise potential visitors to book accommodation in St Andrews or elsewhere in Fife, the Donald Trump complex on the Menie Estate will have its own five-star hotel, less than the distance of a par-3 hole away from the first tee/starter’s office.
The next important question I put to Neil, on behalf of the thousands of golfers who live in the North-east, was: “Will local golfers be able to play the courses fairly regularly at a reduced green fee?”
Hobday did not have to think twice about his answer.
“Mr Trump is very clear about this. The answer is an emphatic ‘Yes.’
There will be a ‘local’ rate. He understands that the North-east is a huge golfing region and that people from here will want to play the courses – and so they shall, paying whatever the local green fee is going to be,” said Neil..
“We’re in the North-east golfers’ backyard. We’re their neighbours so we really do want to welcome them. That would be the big difference between us and Loch Lomond. But we also want golfers from anywhere in Scotland to come here and I’m sure they will once the word gets around that the Donald Trump International Links is a world-class links.
Neil Hobday had already explained to me that the five-star hotel on site would derive a lot of business from golf tourists. But wasn’t a multi-storey hotel with the best part of 500 bedrooms just a little bit over the top?
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT
“Colin, you’ve got to try to understand the size of this project. This is going to be a major development. Never mind on a Scottish scale, this will be the most significant mixed-use resort anywhere in Europe!” he said.
On the 1,400acre estate, planning permission is being sought for:
+Two championship links courses designed by Tom Fazio II.
+A golf driving range and short-game practice area.
+A state of the art golf academy.
+A luxurious clubhouse with sea views.
+A 450-room five-star resort hotel with conference and banquet facilities.
+A full service spa.
+A turf grass research centre.
+Tennis courts and recreational facilities.
+36 Luxury golf lodges, some with four bedrooms, the others with eight bedrooms.
+950 Holiday homes with sea views.
In a complex of these dimensions, the hotel will be the hub and Neil Hobday stresses that it will certainly not be a private, golfers-only hotel.
“The hotel will be there for the North-east public and business community to use. You know, there’s no big, five-star resort in the North-east of Scotland. Let’s keep the money in this part of the country that big businesses, big oil companies in Aberdeen spend on taking guests and clients to other resorts in Scotland. They can spend it right here.
SPECIAL FUNCTIONS
“People will be able to have their weddings, 21st birthday parties, special functions, etc at this hotel … they can have their conferences here … exhibitions … big fashion shows … pop concerts. The list is endless. They can all happen here, even though as I’ve said golf will be the bottom line here.
“There will be a golf academy, where people can come to learn the game. We’ll have some sort of golf scholarship programme. People will come here to learn not only how to play the game, but also to be a golf pro, to teach the game, and also to be a caddie or a greenkeeper.
“Moving away from the golf side, I can see young people coming here to learn how to be a chef, and other professions that need specialist training.”
But does the future of the Donald Trump Internationals Links project stand or fall by getting planning permission for every nut and bolt of the developers’ plan?
“Absolutely not. I think we are realistic enough to have applied for what we think we would like to have on the property but we will scale everything according to what we get out of the planning,” said Hobday.
“The response we’ve had from the North-east business community, the public and our neighbours has been so encouraging that we have very good vibes about this project.
“Mr Trump is a very shrewd individual. He does not go into things unless he feels there’s a strong sense of certainty that they are going to work out.
We feel comfortable and confident that we will be building the best links golf course in the world on this property.”

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

SQUARE DRIVERS: THE
(COSTLY) SHAPE OF
THINGS TO COME

By CAL CARSON

Why, after all these years, are we suddenly being asked to buy SQUARE-headed drivers - and other shapes, it should be added, that depart from the traditional?
They have all been on display this week at the 54th US PGA Merchandise Show at Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida.
This trade show – and it is not open to the public – gives the manufacturers an opportunity to preview all their new clubs, new balls, new shoes, in fact everynew golf-related product you can think of ,for the new season.
What’s on display at the Convention Centre is so huge and so varied that it is practically impossible to visit every stand over the three days.
But, back to the original question. Why change the shape in things that are coming?
Well, it’s one way – perhaps the only way – round the United States Golf Association & R&A limits on the dimensions and spring-like effect off the face of the driver. Since the twin powers-that-be introduced the magic words – moment of inertia – the backroom boys employed by golf equipment manufacturers have been burning the midnight oil to come up with new, innovative ways of increasing the maximum performance possibility of a driving club.
Nike Golf’s head of club research and development, Tom Stites, explained it better than I can as he took the wraps off two new Nike drivers, one of them with a square head.:
“If we change the geometry of the club, we can change the inertial properties and the way we drive the ball,” said Tom Stites, Nike Golf’s head of club research and development.”
So what is this “moment of inertia?” Think of it as being equivalent to the stability of a club, i.e. its resistance to twisting. The higher the Moment of Inertia, the more stable a club should be.
Using a mathematical formula that determines MOI, the USGA and R&A have set 5,900 as the limit for golf clubs.
“A few years ago, the MOI of drivers was about 4,000,” said Stites. “With our SasQuatch driver (which will be phased out), we reached 4,700. Our new Sumo driver is 4,900 and our Sumo2 is in the 5,300 range.”
The SQ Sumo is shaped like a traditional driver head, more or less, but the SQ Sumo2 is square, no doubt about it. .
One of the three new drivers revealed by Callaway at the Convention Centre was also square in shape. It’s called FT-I, which is short for Fusion Technology Inertia.
It has to be said that not all the backroom boffins are certain that square is the way to go.
So while Nike and Callaway are convinced and will start mass production very soon, companies such as MacGregor, TaylorMade, Adams and Nicklaus have come up with new but traditionally-shaped drivers that will be into the 5,000 MOI range.
Cleveland, Cobra and Titleist did not reveal their hand at the Trade Show but, take my word for it, they’ll be coming up with something for the 2007 season. To stand still is to go backwards in the world of golf equipment.
TaylorMade’s top brass maintain, in their opinion, that the negatives of a square driver outweigh the positives.
One thing is certain – the new drivers, whatever their shape, will not be cheap in your club pro’s shop, or wherever you buy them.
I leave you to do the dollar to £ conversion but the suggested retail price for the Sumo is $359.99 and the Sumo2 will come in at $479.99.
The FT-i driver will set you back the sterling equivalent of $625.
Suggested retail price for the TaylorMade Superquad, which won’t hit the pro shops in the States until March 1, is $499. A TP (Tour Preferred) will come on stream on April 1 with a price tag of $699.

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

Goosen and left-hander Green share halfway lead

PAUL LAWRIE JT 4TH
ON EIGHT-UNDER 136,
THREE OFF PACE

Richard Green celebrated Australia Day in grand style today, shooting a brilliant seven-under-par 65 for the joint halfway lead with Retief Goosen at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.
The left-handed Green produced the fireworks at the Doha Golf Club with seven birdies and remained as the only bogey-free player in the elite field in the US$2.2 million event jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.
Tied atop the leaderboard is South Africa's Goosen, who carded a 68, and the duo are 11-under-par 133 and two shots clear of another Australian leftie, Nick O'Hern, who carded a 69.
China's Liang Wen-chong flew the Asian flag with a blemish-free 67 for a share of fourth place, three off the lead, with defending champion Henrik Stenson (68), Miguel Angel Jimenez (70) and 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie (67) who won the Qatar Masters in 1999.
Asian Tour No 1 Jeev Milkha Singh of India, Thai teenager Chinarat Phadungsil and American Edward Michaels continued to impress to lie in tied eighth place on 137.
AUSTRALIA'S NATIONAL DAY
Green, whose lone European Tour victory came at the 1997 Dubai Desert Classic, was rock steady as he marked Australia's national day with an accomplished performance. "It is a day worth celebrating so it is a nice score to celebrate the day. I played nicely yesterday and today," said the 35-year-old.
With six runner-up finishes to his name, Green is eager to add a second European title to his resume. "It would be fantastic. I play well over here and always play well at this time of the year so I like to make the most of it.
"I played very nicely the first two days. It has been quite a pleasure being out there playing golf. I have hit some really nice shots and never looked like making a bogey. It has been nice," said Green.
WHAT'S VEGEMITE?
His only disappointment was his failure to find any vegemite on toast for breakfast, a staple diet amongst Australians. "I couldn’t find any. It would have been nice to have found something but the closest I could come up with was baked beans," he said.
World No 8 Goosen, the overnight leader, lipped out a par putt on his 14th hole of the day at the fifth to fall into a share of the lead. But the smooth-swinging South African was delighted with his driving display after finding only half the fairways in the opening round on Thursday.
"Much better driving today. I hit 11 fairways which was not bad. Just didn’t do it on the front nine, which was my back nine. Couldn’t get it going there," said the two-time US Open champion.
"I'm still struggling on the par-5s but I have given myself some birdie chances. There are
36 holes left and a lot can happen," he said.
Paul Lawrie birdied the fifth and long ninth to be out in two-under-par 34 and went three under the card with a birdie at the short 13th. The Aberdonian dropped his first shot at the 14th but finished strongly with birdies at the 15th, 16th and 18th for a 67.
The only other Scot to qualify was Andrew Coltart who won this title the year before Paul did. Andrew has had rounds of 72 and 70 to qualify safely with 142.
Par 144 was good enough to qualify for the final two rounds; one-over-par 145 was not.
PAUL CASEY NON-QUALIFIER
Shock non-qualifier was last week's impressive winner in Dubai - Ryder Cup ace Paul Casey. He had five bogeys and four birdies for a 73 and 145.
Barry Hume from Glasgow missed the boat on 145 also with a second-round 75 which had a terrible run from holes three to 15 inclusive. Barry, after birdieing the first, dropped shots at the third, 10th, 11th, 13th and 15th. A birdie at the short 17th was too little, too late.
Other Scots who failed were Scott Drummond (146), Marc Warren (147) and Simon Yates (148). Another Ryder Cup hero who will not be playing in the last two rounds is Darren Clarke. He was way off the mark with a total of seven-over-par 151.
HALFWAY LEADERS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
133 Retief Goosen (SAf) 65-68, Richard Green (Aus) 68-65.
135 Nick O'Hern (Aus) 66-69.
136 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 66-70, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 68-68, Paul Lawrie (Sco) 69-67, Liang Wen-chong (Chi) 69-67.
137 Edward Michaels (US) 68-69, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 69-68, Chinarat Phadungsi (Tha) 69-68.
138 Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 70-68, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71-67.
139 Nick Dougherty (Eng) 68-71, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 69-70, Ariel Canete (Arg) 69-70, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 70-69, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 70-69, Paul McGinley (Ire) 71-68, Chris Dimarco (US) 73-66.
140 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67-73, Ernie Els (SAf) 69-71, Michael Campbell (NZ) 70-70, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 70-70, Chris Rodgers (Eng) 70-70, Paul Broadhurst (Eng) 71-69, Stephen Dodd (Wal) 72-68, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 73-67, Johan Edfors (Swe) 73-67.
141 Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 70-71, Andres Romero (Arg) 70-71, Scott Strange (Aus) 70-71, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70-71, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70-71, Simon Hurd (Eng) 71-70, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 71-70, Lee Westwood (Eng) 71-70, Anton Haig (SAf) 71-70, Prom Meesawat (Tha) 71-70, Søren Kjeldsen (Den) 72-69, Gary Simpson (Aus) 72-69, Graeme McDowell (NIr) 73-68, Oliver Fisher (Eng) 73-68.
Other qualifiers:
142 Andrew Coltart (Sco) 72 70.
144 Kenneth Ferrie (Eng) 70 74, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 75 69.
NON-QUALIFIERS
145 Paul Casey (Eng) 72 73, Barry Hume (Sco) 70 75.
146 Scott Drummond (Sco) 71 75.
147 Marc Warren (Sco) 72 75.
148 Simon Yates (Sco) 74 74.
151 Darren Clarke (NIr) 75 76.

KRYSTLE CAITHNESS HAS

GEORGIA ON HER MIND:

OFF TO STATES IN

AUGUST FOR 4 YEARS

From COLIN FARQUHARSON

Under-21 girls champion Krystle Caithness, arguably the best home-based Scottish female golf prospect, has made a verbal commitment to join Georgia University in August for four years.
The 18-year-old from Cellar Dyke, Fife, meantime at the Desert Springs Golf Resort in Spain for warm-weather training with the Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad, made the decision after a seven-day tour of three American colleges – Georgia, Texas A&M and Ohio State Universities.
“Krystle and I had a great time in the States, meeting so many wonderful people at the three universities,” said her dad Jim who also made the trip.
“She had such a hard and agonising decision to make before opting for Georgia.
“Lorne Kelly and the team at ProDream USA have done a great job for Krystle. They have looked after her every step of the way and continue to do so. They could not have been more helpful. I am glad we signed up for ProDream once Krystle decided that her future as a golfer lay in America.”
Lorne Kelly is a former Walker Cup team member who played on the American college circuit. He founded ProDream USA to help talented young golfers in Britain realise their American dreams.
“We secured three official visits for Krystle and her family to look at three of America’s top golf colleges, all offering her full scholarships,” said Lorne.
“The fact that Krystle is such an exceptional talent made it an exciting job for me but ultimately my role was to ensure she made the correct decision.
“The track record and professionalism of coach Todd McCorkle at the University of Georgia proved to be the deciding factor.
“I firmly believe that Krystle will have a massive impact on US women’s college golf. She is a special ‘packaged’ player already at 18 years of age and has played herself into Curtis Cup reckoning.
“In my opinion, so long as she maintains her work ethic and desire to succeed, she could very well be the next Scottish player to penetrate the LPGA Tour in the States upon graduation.”
“We at ProDream expect big things of Krystle Caithness – and so too does the University of Georgia.”
Georgia University is currently No 1 in the US women’s college team rankings and they have two players in the top 10 individual rankings but one of them will graduate in May-June and coach McCorkle will see Krystle as a ready-made replacement in the Georgia squad of five.
The campus and golf facilities are at Athens, Georgia, about 70 miles from the city of Atlanta.
Krystle is in contention for a place in the Great Britain team of five for the Commonwealth team tournament in South Africa from May 7 to 11 and the GB&I team of nine for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Fairmont St Andrews Bay on July 27 and 28.
She was second reserve for the GB&I team of eight for the past summer’s Curtis Cup match at Bandon Dunes, Oregon.
For her the highlight of 2006 was winning the prestigious St Rule Trophy over 54 holes from a high-class field over her home courses at St Andrews last year, even ahead of winning the Scottish Under-21 girls title at Stirling by 11 strokes with a 20-under-par total of 202, which include a course-record round of 64.
+There are already nine Scottish girl golfers at colleges in America – Gemma Webster (Ohio State), Louise Fleming (Jacksonville State, Alabama), Ashton Ingram (Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina), Katy McNicoll (Lynn University, Florida), Kelly Brotherton (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Kate O’Sullivan (High Point, North Carolina), and Carly Booth and Sally Watson, both students at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida. Scottish Under-18 girls champion Roseanne Niven from Crieff enrolled at the University of California Berkeley earlier this month on a four-year golf scholarship and Sally Watson’s older sister Rebecca will start at the University of Tennessee next August.

MUIRFIELD HEADS LIST
OF NEW VENUES ON
2007 EURO SENIORS
TOUR SCHEDULE

A first visit to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers' course (clubhouse pictured above) at Muirfield, Gullane and new events in France and Turkey are three of the highlights of the 2007 European Seniors Tour schedule released today.
Sam Torrance will commence his bid to complete a hat-trick of Order of Merit triumphs when the season gets underway with the DGM Barbados Open at the spectacular Royal Westmoreland from February 28-March 2, before the Seniors Tour makes its first visit to Turkey since 2001 for the Gloria Turkish Seniors Open at Gloria Golf Resort, Belek, from May 11-13.
The biggest tournament of the year will undoubtedly be the British Senior Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, at Muirfield from July 26-29 with former US Ryder Cup player Loren Roberts as defending champion.
Meanwhile, another of the Senior Majors, the US Senior PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Resort is to count toward the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit for the first time in 2007.
Other venues making their debuts on this year’s schedule are the Christy O’Connor jun-designed PGA National Ireland course at Palmerstown House, Co. Kildare, Ireland, the Conwy Golf Club in Caernarvonshire, the first Welsh course to host Open Championship qualifying, and Golf du Domaine de Divonne in the Geneva region of France.
Palmerstown House will host the AIB Irish Seniors Open, in association with Greenstar and Fáilte Ireland from June 1-3, while a fortnight later Conwy stages the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open before it’s the turn of the Open de France Senior de Divonne at Golf du Domaine de Divonne from July 12-14.
In total, the schedule features 17 counting tournaments with several more expected to be announced in the coming months. The season will conclude in traditional fashion with the elite field Seniors Tour Championship in November.


2007 European Seniors Tour Schedule

Feb 28 – Mar 02 (Fri)
DGM Barbados Open - Royal Westmoreland, Barbados
May 11 – 13
Gloria Turkish Seniors Open - Gloria Golf Resort, Turkey
May 18 – 20
Sharp Italian Seniors Open - Circolo Golf Venezia, Italy
May 24 – 27
US Senior PGA Championship - Kiawah Island Resort.
June 01 – 03
AIB Irish Seniors Open in association with Greenstar & Fáilte Ireland - PGA National, Palmerstown House, Ireland
June 08 – 10
Jersey Seniors Classic - La Moye GC, Jersey
June 15 – 17
Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open - Conwy (Caernarvonshire) GC, Wales
June 22 – 24
London Seniors Masters - The London GC.
June 29 – July 01
TBC
July 05 – 08
US Senior Open*- Whistling Straits, USA
July 12 – 14 (Sat)
Open de France Senior Divonne - Golf du Domaine de Divonne, France
July 26 – 29
British Senior Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management - Muirfield, East Lothian.
Aug 03 – 05
Wentworth Senior Masters - Edinburgh Course, Wentworth Club.
Aug 10 – 12
Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open - Golf Club Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
Aug 17 – 19
TBC
Aug 31 – Sept 02
European Senior Masters - Duke’s Course, Woburn GC.
Sept 7 – 9
TBC
Sept 20 – 22 (Sat)
Scandinavian Seniors Open - Royal Copenhagen GC, Denmark
Sept 28 – 30
Charles Church Scottish Seniors Open - Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & CC,
Oct 19 – 21
OKI Castellón Open de España Senior - Club de Campo del Mediterráneo, Spain
Nov 08 – 10 (Sat)
Seniors Tour Championship - TBC

* Event does not count towards the 2007 European Seniors Tour Order of Merit

EDINBURGH & EAST OF SCOTLAND
ALLIANCE ORDER OF MERIT

Leading positions in the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance Order of Merit after Wednesday’s competition – the ninth of the season - at Gullane 3:
Amateurs unless stated (Abbreviations: p, professional; t, trainee professional):

SCRATCH
441.50 Neil Colquhoun p.
430.00 Andrew Dunsmore p.
428.50 Scott Grieve t.
386.50 Ross Harrower p.
376.50 Craig Imlah p.
373.00 Stevie Lamb p.
370.00 Ally MacKenzie t.
367.00 Mike Thomson.
336.50 Colin Fraser.
334.50 Andrew Marshall p.
329.00 Andrew Oldcorn p.
322.50 Steven Doyle.
310.00 Andrew Wight.
309.50 Adam Strang p.
270.00 Scott Walker.
263.00 Thomas Wilson.
262.00 Chris Morris p.
261.10 Alistair Anderson.
249.50 Tom Buchanan t.
243.50 Norman Forsyth.
239.00 Graeme D Johnston.
238.00 George Wither.
226.50 Derek Fish, John Kerr, Leslie Owen p.
22.50 Andrew Rothney.
211.50 Richard Johnston.
190.50 Alexander Culverwell.
186.00 Alastair McLean p.
184.50 Ross Neill t.
182.00 Callum Smith p.
179.50 Harry Cartmill, Mark Chaplin.
179.00 William Laing.
178.50 Ross Noon.
172.50 Derek P Miller.
169.00 Kenneth Glen t.

HANDICAP
127.75 Steven Doyle.
100.00 Thomas Flaherty.
91.00 Scott Walker.
84.00 Andrew Wight.
78.30 Graeme D Johnston.
73.80 John Kerr.
71.30 William Laing.
67.65 Harry Cartmill.
67.50 Walter Forsyth.
63.40 Robert Clapperton.
63.00 Andrew McLennan.
62.50 Ronald Grant.
61.30 Alistair Anderson,.
55.95 Colin Fraser.
53.50 Douglas Ferguson.
53.00 Brian Smith, Thomas Wilson.
52.90 Scott Watson.
50.00 Norman Forsyth.
49.00 Andrew Rothney.
44.75 Douglas Hume.
44.00 Peter Sewell.
43.50 James Laurieston.
42.00 William Marr, Wilson Morton.
41.30 Graham Grieve.
39.20 Ian A Fraser.
38.40 M David Graham.
35.50 James Aitken.
35.30 George Wither.
34.50 David Meldrum.
34.25 Stuart Wardlaw.
33.50 Alan Devlin.

LEE RHIND JT 12th FINISH
ON TIGHT LIES TOUR

Uphall tour pro Lee Rhind finished joint 12th in the rain-abbreviated River Plantation Open - the latest event on the Tight Lies Tour winter schedule - at River Plantation Country Club, Conroe in the Greater Houston area of Texas today.
The second round was washed out and the event reduced from 54 holes to 36.
Rhind had rounds of 73 and 72 for a one-over-par total of 145. In his second round, the former Scottish boys' open amateur stroke-play champion (at Downfield GC), birdied the seventh, 10th and 12th but had bogeys at the first, eighth and 14th.
The "killer" for Lee was a triple bogey 7 at the 14th in his first round.
Rhind collected a pay-out of $795 which is not as big a profit as it might seem. Tour members have to pay $600 dollars entry money per event. We are presuming Lee is a member because he won on the Texas Tight Lies Tour - and the PGA EuroPro Tour - last year. Non-members pay $725 per event, which suggests that that the winter schedule is more or less financed by entry monies.
The winner was Chad Ginn with scores of 68 and 70 for six-under 138. He collected $4,970. Joint runners-up on 139 were fellow-Americans Jay Reynolds (72-67) and Michael Mezel (69-70). They won $2,606 each.

TOP SEEDS v. GIANT-KILLERS
IN FOUR-BALL
FLORIDA FINAL

Friday's 18-hole final of the 61st Women's International Amateur Four-Ball championship at Orangebrook Golf & Country Club, Hollywood in Florida - the last event on this year's Orange Blssom Tour - will feature the top seeds, Susan Choi (Natick, Massachusetts) and Angel Sze (San Marino, California) against a pair of giant-killers, Mariane Springer and Mary Hanyak, both from Wellington, Florida.
In tough playing conditions, Susan (pictured driving at the first) and Angel (on the right, awaiting her turn) beat two Hall of Famers, Marlene Streit (Ontario, Canada) and US Curtis Cup captain and many times team member, Carol Semple Thomson from Sewickley, Pennsylvania, by 4 and 3 in the first semi-final today.
In the second semi-final, Mariane Springer and Mary Hanyak claimed the notable scalps of the defending champions, Diane Lang (Weston, Florida), a past US senior women's champion, and Monica Von Glahn (North Palm Beach, Florida), by one hole.
Mariane birdied the last to give the underdogs a place in the final of the better-ball tournament.
+Many thanks to Brian Gilchrist, Director of Golf at Orangebrook G&CC, for the information and the picture.

RETIEF GOOSEN LEADS
QATAR MASTERS BY
ONE WITH A 65

South African Retief Goosen led the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by one shot after the first round at Doha Golf Club.
Goosen, pictured right, shot a seven-under-par 65 for the narrowest of leads from Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenex and Australian Nick O'Hern.
Paul Lawrie and Andrew Coltart are the leading Scots, both on 69.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD

(Players from Great Britain & Ireland unless stated);
Scots in blue print)
PAR 72

65 Retief Goosen (SAf).

66 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Nick O'Hern (Aus).

67 Shiv Kapur (Ind).

68 Edward Michaels (USA), Nick Dougherty, Richard Green (Aus), Henrik Stenson (Swe).

69 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Yasin Ali, Andrew Coltart, Mardan Mamat (Sin), Ernie Els (Rsa), Paul Lawrie, Wen-chong Liang (Chn), Jong Yul Suk (Kor), Ariel Canete (Arg), Chinarat Phadungsil (Tha).

70 Mahal Pearce (Nzl), Kenneth Ferrie, Robert Karlsson (Swe), Peter Hanson (Swe), Juvic Pagunsan (Phi), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Alejandro Canizares (Spa), Stuart Appleby (Aus), Michael Campbell (NZ), Phillip Price, Scott Strange (Aus), Barry Hume, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa), Chris Rodgers, Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Kane Webber (USA), Andres Romero (Arg), David Bransdon (Aus), Emanuele Canonica (Ita).

71 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Prom Meesawat (Tha), Hendrik Buhrmann (Rsa), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha), Bradley Dredge, Anton Haig (Rsa), Steve Webster, Scott Drummond, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus), Paul Broadhurst, Thammanoon Srirot (Tha), Marcus Both (Aus), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Lee Westwood, Paul McGinley, Simon Hurd, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind).

72 Rick Gibson (Can), Rahil Gangjee (Ind), Gary Rusnak (US), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Soren Hansen (Den), Edward Loar (US), Anthony Kang (US), Anthony Wall, Marc Warren, Stephen Dodd, Chapchai Nirat (Tha), Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind), Simon Khan, Seve Benson, Paul Casey, Tony Carolan (Aus), Gary Simpson (Aus), Keith Horne (Rsa), Phillip Archer.

73 Wei Chih Lu (Tha), Christopher Hanell (Swe), Unho Park (Aus), John Bickerton, Oliver Fisher, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Johan Edfors (Swe), Niclas Fasth (Swe), Graeme McDowell, Chris DiMarco (US), Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha), David Lynn, Chawalit Plaphol (Tha), Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Jason Knutzon (US), Rolf Muntz (Ned), Angelo Que (Phi), Cesar Monasterio (Arg), Peter O'Malley (Aus).

74 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Clay Devers (US), Simon Yates, Adam Groom (Aus), Amandeep Johl (Ind), Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra), Danny Chia (Myn), Brad Kennedy (Aus), Adam Blyth (Aus).

75 Frankie Minoza (Phi), Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Jean Van de Velde (Fra), Simon Dyson, Darren Clarke, Lee Sung (Kor), Scott Barr (Aus), Markus Brier (Aut).

76 Jun-Won Park (Kor), Adam Le Vesconte (Aus), Graham Spring.

77 Bryan Saltus (US), Gaurav Ghei (Ind), Alexander Noren (Swe).

79 Richard Lee (Nzl), Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra).

80 Iain Steel (Myn).

SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR SCORES

Leading first-round scores in the South African Sunshine Tour Dimension Data pro-am at the Gary Player Country Club's Lost City Course, Sun City were:
Par 72 (Players from South Africa unless stated):

67 Chris Williams, Sammy Daniels.
68 Chris Davison, Bradley Davison.
69 James Kingston, Doug McGuigan (Sco), Charl Schwartzel.
70 Grant Veenstra, Nic Henning, Gerlou Roux.
71 Grant Muller, David Drysdale (Sco), Michael du Toit, Jaco Ahlers, Ryan Tipping.
Other scores:
74 Gary Lockerbie (Eng), Alan McLean (Sco), Malcolm MacKenzie (Eng).

R&A TO ALLOW WOMEN’S

BRITISH OPEN COMPETITORS

TO USE CLUBHOUSE

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club – which has an all-male membership – is to open the doors of its famous clubhouse at the Old Course to the competitors in the Weetabix Women’s British Open over the Old Course in August.

The ladies, expected to include Michelle Wie, Annika Sorenstam and all the other world's top female tour professionals, will be given full use of the entire building, including the Big Room and the locker rooms.

The Ladies Golf Union, which runs the Women’s British Open, has come out against any future events under its auspices being held at a club which debars female membership.

But the all the St Andrews courses are municipal venues, owned and run by the St Andrews Links Trust.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club does not own the Old Course although it has its clubhouse beside the 18th green and behind the first tee.

As Lesley Burn, pictured above by courtesy of Tom Ward, appointed chief executive of the LGU last year, explained: “If we had stuck to our principles, then we wouldn’t go there. But this is St Andrews and the opportunity to use such an iconic building and to work with the R&A is’nt something we should snub.

“If the R&A are prepared to welcome us, I, for one, am not going to turn down their offer. It’s an opportunity to cement our relationship with the R&A.

“Having the championship at the Old Course is a wonderful opportunity. It is a huge chance to the women’s game to raise its profile.”
Susan Simpson, Carnoustie-born LGU Director of Championships, said:

"This will be the first time most of the players will have played the Old Course and we are determined to do things properly.”

2007 PGA EuroPro Tour Schedule:
First 12 tournaments announced

THE PGA EuroPro Tour can confirm the first 12 tournaments for the 2007 season.
The PGA EuroPro Tour will return to action in April with the two-stage Sky Sports Qualifying School, giving ambitious young players the chance to win a Tour Card.
For the third successive year, Norfolk's Wensum Valley will host the opening tournament of the season, which will take place from 1-3 May.
A further 11 tournaments have now been confirmed, with more events to be added shortly.
The PGA EuroPro Tour season will once again finish with the Tour Championship, which will see the top 50 players in the Order of Merit competing.
Alongside Wensum Valley, the PGA EuroPro Tour will continue their established partnerships with Collingtree Park, Players Club, Maylands, Stoke-by-Nayland, Whittlebury Park and Ufford Park.
Following the staging of successful tournaments in 2006, the PGA EuroPro Tour will return to Bovey Castle and Stonebridge GC.
Waterford's Faithlegg GC will host the first ever PGA EuroPro Tour event in Ireland in May, with Surrey's Selsdon Park and De Vere Oulton Hall in Leeds also staging tournaments for the first time.
"This is shaping up to be an exciting year," said PGA EuroPro Tour Managaing Director Eddie Hearn.
"We have already seen record interest for the Sky Sports Qualifying School from players looking to follow in the footsteps of the stars of 2006 such as Matt Richardson and Kevin Harper.
"The success of so many rookies last year has given a greater incentive to the young professionals looking to make the breakthrough.
"Looking at the calendar, there will be many varying challenges for the players throughout the year at the different courses, some which they will know and others that they have not been used to as yet.
"We would like to pay tribute to all of the courses for the support that they are showing to developing the future stars of golf, and also our partners at Sky Sports who will be screening more coverage than ever before of the PGA EuroPro Tour."

The current PGA EuroPro Tour schedule is:

Qualifying School:
Stage One - 11-12 April - Beau Desert GC, Stoke-by-Nayland GC, Fulford GC, The Bedford GC.
Stage Two - 17-19 April; Frilford Heath GC
Wensum Valley GC - 1-3 May
Faithlegg GC - 16-18 May
Collingtree Park GC - 30 May-1 June
Bovey Castle - 20-22 June
Selsdon Park GC - 26-28 June
The Players Club - 17-19 July
Maylands GC - 1-3 August
De Vere Oulton Hall GC - 8-10 August
Stoke-by-Nayland GC - 14-16 August
Whittlebury Park GC - 22-24 August
Ufford Park GC - 29-31 August
Stonebridge GC - 5-7 September
Tour Championship - Date and Venue TBC

+++The PGA EuroPro Tour are delighted to announce that they have signed a three-year contract extension with BSkyB which will see coverage of events on Sky Sports continued until at least the end of 2010. Sky Sports currently screen highlights of every PGA EuroPro Tour event, with the existing contract running until the end of 2007. However, Sky Sports have furthered their commitment to the world's leading developmental tour with a three-year extension to their contract and an increase in the coverage to two hours per programme.

SGU SENIORS ORDER

OF MERIT EVENTS

(for over-50s) TO TEE

OFF IN NEW SEASON

Following last season’s success at the inaugural European Team Championships and the maiden home international victory at Dunbar, Scotland’s senior golfers have received a welcome boost to their game with the launch of a new SGU Seniors Order of Merit.
Four new championships - for men aged 50 and over - will complement the current Scottish and British Seniors Open amateur stroke-play events, and will be run by the newly established Scottish Seniors Golfing Society, in collaboration with the SGU who will administer the Order of Merit points system. The extension of the championship schedule will not only reap benefits for senior golfers who wish to increase their participation in competitions, it will also enable selectors more opportunity to view competitors and gain greater player knowledge in order to select potential recruits to the senior national squad.
The inaugural 36-hole stroke-play events will each take place over two days at four different venues in the North, East, West and Central Scotland and will conclude with a Seniors Order of Merit Finals day. The field of finalists will consist of the top 30 players who have accumulated the most points over the six events.
Scotland’s Seniors team captain Ian Hutcheon (pictured above), involved in founding the Scottish Seniors Golfing Society, commented: ‘These events will provide our experienced senior players who enjoy competing at the highest level greater exposure to competitions against other senior players in their sport and I would like to thank the clubs for their assistance in hosting the competitions."
He added: "Currently the age of competitors in the Scottish and British Seniors Championships and recruits to the senior national squad is 55 or over, whereas the four new events will target players aged 50 and over. This will not only boost entries to these competitions, but it will enable selectors to monitor the development and potential of players who may wish to represent their country over a greater time period.’
SGU Chief Executive Hamish Grey added: ‘The SGU is delighted with this development and is keen to ensure that golfers of every age and ability are given the opportunity to play the game to whatever level they choose.
"Following the senior team’s success at international level last season we are keen to support new competitions which will further the game and help us to build upon the highly successful season we enjoyed in 2006."
SGU Scottish Seniors Order of Merit competition schedule:

22-24 May
Scottish Seniors Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship - Drumpellier
28-29 June
Central Scotland Seniors Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship - Stirling
19-20 July
North of Scotland Seniors Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship – Nairn Dunbar
26-27 July
West of Scotland Seniors Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship - Hamilton
2-3 August
East of Scotland Seniors Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship - Monifieth
8-10 August
British Seniors Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship – Nairn & Nairn Dunbar
30 August
SGU Seniors Order of Merit Finals Day - Blairgowrie

+All the events bar the British Seniors Open Amateur Stroke-play championship, which is oranged by The R&A, will be administered by the new Scottish Seniors Golfing Society who will handle entries, etc.

The Scottish Seniors Golfing Society can be contacted at:
69 Russell Drive,
Bearsden,
Glasgow,
G61 3BB
Tel: 0141 943 0396

RAIN HITS TEXAS TIGHT LIES TOUR EVENT

Rain washed out the second round of the 54-hole River Plantation Open at River Plantaion Country Club, Houston - this week's event on the Texas Tight Lies Tour.
Lee Rhind from Uphall was in joint 12th place with a one-over-par 73 in the first round, five shots behind leader Chad Ginn.
The tournament has been reduced to 36 holes with the second and final round on Thursday.

TIGER WON'T COME
TO CARNOUSTIE IF
OPEN CLASHES
WITH BIRTH
OF FIRST BABY
Tiger Woods will pull out of the Open championship at Carnoustie from July 19 to 22 if there's a clash between the third Major of the season and the birth of his first child.
His Swedish wife Elin is due to have the baby during the month of July.
“If it happens, it happens. If it crosses over, it crosses over,” Woods told a Press conference on the eve of this week's US PGA Tour event, the Buick Invitational at San Diego.
“That’s the most important thing, not another golf tournament. I just wouldn’t go. If she’s going to have the baby during the week of the Open, I just don’t go.”

Orange Blossom Tour finale at Hollywood, Florida

DIANE AND MONICA
IN SEMI-FINALS
IN DEFENCE OF
BETTER-BALL TITLE
Defending champions Diane Lang and Monica Von Glahn are on course to retain the International women's amateur four-ball championship - the final event on the Orange Blossom Tour - at Orangebrook Golf & Country Club, Hollywood in Florida.
They won their quarter-final by 4 and 3 today.
The tournament is played under the better-ball format.
Today's picture from Florida: Diane Lang, a former US senior women's champion, in action.
Results:
QUARTER-FINALS
Sue Choi and Angel Sze bt Mary Hill and Peggy Woodard 2 & 1.
Marlene Streit and Carol Thompson bt Doria Cummings and Benedikte Grotvedt 4 & 3.
Marianne Springer and Mary Hanyak bt Taffy Brower and Gale Brudner 2 & 1.
Diane Lang and Monica Von Glahn bt Corey Weworski and Carolyn Creekmore 4 & 3.
SEMI-FINALS
Choi and Sze v Streit and Thompson.
Springer and Hanyak v Lang and Von Glahn.

SCOTT WALKER WINS
BERWICKSHIRE
TROPHY WITH A NET 62
OVER GULLANE No 3

By DUNCAN IRELAND
Secretary of Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance
A fine, but cold day for the 99 players who made it to Gullane. A bit of a tricky wind made the back half pretty awkward, so I'm told, but I think somebody forget to tell today's winner, Scott Walker (Ratho Park) as he didn't appear to have many problems.
His best equal (with professional Craig Lee, pictured right) scratch score of three under par 65 was impressive enough but once his handicap of three was taken off, his net 62 was good enough to beat his nearest handicap rival and long-time clubhouse leader, Willie Marr (West Lothian), by two shots and for him to take the Berwickshire Trophy.
Well done, Scott on winning your first event. With a score like that, it can't be long before you win another event and get your handicap down.
On the scratch side of things, it was very tight for the prizes with no fewer than four players tying for second scratch with 68s. Colin Fraser (Peebles) managed to ensure that the pros didn't collect all today's scratch prizes. He gets a £50 voucher for his efforts along with Ross Harrower, Andrew Marshall and the soon-to-be-married David Patrick.
FANTASTIC COURSE
A big thank you to Gullane for again allowing us the use of their fantastic course. I hope they will continue to support us for a long time to come.
I believe we are beginning to have some problems regarding tee-offs and that the time you have to wait between checking in and actually playing is getting to be a bit too long.
The committee are aware of these problems and will be meeting soon with a view to trying to find a solution for next season. At present there are a large group of members turning up from 7am onwards in order to get the early tee-off times.
This means that it is usually between 9am and 9.30am before that first group has cleared the first tee. If you do not turn up just after 7am then you will not get a tee off time until nearly 10am so there is really no point in turning up at 8am-8.30am as you will need to wait about one or 1 1/2hr.
Why not try turning up at 9.30am or even leaving it a bit later. The last group today arrived in the car park at 11.45am, played at 12.10 and were finished in plenty of light at 3.50pm. No wait, no hassle - worth a try? - but please remember that our last time at every course is no later than 12.30pm so if you are thinking of turning up a bit later than normal then please don't leave it too late that you don't get to tee-off.
SUGGESTIONS WELCOMED
Suggestions to help our problem with tee-off times and also with any ideas on combatting the slow-play problems we seem to always have will be most welcome.
Please speak to me, Bill or any of the committee or why not come along to the AGM at the Merchants and air your views.

TODAY'S PRIZE-WINNERS
Players are amateurs unless stated otherwise; p denotes professional, t trainee professional.
Overall winner (Berwickshire Trophy) - Scott Walker (Ratho Park) (3) 62.
SCRATCH
1st (£100) Craig Lee (All Swing Golf Centre, Stirling) p 65.
2nd (£50 each) Colin Fraser (Peebles), Ross Harrower (Cardrona) p, Andrew Marshall (Houston Golf Range) p, David Patrick (Mortonhall) p 68.
Other scores:
69 D Fish (Glenbervie), A McLean (Duddingston) p.
70 E Hogarth (Peebles) t, A Dunsmore (Bathgate) p, D Hume (Greenburn), C Imlah (Peebles) p, A Oldcorn (King's Acre) p, D Wallace (Glenbervie).
71 M Chaplin (Deer Park), N Colquhoun (Merchants) p, G Wither (Lothianburn), G Davidson (Peebles).
72 S Doyle (Liberton), G Johnston (Baberton) t, A MacKenzie (Liberton) t, W Morton (Dalmahoy), A Murdoch (King's Acre) p.
73 H Cartmill (Bathgate), R Grant (Baberton), S Grieve (King's Acre) t , N Huguet (Royal Musselburgh) t, J Kerr (Deer Park), J Noon (Leven), A Wight (Glencorse).
74 C Morris (Kingsknowe) p, S Lamb (unatt) p, G Walker (Kingsfield), I Fyfe (Musselburgh), G D Johnston(Glenbervie), O Leslie (Prestonfield) p, W Marr (West Lothian), I Marshall ( Baberton), A Rothney (Deer Park), C Smith (Royal Musselburgh) p, A Strang (Rothco Mortgages) p, J Wardrop (Niddry Castle), J White (Harrison), T Wilson (Glenbervie).
75 K Mungall (Lothianburn) p, A Culverwell (Dunbar), T Duchart (Falkirk), N Forsyth (Peebles), R Johnston (Glenbervie.

HANDICAP
1st (£100 voucher) Scott Walker (Ratho Park) (3) 62.
2nd (£80 voucher) Willie Marr (West Lothian) (10) 64.
3rd (£50 voucher each) Douglas Hume (Greenburn) (5), Richard McNeil (Baberton) (11) 65.
5th (£20 voucher) Walter Forsyth (Peebles) (10) 66.
67 D Fish (Glenvbervie) (2), C Fraser (Peebles) (1).
68 H Cartmill (Bathgate) (5), S Doyle (Liberton) (4), R Grant (Baberton) (5), J Laurieston (Easter Moffat) (10), W Morton (Dalmahoy) (4), J Wardrop (Niddry Castle) (6).
69 G Davidson (Peebles) (2), J Kerr (Deer Park) (4), I Marshall (Baberton) (5), P Ritchie (Bathgate) (8), P Sewell (West Linton) (8).
70 E Bird (Pumpherston) (6), S Brown (Glencorse) (6), T Duchart (Falkirk) (5), L Gibson (Glenbervie) (7), J Hay (Dunfermline) (14), G D Johnston (Glenbervie) (4), J Noon (Leven) (3), D Wallace (Glenbervie) scr), J White (Harrison) (4), G Wither (Lothianburn) (1).
71 A Bell (Mortonhall) (5), I Fyfe (Musselburgh) (3), K Liddle (Liberton) (6), D Scott (Falkirk) (5), W Smith (Harburn) (9), A Wight (Glencorse) (2).
72 R Allan (Cardrona) (5), M D Graham (Duddingston) (5), C McLachlan (Glenbervie) (4), D Meldrum (Prestonfield) (12), S Morrison (Braids Utd) (4), J Rae (Newbattle) (7), G Roberts (Liberton) (9), B Smith (Edinburgh Thistle) (5), T Wilson (Glenbervie) (2).
TRAINEE PROFESSIONAL
(£20) Ewan Hogarth (Peebles) t 70.
SENIOR
(£20 voucher) John Wardrop (Niddry Castle) (6) 68.

JANET BROWN TAKES OVER
AS CHAIRMAN OF
LADIES’ GOLF UNION
Borderer Janet Brown was appointed Chairman of the Ladies’ Golf Union at their AGM today in Edinburgh. She will serve for a period of 12 months.
Janet first became involved in golf administration in the period leading up to her taking over the captaincy of the ladies’ section of Melrose Golf Club, a nine hole course in the Scottish Borders. This was quickly followed by her captaincy of the Borders County and then a five year spell starting in 1993 on the Executive of the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, where for three years, she was chairman of the Girls’ Championship.
On leaving the SLGA Executive in 1998, Janet sat the R&A referee examination and since then has officiated at major championships and international tournaments including the Vagliano Trophy and the Weetabix Women’s British Open.
RETIRED PHYSIOTHERAPIST
She joined the Executive of the LGU in 2003 and served on the European Championship Committee for three years. As a handicap advisor she was involved in assisting clubs in the changeover to the CONGU Unified Handicapping System in 2004.
Since she retired from her career as a physiotherapist in 1998, Janet has been kept fully occupied in golf administration and in looking forward to her year in office said:
“This coming year will be a watershed for the LGU and with Chief Lesley Burn now reviewing our entire operation, it will be an exciting 12 months for ladies’ golf. We have many strengths within the LGU and we must reinforce these while at the same time taking forward new initiatives that will help to develop ladies’ golf.”
Janet lives in Melrose with her husband Derek, a past president of the Scottish Rugby Union. They have two daughters, Marnie and Jeni, a son Robbie and four grandchildren.

Also at today’s LGU annual meeting:
+The LGU and Breakthrough Breast Cancer announced a partnership that aims to raise awareness and funds with the help of lady golfers. Full details on our sister website: http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/.
+Joan Neville from Wales, chairman of the LGU in 1990, took up the position of President for the next three years. Full details on http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/

North-east Golfers' Alliance meeting at Buckpool

BRATTON, CAMPBELL, KENNEDY
TIE FOR VICTORY WITH 71s
Back on the North-east Alliance circuit after a wet week in Trinidad for a pro-am, Newburgh-on-Ythan professional Ian Bratton tied for victory at Buckpool Golf Club today with two scratch amateurs, Andrew Campbell (Deeside) and Euan Kennedy (Stonehaven).
It was the sixth time during the 2006-2007 season that Bratton has won outright or shared the honours.
There was no snow on the course but it was cold, wintry day and the trio headed a field of 68 on one-over-par 71, which was not bad scoring, given the conditions.
Bratton had the best finish. After going out in 37 and slipping to three over par after a bogey at the 11th, Ian covered the last eight holes in two under par with birdies at the 14th and 17th.
In contrast, Campbell, out in 36, bogeyed the last after birdieing the 17th and 18th and Kennedy, out in 35, also dropped a shot at the last when on the brink of matching par. Mind you, the Stonehaven player did well to finish so close after a double bogey 6 at the 10th.

LEADING SCORES (Par 70).
SCRATCH
71 A Campbell (Deeside), I Bratton (Newburgh), E Kennedy (Stonehaven).
72 B Ritchie (Inverallochy), S Finnie (Caledonian), S Troup (King’s Links).
74 J Nicolson (Auchmill).
75 P Cormack (Inchmarlo), R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo), S Fraser (Northern).
76 R Stewart (Cruden Bay), R Pirie (Caledonian), S Pert (Huntly), S Scott (Auchmill).
77 N Parker (Murcar Liks).
78 C Nelson (MacKenzie Club), F Bisset (Banchory).
80 G Ingram (Inverurie).
HANDICAP
Class 1 – B Ritchie (Inverallochy) (2), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 70; A Campbell (Deeside) (scr), E Kennedy (Stonehaven) (scr), N Parker (Murcar Links) (6) 71; S Finnie (Caledonian) (scr) 72; R Pirie (Caledonian) (3), S Pert (Huntly) (3), S Scott (Auchmill) (3) 73.
Class 2 – M Kydd (Newburgh) (10) 71; S Florence (Oldmeldrum) (22), J Penny (Huntly) 912) 72; P Cornfield (Auchmill) (11), D Wood (Newburgh) (11) 73; I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11), J Robb (Turriff) (11) 74.

LEADING SCORECARDS
Buckpool par 70
OUT: 4-4-5-4-4-3-4-3-4-35
IN: 4-4-4-3-4-3-5-4-4-35

ANDREW CAMPBELL 71
OUT: 3-3-5-5-5-4-4-4-3-36
IN: 5-3-5-3-4-3-4-3-5-35

IAN BRATTON 71
OUT: 4-4-6-4-4-3-4-3-5-37
IN: 4-5-4-3-3-3-5-3-4-34

EUAN KENNEDY 71
OUT: 4-5-5-3-5-2-5-3-3-35
IN: 6-3-4-3-4-3-5-3--5-36

Final event of the Orange Blossom Women's Tour in Florida

TITLE-HOLDERS QUALIFY IN
SECOND PLACE IN
INTERNATIONAL FOUR-BALL

Title-holders Monica Von Glahn and Diane Lang qualified in second place for the match-play stages of the 61st International Women’s Four-ball tournament, the final event of the Orange Blossom Tour, at Orangebrook Golf & Country Club, Hollywood in Florida.
Monica and Diane had better-ball rounds of 71 and 67 for 138.
Top seeds are Angel Sze and Susan Choi with scores of 68 and 69 for 137.
QUALIFIERS
137 Angel Sze & Susan Choi 68 69.
138 Monica Von Glahn & Diane Lang 71 67, Gale Brudner & Taffy Brower 72 66.
139 Carole Thompson & Marlene Streit 71 68, Daria Cummings & Benedikte Grotvedt 71 68.
140 Carolyn Creekmore & Corey Weworski 73 67.
143 Mary Hanyak & Marianne Springer 71 72.
146 Mary Hill & Peggy Woodward 74 72.
DRAW
Choi & Sze v Hill & Woodward.
Grotvedt & Cummings v Streit & Thompson.
Brower & Brudner v Hanyak & Springer.
Lang & Von Glahn v Creekmore & Weworski.
NON-QUALIFIERS
147 Debbie Mook-Sang & Michelle Hartnell 76 71.
148 Maddie Weder & Evelyn Blackmon 76 72.
153 Jana Morris & Leslie Henry 79 74.
154 Jewell Frei & Ronnie Hall 79 75.
158 Marcella Rose & Maureen O’Brien 82 76.
171 Judy Coker & Michie Walker 93 78.

Texas Tight Lies Tour Winter Series

LEE RHIND SALVAGES

A 73 FROM WRECKAGE

OF TRIPLE BOGEY 7

Former Scottish boys' open amateur champion Lee Rhind, a winner on the PGA EuroPro Tour and the Tight Lies Tour in America last year, is back in the States campaigning on the Tight Lies Tour circuit.
The Uphall tour pro salvaged a one-over-par 73 from the wreckage of a triple bogey 7 at the 14th in the first round of the River Plantation Open at River Plantation Country Club near Houston, Texas today.
Lee, pictured right, had bags of birdies - at the third, sixth, eighth and 16th but he dropped single shots at the fourth and 18th as well as his catastrophe at the 14th.
He is lying joint 12th behind leader Chad Ginn on four-under-par 68.
Under the mini-tour's Winter Series rules, only 30 % of the field contest the third and final round after a 36-hole cut.
There were 55 entries to this event, so roughly 18/19 players will beat the cut.
It costs $600 for a Texas Tight Lies Tour member to enter; $725 for non-members.

LEE VANNET WINS MIDLAND
ALLIANCE AT DRUMOIG

Carnoustie Links professional Lee Vannet, pictured right, ignored the bitterly cold conditions and the frozen ground to win the resumption of the Midland Golfers' Alliance season meeting with an excellent, par-matching round of 72 at Drumoig Golf Club.

Lee won by two shots from Alyth assistant professional M Rae.

Jack Rennie (Dunfermline), playing off 14, had the best net score of 72.

LEADING SCRATCH

72 L Vannet Carnoustie Links) p.
74 M Rae (Alyth) ap.
75 G McLeod (Monifieth) p, P Brookes (Pitreavie) p.
76 S Craig (Edinburgh Leisure) p.
79 E Walker (Burntisland) ap.
LEADING HANDICAP
72 J Rennie (Dunfermline) (14).
74 A Mason (Thornton) (7).
75 F Gemmell (Letham Grange) (13).
76 J Irwin (Muckhart) (8), D Anderson (Blairgowrie) (5).
77 H Salmond (Tulliallan) (4).
78 N Henderson (Scotscraig) (11), F McKay (Drumoig) (6), D Redford (Murrayshall) (6), J Watson (King James) (13), J Muirden (Glasgow) (14).
CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS

Qualifiers for the Midland Alliance Championship at Scotscraig in April:

M Rae (Alyth) ap.
G McLeod (Monifieth) p.
P Wytrazek (Burntisland) p.

Next Weeks meeting, D. Redford (Powacaddy) Team Competition at Murrayshall Golf Course, Thursday 1st February. 8.30 – 12.30

PGA EUROPRO TOUR ANNOUNCE
DATES, VENUES FOR 2007
QUALIFYING SCHOOL

THE 2007 PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School will be held over two stages in April, and is once again open to amateurs as well as ambitious young professionals, with record numbers expected to compete.
First Stage of Qualifying School will take place on April 11 and 12 at four venues around the UK.
Entry is open to all male professional golfers and male amateur golfers with a handicap of three or better.
A total of 240 players will then compete at Final Stage the following week at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire.
The field will be cut after 36 holes to the leading 120 players and ties, who will play the final round on Thursday, April 19.
Entry costs £375, with a prize fund available at Stage One and the Final Stage to accompany the greater prize of Category ranking on the 2007 PGA EuroPro Tour.
"The Qualifying School is becoming an increasingly important for every young player stepping onto the PGA EuroPro Tour," said Managing Director Eddie Hearn."A record nine players went on from Qualifying School to win tournaments this year, which shows the quality of players coming into the professional game.
"Once again, amateurs who believe they have the ability to follow in those footsteps will get that chance, without penalty, at Qualifying School."
Entries close on Friday, March 23 for Stage One and on Wednesday, March 28 for players exempt to Final Stage.
VENUES
STAGE ONE
April 11-12
Beau Desert GC, Cannock.
Stoke-by-Nayland GC, Colchester (Constable Course).
Fulford GC, York.
The Bedford GC, Bedford.
FINAL STAGE
April 17-19
Frilford Heath GC, Oxfordshire (Red & Blue Courses).
The following players are exempt from Stage One and eligible for the PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School Final Stage:
1. Players 51-130 from the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour Official Money List.
2. Players 2-10 from the seven 2006 PGA Final Regional Order of Merits.
3. Players holding Categories 7-11 on the 2006 & 2007 European Challenge Tour.
4. Tournament winners from the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2003, 2004 & 2005.
+++Entry forms for the Qualifying School events can be downloaded from the PGA EuroPro Tour: htpp://www.europrotour.com

WORLD AMATEUR GOLF

RANKING FROM THE R&A

GOES LIVE ONLINE

The World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) from The R&A is now available live online at www.randa.org/wagr
Created as the universal standard for entry into The British Amateur Championship, the ranking is a weekly performance table of the world’s top 1200 players in men’s amateur golf.
National handicapping systems will no longer be used as the primary condition to identify the international starting field of 288 players in The British Amateur, to be played this year at Royal Lytham & St Annes and St Annes Old Links Golf Clubs between 18 & 23 June.
The British Amateur field in 2007 will feature an established number of exempt players and approximately the top 250 that enter, from those ranked 1- 800, on The R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Commenting on the launch of the WAGR website, R&A Director Mike Tate said:
“WAGR clearly identifies the top amateur players in the world based on current form and presents them with the opportunity to play in The Amateur Championship. Other organisers have indicated that they may wish to adopt the WAGR standard for their own tournaments and we are happy to maintain the ranking year round as a service to the game”
This week’s No 1 WAGR player is Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, the current US Amateur Champion, with players representing seven different countries in the top ten, including England’s Jamie Moul ranked 2, Spain’s Pablo Martin ranked 4, Kyung Tae Kim of South Korea ranked 5 and America’s Chris Kirk, number 7 in the world.

STEPHEN LEWTON WINS
IN NEW SOUTH WALES

England international Stephen Lewton has made a great start to his month in Australia by winning the 36-hole Avondale Medal in New South Wales.
The 23-year-old from Woburn carded rounds of 72 and 68, the latter a record for the recently lengthened course, for a total of two-under-par 140. That earned him a two-stroke victory in an event which many internationals and top-ranked Australian amateurs use in preparation for this week‘s Lake Macquarie International.
Four players finished on 142 -England’s Matthew Cryer, who also finished with 68, and Australians Richie Gallichan, Matthew Giles and John Lee. Gallichan took the runner-up prize on countback with 34 to Cryer’s 35 over the back nine.
Playing two rounds in a day in temperatures of 100 degrees on a tight but well- maintained course suited Lewton who was used to such conditions from his days at college in the United States.
Of the other England internationals in the field, David Horsey finished 10th on 146 with Gary Wolstenholme a stroke further back.
Like many more, the England quartet used the Avondale event as a warm-up for this week’s prestigious Lake Macquarie International at Belmont, won last year by Surrey’s Adam Gee, now a professional.
Lewton made his full England debut in last September’s home internationals in Wales.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
140 S Lewton (Eng) 72 68.
142 R Gallichan (Aus) 74 68, M Cryer (Eng) 74 68, M Giles (Aus) 73 69, J Lee (Aus) 68 74.
Other scores:
146 D Horsey (Eng) 73 73.
147 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 75.

COLIN FARQUHARSON writes: It is only a week or two short of 10 years since I wrote the following article for the "Press and Journal."
I believe it is worth another "airing," given that Vijay Singh is still going strong in his 40s, having won a tournament already this year and is the leading money winner on the US PGA Tour.
My one regret is that I have been unable to find out if Tom Gaddo-Bobo, the man who "discovered" Vijay Singh in the backwoods of Malaysia, is still alive and living in Portlethen. He is not listed in the Aberdeen telephone directory and the Shell HQ in Aberdeen could not throw any light on their retired employee.

SHELL WORKER TOM
PUT VIJAY SINGH
ON THE ROAD TO
FAME AND FORTUNE

Every time Vijay Singh wins a golf tournament, a retired oil executive at Portlethen near Aberdeen should stand up and take a bow.
Why? Because it was Tom Gaddo-Bobo, then working for Shell in Malaysia, who “discovered” Singh in the 1980s and set his golfing career on the road from obscurity to multi-million dollar earnings on the US PGA Tour.
“Shell had their own golf course at Miri in the state of Sarawak in eastern Malaysia. I used to go and play there and Vijay Singh was the club pro. He had been there about 18 months when I first met Vijay around about 1987,” said Tom.
“He had won the Malaysian PGA championship in 1984 and it was obvious he was a very talented player – a very long hitter and enthusiastic about the game. But there was a great danger that he was going to spend the rest of his life in that obscure club job which did not pay him all that high a wage.
NO MONEY TO TRAVEL
"Vijay did not have the money to travel, certainly not to Britain and Europe, where he needed to be for his playing ability to develop.”
Tom Gaddo-Bobo knew the right people to approach within the oil business to arrange financial assistance for Vijay.
Manfred Steinkamp and Werner Lau of The Red Baron oil tools rental company did not have to be asked twice.
“We paid for Vijay to come over for the 1987 Open at Muirfield. In fact, he did not make it through the pre-qualifying and could not play in the event,” recalled Tom.
“We did not let a little setback like that put us off. The difference in conditions from Malaysia to East Lothian was too great for Vijay to conquer at the first go. But the trip demonstrated that he needed to widen his playing experience.
TURNING POINT
“We assisted in paying for Vijay to return to Europe to play in the PGA qualifying school in 1988. He won his player’s card, picked up a bit more experience on the African Tour - and Vijay never really booked back after that.”
Singh did represented The Red Barony company in an Aberdeen Petroleum Club pro-celam, then played at Deeside Golf Club, but the great pity as far as it was concerned was that it failed to get Vijay Singh’s name on a contract before Mark McCormack and the IMG Group saw his big-time potential and stepped in to sign up the Fijian.
Tom Gaddo-Bobo says that stories suggesting Vijay was barefoot when he first knew him are an exaggeration although he did buy him his first pair of golf shoes and set of matched golf clubs.
Tom does admit that they had to kit out Singh in jumpers galore when he played in Europe for the first time.
“Vijay used to feel the cold very badly in contrast to the constant heat of Malaysia and he would wear three sweaters on top of each other on what we could call a typical British summer’s bay,” said Tom.
“Vijay is still a very nice guy even through he is a millionaire several times over these days.”
+Vijay means “Victory” in Hindi.

N E ALLIANCE COMPETITION DEFINITELY
ON AT NO-SNOW BUCKPOOL ON WEDNESDAY

Wednesday's North-east Golfers' Alliance competition at Buckpool Golf Club was given the thumbs up by secretary Ron Menzies this morning.
"I've been told by Buckpool officials that there is no snow on their course and the forecast overnight temperature is as high as four degrees so frost will not be a problem," said Ron.
"There are no bad-weather warnings for the roads on the way there, so it looks set fair."

TOP 20 IN EUROPEAN TOUR MONEY TABLE

+Money totals are in Euros.

1 Y E Yang (Kor) 655,884.
2 Paul Casey (Eng) 387,924.
3 Retief Goosen (SAf) 312,059.
4 Michael Campbell (NZ) 269,484.
5 Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 259,178.
6 Charl Schwartzel (SAf) 190,260.
7 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 184,929.
8 Ernie Els (SAf) 179,933.
9 Padraig Harrington (Ire) 173,456.
10 Justin Rose (Eng) 170,353.
11 Marc Warren (Sco) 167,651.
12 Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 165,463.
13 Ariel Canete (Arg) 161,199.
14 Nathan Green (Aus) 157,815.
15 Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 154,569.
16 Andrew McLardy (SAf) 141,173.
17 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 139,442.
18 Peter Hanson (Swe) 134,389.
19 Jeev Milka Singh (Ind) 134,183.
20 Darren Fichardt (SAf) 121,810.

TOP TEN IN US TOUR TABLES

1 Vijay Singh Fedex Cup pts 4,621 Money won: $1,126,325
2 Paul Goydos Fedex Cup pts 4,564 Money won: $948,720
3 Charley Hoffman Fx Cup pts 4,500 Money won: $900,000
4 John Rollins Fedex Cup pts 3,172 Money won: $655,229
5 Luke Donald Fedex Cup pts 3,038 Money won: $650,000
6 Adam Scott Fedex Cup pts 2,700 Money won: $630,000
7 Charles Howell Fed Cup pts 2,251 Money won: $467,850
8 Trevor Immelman Cup pts 1,790 Money won: $429,760
9 K J Choi Fedex Cup pts 1,709 Money won: $374,750
10 Justin Rose Fedex Cup pts 1,700 Money won: $340,000

*Fedex Cup is a scheme introduced this scene which will qualify players to play in a very big-money four-tournament eliminator at the end of the season.

GARY AND VIVIENNE PLAYER CHALK UP 50 YEARS OF HAPPINESS

Switch over to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk, to read a sweet little story about Gary and Vivienne Player celebrating 50 years of marriage.

RAMSAY HELD BUT

SCOTS BEAT FRANCE

IN MOROCCO MATCH

Scotland scored a good win by 8 ½-5 ½ over France in a friendly golf match at Royal Golf Dar Es-Salaam to end their warm-weather training week in Morocco on a high note.
The Scots were trailing 4 1/2-3 1/2 going into the final singles series of the two-day match.
Although US amateur champion Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen and Stirling University), pictured right, was held to a square game by Victor Dubuisson in the top tie, Scotland won the next four ties and halved the other to emerge the overall winners by 3pt.
Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), Paul O’Hara (Colville Park), Ross Kellett (Colville Park) and Scott Henry (Cardross) all won tight ties and Scottish champion Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) finished all square in the last game.
Scottish Golf Union national coach Ian Rae made the trip with the Scots.

Results of final programme of singles (Scotland names first):

Richie Ramsay halved with Victor Dubuisson.
Lloyd Saltman bt Alexander Kaleka 2 and 1.
Paul O’Hara bt Jean-Jacques Wolff 1 hole.
Ross Kellett bt Adrien Bernadet 2 and 1.
Scott Henry bt Benjamin Hebert 2 and 1.
Kevin McAlpine halved with Romain Schneider.

FIVE GB&I PLAYERS IN TOP
20 OF WORLD RANKINGS

There are five British and Irish players in the top 20 of the latest world professional men's rankings. Colin Montgomerie is the only Scot.
Paul Casey, winner of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday, has moved up to 13th position - his highest ever in the world rankings. Still ahead of him are Luke Donald (No 7) and Padraig Harrington (No 9).
David Howell (No 15) and Colin Montgomerie (No 18) are the only other GB&I men in the top 20.
The leading 50 the week before the Masters automatically qualify for a place in the Augusta National field. Casey missed out last year on the first major because he was 51st in the rankings.

List is:
1 Tiger Woods (US) 19.60
2 Jim Furyk (US) 8.69
3 Adam Scott (Aus) 7.56
4 Phil Mickelson (US) 6.30
5 Ernie Els (SAf) 5.92
6 Vijay Singh (Fij) 5.83
7 Luke Donald (Eng) 5.61
8 Retief Goosen (SAf) 5.56
9 Padraig Harrington (Ire) 5.46
10 Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 5.26
11 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 4.87
12 Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 4.65
13 Paul Casey (Eng) 4.61
14 Henrik Stenson (Swe) 4.45
15 David Howell (Eng) 3.65
16 Davis Love (US) 3.57
17 David Toms (US) 3.37
18 Colin Montgomerie (Sco) 3.34
19 Jose M Olazabal (Spa) 3.30
20 Chris DiMarco (USA) 3.28

SWANSON WINS AFTER
COUNTBACK AT TAIN
IN NORTH ALLIANCE

BY ROBIN WILSON

Not one of the trophy contenders from the first half of the season had a day to remember when the North Alliance golf fixtures resumed at Tain.
Caithness duo Ron Taylor (Wick) and Doug Thorburn (Thurso), who each have three good scores to work with, will have to make another trip across the Ord in search of a fourth mandatory counting score after both failed to return cards.
Locals Munro and Billy Ferries, Mike Keay and Steve Holmes did not take home advantage to improve their positions.
Taylor ripped up his card at the 12th hole after knocking three drives out of bounds and Thorburn’s day ended before it began really. He started his round with three wayward shots from the first tee, resulting in two lost balls and a double figure score immediately on his card.
How Thorburn could have done with clubmate Alan Swanson’s opening birdie as Swanson, playing in only his second fixture of the year, came through a three-way scratch tie to take first place on 72 at the head of a smaller than usual field of 57.
COUNTBACK
Swanson beat local left-hander Munro Ferries (pictured above) and Helmsdale’s Graham Grant on the inward half count back from the Caithness player’s two consistent halves of 36 while Ferries collapsed over the last four holes to end up in second place, only because Grant had the leading net score in Class 1 .
Grant’s net 66 beat Wick’s Ron Barker on the inward half countback after Barker enjoyed a memorable first nine holes of 30 before throwing it all away over Tain’s much tougher inward stretch.
Grant’s score trimmed his net aggregate by 11 shots and he is now just two behind Mike Keay’s total of 282 with the Helmsdale member still having room to improve on a 77 from the Invergordon fixture.
Left-hander Ferries had the scratch prize in his sight on the 15th tee but went to the next tee reeling from a four-putt double-bogey 6. The par-3 16th was safely negotiated but his score went to the bottom of the river at the next hole.
From his tee shot, he was left with a delicate pitch over the left-hand bunker to the green. Catching the ball on the sole of his wedge, it flew over the green and into the river on the other side. He ended up taking a quadruple bogey 7.
Shell-shocked on the final hole, a bogey 5 completed his disappointing inward 40 to add to his outward 32 - a 72 that could so easily have been a sub-70 round. His 72 did lower his scratch aggregate tally by two shots to 297 but still in the lead, despite a 77, is Billy Ferries with 293.
WATER TROUBLE
Graham Grant also found trouble in the water towards the end of his round. He sliced into the river from the tee for halves of 34 and 38.
After 73s, Mike Keay and Steve Holmes did not improve on their respective net totals of 282 and 290. Tain’s Mike Sangster shot 76 (37-39).
The Thurso club found another winner in Class 2 where Billy Sutherland fronted the 24 players in this section with a net 71 from his handicap of 21.
Two stokes behind, Willie Dunbar (Reay) got into the frame for the first time and another first- time winner was Alf Williamson (Thurso), beating John Morrison (Durness) on a count back for third place.
Snow has hit the North and Sunday’s fixture over Dornoch Struie course is under threat due to an already wet course.

Leading returns:
SCRATCH
72 A Swanson (Thurso), G Grant (Helmsdale), M Ferries (Tain).
73 R Barker (Wick).
76 M Sangster (Tain), A Gill (Brora).
77 B Ferries (Tain).
78 S Cowie (Thurso).
79 A Watt (Tain), P Blyth (Tain), L Parnell (Reay), J Sangster (Thurso).
HANDICAP
Class 1 – G Grant (Helmsdale) (6), R Barker (Wick) (7) 66; A Gill (Brora) (5), P Blythe (Tain) (8) 71; S Cowie (Thurso) (6) 72.
Class 2 – W J Sutherland (Thurso) (21) 71; W Dunbar (Reay) (18) 73; W Williamson (Thurso) (18), J Morison (Durness) (19) 74.

PGA SETTING UP
TRAINING
ACADEMIES IN
MURCIA, SPAIN
The PGA has announced it is setting up its first
overseas branded academies in mainland
Europe.
The move follows a new partnership with Spanish
golf property developer Calidona and will see the
development of four academies plus two new PGA-
branded courses in the south-east of the country at
Roda, Corvera, Ballabona and Alhama.
The newly-opened and De Vere-managed Roda Golfand Beach Resort, which includes a Dave Thomas designed lay-out, will feature state of the art video and custom-fit golf technology, alongside its 150-room five-star complex (which has still to be built).
Future projects will see the development of a PGAs
of Europe Training Academy and PGA Golf Academy
at Corvera Golf & Country Club. An added attraction of
Corvera will be a Jose Maria Olazabal-designed
course.
Plans for Ballabona will incorporate both an academy
and PGA Golf Course while the resort will be renamed
The PGA of Almeria.
PGA OF MURCIA
Lastly, Alhama will also carry both a PGA golf academy
and course and be known as the PGA of Murcia.
Bruno Dureux, Calidona’s Managing Director, pictured
above with PGA chief executive Sandy Jones, said:
“Calidona is one of the most outstanding promoters of
residential golf complexes in unique locations. Our
privileged location, in the Region of Murcia, ten minutes
away from the airport of San Javier and five minutes
from the Mediterranean Sea, makes it possible,
for players from all of Europe, to enjoy the practice of
golf 365 days of the year.”
ONLY THE BEGINNING
He added: “We hope that this is only the beginning of
a long partnership with the PGA and that in the not too
distant future we can share other professional challenges
together.”
PGA Chief Executive Sandy Jones said: “We’re
delighted to be forging close links with Calidona and
seeing the development of these world-class golf facilities
which will not only help the PGAs of Europe train
the golf professionals of the future but provide excellent
coaching opportunities for golfers of all abilities
and ages from juniors through to elite golfers.”.

ENGLAND BOYS SECOND IN
SOUTH AFRICA MATCH

England were narrowly beaten into second place by the hosts in a round-robin boys' match also involving Canada at Zebula Country Club in South Africa.
The three-day event was originally scheduled as a quadrangular match, but when the Netherlands withdrew it turned into a three-way contest with singles on the first and third days and foursomes on day two.
The magnificent Zebula course in the South African bush proved a superb test for all 18 youngsters and with the temperature in the 30s, conditions called for strict concentration. England’s six-man team, all members of the Under 18 Squad, opened with a 5-0 victory over Canada with one match halved but were beaten 2-4 by South Africa.
With two points awarded for a win and one for a half, that left England on 15 points, two behind the hosts with Canada on four.
In the second day foursomes, England completed the double, beating Canada 3-0 and South Africa 2-1 to lead with 25 points to South Africa’s 21 and Canada on eight.
On the final day, England again wrapped up a 4-2 win over Canada but were beaten 4-1 by South Africa with one match halved.
That meant South Africa took the event with 40pt to England’s 36 with Canada on 14. But if England had managed one more win they would have tied with the Springboks.
Jack Hiluta and Eddie Pepperell were England’s top scorers, both being unbeaten. Hiluta, from Essex, had five wins and a half from his six matches while Oxfordshire-based Pepperell secured four wins and two halves.
“I was very proud of the way our boys played,” said team manager Brian Roake. “They were only pipped at the post by some magnificent play from the South Africans.”

NO MOBILE PHONES AT
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

Spectators who intend attending The Open Championship, to be played at Carnoustie from Sunday 15 to Sunday 22 July 2007, are being advised that they will not be permitted to have mobile phones in their possession within The Open site.

This policy is in line with other major golf championships, including this year’s Ryder Cup at the K Club, and follows comments from players concerning the excessive numbers in evidence last year at Hoylake.

David Hill, Director of Championships for The R&A, said, “We have so far resisted the call to ban mobile phones on the grounds that it may be an inconvenience to the public. However, after receiving complaints referring to the numbers that were in use as play in The Open was proceeding, we feel there is no other reasonable option other than a complete ban.

“As at the Ryder Cup, we believe that spectators will understand that this measure is being put in place to make The Open a more enjoyable experience for all spectators and players. I would stress that we will install additional public telephones for use by members of the general public.”

In order to implement the ‘No Mobile Phone Policy’, security checks of every spectator will be in operation at the paygates.

40mph wind blows Justin off course for first win on US Tour

ROSE FINISHES THIRD,
BEATEN BY A SHOT
IN BOB HOPE CLASSIC

Justin Rose couldn't quite handle the 40mph wind which swept over the Palm Desert complex, California.
Leading by three strokes early in the day, then by one with six to play, the Johannesburg-born Englishman eventually finished third in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic after a 76 for a 90-hole total of 344.
That was one shot behind Americans Charley Hoffman and John Rollins. Hoffman, who had "come from nowhere" with a birdie at the 17th and an eagle at the 18th for a 71, birdied the first hole (after a downwind drive of 366yd) of a sudden-death play-off against Rollins who had finished with a 73.
San Diego native Hoffman, playing in his home state of California, won $900,000, Rollins $540,000 and Rose $340,000.
Rose, who had a double bogey 6 at the fifth, bogeyed the seventh, 11th and 13th but he played the last five holes in par for halves of 39 and 37. His only birdies came at the first and the 10th in halves of 39 and 37.
Jeff Quinney had a hole in one at the 17th in his 72 for 345 and a share of fourth place.
The average last-round score for the field was 74.7. Steve Lowery took 48 shots for the first nine holes; Phil Mickelson had a 78 on the final day, so Rose, under pressure in the final group, did not do too badly.
Ian Poulter had a closing 76 for 356 and earned $10,800.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 360 (5 x 72)
Players from US unless stated
343 C Hoffman 66 70 68 68 71, J Rollins 67 67 69 67 73 (Hoffman won play-off at first extra hole).
344 J Rose (Eng) 67 65 66 70 76.
345 H Slocum 68 68 69 68 72, J Quinney 68 69 69 66 73.
Other totals:
347 R Allenby (Aus) 63 70 70 70 74.
348 B Langer (Ger) 70 73 63 69 73.
353 P Mickelson 70 70 69 66 78.
357 I Poulter (Eng) 68 72 74 67 76.

+You can read all the scores and check the scorecards on the US PGA Tour website -
http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/r002/index.html

Fluctuating fortunes in last round of Bob Hope Classic

ROSE SHARING LEAD
WITH FIVE HOLES TO
GO IN HIGH WIND

Justin Rose bogeyed the 13th to lose a slender one-shot lead with five holes to play in the fifth and final round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic at Palm Desert, California.
He was level at 16 under par with John Rollins.
Rose jumped into a three-stroke lead when he birdied the first and parred the second compared with Glover's bogey-bogey start.
But the Englishman - born in Johannesburg - had a potentially very costly double-bogey 6 at the fifth and then shed another shot at the seventh to be two over par for the day.
Glover had his first birdie at the fourth but bogeyed the fifth, also to be two over par for the day.
Rose reached the turn in three-over-par 39 after another bogey at the eighth. Justin raised his hopes again with a birdie at the 10th but he bogeyed the 11th to go back to three over par for the day.
Everyone was dropping shots in the wild conditions. Steve Lowery required 48 shots for the outward half.
Glover slumped with a double bobey 6 at the eighth and then bogeyed the ninth to be out in five-over-par 41.
John Rollins came into the picture with a birdie 4 at the ninth to be out in 39 - and then he birdied the 10th to be snapping at Rose's heels.
Rose bogeyed the 13th which Rollins parred and the pair were level at 16 under par for the tournament.
LAST ROUND OVERALL POSITIONS
-16 after 13 Justin Rose.
-16 after 13 John Rollins.
-15 after 13 Lucas Glover.
-14 ... six players at various stages over the last five holes.

FLORIDA INVITE FOR TORRANCE

European Seniors Tour Order of Merit winner Sam Torrance has received a sponsors' invitation to play in the Allianz Championship - one of the events of the United States Champions (Seniors) Tour - over the Old Course at Broken Sound Golf Club, Boca Raton in South Florida from February 9 to 11.
Other invites have gone to Mike Donald, a winner on the PGA Tour, and South African Hugh Baiocchi.
The tournament has a prize fund of $1,600,000.

MICHELE WIE IS WORSE NOW AT 17 THAN SHE
WAS AT 14 - SAYS
BUTCH HARMON

Butch Harmon, one-time coach to Tiger Woods, won’t be getting any Christmas cards in future from Michelle Wie and her family.
The Sky TV golf pundit, who made his name as coach to the emerging Tiger Woods and now guides young Australian Adam Scott, has some very harsh things to say about the Wies in an article by Mark Reason in today’s “Sunday Telegraph."

"The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous," says Harmon.

"Michelle has regressed. She is worse now at 17 than she was at 14. To continue telling us that she is getting better by playing with the men is an insult.

“She says it's a learning experience. What is she learning by finishing last? It's hurting her mentally.
"She should go play with the women and dominate that competition first.

“But the whole Michelle Wie camp is about money. The biggest difference between Earl [Woods, the father of Tiger] and B J [Wie, Michelle's dad] is that Earl didn't worry about money.
“Earl knew it was more important for Tiger to learn to win and then the money would take care of itself. But Michelle Wie wins nothing.

"You should invite her to the next member-guest competition at your home club and she might actually win something because what's going on now is ridiculous. And it's not good for the game of golf."

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

Women's World Cup of Golf at Sun City, South Africa

SCOTS FINISH JOINT

4th AS PARAGUAY

WIN BY SEVEN SHOTS

Scotland's Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay finished with a better-than-average better-ball round of four-under-par 68 to finish joint fourth with Italy in the Women's World Cup of Golf at Gary Player Country Club, Sun City in South Africa.
Janice and Mhairi totalled level par 288 - to finish nine strokes behind the runaway winners, Paraguay's Celeste Troche (25) and Juliete Granada (20), left-right in picture, who had seven shots to spare at the finish from runners-up United States (Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst).
Janice partnered Catriona Matthew to second place behind the Swedes in last year's World Cup. Both players have since had babies, Catriona's the more recent and she is taking an extended break from the LPGA Tour.
The Paraguay pair, who led from start to finish, showed their class by producing the best better-ball score of the final day - a seven-under-par 65 which gave them a final total of nine-under4 279.

Granada was the first LPGA player to win a million-dollar first prize last season. In contract, her partner Troche played without much success on the Futures Tour and got only a handful of outings on the LPGA Tour.
The Americans finished with a 67 for 286 - one shot ahead of third-placed South Korea.
INVERNESS-BASED PLAYER
Liz McKinnon, who lives were her Scottish husband near Inverness, was a member of the New Zealand team who finished joint 10th on 296.
Defending champions Sweden were obviously not the same team without Annika Sorenstam and there was never much likelihood of them winning the trophy two years in a row. But one felt that Helen Alfredsson and Carin Koch might have finished higher up than 18th in the field of 22 with a total of 308.
Wales (Becky Morgan and Becky Brewerton) claimed eighth spot on 294, one shot and one place ahead of England's Laura Davies and Trish Johnson.
Ireland did not have a good tournament. Rebecca Coakley and Hazel Kavanagh did not play anywhere near their best in totalling 315 to finish second last in 21st place.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
279 Paraguay 139 75 65.
286 United States 149 70 67.
287 South Korea 143 77 67.
288 Scotland 145 76 68, Italy 145 73 71.
291 Australia 148 74 69.
293 Taiwan 150 77 66.
294 Wales 148 78 68.

295 England 154 74 67.
296 Finland 150 72 74, New Zealand 146 77 73.
297 Brazil 154 72 71299 France 157 73 69.

300 Denmark 149 83 68, Japan 155 78 67.

301 South Africa 157 78 66, Spain 155 80 66.

308 Sweden 157 81 70.

313 Germany 165 73 75, Norway 160 75 78.

315 Ireland 160 80 75.

339 Kenya 169 91 79.

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

Gary Orr is top Scot in United Arab Emirates event

CASEY SWOOPS WITH 65
TO WIN ABU DHABI
CHAMPIONSHIP

Paul Casey swooped with a final round of seven-under-par 65 (31-34) to win the Abu Dhabi Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates today.
Casey posted the clubhouse target of 17-under-par 271 and one by one his challengers failed to beat or even match it. It was the eighth European Tour victory of his career.
Overnight leader Padraig Harrington birdied the sixth, eighth and ninth but bogeyed the 11th and 18th for a 71 and a total of 274 which put him back into a share of fourth place.
Sweden's Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who represents Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, Murcia on the European PGA Tour, tied for second place, one shot behind Casey. Both players had a 68 in the last round.
Casey, pictured above, had a three-putt bogey at the last hole, leaving the door open for his rivals. His cash prize was not in the same class as the £1million the Ryder Cup ace expert won at the world match-play championship at Wentworth but 257,876 Euros will still pay a few hotel bills.
Gary Orr finished as the leading Scot in joint 11th place on 11-under-par 277 after a closing 69 (33-37). Orr bogeyed the 17th. He earned 26,664 Euros.
Alastair Forsyth, the long-time leading Scot, slipped back with a 72 (35-37) for 278. The Paisley player bogeyed the ninth, 11th and 13th. Also on the 10-under-par mark was Colin Mongtomerie who had a 69 in the final round. They both earned 21,378 Euros.
Paul Lawrie signed off with a 71 for 278. He reached the turn in 37 after a double-bogey 6 at the sixth and another 6 at the eighth, having birdied the first two holes.
The Aberdonian got it going again with birdies at the 10th, 12th and 13th, only to let it slide again with bogeys at the 15th and 17th. He did finish with a birdie. Lawrie earned 16,573 Euros.

HOW THEY FINISHED
Par 288 (4 x 72)
271 P Casey (Eng) 71 68 67 65.
272 P Hanson (Swe) 70 68 66 68, M A Jimenez (Spa) 71 65 68 68.
273 C DiMarco (US) 69 70 68 66.
274 R Goosen (SAfr) 66 72 68 68, P Harrington (Ire) 68 67 68 71, J-F Lucquin (Fra) 70 68 67 68.
275 H Stenson (Swe) 66 72 70 67.
276 R-J Derksen (Nt) 70 69 69 68, P Price (Wal) 69 65 71 77.
Other totals:
277 G Orr (Sco) 70 68 70 69, P Archer (Eng) 63 75 71 68.
278 A Forsyth (Sco) 71 66 69 72, S Garcia (Spa) 68 72 69 69, C Montgomery (Sco) 69 71 69 69.
279 P Lawrie (Sco) 67 72 69 71.

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

Scot trails Pakistan Open winner by eleven strokes

HUME FINISHES 10th
AFTER INWARD HALF

BEATS HIM AGAIN

Former Scottish amateur champion Barry Hume from Glasgow tied for 10th place on eight-under-par 280 in the Pakistan Open at Karachi Golf Club today.
Hume, pictured right, who will be 25 on January 30, looked on target for a top-five finish when he reached the turn in three-under-par 33 shots in his final round, having birdied the second, third and fifth.
But, as in his three previous rounds, the Scot failed to master the inward half. Bogeys at the 11th, 15th and 16th more than cancelled out birdies at the 14th and 17th in his closing one-under-par 71.
Hume was a collective 12 under par for the opening nine holes but four over par for the second nine. He earned $5,124
Malaysian Airil Rizman Zahari was a first-time winner with a 19-under-par total of 269 – two shots ahead of Australian Scott Hend with Englishman Simon Hurd fading into third place on 274. His cash prize was $47,550.

Hurd bogeyed the fourth, fifth and sixth on his way to a closing 72.

Welshman Mark Mouland had a triple bogey 7 at the sixth but still finished with a 70 to be on the 280 mark alongside Barry Hume.

Scot Ross Bain shared 15th place on 281 after a closing 69 which included an outward half of 32 with birdies at the second, fourth, fifth and sixth.

Another ex-pat Scot, Simon Dunn, had a 68, easily his best round of the fourth, to tie for 26th place on 283. He birdied the third, fifth, eighth, 10th and 13th with only one bogey, at th12th.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
269 Airil Rizman Zahari (Mal) 67 68 64, 70.
271 Scott Hend (Aus) 70 66 66 69.
274 Simon Hurd (Eng) 68 65 69 72.
276 Muhammad Shabbir (Pak) 66 72 67 71.
278 Chris Rodgers (Eng) 69 70 68 71, Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 71 67 69 71.
Other totals:
280 Barry Hume (Sco) 68 68 73 71, Mark Mouland (Wal) 70 69 71 70 (jt 10th).
281 Ross Bain (Sco) 71 71 70 69 (jt 15th).
283 Simon Dunn (Sco) 70 74 71 68 (jt 26th).
284 Simon Griffiths (Eng) 73 67 71 73 (jt 29th).
287 Steve Parry (Eng) 74 69 73 71 (jt 45th).
288 Ben St John (Eng) 73 71 71 73 (jt 52nd).

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

Exciting finish on the cards in Bob Hope Chrysler Classic

GLOVER JOINS ROSE
IN LEAD WITH ONE
ROUND TO GO
Justin Rose goes into Sunday's final round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic tied for the lead on 268 at Palm Desert, California. The new co-leader is 27-year-old former Clemson college star player, Lucas Glover, who shot a 65 to move alongside the 26-year-old Florida-based Englishman on 20-under-par for 72 holes.
A total of 76 players with aggregates of six-under-par 282 advanced to the fifth and final round at the Classic Club, the course over which Rose, pictured right, shot a 70, the highest of his tally so far.
Glover is one of the bigger hitters on the US Tour. He averages 303 yards off the tee and his putting is not bad either! He has an average 27.3 putts per round.

FOURTH-ROUND LEADERS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
Players from US unless stated.
268 J Rose (Eng) 67 65 66 70, L Glover 69 68 66 65.
270 J Rollins 67 67 69 67.
272 J Quinney 68 69 69 66, C Hoffman 66 70 68 68.
273 D Hart 66 70 70 67, J Durant 68 68 69 68, M Kuchar 66 69 71 68, H Slocum 68 68 69 68, R Allenby (Aus) 69 70 70 70, V Taylor 69 70 69 65, D Waldorf 71 71 65 66.
Other scores:
275 B Langer (Ger) 70 73 67 69, P Mickelson 70 70 69 66.
281 I Poulter (Eng) 68 72 74 67.
Non-qualifiers included:
286 B Davis (Eng) 69 68 70 79.
You can find all the scores and check the cards on the US PGA Tour website, one of the very best in the business:
http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/

Two juniors contest women's title at Coral Ridge C C

TEENAGER MARIKA LENDL

CONFIRMS CLASS WITH

VICTORY IN FINAL OF

'JONES/DOHERTY'

Marika Lendl, 11th in the Golfweek/Titleist American girl rankings and one of former world tennis ace Ivan Lendl’s golfing daughters, won her biggest title todate at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale in Florida today.
Teenager Marika beat another classy junior, Lindy Duncan, by 3 and 2 to win the Ione D Jones/Doherty Challenge Cup women’s amateur tournament, the third event on the annual Orange Blossom tour in Florida.
Marika Lendl , pictured right with her father, won two American Junior Golf Association titles last year, including the McDonald's Betsy Rawls girls’ championship and she obviously has a great future, almost certainly in the pro ranks eventually after she goes to college.
Lindy Duncan, 14th ranked by Golfweek, was a quarter-finalist in last year’s US women’s amateur championship. Conqueror of two Stirling University students, Claire-Marie Carlton and Emma Tipping earlier in the week, Lindy is another with rosy prospects.
All four of the Jones/Doherty Challenge Cup semi-finalists were juniors.
The seniors’ championship was won by Connie Shorb who beat Therese Quinn by one hole. Connie beat the favourite, US Curtis Cup captain, Carol Semple Thompson, by 2 and 1 in the semi-finals.
Here’s a recap on all the results in the two main events:

CHAMPIONSHIP
FIRST ROUND
Jordyn Hage def. Alexandra Bodemann 2 holes.
Taylor Collins def. Alexandra Frazie, 4 and 2.
Mary Jane Hiestand def. Gina Johnston 2 and 1.
Stefanie Kenoyer def. Patsy Ehret 8 and 7.
Maggie Weder def. Susan Choi 2 and 1.
Claire-Marie Carlton def. Rachel Cassidy 4 and 3.
Lindy Duncan def. Gia Fanelli 6 and 4.
Emma Tipping def. Dawn Dewar 5 and 4.
Marika Lendl def. Natalie McNicholas 5 and 3.
Rachel Carpenter def. Taffy Brower 2 holes.
Marilyn Hardy def. Julie Garner 2 and 1.
Susan Nam def. Julie Carmichael 4 and 3.
Isabelle Lendl def. Daria Cummings 1 hole.
Laura Carson def. Madison Pressel 3 and 2.
Kyle Roig def. Reggie Parker 6 and 5.
Kristina Wong def. Benedikte Grotvedt 2 holes.
SECOND ROUND
Taylor Collins def. Jordyn Hage 2 and 1.
Stefanie Kenoyer def. Mary Jane Hiestand 1 hole.
Claire-Marie Carlton def. Maggie Weder 4 and 3.
Lindy Duncan def. Emma Tipping 5 and 4.
Marika Lendl def Rachel Carpenter 2 and 1.
Susan Nam def. Marilyn Hardy 2 and 1.
Isabelle Lendl def. Laura Carson 5 and 4.
Kristina Wong def. Kyle Roig at 19th.
QUARTER-FINALS
Stefanie Kenoyer def. Taylor Collins at 20th.
Lindy Duncan def. Claire-Marie Carlton 4 and 3.
Marika Lendl def. Susan Nam 3 and 2.
Kristina Wong def. Isabelle Lendl 2 and 1.
SEMI-FINALS
Lindy Duncan def. Stefanie Kenoyer 3 and 2.
Marika Lendl def. Kristina Wong 4 and 2.
FINAL (18 holes)
Marika Lendl def. Lindy Duncan 3 and 2.

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
FIRST ROUND
Carol Semple Thompson def. Ronnie Hall 4 and 2.
Natalie Easterly def. Ginny Orthwein at 21st. .
Peggy Woodard def. Kathleen Cox 1 hole.
Linda Pearson def. Debra Mielke 4 and 3.
Barb Pagana def. Lynne Owen 5 and 4.
Diana Schwab def. Deborah Jamgochian 5 and 3.
Connie Shorb def. Pat Hughes-Gelardi 5 and 3.
Meredith Wolf def. Clate Aydlett 5 and 3.
Carolyn Creekmore def. Gale Brudner 2 and 1.
Cynthia Curry def. Sharon Baerenklau 2 and 1.
Angela Stewart def. Moe O'Brien 7 and 5.
Marlene Streit def. Tinker Sanger at 21st.
Therese Quinn def. Bonnie George 6 and 5.
Debe Schwedler def. Mary Hill 6 and 5.
Janice Wilson def. Ann Fulginiti 5 and 4.
SECOND ROUND
Carol Semple Thompson def. Natalie Easterly 2 and 1.
Peggy Woodard def. Linda Pearson 2 and 1.
Diana Schwab def. Barb Pagana1 hole.
Connie Shorb def. Meredith Wolf 5 and 3.
Carolyn Creekmore def. Cynthia Curry 4 and 2.
Marlene Streit def. Angela Steward 1 hole..
Therese Quinn def. Debe Schwedler 4 and 3.
Cathy Richey def. Janice Wilson 2 holes.
QUARTER-FINALS
Carol Semple Thompson def. Peggy Woodard 4 and 3.
Connie Shorb def. Diana Schwab 1 hole.
Carolyn Creekmore def. Marlene Streit 6 and 5.
Therese Quinn def. Cathy Richey 4 and 2.
SEMI-FINALS
Connie Shorb def. Carol Semple Thompson 2 and 1.
Therese Quinn def. Carolyn Creekmore 2 and 1.
FINAL (18 holes)
Connie Shorb def. Therese Quinn 1 hole.

One better-ball round to go on Sunday at Sun City

SCOTS SLIP TO

FIFTH PLACE
AS PARAGUAY

LEAD BY FOUR
Paraguay’s Julieta Granada and Celeste Troche survived the potential disasters of the foursomes round today to stay on course for a first victory in the Women’s World Cup at Sun City, South Africa.
They got it round in 75, three over par but only the United States – Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst – made any sort of charge with a two-under-par 70. Who said the Americans – any Americans – couldn’t play foursomes?
With Sunday’s third and final round played under the better-ball format, Paraguay are on two-under-par 214 with a four-stroke lead over Italy’s Giulia Sergas and Veronica Zorzi with the United States in third place, on 219.

SOUTH KOREANS PENALISED
Scotland’s Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay, who should know how to play foursomes, could do no better than a 76 for 221, which put them down to fifth place, one spot behind South Korea who finished with a 77 for 220 after incurring a two-stroke penalty for an 8 at the very first hole.
A marshal moved an advertising board – without the South Koreans asking them to – so that they could play their shot, which they did.
If they had called a rules official before they played their shot, and explained the situation they would not have been penalised. But they didn’t – and they were!
Holders Sweden – missing Annika Sorenstam badly – fell further behind with a round of 81 for 238. Only Ireland (240) and Kenya (260) are behind them.

SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
First round: aggregate scores. Second round: foursomes.

214 Paraguay 139 75.
218 Italy 145 73.
219 United States 149 70.
220 South Korea 143 77.
221 Scotland 145 76.
222 Australia 148 74, Finland 150 72.
223 New Zealand 146 77.
226 Brazil 154 72, Wales 148 78.
227 England 154 74.
230 France 157 73.
232 Denmark 149 83.
233 Japan 155 78.
235 Norway 160 75, South Africa 157 78, Spain 155 80.
238 Germany 165 73, Sweden 157 81.
240 Ireland 160 80.
260 Kenya 169 91.
+Sunday’s third and final round will be better-ball.

SLGA NAME KEVIN
CRAGGS FULL-TIME
NATIONAL COACH

The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association has appointed Kevin Craggs to be its new full-time national coach in succession to Kirriemuir Golf Club professional Karyn Dallas who held the post in a part-time capacity for five years.
Kevin, a pro for more than 16 years, teaches golf at Drumoig and St Andrews. He also doubles as the "Golf Doctor" for a Scottish daily newspaper, a golf teacher for Bunkered Magazine and is also a golf commentator for BBC Radio Scotland.
Craggs was recently named one of the top 25 golf coaches in the United Kingdom by Golf Monthly.
"Scotland has some excellent young female golf stars waiting to burst on to the scene. I am confident that I can equip them with all that they need to play against the best in the world. I can't wait to start work," said Kevin.

FORSYTH, LAWRIE,

ORR IN TOP 20

AFTER ROUND 3

IN ABU DHABI
Alastair Forsyth from Paisley is lying joint sixth going into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates.
Forsyth had a third-round 69 for a 54-hole tally of 10-under-par 206 - three shots behind leader Padraing Harrington (pictured above) who had a 68 for 203.
Paul Lawrie and Gary Orr are sharing 18th place on eight-under-par 208. Lawrie birdied the first, 10th, 15th and 18th and had one bogey, at the ninth, in a round of 69 (36-33). His inward half was the best of his three rounds so far.
Orr had a 70.
Harrington, winner of last year's European Tour Order of Merit in a "photo-finish," leads by one shot from Sweden's Peter Hanson, Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Shiv Kapur from India.

Overnight leader Philip Price from Wales dropped down to fifth place with a 71 for 205 but he is still only two off the pace and if he could reproduce his second-round 65 on Sunday, he might well still win it.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
203 Padraig Harrington (Ire) 68 67 68.
204 Peter Hanson (Swe) 70 68 66, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 65 68, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 70 66 68.
205 Philip Price (Wal) 69 65 71.
206 Paul Casey (Eng) 71 68 67, Alastair Forsyth (Sco) 71 66 69, Retief Goosen (SAf) 66 72 68, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 68 71 67, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 70 69 67.
Other scores included:
208 Paul Lawrie (Sco) 67 72 69, Gary Orr (Sco) 70 68 70 (jt 18th).
209 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 72 69, Colin Montgomery (Sco) 68 71 69 (jt 30th).
214 Stephen Gallacher (Sco) 70 73 71 (jt 59th).

BARRY HUME SLIPS DOWN
PAKISTAN OPEN FIELD
TO SHARE OF 12th PLACE

Glasgow's Barry Hume, pictured right, dropped down to a share of 12th place after a one-over-par 73 in the third round of the Pakistan Open golf championship at Karachi Golf Club today.
Hume is on seven-under-par 209, having put together a pair of 68s in his first two rounds.
The former Scottish amateur champion and Haggs Castle GC member was vieing for the lead when he reached the turn in only 30 shots in his second round but that has been the high point of the tournament for Hume.
In the third round he birdied the second but covered the remaining 16 holes in two over par with bogeys at the 10th and 14th in halves of 35 and 38.
Barry, who will be 25 on January 30, is 10 shots behind leader Airil Rizman Zahari (Malaysia) who went three clear of the field with a superb third-round 64 for a 17-under-par tally of 199.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 216 (3 x 72)

199 Airil Rizman Zahari (Mal) 67 68 64.
202 Simon Hurd (Eng) 68 65 69, Scott Hend (Aus) 70 66 66.
205 Muhammad Shabbir (Pak) 66 72 67.
206 Tony Lascuna (Phi) 70 69 67, Digvijay Singh (Ind) 71 69 66.
207 Chris Rodgers (Eng) 69 70 68, Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 71 67 69.
Other scores:
209 Barry Hume (Sco) 68 68 73.
210 Mark Mouland (Wal) 70 69 71.
212 Ross Bain (Sco) 71 71 70.
215 Simon Dunn (Sco) 70 74 71.

BP T&T Charity Week of Golf professional tournament

STEPHEN GRAY SHARING
LEAD IN TRINIDAD

Stephen Gray (Deer Park), pictured right, is sharing the lead on three-under-par 69 with three other players at the end of the first round of the professional section of the BP Trinidad & Tobago Charity Week of Golf at St Andrews Golf Clubl, Trinidad.

LEADING PLACINGS
(Players from US or Trinidad unless stated)
69 Stephen Gray (Sco), John Gibson, Dion Gonsalves, Johnny Bloomfield.
70 Lorne Kelly (Sco), Dean Robertson (Sco), Tim Thelen, Tim Weinhart, Chris Richards, Kevin Boyko, Robert Ames.
71 Andrew Crerar (Sco), Anthony Gill (Sco), Chris Kelly, Simon Edwards (Wal), Graham Fox (Sco).
72 Bernard Benny, Craig Lee (Sco), Damien Hale, John Greaves (Sco), Tom Sutter.
73 Craig Ronald (Sco), Kenny Hutton (Sco), Lee Vannet (Sco), Mark Reynolds, Scott Henderson (Sco).
74 Brandt Keishnick, Steve Bowman, Tommy Wolfenberger, Andrew Marshall (Sco), Paul Girvan (Sco).
75 Brian Smith, Casey Shoffit, Rob Toshack, Peter Latchmansingh.
76 Bruce Davidson (Sco), Gary McFarlane (Sco), Ian Bratton (Sco).
77 Eddie Blanton, Campbell Elliot (Sco), Murray Urquhart (Sco).
78 Jesse Fitzgerald, Neil Colquhoun (Sco).
79 Andrew Brooks (Sco).
80 Alan Millar.
82 John Levy.
83 Gary Weir (Sco).
84 Jeremy Dale, Hamish Love (Sco).

Orange Blossom Tour match-play event at Coral Ridge CC

SCOTS' CONQUEROR REACHES
FINAL IN FLORIDA

It may not be much of a consolation to Stirling University's Emma Tipping and Claire-Marie Carlton but the player who beat them in the earlier rounds of the Jones/Doherty Challenge Cup women's amateur tournament, No 5 seed Lindy Duncan, is through to today's final at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Lindy beat Stefanie Kenoyer by 3 and 2 and will play teenager Marika Lendl, one of former tennis star Ivan Lendl’s daughters in the final.
US Curtis Cup captain Carol Semple Thompson, favourite for the seniors’ title, lost in the semi-finals.
Results:

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Semi-finals
Lindy Duncan bt Stefanie Kenoyer 3 and 2.
Marika Lendl bt Kristina Wong 4 and 2.
FIRST FLIGHT
Semi-finals
Susan Choi bt Gina Johnston 5 and 4.
Julie Carmichael bt Grotvedt Benedikte 1 hole.
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Semi-finals
Connie Shorb bt Carol Semple Thompson 2 and 1.
Therese Quinn bt Carolyn Creekmore 2 and 1.

JUSTIN ROSE GOES TWO
SHOTS CLEAR IN BOB
HOPE CLASSIC

Justin Rose (26) leads the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic by two strokes with two rounds to play in the 90-hole marathon at Palm Desert, California.
The Johannesburg-born Englishman, who has lived in Florida for the past two years, had a third-round 66 for an 18-under-par tally of 198.
In second place in American Scott Verplank after a 68 for 200.
By California standards, it was a cold and windy day on the four courses used for the five-day event. But Rose said he had experienced far worse many a time playing in England as an amateur.
Former Ryder Cup player and captain Bernhard Langer had a hole in one at the 170yd par-3 seventh on Bermuda Dunes, a stroke of luck that helped him to return the day's lowest score, a nine-under-par 63, which polevaulted him into joint 13th position.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
198 Justin Rose (Eng) 67 65 66.
200 Scott Verplank (US) 66 66 68.
203 Lucas Glover (US) 69 68 66, John Rollins (US) 67 67 69, Robert Allenby (Aus) 63 70 70.
Other totals:
206 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 70 73 63.
207 Brian Davis (Eng) 68 68 70.
209 Phil Mickelson (US) 70 70 69.
214 Ian Poulter (Eng) 68 72 74.

For all the scores and details of the rounds, log on to the US PGA Tour website:
http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/

FRASERBURGH HEAD

GREENKEEPER IS

CALIFORNIA-BOUND

... but he's coming back!

Fraserburgh Golf Club’s head greenkeeper John Littlejohn is heading for a memorable trip to California next month.
John, pictured left, has been invited by Fairways GM Ltd – who are Ransome Jacobsen golf equipment dealers for Scotland – to be their guest at the United States Golf Industry Show at Anaheim from February 22 to 24.
“John has been with us for the past 10 years and it’s because of his experience and expertise that he’s been selected for this trip,” said Fraserburgh club captain Bertie Baird.
“It may also have something to do with the fact the club has recently made a considerable investment in new Ransome Jacobsen equipment from the dealers!

BIGGEST GREENKEEPING SHOW
“This is the biggest greenkeeping show in the world with 1,200 exhibitors expected to attract some 25,000 visitors from the golf industry. It’s for owners and operators of golf facilities and professional members of the golf course and club management industry.
“John is looking forward to the opportunity to widen his already considerable knowledge and bring back some ideas to the benefit of Fraserburgh Golf Club.
"We're also hoping John will take a few thousand Fraserburgh Golf Club brochures in his luggage and pass them around at the show and in Anaheim (only joking, John!)."
+Anaheim, California is the original home of Disneyland.

THE WAY WE WERE: Murcar clubhouse in the 1950s

Murcar's first tee and clubhouse in the 1950s, as they would have been, certainly in Jock Lawson's early years at the club. Click on the image to increase its size.

BILL NICOL REMEMBERS JOCK LAWSON

We asked if any of you had your own personal members of Jock Lawson, who was Murcar Golf Club's popular professional from 1959 to 1972 (scroll down a few days to read Muriel Thomson's tribute and some of the highlights of Jock's career.
Here's a recollection from Bill (Job) Nicol:

"THAT'LL BE A TANNER FOR YOUR TEES,"
JOCK TOLD HARRY DENERLY

Jock was real character in his pro shop at the Saturday medal competition with his dry sense of humour. He also got a lot of business from local members but, though fair-minded, he did like his pound of flesh.
One Saturday, prior to driving off down the first fairway at Murcar with his new irons - bought from Jock Lawson - Harry Denerly discovered he had no tees. He had partedwith a £ or two for his new blades!
Back he went at a frantic pace and informed Jock of his problem.
"Nae bother," says Jock. "That will be one tanner, thank you"
Harry Denerly, originally from northern England. also worked at the Rowett Institute alongwith Messrs B Begbie, W S Mackie, John Mathieson and Ian Davidson.
I'm sure there were more in the happy 1970s, a lot no longer with us, playing on the easy course above.
Enjoy your coverage in the Scottishgolfview.com, Colin.
Keep them coming. All the best.
Bill (Job) Nicol

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

Paraguay pair shoot four strokes ahead at Sun City

MHAIRI'S 69 GIVES SCOTS
A GOOD START IN
WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

Mhairi McKay, pictured right, recaptured some of her old form to return a three-under-par 69 and help Scotland end the first day of the Women's World Cup in joint third place at Sun City, South Africa.
Mhairi's partner, Janice Moodie - who partnered Catriona Matthew as the Scots finished runners-up to Sweden last year - had a 76, which gave Scotland a first-round aggregate of 145 - six shots behind the four-stroke leaders, Paraguay's Julieta Granada (70) and Celeste Troche (69).
Mhairi and Celeste had the lowest scores of the day.
Inverness-based Kiwi Liz McKinnon had a 74, two more than team-mate Lynn Brooky. The New Zealanders' 146 put them right behind the Scots and Italy in fifth place.
With the singles out of the way and the foursomes and better-ball ahead on the weekend, Paraguay will be hard to catch.
But Janice Moodie believes it’s not an impossible task.
“We’re pretty satisfied with our score and I think there are a number of teams that can still catch Paraguay. But to do that both players in the team have to play really well," said the Scot.

FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
139 Paraguay (Celeste Troche 69, Julieta Granada 70).
143 Korea (Ji Yai Shin 71, Young Kim 72).
145 Scotland (Mhairi McKay 69, Janice Moodie 76), Italy (Giulia Sergas 72, Veronica Zorzi 73).
146 New Zealand (Lynn Brooky 72, Liz McKinnon 74).
148 Wales (Becky Brewerton 74, Becky Morgan 74), Australia (Lindsey Wright 72, Nikki Garrett 76).
149 Denmark (Karen-Margrethe Juul 74, Iben Tinning 75), United States (Pat Hurst 74, Juli Inkster 75).
Other scores:
154 England (Trish Johnson 76, Laura Davies 78).
157 Sweden (Helen Alfredsson 78, Carin Koch 79).
160 Ireland (Rebecca Coakley 80, Hazel Kavanagh 80).

Abu Dhabi championship at halfway stage

SCOTS COACH MAKES
A DIFFERENCE AS
PHILIP PRICE LEADS

Welsh Ryder Cup player Philip Price paid tribute to his Scottish coach Gary Nicol after shooting a nine-under-par 65 to take the halfway lead on 10-under 134 in the Abu Dhabi Championship in the United Arab Emirates.

Price, who dabbled with the US PGA Tour and a new coach, lost his American player's card and joined up again with Gary Nicol when he returned to Europe.

Philip, who is 40, finished in style with a brilliant 90yd wedge to within a few inches of the hole for a tap-in birdie.

In contrast, Padraig Harrington bogeyed the last for a 67 and will start the second half of the tournament one shot behind Price.

Paul Lawrie, who is now playing TaylorMade clubs instead of Callaway, matched the par of 72 but the Aberdonian dropped down from a share of fifth place to joint 18th on five-under-par 139, underlining the quality of play on the second day.
Alastair Forsyth, pictured right, from Paisley is the leading Scot in joint seventh place with a 71 and 66 for 137. That puts him in joint seventh place. Compatriot Gary Orr had a 68 for 138.
Par golf was not good enough to make the 36-hole cut. Only those players with tallies of one-under-par 143 advanced.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
(Gbr & Irl unless stated).
134 Phillip Price 69 65
135 Padraig Harrington 68 67
136 Nick O'Hern (Aus) 68 68, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 70 66, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 65, A Tadini (Italy) 70 66..0
137 Gary Emerson 67 70, Alastair Forsyth 71 66, Garry Houston 70 67, Richard Sterne (SAf) 70 67.
138 Henrik Stenson (Swe) 66 72, Gary Orr 70 68, Graeme Storm 68, 70, Retief Goosen (SAf) 66 72, Philip Archer 63 75, Nick Dougherty 66 72, Peter Hanson (Swe) 70 68.
139 Paul Lawrie 67 72, Paul Casey 71 68, James Kingston (Rsa) 71 68, Oliver Fisher 68 71, Richard Green (Aus) 67 72, James Hepworth 68 71, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 68 71, Chris DiMarco (US) 69 70, David Carter 71 68, Robert-Jan Derkson (Net) 70 69, Stephen Dodd (Wal) 69 70, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 70 69.
140 Robert Karlsson 73 67 (Swe), Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 69, Damien McGrane 72 68, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 69 71, Julien Guerrier (Fra) 68 72, Alvaro Quiros 70 70, Sergio Garcia 68 72, Colin Montgomerie 69 71, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 71 69, Gary Murphy 72 68, Brett Rumford (Aus) 70 70.
Other qualifiers included (143 and better):
143 Stephen Gallacher 70 73.
Non-qualifiers included:

145 Marc Warren 72 73
146 Andrew Coltart 73 73, Steven O'Hara 73 73
147 Scott Drummond 72 75
161 Craig Martin 82 79

HOT HUME COOLS OFF

BUT STILL LYING THIRD

IN PAKISTAN OPEN

Glasgow’s Barry Hume, pictured right, was contesting the second-round lead in the Pakistan Open when he raced to the turn in six-under-par 30 with birdies at the first, second, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth at Karachi Golf Club.
But the 2001 Scottish amateur champion at Downfield stumbled on the way home with bogeys at the 11th, 14th and 18th and only one further birdie, at the 12th, to finish with a four-under-par 68 and a halfway total of eight-under-par 136.
Haggs Castle GC member Barry, who will have his 27th birthday on January 30, goes into the final two rounds of the $300,000 event in joint third place, three shots behind the Leeds-born leader, Simon Hurd who has shot 68 and 65 for 11-under 133.
Two other Scots were among the 72 players with totals of level par 144 who survived the cut. Ross Bain has had a pair of 71s for 142 while Simon Dunn made it through with nothing to spare after a 70 and 74. Dunn’s scorecard included a double-bogey 7 at the 11th.

LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
133 Simon Hurd (Eng) 68 65.
135 Airil Rizman Zahari (Pak) 67 68.
136 Barry Hume (Sco) 68 68, Scott Hend (Aus) 70 66, Uttam Singh Mundy (Pak) 68 68.
Other scores:
139 Mark Mouland Wal) 70 69.
140 Simon Griffiths (Eng) 73 67.
142 Ross Bain (Sco) 71 71.
144 Simon Dunn (Sco) 70 74.

PLAQUE AT INDIANA
COURSE PAYS
TRIBUTE TO
DESIGNER
TOM FROM
ABERDEEN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Stuart Bendelow, the American
born and bred grandson of Tom
Bendlelow, continues his uphill
struggle to gain greater recognition
of his grandfather's part in the
spread of golf in North America
through the first 30-odd years
of the 20th Century.
Aberdonian Tom, who was a compositor with the Aberdeen Free Press, boarded the boat from Greenock or Glasgow to New York in the 1890s. Tom, a low-handicap amateur golfer, went on to design between 600 and maybe 1,000 courses - we will never know the precise figure - the length and breadth of North America.
JOHNNY APPLESEED OF AMERICAN GOLF
But Bendelow's work had largely been forgotten or, even worse, "rubbished" by some ill-informed writers of the modern era until Stuart took it upon himself to research Tom's life and write his biography: "Thomas 'Tom' Bendelow: The Johnny Appleseed of American Golf." If you want to obtain a copy of the book, E-mail me at colin@scottishgolfview.com
Stuart Bendelow will never give up being his late grandfather's publicist. Now he has come across an golf course in Indiana by the quaint name of French Lick - and, even better news, at the course is a plaque (pictured above) in memory of Tom Bendelow.
It's a sad state of affairs that back in Tom's home city of Aberdeen, the Bendelow Pie Shop - run by his father and mother next to Causewayend School, was more famous than Tom's golf pioneering work in the States.

PLEASE READ OUR ADVERTISEMENTS DOWN
THE LEFT HAND COLUMN.

Bob Hope Chrysler Classic over 90 holes in California

JUSTIN ROSE HOLES TWO BUNKER
SHOTS TO SHARE LEAD
Last week Luke Donald ... this week Justin Rose as English players come to the fore in the early weeks of the US PGA Tour.
Rose, pictured right, holed two bunker shots on his way to a 65 and a share of the lead with American Scott Verplank after two rounds of the 90-hole Bob Hope Chrystler Classic at Palm Desert, California.
Justin's stats for his "good day at the office" were an average drive of 279 yards, an average of 1.417putts per green and 66.7 % greens hit in regulation.

He holed from sand for an eagle 3 at the fifth and from a bunker for a birdie 2 at the short 12th.

Rose broke a four-year spell without a tournament victory by winning the Australian Masters four months ago.
Verplank has had a pair of 66s. He bogeyed the last hole in the second round.
Phil Mickelson, making his seasonal debut, bogeyed the last two holes as he returned a 70 for the second day in a row.
Phil is sharing 51st place with England's Ian Poulter (68-72) on 140.
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from US unless stated
132 Justin Rose (Eng) 67 65, Scott Verplank 66 66.
133 Robert Allenby (Aus) 63 70, Johnson Wagner 66 67.
134 Matt Kuchar 66 68, John Rollins 67 67.
135 Mark Calcavecchia 65 70, Ted Purdy 70 65, Shane Bertsch 67 68.
Other scores:
137 Brian Davis (Eng) 69 68 (jt 18th).
140 Ian Poulter (Eng) 68 72, Phil Mickelson 70 70 (jt 51st).
143 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 70 73 (jt 89th).
147 Greg Owen (Eng) 75 72.

Orange Blossom Tour continues at Coral Ridge Country Club

CLAIRE-MARIE CARLTON GOES

DOWN IN QUARTER-FINALS

Stirling University student Claire-Marie Carlton lost by 4 and 3 to the No 5 seed, Lindy Duncan from Florida in the quarter-finals of the Jones/Doherty women’s amateur tournament at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Claire-Marie had been the 20th seed.
In the previous round, Miss Duncan beat another Stirling student, Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Cheshire by 5 and 4.
A third Stirling student, Dawn Dewar from Monifieth, went down by 5 and 4 to Susan Choi in the quarter-finals of the first-flight competition for those beaten in the first round of the championship. Results:
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Quarter-finals
Stefanie Kenoyer bt Taylor Collins at 20th.
Lindy Duncan bt Claire-Marie Carlton 4 and 3.
Marika Lendl bt Susan Nam 3 and 2.
Kristina Wong bt Isabelle Lendl 2 and 1.
FIRST FLIGHT
Quarter-finals
Gina Johnston bt Alexandra Frazier 6 and 5.
Susan Choi bt Dawn Dear 5 and 4.
Julie Carmichael bt Natalie McNicholas 5 and 4.
Grotvedt Benedikte bt Dana Cummings 5 and 4.
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarter-finals
Carol Semple Thompson bt Peggy Woodward 4 and 3.
Connie Shorb bt Diana Schwab 1 hole.
Carolyn Creekmore bt Marlene Streit 6 and 5.
Therese Quinn bt Cathy Richey 4 and 2.

THE WAY WE WERE: When "R D B M" ruled the roost

SHADE: MECHANICAL
MAN WHO WON FIVE
SCOTTISH AMATEUR
TITLES IN A ROW

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

After our recent article about Frank Stranahan, the wealthy American who was one of the best golfers in the world during his years as an amateur golfer, it is difficult to think of anyone in Britain on a par with Stranahan.
Perhaps (Sir) Michael Bonallack, possibly Ronnie Shade. We’ll tackle the Bonallack Life Story soon.
In the meantime, join me in having a look at the career of Ronnie David Bell Mitchell Shade (courtesy of The Shell International Encyclopaedia of Golf with some additional details from Duddingston Golf Club).
FATHER WAS HIS SWING MENTOR
Intensively coached by his father, John Shade, the Duddingston club professional, Ronnie Shade developed a swing of mechanical appearance and repetitiveness.
Its principal characteristic was the unusual length of time he kept his head down after the ball had been struck.
Ronnie – it was said his initials, “R D B M,” stood for Right Down the Bloody Middle – was a very straight driver of the ball. He very rarely missed a fairway and few amateurs of his generation were putting for birdies as often as he was.
Shade’s outstanding achievement as an amateur was to capture the Scottish title in five successive years, twice more than Jack McLean did in the 1930s.
Shade actually played in SIX Scottish amateur championship 36-hole finals in a row.
He lost to Stuart Murray by 2 and 1 in the 1962 final at Muirfield.
CHAMPION FROM 1963 to 1967
Then came his five winning finals in a row.

1963 – Shade bt Newton Henderson 4 & 3 (Royal Troon).
1964 – Shade bt Jim McBeath 8 & 7 (Nairn).
1965 – Shade bt Gordon Cosh 4 & 2 (St Andrews).
1966 – Shade bt Colin Strachan 9 & 8 (Western Gailes).
1967 – Shade bt Alan Murphy 5 & 4 (Carnoustie).

In the process, Shade won 40 matches, 35 of them over 18 holes.
His game travelled well too. In world amateur team championship for the Eisenhower Trophy he broke a course record in Japan and in Mexico he had the lowest individual aggregate.
Shade prepared meticulously, almost professionally, for an important event and so when he actually turned pro at the age of 30 in 1968 – “belatedly” as he readily admitted afterwards, - he quickly found his feet and won a big tournament in each of his first two seasons
As an amateur he was awarded the MBE./
Born in Edinburgh, Shade died tragically young. He was only 47 when he passed away in 1986 after a long illness that made him only a shadow of the man he had been.


THE CAREER OF R.D.B.M. SHADE M.B.E. 1938 - 1986
(details supplied by Duddingston Golf Club)


SCOTTISH BOYS’ CHAMPION 1956

ENGLISH OPEN AMATEUR STROKE PLAY CHAMPION 1961-63-67

SCOTTISH AMATEUR CHAMPION 1963-64-65-66-67
BEATEN FINALIST 1962

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 1966 - LEADING AMATEUR

CARLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 1966 – LEADING AMATEUR

EISENHOWER TROPHY 1966 – LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTAL

SCOTTISH AMATEUR STROKE PLAY CHAMPION 1968

BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP BEATEN FINALIST 1966

CARROLS IRISH OPEN CHAMPION 1969

SCOTTISH PROFESSIONAL CHAMPION 1970

MUFULIRA OPEN (ZAMBIA) 1975


REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS

SCOTLAND (HOME INTERNATIONALS) 1957-60-61-62-63-64-65-66-67-68

WALKER CUP 1961-63-65-67

GREAT BRITAIN v EUROPE 1962-64-66-68

WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 1962-64-66-68

WORLD CUP (PROFESSIONAL) 1970-71-72

SCOTLAND – DOUBLE DIAMOND INTERNATIONALS – 1971-72-73-74-75

ANY MEMORIES OF RONNIE SHADE? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

Good start by Aberdonian to his 2007 campaign

PAUL LAWRIE (67) SHARING
FIFTH PLACE AFTER FIRST
ROUND AT ABU DHABI
Paul Lawrie got his 2007 golfing campaign off to a flying start with a five-under-par 67 in the first round of the Abu Dhabi championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates today.
The Aberdonian finished the opening day in joint fifth place after a bogey-free scorecard in which he had birdies at the second, third and fourth - what a start, indeed! - and further birdies at the 10th and 16th.
Second Scot in the top 20 is Lawrie's new Aberdeen Asset Management-sponsored team-mate Colin Montgomerie. Monty had a 69 to be sharing 18th place. Colin birdied the third, fifth, 17th and 18th with just one bogey, at the ninth.
Leader at nine-under-par 63 is Englishman Phillip Archer the man who came close (he faced a 6ft putt for a 59) to posting a sub-60 score in last year's Celtic Manor Wales Open.
Archer, 34, made 10 birdies and one bogey in his round, which carried him three shots clear at the top of a high quality leaderboard containing fellow Englishman Nick Dougherty, Retief Goosen (who required only 21 putts) and Henrik Stenson, who was involved in a collision with a lorry while driving to the golf course.
PUTTING LABORATORY VISIT
As birdie putt after birdie putt bolted into the hole, Archer was inwardly congratulating himself on the decision to improve that element of his game after managing to keep his card at a pinch at the end of 2005.
He booked a consultation with Dr Paul Hurrion at the latter’s “putting laboratory” near Birmingham, an establishment used by Padraig Harrington and David Howell among others, and last year improved 138 places on the putting statistics.
“It’s common sense what he tells you what to do” explained Archer. “It’s got me better in terms of my weight distribution over the ball and the big thing he changed was my putting grip. He’s got me gripping with both palms facing each other, so my thumbs are basically the same height and it levels up my shoulders.
“I saw Paul again just before Christmas. I just go for check-ups. I don’t over-do it. He gives me some really good things to work on and I do the drills every week.” he added.

FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from Great Britain & Ireland unless stated)
63 Phillip Archer.
66 Retief Goosen (SAf), Nick Dougherty, Henrik Stenson (Swe).
67 Paul Lawrie, Richard Green (Aus), Gary Emerson.
68 James Hepworth, Julien Guerrier (Fra), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Graeme Storm, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Anthony Wall, Padraig Harrington, Nick O'Hern (Aus), Ariel Canete (Arg), Oliver Fisher.
69 Colin Montgomerie, Chris DiMarco (US), Stephen Dodd, Robert Rock, Ian Garbutt, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Phillip Price.
70 Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Stephen Gallagher, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg), Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Robert-Jan Derksen (Net), Brett Rumford (Aus), Peter Hnason (Swe), Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Jean Francois Lucquin (Fra), Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Richard Sterne (SAf), Andrew McLardy (SAf), Shiv Kapur (Ind), Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Oliver Wilson, Gary Orr, Garry Houston, Steve Webster.
71 Juan Parron (Spa), Graeme McDowell, Marcel Siem (Ger), Thomas Bjorn (Den), David Carter, Yasin Ali, Juan Parron (Spa), Paul Broadhurst, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Maarten Lafeber (Net), Peter Hedlom (Swe), Chinarat Phadungsil (Tha), Paul Casey, Niclas Fasth (Swe), Mardan Mamat (Sin), Andres Romero (Arg), James Kingston (Rsa), Lee Slattery, Peter Lawrie, Alastair Forsyth.
72 Christopher Hanell (Swe), Richard Bland, Gary Murphy, Notah Begay III (US), Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), Scott Drummond, Marcus Fraser (Aus), Miles Tunnicliff, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra), Damien McGrane, Mark Foster, Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Mattias Eliasson (Swe), Kyron Sullivan.
73 Matthew Millar (Aus), Mark Pilkington, Marc Warren, Richard Finch, Soren Hansen (Den), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa), Cesar Monasterio (Arg), Joakim Backstrom (Swe), Alexander Noren (Swe), Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Robert Karlsson (Swe), Andrew Coltart, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Markus Brier (Aut), Andrew Marshall, David Lynn, Barry Lane, Steven O'Hara, Christian Cevaer (Fra), David Park.
74 Kenneth Ferrie, Tom Whitehouse, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Jamie Spence, Terry Price (Aus), Martin Kaymer (Ger), Johan Axgren (Swe), John Bickerton, Simon Khan, Jean Van De Velde (Fra), Mikko Ilonen (Fin), Gregory Havret (Fra).
75 Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Christian L Nilsson (Swe), Alejandro Canizares (Spa), Benn Barham, David Griffiths.
76 Peter Gustafsson (Swe), Simon Dyson.
77 Ross Fisher, Steven Jeppesen (Swe), Jose Manuel Lara (Spa).
81 Johan Edfors (Swe).
82 Craig Martin.
85 Alan Johnson.

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

TICKETS ON SALE FOR SGU DINNER
nr FALKIRK ON FRIDAY, MARCH 30

The seventh annual Scottish Golf Union Dinner will be held on Friday, March 30 at the Macdonald Inchyra Grange Hotel near Falkirk . Tickets are on sale now.
The evening provides the traditional kick start to the amateur golf season, featuring a look back on what was a hugely successful year for Scotland’s amateur golfers in 2006 as well as a preview of the 2007 Scottish golfing season.
The Dinner will include the presentation of awards to leading amateur players from the SLGA & SGU Order of Merits.
Two excellent speakers will provide the evening’s entertainment. John Beattie, the former Scottish rugby international and British Lion, will take to the stage to air his amusing tales on rugby and life working as a sports journalist.
John will be followed by Brian Voyle-Morgan. Brian has been a frequent contributor to TV and radio shows and has had three books published, including “After Dinner Horror Stories”, a hilarious group of anecdotes about life on the speaking circuit. He currently writes a weekly sporting column in Dubai.
The Scottish Golf Dinner is a black tie function and tickets are available to golf club members, SLGA and SGU County/Area Associations, as well as corporate organisations.
Tickets are priced at £40 each or £400 (per table of 10) VAT inclusive. To make a reservation please call the SGU Events Department on 01382 549504.
Accommodation at the Macdonald Inchyra Grange Hotel is available on a first come, first served basis priced at £42 B&B per person sharing or £55 B&B single occupancy. To book, please call the hotel on 01324 711911 quoting “Scottish Golf Dinner."

BARRY HUME (68) UP WITH
LEADERS IN FIRST ROUND
OF PAKISTAN OPEN
Barry Hume was lying joint third at the end of the first round of the $300,000 Pakistan Open golf championship began at Karachi DGolf club today.
Barry, pictured right, shot a four-under-par 68 to be two shots behind the leader, local hero Muhammad Shabbir.
The former Scottish amateur champion from Haggs Castle birdied the long fourth, the par-4 eighth, the long 14th and the par-4 15th. He did not drop a shot in halves of 34.
England's Simon Hurd is on the same mark as the Scot.
Defending champion Chris Rodgers (England) enjoyed a bogey-free 69.
Scots-born Simon Dunn had a two-under-par 70.
FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
(Players from Pakistan unless stated)
Par 72
66 Muhammad Shabbir.
67 Airil Rizman Zahari (Malaysia)
68 Vivek Bhandari (Ind), Uttam Singh Mundy (Ind), Barry Hume (Sco), Rahul Ganapathy (Ind), Richard Lee (NZ), Simon Hurd (Eng).
69 Aktar Ali, Amardip Malik (Ind), Stephen Scahill (NZ), Chris Rodgers (Eng), Rick Gibson (Can), Yeh Chang-ting (Tai), Lin Chien-bing (Tai), Jerome Delariarte (Phi), Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind).
70 Simon Dunn (Sco), Peter Erofejeff (Fin), Hur In-hoi (Kor), Imdad Hussain, Scott Hend (Aus), Muhammed Munir, Marcus Both (Aus), Craig Kamps (SAf), Park Jun-won (Kor), Mitchell Brown (Aus), Shane Baxter (Aus), Adam Le Vesconte (Aus), Tony Lascuna (Phi), Lin Wen-hong (Tai), Mark Mouland (Wal).

ALLENBY LEADS BOB HOPE
CHRYSLER CLASSIC


Australian Robert Allenby is the first-round leader in the five-round Bob Hope Chrysler Classic which began at Palm Desert, California yesterday. Allenby shot a nine-under-par 63 to lead by two shots fronm Mark Calcavecchia and Craig Kanada.
British scores:
67 Justin Rose.
68 Ian Poulter.
69 Brian Davis.
75 Greg Owen.

If you want to read all the scores and information about the day's play, it's all there on the US PGA Tour website:
http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/

SCOTS INVOLVED IN BPTT CHARITY WEEK OF GOLF

ANDREW MARSHALL LEADS TEAM
TO VICTORY IN TRINIDAD

Andrew Marshall (Houston Golf Range) led the successful Baroid 2 team to victory with a net score of 62 in the BP Trinidad & Tobago Week of Golf scramble competition at St Andrews Golf Club, Trinidad today.
American Damien Hale led the Tucker/Weatherford team into second place on 63, pipping the Carillion team led by John Greaves (Glasgow) on a card countback. They also scored 63.
Bruce Davidson (River Oaks, Texas), originally from Banchory, finished fourth on 64 with the Offshore Technologies Solutions Ltd team.
Stephen Gray (Deer Park) also returned a score of 64 with the Evolve Partners team but was placed fifth on a card countback.
Graham Fox (West Kilbride) and Paramont Transport gained sixth prize with a score of 65.

Orange Blossom Tour continues at Coral Ridge Country Club

SCOT IN QUARTER-FINALS OF
FLORIDA MATCH-PLAY

Stirling University student Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) is through to the quarter-finals of the Jones-Doherty women’s amateur golf tournament at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Claire-Marie, the 20th qualifier for the match-play stages, beat Maggie Weder from North Carolina, the 29th qualifier, by 4 and 3.
The Scot now plays the fifth seed, Lindy Duncan from Florida. Lindy won by 5 and 4 against Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Cheshire, the only other Stirling student to reach the last 16.
In the first-flight competition for those who lost their first-round ties, Stirling students Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) and Rachel Cassidy (Dublin) had contrasting fortunes. Dawn won by 5 and 4 against Gia Fanelli but Rachel went down by 5 and 4 to Susan Choi.
A fifth Stirling student, Catherine Baines, went down by 8 and 6 to Lisa Schlesinger in a second-flight tie. In the same competition, Sarah Carty (Dublin) lost by 3 and 2 to Angel Sze.
The tournament is the third on the Orange Blossom Tour.
Results:
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Second Round
Players from US unless stated.
Taylor Collins bt Jordyn Hage 2 and 1.
Mary Jane Hiestand bt Stefanie Kenoyer 1 hole.
Claire-Marie Carlton (Sco) bt Maggie Weder 4 and 3.
Lindy Duncan bt Emma Tipping (Eng) 5 and 4.
Marika Lendl Rachel Carpenter 2 and 1.
Susan Nam bt Marilyn Hardy 2 and 1.
Isabelle Lendl bt Laura Carson 5 and 4.
Kristina Wong bt Kyle Roig at 19th.
FIRST FLIGHT
First round
Alexandra Fraseir walk-over.
Patsy Ehret bt Gina Johnston 5 and 4.
Susan Choi bt Rachel Cassidy (Ire) 5 and 4.
Dawn Dewar (Sco) bt Gia Fanelli 5 and 4.
Natalie McNicholas bt Taffy Brower 3 and 2.
Julie Carmichael bt Julie Garner 4 and 2.
Dana Cummings bt Madison Pressel 2 and 1.
Boo Grotvedt Benedikte bt Reggie Parker 2 holes.
SECOND FLIGHT
Quarter-finals
Lisa Schiesinger bt Catherine Baines (Eng) 8 and 6.
Judy Dotten bt Michelle Hartnell 6 and 4.
Claire Grysko bt Mayura Skowronski 2 and 1.
Angel Sze bt Sarah Carty (Ire) 3 and 2.

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Second round
Carol Semple Thompson bt Natalie Easterly 2 and 1.
Pedggy Woodard bt Linda Pearson 2 and 1.
Diana Schwab bt Barb Pagana 1 hole.
Connie Shorb bt Meredith Wolf 5 and 3.
Carolyn Creekmore bt Cynthia Curry 4 and 2.
Marleine Streit bt Angela Steward 1 hole.
Therese Quinn bt Debe Schwedler 4 and 2.
Cathy Richey bt Janice Wilson 2 holes.

WAY THEY WERE IN N-E ALLIANCE OF YESTERYEAR

A North-east Alliance championship (?) presentation from yesteryear with Chapper Thomson (Muriel's father), then the secretary, presenting the trophy to Harry Bannerman. Jock Lawson is to the immediate right of Harry. A young-looking Ronnie McDonald, now Kemnay club pro, is on the extreme right. You can enlarge the image by clicking on it.

JOCK LAWSON: Murcar professional who
made Muriel Thomson a star

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Jock Lawson, who died a few weeks ago at Tain, was part-and-parcel of the North-east golf season for 13 years as professional at Murcar Golf Club so it is only right that Scottishgolfview.com traces his life story.
Muriel Thomson was a Murcar member and a successful amateur golfer before she became a successful tournament professional and then settled down as professional at Portlethen Golf Club.
Muriel says that Jock played a key role in her development as a golfer.
CHANGED HER GRIP
“I was at Jock’s funeral in Tain and was honoured to be asked by his family to speak at the service and pay tribute to him. I had always kept in touch with him and had visited him at Tain,” said Muriel.
“It was Jock who gave me my first golf lesson when I was a girl. I had joined Murcar as a cack-handed golfer. He was the one who changed my grip for me (round about the age of 15) and he was completely dedicated to seeing me improve.
“Jock Lawson was really the only golfing mentor I had. He taught me right through into my pro career when I visited him at Thorpeness. Yes, Jock played a very important part in my golfing career.
UNDER JOCK'S WING
“Who knows what path I might have gone down had Jock not been there at Murcar and taken me under his wing as a junior.”
Jock Lawson was born in Fife – either in 1920 or 1923, some doubt about which year – but brought up in Callander.
He got his toe on the ladder of PGA golf when he became an assistant at Windyhill Golf Club in 1938.
World War II came along in September 1939 and Jock served in the RAF.
On his demob, he picked up his golf career again as an assistant pro at Minchinhampton Golf Club, Gloucester in 1946. The following year he gained his first full club pro appointment at Barford Golf Club, near Oxford.
In 1953 he moved to Thornaby on Tees Golf Club, Yorkshire.
MOVE TO MURCAR IN 1959
In February 1959, he succeeded Bill McHardy as professional at Murcar Golf Club. The Press and Journal report of the time said that Jock was 36 at that time.
Jock soon built up a reputation as a golf teacher but he could also play the game and was a regular and sometimes successful competitor on the North-east Alliance circuit.
A contemporary of Alliance stalwarts such as Joe Little, Innes Wright, John Grant, Ian Phillips, Harry Bannerman, Graham Everett and Ian Smith, Jock was beaten four or five times in the final – with different partners – in the North-east Alliance pro-am foursomes.
He did win the NE Alliance mixed foursomes – whatever happened to that event? – for the George Duncan Trophy with Murcar’s Mrs Balfour at Banchory in April 1960. They headed a field of more than 50 couples with a gross 76, winning from Jimmy Nicol and Miss Margaret Brown (Peterhead) and Finlay Morrison and Mrs Kennaway (Deeside).
OFFER HE COULD NOT REFUSE
In early 1972, Jock Lawson received what he described as an offer he could not refuse from Tenby Golf Club, Pembrokeshire and he left to take up the South Wales post in 1972. His successor at Murcar was John Nicol.
“I had been very, very happy indeed at Murcar and they were very good to me but I just couldn’t turn down the offer from Tenby,” said Jock
After a few years at Tenby, Jock Lawson was tempted to move again and he did – to Shawhill Hotel golf courses at Chorley in Lancashire.
Later he moved to another hotel golf course set-up at Thorpeness in Surrey.
In the early 1980s, Jock returned to Scotland, as he had always wanted to, and spent a happy few years as Tain Golf Club professional. He retired in 1987 and was made an honorary member of the Professional Golfers Association.
He was in his 80s when he died in November 2006.
IF YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES OF JOCK LAWSON, YOU CAN E-MAIL THEM TO colin@scottishgolfview.com

RYAN FITZPATRICK FINDS
PUTTING SECRET FOR
FIRST WIN AT PETERHEAD

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Inchmarlo Golf Centre assistant professional Ryan Fitzpatrick, now a fully qualified PGA pro, has been experimenting with cack-hunting putting lately. Anything to change his luck on the greens.
Well, his luck certainly changed at Peterhead today when he headed a field of 85 in bright but latterly very cold conditions with a three-under-par round of 67. It was 27-year-old Ryan’s first win of the 2006-2007 North-east Alliance season.
“The funny thing about my putting today,” said Ryan, “was that I missed quite a few birdie putts of about six to eight feet. On the other hand, I holed four putts from 20 to 40ft range.”
Fitzpatrick turned in level par 35 with birdies at the fourth and eighth being cancelled out by bogeys at the sixth and ninth. When a third bogey, at the 10th, put him one over par, it looked like being another disappointing day, which had started with his intended partners failing to turn up on the first tee.
Then Ryan’s putting suddenly clicked and he started slotting them home from all angles. He birdied the 11th, 13th 15th and 16th, to come home in three-under-par 32 for his 67.
LONG-TIME CLUBHOUSE LEADER
That pipped long-time clubhouse leader, Iain Buchan (Craibstone Centre) by one shot. Iain had made his score the other way round from Fitzpatrick, covering the first nine in three-under-par 32 with birdies at the second, third, fifth and eighth and one bogey at the fourth.
Coming home, Buchan had bogeys at the 13th and 14th and only one birdie, at the 15th in 36 home for a 68.
It turned out to be a professional 1-2-3 with Kemnay’s Ronnie McDonald shooting a 70 for third place despite running up a double bogey 6 at the fourth and dropping to three over par with a bogey at the seventh.
McDonald got his first birdie at the ninth to be out in two-over 37, which dipped to three-over with a 5 at the 12th. Then he covered the last five holes in two over par with birdie 3rs at the 14th, 15th and 17th for 33 home.
IAN BRATTON ON HOLIDAY
So what happened to Newburgh club pro Ian Bratton who had won five of the earlier meetings this season? Well, he did not play this week - for the simple reason he is on holiday.
That gave the rest of the guys a break!
The pace of play was quite good at Peterhead - a field of 85 all back in the clubhouse by the back of 4pm. Walking smartly between shots keeps you warm in cold temperatures. Keep up the good work at Buckpool next Wednesday!

LEADING SCRATCH SCORES

Par 70 (p denotes professional; ap, assistant professional; s, senior).

67 R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) ap.
68 I Buchan (Craibstone) p.
70 R McDonald (Kemnay) p.
71 R Pirie (Caledonian), F Bisset (Banchory)..
72 C Nelson (MacKenzie Club) p, S Finnie (Caledonian), B Ritchie (Inverallochy).
73 A Campell (Deeside), E Kennedy (Stonehaven), S Davidson (Banchory) p, W S Urquhart (Murcar Links) s.
74 R Stewart (Cruden Bay) p, N Murray (Cruden Bay) p, T Mathieson (Murcar Links), R Hyland (Newmachar).
75 G Ingram (Inverurie), C Carnegie (Kemnay), J Morris (Craibstone), S Fraser (Northern), D Garrett (Huntly), S Scott (Auchmiill).
76 D McGlachan (Inverurie), S Troup (Kings Links) ap, K Smith (Aboyne), N Parker (Murcar Links).
77 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), B Harper (Newburgh), L Barbour (Cruden Bay), R L Nicoll (Murcar Links) s, J M Hamilton (Murcar Links).
78 A Petrie (Oldmeldrum).
80 K Davidson (Turriff), F G Gray (Deeside) s, D Wilson (Duff House Royal), N Reid (Deeside) ap.
81 J Dalgarno (Hazlehead), R Penny (Portlethen), S Chalmers (Banchory) ap, A Swift (Auchmill), D Leighton (Murcar Links).
82 M Lawrie (Kemnay), D Corkey (East Aberdeenshire).
83 F Barclay (Kintore), P Farnan (Royal Aberdeen) s, G Homer (Lumphanan).


LEADING HANDICAP RETURNS

Class 1 – F Bisset (Banchory) (4) 67; R Pirie (Caledonian) (3) 68; D McGlachan (Newburgh) (7), C Cassie (Nigg Bay) (8), K Smith (Aboyne) (7) 69; J Morris (Craibstone) (5), B Ritchie (Inverallochy) (2), N Parker (Murcar Links) (6) 70; W S Urquhart (Murcar Links) s (2), G Ingram (Inverurie) (4), B Harper (Newburgh) (6), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (7) 71; S Finnie (Caledonian) (scr), R Scott (Auchmill) (3), R L Nicoll (Murcar Links) s (5); J M Hamilton (Murcar Links) (5), K Davidson (Turriff) (8) 72; A Campbell (Deeside) (scr), E Kennedy (Stonehaven) (scr), C Carnegie (Kemnay) (2), D Garrett (Huntly) (2) 73; S Fraser (Northern) (1) 74.


Class 2 – D Wood (Newburgh) (14) s 70; R Alison (Deeside) (13) s, G Homer (Lumphanan (12) 71; P Cornfield (Auchmill) (11); I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11) 73; J Penny (Huntly) (12) 74; C Hood (Alford) (10), K Duncan (Cruden Bay) (12); J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14) s, G Travis (Auchmill) (15), R Addison (Newburgh) (18) s 76; D Randall (Banchory) s (11), G Kennedy (Meldrum House) (13) 79; J Robb (Turriff) (11), D Lawrie (Inchmarlo) (12) 80; J Short (Murcar Links) (14) 81; J Jones (Craibstone) (10) s, I Grant (Huntly) (18) 85.

LEADING SCORECARDS

Peterheard par 70:

OUT: 4-3-4-4-4-3-4-5-4-35.
IN: 3-4-4-4-4-4-3-4-5-35

RYAN FITZPATRICK 67
OUT: 4-3-4-3-4-4-4-4-5-35
IN: 4—3-3-4-4-3-2-4-5-32

IAIN BUCHAN 68
OUT: 4-2—3-5-3-3-4-4-4-32
IN: 3-4-5-5-4-3-3-4-5-36

RONNIE McDONALD 70
OUT: 4-3-4-6-4-3-5-5-3-37
IN: 3-4-5-4-3-3-3-3-5-33

FERGUS BISSET 71
OUT: 4-3-4-4-4-4-5-6-4-38
IN: 2-3-5-4-4-4-4-3-4-33

ROY PIRIE 71
OUT: 6-3-4-4-5-3-4-4-4-37
IN: 2-4-4-3-4-5-3-4-5-34

LEADING ORDER OF MERIT (Scratch) PLACINGS
(At the end of 2006)
1 IAN BRATTON (Newburgh) 0.6
2 TERRY MATHIESON (Murcar Links) 0-7.
3 GARY ESSON (Portlethen) 1.3.
4 DEAN YATES (Newmachar) 1.4.
5 STEWART FINNIE (Caledonian) 1.8.
6 NEIL MURRAY (Cruden Bay 2.2.
6 COLIN NELSON (MacKenzie Club) 2.5.
8 IAIN BUCHAN (Craibstone) 2.3.
9 BILLY MAIN (Murcar Links) 2.4.
10 ANDREW CAMPBELL (Deeside) 2.6.
11 STEWART DAVIDSON (Banchory) 2.7.
12 CRAIG STEPHEN (Meldrum Hosue) 2.8.
13 DAVID CORKEY (East Aberdeenshire) 2.9.
14 PATRICK LOVIE (Inchmarlo) 3.2.
15 RONNIE McDONALD (Kemnay) 3.4.
16 RYAN FITZPATRICK (Inchmarlo) 3.6.
17 NICK REID (Deeside) 3.7.
18 BRIAN RITCHIE (Inverallochy) 3.9.
19 ROBBIE STEWART (Cruden Bay) 3.9.
20 EUAN KENNEDY (Stonehaven) 4.0.
21 RICHARD HYLAND (Newmachar) 4.2.


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

SPRINGBOK SCOT
DOUG McGUIGAN
BOOKS PLACE
AT CARNOUSTIE
When Doug McGuigan, pictured right, wrapped his arms around the Claret Jug at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club today, nothing but the Open title itself would have left a wider smile.
He qualified at Atlantic Beach in 2005 and two years later he has done it again.The fact that he was sharing the spotlight with Brazilian Adilson Da Silva, did not bother McGuigan in the least, but he did admit that he would have preferred not to share the first place spoils.
"At least our flights are both covered," said a smiling McGuigan as he reluctantly let go of golf's most coveted piece of silverware, the Claret Jug, to join the press.
First in the clubhouse at 10-under-par 134 after the final round of International Final Qualifying (Africa) meant that the South African-born Scot was the first player from IFQ to book his berth in the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie in July.
COURSE RECORD 62 BY BOTES
McGuigan and Adilson Da Silva, fellow Sunshine Tour players, shot matching rounds of 66 and 68 to tie for the lead, while 14-time Sunshine Tour winner, Desvonde Botes, wrote a little history of his own at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington on his way to sharing the third spot
In 1991, Botes won the South African amateur championship at the East Course with 3 and 1 victory over Barry Sundelson, becoming the youngest winner of the match-play title at the age of 16.
Sixteen years later, breaking par for the first time on the West course, Botes tore up the course with 11 birdies against a lone bogey for a course record 62.His score, one better than another Springbok-Scot, Andrew McLardy's six-day record set during last weeks' Joburg Open, took his overall score to nine-under
Australian challenger Terry Pilkadaris, after having a glance at the leaderboard, birdied 14 and 15, then holed a crucial putt for eagle at the last for a final round 68 to tie Botes for the third spot on 135.
The feisty Aussie also claimed rookie honours as the only player in the leading quartet not to have teed it up in an Open before.
McGuigan said afterwards that some of his inspiration to qualify came from a letter in the post five weeks ago, when he received a signed photo of the legend 'Jack Nicklaus' at St Andrews after his final appearance at the Open.
"Just looking at that picture gave me the courage to fight for a spot," he said afterwards. "It doesn't matter how many times you go there, you are always in awe when you get there."
McGuigan played in the 2005 Open, where he missed the cut. A four time Dunhill Links competitor at Carnoustie, McGuigan hopes to keep his form alive until the Open there.
"I'm going over to Carnoustie a little wiser and a little older," he said.
"But in the greater scheme of things, to be standing on the driving range with guys like Tiger Woods, Chris Dimarco and Jim Furyk is an overwhelming experience.
"I hope my Dunhill Links experience will do me well, because it a difficult course that requires accuracy and the precision of a surgeon. The greens alone at Carnoustie produce more tears than a funeral."
The remaining four IFQ's will be played at:
The Lakes, Sydney (Australasia) on February 6.
Sentosa, Singapore (Asia) on March 27 & 28.
Oakland Hills, Michigan (America) on 2 July 2.
Sunningdale (Europe) on July 2.

Leading scores:

QUALIFIERS FOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP


134 Adilson Da Silva (Brazil) 66 68, Douglas McGuigan (Sco) 66 68.


135 Desvonde Botes (South Africa) 72 63, Terry Pilkadaris (Australia) 67 68.





Other scores (players from South Africa unless stated):


136 Trevor Moore 71 65.


136 Dion Fourie 68 68, Michael Lamb (Zimbabwe) 68 68, Vaughn Groenewald 68 68, Tyrone Van Aswegen 66 70.


137 Tongoona Charamba (Zimbabwe) 71 66.

STENSON WINS ABU DHABI
SHOOT-OUT WITH DRIVE
OF 710 YARDS AT AIRPORT

London Golf Show-sponsored Paul Slater lost out to Ryder Cup hero Henrik Stenson when the two went head-to-head in a long drive shoot-out in Abu Dhabi today.
Stenson set a new Asian long-drive record with a prodigious effort of 710 yards to beat world-record holder Slater when the two went up against each other, driving off the wing of an Etihad Airways 767 jet at Abu Dhabi International Airport, in an event to promote the Abu Dhabi golf championship.
They were joined by five amateurs who had won the right to compete in competitions in various golf magazines across the world.
Slater, from Warrington, could manage "only" 640 yards as the rain lashed down, making the wing very slippery underfoot.
Stenson’s new Asian best is still some way short of Slater’s world best of 884 yards, set last April at NMSI Wroughton, in Wiltshire.
Jay Tyson, the operations director for Slater’s sponsor, the London Golf Show, accompanied the world-record holder out to the Middle East.
He said: “Slates hit the ball well enough but everybody apart from Henrik seemed to go off to the left. Henrik’s ball went straight down the middle and stayed straight. I suppose it emphasises the subtle differences between the pros and the Tour pros.”
Slater returns to the UK later this week and will be demonstrating his long-driving skills – and offering some tips – at the London Golf Show at ExCeL from April 26-29.
+Just in case you are wondering how they are able to drive the ball so far ... the obvious explanation is that they are not driving on to grass but the tarmac runways down which a golf ball can bounce for miles, well, almost!

NORTH ALLIANCE SEASON
GETS BACK IN FULL SWING
AT TAIN ON SUNDAY

By ROBIN WILSON
Tain duo Mike Keay and Billy Ferries are the current top two golfers in the North Alliance, holding the best 72-hole aggregate scores before the fixtures resume after the holiday break at Tain this coming Sunday.
The two trophies they are in contention for when the season ends in March are the MacKintosh Salver for net returns and the Alliance Quaich for scratch rounds. Used to find the winners are the best two scores returned over Caithness venues added to their best two rounds at venues in Ross-shire and Sutherland.
Keay, the greenkeeper at Tarbat golf course and playing in his first Alliance season, currently leads the MacKintosh Salver handicap aggregates with 282: made up of a 71 at Tain, 69 at Invergordon, 70 at Wick and 72 at Reay.
Mike has has a net three-shot stroke advantage over Ferries who, at the same stage, holds the Alliance Quaich scratch lead on 293 from rounds of 72 at Tain, 76 at Invergordon, 70 at Reay and 75 at Thurso.
Ferries reduces his scratch total to 285 when his handicap of two is applied.
ANOTHER TAIN CHALLENGER
Tain has a third member in the hunt for one of the trophies. Steve Holmes is on a net total of 290 with his best handicap rounds of 71 at Tain and Invergordon, a 72 at Wick and a 76 at Durness (Durness although in Sutherland counts as a Caithness venue).
Munro Ferries, who has been runner to the scratch winner in the past two seasons, is six shots behind his brother, Billy, but has every opportunity to close the gap this weekend over his home course.
There are two Caithness club members who can leap into contention should they choose to play for a second “away” score this weekend. Defender of the scratch trophy, Ronnie Taylor (Wick), who last time scored 75 at Tain but missed the Invergordon fixture, is on a three-score total of 216 while Doug Thorburn (Thurso) is better placed on 213, but also requiring a second counting score outwith Caithness.
Doug also missed Invergordon but has counting scores at Thurso (69), Reay 71 and Tain 73 to work with.

LEHMAN AND WALDORF
COMING OVER FOR
ITALIAN OPEN IN MAY

Tom Lehman, the 2006 United States Ryder Cup team captain, and DuffyWaldorf, one of his backroom assistants at The K Club, will bring a Ryder Cup flavour to the Telecom Italia Open, which returns to Castellodi Tolcinasco G&CC, Milan, from May 3-6.
The American duo, two of the nicest personalities in world pro golf, have long been close friends, teaming up three times to win Hyundai Cup team matches. They will be competing in the Telecom Italian Open for the first time.
Lehman joined the game's elite with his Open championship victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1996, a year he topped the US PGA Tour money list and also forced his way to the top of the Official World GolfRanking to become world No. 1.
Waldorf, winner of four titles on the US PGA Tour, is one of the mosteasily recognisable players in world golf with his penchant for colourful shirts and caps. His golf balls are also adorned with messages and reminders from his wife and children. His best year was 1999 when he won twice. As a connoisseur of fine wines, Waldorf is sure to enjoy his visit to Italy.

GIVE US YOUR VIEW ON TODAY'S TALKING POINT

THE OPEN SHOULD BE

THE TOUGHEST TEST,

SO LET'S MAKE IT

OVER SIX ROUNDS!
This week sees the Bob Hope Classic in California, the only five-round or 90-hole event on any of the major golf tours of the world – if you discount the qualifying schools.
When, where and why did 72 holes become the norm for a professional golf tournament? Was it a bit like 18 holes becoming the standard length of a golf course, really by chance rather design?
Does anyone out there agree with me that the Open championship should be over at least six rounds?
Why? Because it should be THE major test of golf and two extra rounds would ensure that the best player in the field is the winner at the end of almost a week of solid play.
“Normal” cricket matches are over three days. But Test matches are over five (unless it’s England playing Australia, of course).
“Normal” boxing matches are over 10 rounds. But world championship matches are over 15 rounds.

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION
And I am sure there are other examples.
Michael Bonallack (before he became a “Sir), pictured above, once told me – and a few hundred other golf writers at an Open Press conference – that the rough SHOULD be longer, the fairways SHOULD be narrower, the bunkers deeper, etc at an Open championship because it is a tournament to find out the best all-round player.
He compared it with education: A university entrance examination should be and is a lot harder to pass than say your normal term test at school. And so it should be with the Open championship compared with run-of-the-mill tournaments.

On a not so serious note. When you think of the money that the R&A makes from a four-day Open championship and spreads liberally around the world for the good of golf, just think how much more money would be generated by two extra days of tournament play.

COLIN FARQUHARSON

YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE. Let me have your view on the subject by E-mailing me at colin@scottishgolfview.com

IT'S A SWISS!
ROMINGER
BROTHER & SISTER
WIN CHIVAS
SNOW TITLES
European Seniors Tour Order of Merit winner Sam Torrance and supermodel Jodie Kidd, pictured right, added the golf expertise and glamour to the Chivas Snow Golf Championship held in Engadin, St, Moritz.
A record 150 people from over 20 countries took part in the 28th playing of this remarkable event.
In the men’s professional category, Asia Tour rookie and local Swiss professional, Martin Rominger held off last year’s winner, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano from Spain to take the glory and win the Chivas Regal trophy.
Fernandez-Castano made a confident defence of his title with three pars in the opening holes. However, the local favourite came into form, scoring birdies at the fourth, seventh and eighth.
Rominger, 27 strokes for the nine-hole course, eventually beat the Spaniard by three shots.
Former European Tour pro and BBC commentator Paul Eales finished third with 35.
Martin Rominger commented after his victory, “This year was my first time playing the course as a professional but I have played snow golf here many times as an amateur. I got a little more lucky on these whites plus I have home turf advantage."
Sam Torrance, who had to withdraw from the competition on the day due to a hand injury, was an active spectator, cheering on all the participants.
Korean golfer, J M Lee, who shot 28 (gross score), won the men’s open amateur championship.
Keen golfer Jodie Kidd finished with a score of 45 to finish 10th in the women's open championship which was won by Switzerland’s leading amateur, Caroline Rominger, sister of Martin. She had a score of 40 to make it a Rominger family double.
Jodie Kidd said: “I had such a great time at last year’s Chivas Snow Golf, I jumped at the chance to come back again as soon as I got the invite. Snow golf is very different to 'real' golf. Most of the typical rules go out of the window but it’s lovely to do something so fun, unpredictable and different. That’s why I love it.”
Tournament co-ordinator, Claudio Chiogna was delighted with the event, saying, “The conditions have been difficult this year as it has been so warm which can cause problems in getting the course ready in time. However, despite the difficulties, this year we have had the most entries into the tournament that we’ve had in 28 years”.
The Championship was played on a nine-hole snow course, 1800 metres above sea level, at the foot of Piz Bernina mountain in Engadin, St Moritz .
Martin Riley, Marketing Director for Chivas Regal said, “No-one can deny this is golf’s coolest tournament - played in the Alpine snow by celebrities and professionals alike, with the added glitz and glamour of St. Moritz. Snow golf, part of the Chivas Life, is both inspiring and extraordinary and one of those things that everyone should try at least once in their life”.
Sam Torrance said of the event, “I think snow golf is fantastic - a great idea. I’ve played golf in the frost in Scotland but I’ve never seen anything quite like this. Everyone should have a go and try it."

STIRLING STUDENTS UPSET
SEEDINGS IN FLORIDA
BUT BEAT TEAM-MATES

Stirling students Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) and Emma Tipping (Sandiway) progressed through to the last 16 at the expense of team-mates Rachel Cassidy from Dublin and Monifieth’s Dawn Dewar respectively in the opening match-play round of the Jones/Doherty tournament at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Claire-Marie, pictured right, the 20th seed, was a 4 and 3 win over Rachel, the 13th seed while Emma also upset the seedings. Seeded No 201, Emma beat the 12th seeded Dawn 5 and 4.
The No 1 seed, last year’s title-winner Alexandra Bodemann fell at the first hurdle, beaten by two holes by the 32nd qualifier, Jordyn Hage.
Ivan Lendl’s teenage daughters Marika and Isabelle, the Nos 2 and 3 seeds won through with varying degrees of ease. Marika was a 5 and 3 winner over Natalie McNicholas but Isabelle had to go to the last green before winning by one hole against Daria Cummings.
A fifth Stirling student, Catherine Baines from England, and independent Irish golfing tourist, Sarah Carty from Dublin had byes in the first round of the second flight of match-play.
The Jones/Doherty tournament is the third event on the annual Orange Blossom Tour for female amateurs in Florida.

HANDS UP THOSE WHO KNOW

FROM WHERE CARNOUSTIE

GOT ITS NAME

As you all know - or should know - the Open championship returns to Carnoustie from July 19 to 22 for the first time since Aberdonian Paul Lawrie won the Claret Jug in 1999 after that incredible play-off against the unforgettable Jean Van de Velde and ..... ?

Not many people remember the name of the third man in the play-off quite so easily , even though he had won the Open only two years earlier at Royal Troon.

Give up? It was American Justin Leonard.
To get to the point of this preamble about Carnoustie .... I was clicking through the quite informative Carnoustie Golf Links website looking for the precise dates of this year's Craw's Nest Tassie amateur tournament, when I came across the following interesting item about the place we Scots pronounce Car-NOUSTIE while Americans put the emphasis on the first syllable, i.e. CAR-noustie.

HOW CARNOUSTIE GOT ITS NAME

The name Carnoustie probably derives from two Scandinavian nouns, “car” meaning rock and “noust” meaning “bay”. However, there is more fanciful explanation that some local inhabitants prefer.
Those individuals will tell you that the town got its name from the Battle of Barry in 1010 in which the Scottish King, Malcolm II, repulsed a band of Danish invaders led by their general, Camus.
History suggests that the Battle of Barry was a bloody affair that raged for hours until Camus was put to the sword. To this day, a cross in the ground of the Panmure Estate marks the spot where he was buried.
Legend has it that the Norse Gods were so incensed by the loss of their favourite warrior that they put a curse on the neighbourhood, letting thousands of crows loose on Barry Sands.

Soon, the crows colonised the woodland on what is now Buddon Ness, their numbers growing to such an extent that the area became known as Craw’s Nestie, later corrupted to become Carnoustie.
The village was elevated to burgh status in 1899 and at that time local officials adopted a crest featuring three crows flying over a leafy tree.
Later, in 1927, an annual amateur tournament was launched. Originally, it was rather unimaginatively titled the Carnoustie Corporation Trophy but, after a while, that name was dropped in favour of the more colourful Craw’s Nest Tassie (a tassie is an old Scots word for a drinking cup).

SO NOW YOU KNOW - COURTESY OF THE CARNOUSTIE GOLF LINKS WEBSITE.

+The dates of this year's Craw's Nest Tassie tournament are September 2 t0 8. Don't delay if you want to get your entry in alongside the army of English club players, not to mention those from overseas, who support this week-long stroke-play then match-play event which was once one of the leading amateur tournaments on the Scottish golfing calendar.

+Perhaps worth drawing your attention to another competitive opportunity to play this year's Open championship venue - before they let the rough grow - and that's the Carnoustie Country Classic from May 14 to 17. Four Stableford points rounds over Montrose, Panmure, Monifieth and Carnoustie.

SCOT SCHOFIELD GETS JOB
OF ANALYSING ENGLAND'S
CRICKET SHAMBLES

David Harbord reports in today's edition of "The Guardian" that a Scot - no less a figure than former European Tour golf supremo, Ken Schofield, has been appointed to a panel with a remit of finding out what went wrong - from England's point of view - in the recent 5-o thrashing by England in the Ashes.
A former Auchterarder-born bank clerk with a love of keeping sporting statistics, Schofield said: "I've been appointed as an independent voice and I'll do the job without fear or favour. We have access to all areas and we know we have to think quickly on our feet."
Ken will be joined in his quest by the former England captains, Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain, and the former England pace bowler Angus Fraser, plus two others as yet unnamed.
"I liken England's current loss of the Ashes to what happened when the Americans won back the Ryder Cup in 1999," said Schofield, who was in charge of European Tour professional golf for 30 years. "They had lost the trophy two matches in a row and just had to win it back. I think we saw a similar thing during the Ashes, where the Australians regrouped impressively.

MEMBER OF SURREY C C C
The 60-year-old Schofield - whose late Lancastrian father was a cricketer - loves his cricket and has been a Surrey member for many years.
"My passion for cricket is almost as strong as it is for golf and I'm honoured to have been asked," he said. "Two of the proudest moments of my sporting life came at The Oval when I saw David Gower captain the side that won back the Ashes in 1985 and Michael Vaughan's triumph just 18 months ago."

JANUARY 26 DEADLINE TO

ENTER NICK FALDO

SERIES IN SCOTLAND

The search for the next generation of European Tour champions is underway as the Faldo Series opens its doors to young golfers throughout Europe, offering them a chance to participate in a tournament that has helped to shape the careers of the likes of Nick Dougherty, James Heath and Oliver Fisher.
By contacting the Faldo Series, youngsters could secure the opportunity to play a number of tournaments and draw inspiration from the six-time Major winner who will captain the next European Ryder Cup side in 2008.
If a youngster plays off a single-figure handicap, then don't delay - get his or her application in now as the deadline (January 26th, 2007) is fast approaching.
Supported by the European Tour, the Professional Golfers Association and the R&A, the Faldo Series enters its 11th season this year.
To celebrate, Nick Faldo has announced yet another impressive schedule, which will combine top-level competition at some of the world’s greatest championship venues with education on every facet of the sport.

NEW FEATURES
The 2007 Series will include a number of new features.
*An extra region has been added, bringing the total to eight nationwide, with two tournaments in each region.
*There will now be four 36 hole regional finals, from which two players per age group will qualify for the Faldo Series grand final.
*There are also a number of exciting new venues being added, including The Roxburghe.
Entrants must be born in 1986 or later and have a handicap according to their age group:
Mixed Under 21 years (handicap limit 4).
Boys U-18 years (handicap limit 5); Boys U-17 years (handicap limit 6); Boys U-16 years (handicap limit 7); Boys U-15 years (handicap limit 8); Girls U-18 years (handicap limit 9).
For those players who are either unsuccessful in the ballot or unable to enter, there is an opportunity to play in the free-to-enter Faldo Series qualifiers. Launched in 2005, this allows hundreds more players the opportunity to benefit from the Faldo Series experience and the chance to qualify for the Faldo Series main schedule…without paying a penny.
If you are interested and would like an application form, please contact:
The Faldo Series,3 Coda Centre,189 Munster Rd,London SW6 6AWTelephone: 020 7471 2500E: series@nickfaldo.comW: http://www.nickfaldo.com/

NICK FALDO SERIES: 2007 SCOTTISH QUALIFYING

DATES AND VENUES
Tuesday, April 17 – Blairgowrie.
Monday, May 28 – Carrick on Loch Lomond.
Thursday, August 23 – Scottish Regional Final (36 holes) at The Roxburghe.

THREE SHARE LEAD IN

INTERNATIONAL

SPRINGBOK QUALIFIER
Tyrone van Aswegen (24) was in a buoyant mood after a six-under-par 66 earned him a share of the first-round lead alongside seasoned campaigners, Adilson da Silva of Brazil and Doug McGuigan at today's International Final Qualifier for the Open at Carnoustie in July.
The leading trio top the leaderboard at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, one shot clear of Australian Terry Pilkadaris and fellow South African, Grant Muller, who share fourth spot.
Six-time Sunshine Tour winner, Hennie Otto, continued on the comeback trail, building on a third place finish in the Joburg Open on Sunday with an opening 68.
He shares sixth place with a dozen players, including Zimbabwean Mike Lamb and Andre Bossert of Switzerland, South Africans Dion Fourie and Vaughn Groenewald, as well as 2005 qualifiers, Thomas Aiken and Ross Wellington, also from South Africa.

SCOT McLEAN OUT OF RUNNING
Last year's IFQ (Africa) winner Warren Abery opened with a one-under-par 71.
Brazil’s Da Silva, 34, had more reasons to be happy, having underlined his stature as one of the most consistent players on the Sunshine Tour, following his 69th consecutive cut made with a tie for sixth place on the weekend in the Joburg Open.
Scot Alan McLean has little or no chance of returning to his home land in triumph. He is sharing last place in a field of 49 with a six-over-par score of 78.

The top four at the end of 36 holes will go straight through to the Open championship proper at Carnoustie.
CLUBHOUSE LEADERS
FIRST ROUND
Players from South Africa unless stated
66 Adilson da Silva (Braz), Tyrone Van Aswegen, Doug McGuigan.
67 Terry Pilkadaris (Aus), Grant Muller.

Other scores included:
68 Hennie Otto, Dion Fourie, Mike Lamb (Zim), Vaughn Groenewald, Thomas Aiken, Ross Wellington, Andre Bossert (Swi).
69 Bradford Vaughan.
70 James Kamte, Alan Michell, Grant Veenstra, Anton Haig, Henk Alberts, Chris Swanepoel.
71 Warren Abery.

78 Alan McLean (Sco).

FRASERBURGH
GOLF CLUB CAN'T
AFFORD TO KEEP
SECRETARY-MANAGER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Fraserburgh Golf Club have dispensed with the services of secretary-manager George Young, pictured right.
Club captain Robert Baird explained that the opening of a new clubhouse last spring had generated some additional income – but not enough to pay the salary of a full-time employee as George was.
“We are very sad to have had to let George go. He is a long-time friend of mine but you have to run a golf club as you would run any other business. You cannot spend more than you are taking in,” said Mr Baird.
Fraserburgh Golf Club, founded in 1881, has one of the best links courses in the North and North-east. But the main income from visitors’ green fees is confined to the summer months.
“I often feel that more should be done to market the splendid golf courses we have in the North-east, including Fraserburgh, as a package. We should get more visitors here than we do,” said Mr Baird.
“Perhaps the Donald Trump International Links will one day draw much bigger numbers of golf tourists to the North-east and then we will all get a spin-off. I very much hope so.”
The Fraserburgh captain refuted any suggestion that the club had ongoing cash problems.
"We are not cash-strapped at all," said Mr Baird. "Earlier this winter, we spent quite a lot of money on new greenkeeping machinery. Would we have been able to do that if we did not have the money available?"

LOOKING TO STAY IN GOLF
George Young, president of the North-east District of the Scottish Golf Union and father of former Walker Cup player Steven Young, is keen to continue in golf club administration elsewhere in the North-east.
“I am willing to listen to any golf club administration offer that may be going, whether that be part-time, temporary or even permanent,” said George.
“It was unfortunate that Fraserburgh Golf Club terminated by contract – purely on financial grounds – when I was so enjoying the day-to-day involvement in golf administration. However, although it has slightly downed my spirits, I have enjoyed the recent weeks as I have played more golf in that period that I had done in the past two years!”

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

Florida's Orange Blossom Tour moves on to Coral Ridge CC

STIRLING STUDENTS

QUALIFY BUT MEET
EACH OTHER

IN MATCH-PLAY

The good news is that four Stirling University students qualified for the championship flight match-play stages of the 75th Jones/Doherty women’s amateur championship at Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The not-so-good news is that the bad luck of the automatic draw has decreed that they will play each other in the first round.
Dawn Dewar from Monifieth was the 12th best of the 32 qualifiers with a 79. She will play Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Cheshire. Emma qualified in 21st place with an 84.
Rachel Cassidy from Dublin, was the 13th qualifier with a round of 79. She will play team-mate Claire-Marie Carlton from Fereneze. Claire-Marie was the 20th qualifier with an 83.
The match-play qualifiers also included two of the daughters of former tennis ace Ivan Lendl. Marika Lendl was the No 2 qualifier with a 72 and Isabelle Lendl earned the No 3 seed status with a 73.
Marika plays off +2.3, Isabelle’s actual handicap ix +0.6. They are both students at the IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Bradenton, Florida.
A fifth Stirling student, England’s Catherine Baines qualified for the second flight of the match-play with a score of 104.
So too did independent golfing tourist Sarah Carty from Dublin with a 91. Sarah qualified sixth of eighth, Catherine last of eight.
The Jones/Doherty match-play championship is the third event on the annual Orange Blossom Tour for female amateur golfers in Florida.

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

FOUR PLACES IN OPEN AT CARNOUSTIE
AVAILABLE IN IFQ (AFRICA)
ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY

The ink on their final scorecards at theinaugural Joburg Open was barely dry before Sunshine Tour professionals walked across to the West Course at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to prepare for the African leg of International Final Qualifying for The 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie.
The West course, which received the rich praise from the 204-man field playing their first or second rounds there last week, is pristine and fully rested ahead for this week's competition that will see the 47-man field battle for the top four spots.
As one of the most prestigious golf clubs in Johannesburg, where the East Course has been touted as a blue blood championship course and where the tougher of the two lay-outs, the West, proved last week that it is no walk-over.
Although its elder sibling has a great pedigree, the 18-hole Parklands West course, with its scenic, tree-lined fairways and gently rolling slopes, fooled the better part of the field during the Johannesburg Open.#
TWO-INCH ROUGH GROWTH
While the fairways may be wider, after the recent summer showers the rough has grown a good couple of inches and the West is guaranteed to deliver an exciting finale on Wednesday.
Leading the challenge is pint-sized Warren Abery, who has his sights set on making it two-in-a-row after a start-to-finish victory in last year's IFQ on the East course.
But the reigning Nashua Masters champion, who tied for 55th on the weekend, is more than aware that his dream is under enormous threat from a number of challengers who enjoyed top-20 success on Sunday, including Hennie Otto, Mark Murless and Doug McGuigan.
"I'm working on a swing change with long-term results, so I did not expect to play all that well last week," said Abery, who shot rounds of 66 and 70 to triumph last year.
"But no matter what you tell your mind, when it comes down to a spot in The Open, your heart takes over. I will just have to remind myself that I need to be patient and focus on the long-term goals."
Otto, no stranger to The Open, is riding a wave of resurging form. A six-time winner on the Sunshine Tour, Otto soared into contention in the first round of the Joburg Open and held form to finish alone in third on Sunday. McGuigan, 36, tied for eighth at the Joburg Open, is looking forward to the challenge.
NOTHING COMPARES
"There is nothing that compares to playing in the Open Championship," said McGuigan, who won the Telkom PGA Pro-Am in October and tied for eighth on Sunday. "It is the ultimate dream of every golfer; to hold the Claret Jug. That's why we are all here - to have the chance to live the dream."
Murless, who tied for fourth, has his sights set on at least one of the four spots at Carnoustie. "I've had a good run lately and I hope that it culminates in a spot on Wednesday," Murless said ahead of the first round on Tuesday.
"The course is in great shape and I am ready for the challenge, but there are a lot of guys to watch out for."
IFQ (Africa) is one of five such qualifiers, the others being Australasia, Asia, Europe and the USA, in the build-up towards The Open Championship at Carnoustie in July.
IFQ (Africa) will be decided over 36-holes of strokeplay on Tuesday and Wednesday with no cut.
Exempt places into The Open will be awarded to the leading four players.
Full details of play can be viewed on www.opengolf.com

GREAT NEWS FOR QATAR

MASTERS - MICHAEL

CAMPBELL'S A-COMING!

The list of golfing household names from the world of golf queuing up to compete in the booming Commercialbank Qatar Masters has been joined by former US Open champion Michael Campbell , pictured right, who will star in the $2.2 million tournament from January 25-28.
The 2005 US Open winner joins fellow Doha debutants Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia, Chris DiMarco and Stuart Appleby alongside former Commercialbank Qatar Masters champion Ernie Els at the sharp end a 120-man field that is the strongest in the event’s 10-year history.
“We’ve got Majors winners in our line-up in the shape of Ernie, Retief and now Michael, which is something both the tournament and the state of Qatar should be very proud of,” said Commercialbank of Qatar Group CEO Andrew Stevens.
“A decade ago, few people even knew golf was played in Qatar – today we have some of the biggest names in the game coming to our shores and that’s something to celebrate.”
One of the most popular players in golf, Kiwi Campbell’s return to the top of the leaderboard is the stuff of sporting legend. Less than 10 years ago, his game appeared to have deserted him and his future was far from certain.
But through hard work and practice, he clawed his way back to the top and that US Open win at Pinehurst in 2005, a result described by Tiger Woods’ caddie and Campbell’s fellow Kiwi Steve Williams as, “the single greatest sporting moment in New Zealand history”.
“Back in 1998 I was going to throw the game away and sell golf balls,” said Campbell. “I missed my European Tour card and also Australasian Tour card. I had no place to play back in '98 and luckily enough I got a few invites and regained my card for both Tours. So emotionally it was a bit of a roller coaster. But I worked very hard, very, very hard.
“And then in 2005 having that putt to win a Major… it’s what you dream about as a kid. But it's certainly been an interesting journey the last 10 years.”
The first New Zealander to win a Major since Bob Charles took the Open Championship in 1963, Campbell saw his status elevated to that of superstar in his native country.
“I think for the first time I actually made the front page of the newspapers back home with the All Blacks,” he smiled. “They've been champions and heroes of mine, and to knock them off their pedestal for one week meant a lot to me!”
Campbell's forefathers emigrated to New Zealand from the Edinburgh region and married into Kiwi stock.

IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE

ANN BRADSHAW IS NEW

PRESIDENT OF IRISH

LADIES GOLF UNION

The 113th Irish Ladies Golf Union Annual General Meeting was held at Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa on Saturday, January 13. 2007.

Ann Bradshaw (Co. Sligo), pictured right, assumed the Presidency of the Union from Ann Heskin (Douglas) for the next two years.

Council members Alexis Graham (Northern), Kitty Horgan (Southern) and Helen Hennessy (Midland) were replaced by Deirdre Kearney, Phil Byrne and Deirdre Bolger following their three year terms.
Attendees agreed to introduce a nominal subscription fee for junior members and minor modifications to improve understanding of the ILGU Constitution were accepted.
Guest speaker Ann Marie Hughes from Junior Golf Ireland provided an update on activities at junior level while Pat McGrath of Miele Ireland announced details of their three-year sponsorship of the National Inter-club Fourball Championships.

Frances Wogan (Lucan) won the weekend for two at Druids Glen Marriott, kindly sponsored by AA Insurance.

FUND-RAISING SPARKS NEW YEAR HONOUR

The London Golf Show has been recognised for its charitable contributions by the presentation of a commemorative plaque from its official benefiting charity.
The children’s medical charity SPARKS has received more than £35,000 from the London Golf Show during the last two years.
The funds have been raised via ticket sales – the charity gets a donation from each ticket sold – and sundry events at the show and other promotional events.

SCOT'S OIL PAINTING OF TIGER
WOODS LIKELY TO FETCH
BETWEEN £7,000-£9,000
An oil painting of Tiger Woods by Ayrshire-born artist Craig Campbell is to be sold by Bonhams in a Golfing Memorabilia sale in Chester on January 27.
The painting of the world's No 1 golfer winning the Masters in 2005 is signed by both Campbell and Woods and is estimated to fetch £7,000 - 9,000.
The artist, Craig Campbell, has been painting golfing personalities for some years, exhibiting at the Open Championship. Collectors of his work include Sir Sean Connery, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods himself. Last year a portrait of Jack Nicklaus painted by Campbell sold for £18,000. Lot 2 in the Bonhams sale is one of only six limited edition prints of this painting signed by the artist and Jack Nicklaus, (estimate £1,000 – 1,500).
TIGER WOODS' GOLF BAG
Other Tiger Woods' items to be sold include a Wilson FatShaft Tour golf bag from the 2001 Open Championship,signed by Woods and a host of other champions including David Duval (the winner), Tony Jacklin, Ian Woosman and V.S Singh. Estimate £500 – 600.
The 10 carat gold PGA of America signet ring, thought to have been given to Woods to mark his first year as a player on the US PGA Tour in 1997, is estimated to fetch £5,000 – 7,000. The cast lettering in black inlay reads ‘T.Woods’ on one side and ‘Member’ on the other.
Programmes, photographs and books, all signed by Tiger Woods, also feature in the auction.
Other sections of this 500-lot Golfing Memorabilia sale include a selection of named clubs, balls, awards, trophies, pictures and books.
Highlights include a set of golf balls that have yet to be used and are in excellent condition – remarkable given that they are over 100 years old.
Offered in the original red B.F. Goodrich box, the 12 Haskell bramble-patterned balls date back to c.1900 and retain the loose paper wrappings. They are estimated to sell for £4,000 – 6,000.

Englishman finishes one shot off the lead in Sony Open

LUKE DONALD JOINT SECOND
BEHIND WINNER GOYDOS

Paul Goydos, a 42-year-old American, won the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club, Honolulu on Hawaii by covering the last four holes in two under par for a closing three-under-par 67 and a total of 14-under-par 266.
That won him the $936,000 first prize by one shot from Luke Donald and American Charles Howell.
Chicago-based Donald, pictured right, birdied the 13th and 18th for a final round of 69 while Howell bogeyed the 12th and 13th and then parred the last five holes for a 70.
It was Goydos' first US PGA Tour win in 11 years and only his second in all. He is known by his colleagues on the Tour as "Sunshine" - because he is usually a gloomy, self-deprecating character!
Paul had two early bogeys but birdied the 15th and 16th, bogeyed the 17th and got a crucial birdie at the last hole.
Sixteen-year-old Hawaii youngster Todd Fujikawa finished joint 20th on 275, closing with his worst round of the four, a two-over-par 72.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4 x 70)
Players from US unless stated.
266 Paul Goydos 66 63 70 67.
267 Luke Donald (Eng) 63 66 69 69, Charles Howell III 69 63 65 70.
271 Steve Stricker 67 67 67 70, Jim Furyk 65 68 69 69, KJ Choi (Kor) 64 71 68 68, Douglas LaBelle 69 71 66 65.
272 Robert Allenby (Aus) 67 66 70 69, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 67 72 69 64.
273 Pat Perez 68 70 69 66, Steve Lowery 72 67 67 67, Craig Kanada 72 65 66 70.
274 Jerry Kelly 69 65 71 69, George McNeill 70 66 70 68, Paul Azinger 68 66 68 72, Bart Bryant 69 69 66 70, Jason Dufner 67 68 70 69, Bo Van Pelt 69 70 66 69, David Toms 70 68 68 68
275 John Senden (Aus) 69 67 68 71, Ted Purdy 67 68 66 74, Heath Slocum 66 68 71 70, (am) Tadd Fujikawa 71 66 66 72, John Rollins 66 70 72 67, Jeff Maggert 73 65 67 70, Boo Weekley 69 67 71 68, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 66 70 68 71.
276 John Daly 69 68 71 68, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 68 72 70 66, Andrew Buckle (Aus) 70 66 70 70, Robert Garrigus 68 72 67 69, Troy Matteson 69 68 69 70, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 69 67 68 72
277 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 69 71 70 67, Daisuke Maruyama (Jpn) 66 72 69 70, Harrison Frazar 71 67 69 70, Vijay Singh (Fij) 71 67 70 69, Nathan Green (Aus) 67 71 70 69, Steven Marino 68 71 66 72, Craig Lile (Rsa) 70 67 71 69, Johnson Wagner 70 67 70 70
278 Will MacKenzie 65 68 74 71, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 68 71 71 68, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 67 70 68 73, Shane Bertsch 66 70 71 71
279 Kaname Yokoo (Jpn) 69 70 70 70, Chad Campbell 66 65 75 73
280 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 71 66 71 72, David Branshaw 67 69 76 68, Eric Axley 72 67 75 66, Jeff Sluman 66 72 75 67, Bubba Watson 71 66 72 71, Yusaku Miyazato (Jpn) 69 70 71 70
281 Kenny Perry 71 66 70 74, Brian Gay 68 69 70 74, Rich Beem 69 66 71 75, J.P. Hayes 70 70 71 70, Glen Day 71 69 72 69.
282 Brett Quigley 70 70 73 69, Tim Petrovic 70 68 74 70, Cliff Kresge 71 67 71 73, Briny Baird 67 72 72 71.
283 Ken Duke 69 69 71 74, Gavin Coles (Aus) 71 67 69 76
284 Azuma Yano (Jpn) 73 66 74 71, Cameron Beckman 69 70 70 75, Joe Daley 70 69 74 71
285 J J Henry 68 72 70 75, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 71 68 72 74, Davis Love III 70 70 71 74, Michael Putnam 71 69 70 75
287 Jeff Quinney 69 71 73 74
291 Tom Lehman 68 72 76 75.

LEADING US TOUR MONEY WINNERS
1 Vijay Singh $1,126,325.
2 Paul Goydos $936,000.
3 Luke Donald $650,600.

LEADING FEDEX CUP POINTS TOTALS
1 Vijay Singh 4621
2 Paul Goydos 4500.
3 Luke Donald 3038.

You can read all the details on the US PGA Tour website:
http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/

GAME WITH SIR BOB CHARLES HIGHLIGHT OF NZ TRIP

*North-east golfing veteran JIM HARDIE (pictured right) writes exclusively for you about cutting short his usual winter break in New Zealand and coming home to Aberdeen because the weather Down Under was so bad.

But he did have time to play a round with former Open champion Sir BOB CHARLES! Read on:

JIM HARDIE WRITES:
I was away for approximately six weeks and the worst part was the weather which, for New Zealand (where it was their summer time) was absolutely shocking!
If it wasn’t raining, it was blowing a gale and cold and it even SNOWED twice while I was fishing, down at bottom of South Island.
I actually stopped one day at a place called Tekapo which is on the main road from Wanaka back to Christchurch and there was about 3in of snow on the road and it was 3 degrees Centigrade, not exactly summer.
To be fair Tekapo is pretty high up but, anyway, when I got to Christchurch three hours later it was 17 degrees and blue sky. Such is the changeable climate of NZ. Most people seem to think it’s like Australia, always nice and hot, but let me assure Scottishgolfview.com readers, you have to be prepared for anything when you visit NZ.
First fishing trip was great - caught about 20 mostly rainbow trout and the fun landing these things is in itself worth the long journey. I mean they fight, jump so high out of the water etc, it’s superb fun and, of course, when smoked they are simply delicious.
STILL A TWO-HANDICAPPER

On to the golf. I duly arrived in Christchurch flashing my four-handicap certificate - highest in 35 years -only to be confronted by the handicap secretary at Windsor Golf Club, where I am a member. He tells me I was still a two-handicapper when I left there last January, but he will "compromise" by judging my form on my first two cards!
Lo and behold, I then stupidly score a gross 69 followed by a gross 68 so that took care of my "alleged" four-handicap. As far as New Zealand is concerned, I was playing off two again. End of story !
The highlight then occurred when a long standing friend of mine, Ross Murray, said he had jacked up a game at Clearwater with Sir Bob Charles, himself and also me and another mutual friend called Wayne Tucker.
At pre-starting coffee it was decided that Ross and Bob would challenge Wayne and myself so that was the format: four-ball, better-ball - and away we go.
Birdies were in abundance, I think about 11 in total, Wayne and myself were three under par on the tough front nine and managed to stay all square!
I had a three-putt at the 13th when we were one down, but the game was all square standing on the short 16th, about 185yd straight over water, where by now it was blowing a "hoolie".
On the tee, Sir Bob said to me “Which do you reckon is the windiest, Jim, Aberdeen or Christchurch?”
I replied: “I reckon it’s a dead-heat” and Bob says “I think that’s about right.”
Anyway partner Wayne hits a good shot onto the right edge of the green and I follow suit, Bob hits his shot to about 15ft, and then Ross hits the shot of the day with a four-iron to within six inches of the hole. One down!

CLASS OF AN OPEN CHAMPION

By now the 17th is playing so tough by you could hardly stand and here we saw the class of Bob Charles, former Open champion. He hit an , immaculate tee shot followed by a simply awesome second for a stone- wall par 4. Wayne and I both missed the green. End of game, beaten 2 and 1. What i actually liked about the game was the fact that for a change i was actually the third oldest or the second youngest, whichever you prefer, as Bob Charles is pushing 72 and Ross is heading for 74, while Wayne was the "baby" as he is barely 63, but still plays off scratch and hits it a country mile.
Ross Murray was actually at one time ranked the third best amateur in the world behind the American, Dean Beman, and our own Ronnie Shade. Ross played in the Eisenhower Trophy for NZ along with Bob in the late 1950s and was actually reckoned to be a better player than Bob.
Despite numerous opportunities and encouragement, Ross resisted the temptation to turn pro. He had an awesome amateur career, winning just about everything you could in the unpaid ranks, until lo and behold, he finally turned pro aged 60 so he could have his own shop at Alexandra Golf Club in Central Otago in NZ.
Ross has regularly attended senior events all over NZ and Australia and had never won until just before Christmas 2005. He was over in Sydney, playing in his own words, “not very well,” when suddenly out of the blue he shoots a gross 70 at Bonnie Doon golf course and WINS his very first pro tournament, aged 73 ! Now that’s a story !
People often ask me how can I be bothered to continue to play as much and with so much desire, when I should be, according to them, “taking it easy.”
Well if they read these stories they will see why. I consider playing with Ross on a regular yearly basis to be one of the privileges in life. He epitomises all that golf is, and to be included in a game with Sir Bob Charles, well so far in my golfing life that is the greatest round I have ever enjoyed. Even losing was a pleasure. Now anyone that knows me will know that losing gracefully is NOT considered one of my strong points.

AMAZING ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Bob Charles’ gentle manner, his approach to detail on every shot was simply amazing, and his memory is even more remarkable. When speaking of Aberdeen he remembered playing at Murcar way back in the dark days, and said to me “They had this one-track road all the way down to the course.” He just smiled when I said: “Bob, it’s still the same today!”
I was invited to a return match at Shirley Golf Links in Christchurch but sadly Bob’s father died aged 94.Then I decided to head home but the memory of that day is deep set in my mind. All I can say is roll on next year. Perhaps I will, God willing, be fortunate to enjoy Sir Bob Charles’ company again.

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

Alastair Forsyth finishes joint 12th in South Africa

ARGENTINIAN OVERHAULS

McLARDY TO WIN

JOHANNESBURG OPEN

Argentina's Ariel Canete regained the lead over the last three holes from South African Andrew McLardy - whose parents come from Helensburgh - to win the Johannesburg Open by two shots at Royal Jonannesburg & Kensington Golf Club today.

Four of the top four finishers are South Africans.

The leaders did not complete their third rounds until this morning follow an early end to play on Saturday because of an electrical storm over the course.

Canete led by one shot at 15-under-par 199 from McLardy at the start of the fourth and final round.

McLardy then improved to 17 under par overall to take a one-shot lead over Canete but the latter finished strongly to post a four-under-par 67 for a final total of 19 under par 266. The Argentinian birdied three of the last four holes.

In contrast, McLardy parred the last three holes and shot a 68 for 268 to fill second place.

Paisley's Alastair Forsyth, pictured above, joint fifth at the end of the third round after covering the inward half in 31 shots for a 69, fell away in the afternoon. With no birdie over the last five holes (in fact he bogeyed the 16th), the Scot could only match the par of 71, which meant, in such a low-scoring tournament as this, he went backwards over the closing holes, finishing joint 12th on 275.

Euan Little from Porpatrick, the only other Scot to survive the halfway cut, just made the top 20 with a closing round of 69 for 277 and a share of 19th place.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 285: 3 x 71 + 1 x 72

Players from South Africa unless stated.
266 Ariel Canete (Arg) 66 68 65 67.
268 Andrew McLardy 63 72 65 68.
269 Hennie Otto 65 67 70 67.
272 Alex Haindl 68 68 66 70, Mark Murless 64 71 69 68.
273 Adilson Da Silva (Bra) 71 65 69 68, Edward Rush (Eng) 70 67 67 69.
274 James Kingston 66 66 72 70, Doug McGuigan (Eng) 68 67 71 68, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 67 66 74 67, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 64 71 69 70.
275 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 69 67 69 70, Ulrich Van Den Berg 68 69 70 68, Sven Struver (Ger) 65 71 68 71, Alastair Forsyth (Sco) 67 68 69 71, Keith Horne 67 71 69 68.
276 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 68 72 71 65, Richard Sterne 69 66 71 70.
277 Charl Schwartzel 69 68 69 71, Dion Fourie 71 68 70 68, Tom Whitehouse 67 73 69 68, Louis Oosthuizen 65 69 74 69, Euan Little (Sco) 69 71 68 69.
278 Matthew Zions (Aus) 67 68 71 72, David Park (Wal) 65 71 69 73.
279 Lee S James (Eng) 69 71 67 72, Kalle Brink (Swe) 69 68 72 70, Maarten Lafeber (Net) 72 66 68 73.
280 Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 69 66 72 73, Jan Are Larsen (Nor) 70 66 74 70, Oliver Wilson (Eng) 69 68 73 70, Benn Barham (Eng) 68 70 69 73, Justin Walters 68 69 74 69.
281 Richard Bland 68 72 72 69, Brett Liddle 69 68 70 74, Garth Mulroy 69 69 71 72, Shaun Norris 69 69 72 71, Jaco Van Zyl 67 68 71 75, Michiel Bothma 71 68 71 71, Antti Ahokas (Fin) 73 66 71 71, Ryan Tipping 70 69 69 73.
282 Brandon Pieters 65 71 73 73, Raphael Eyraud (Fra) 70 67 72 73, Andrew Curlewis (Rsa) 70 70 71 71, Trevor Fisher, jun 67 72 73 70, Desmond Terblanche (Rsa) 73 67 70 72
283 Jakobus Roos 67 65 75 76, Stuart Cage 67 72 74 70, David Dixon (Eng) 66 71 73 73, Robert Wiederkehr (Swi) 69 70 74 70, Bobby Lincoln 67 71 70 75, Darren Fichardt 68 72 69 74, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 65 73 75 70, Stuart Little (Eng) 74 65 72 72
284 Henrik Nystrom (Swe) 66 69 75 74, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 66 72 71 75, Jamie Little (Eng) 66 74 72 72, Gareth Davies 66 71 70 77, Paul Nilbrink (Swe) 71 68 73 72, Julio Zapata (Arg) 70 69 71 74, Peter Kaensche (Nor) 69 71 73 71, Christiaan Basson 74 66 73 71, Ross Wellington 69 71 71 73, Marcus Higley (Eng) 71 69 72 72, Warren Abery 64 73 73 74, Andrew Marshall (Eng) 69 69 69 77
285 Jaco Ahlers 72 68 72 73, Michael Lamb (Zim) 68 71 71 75, David Higgins (Eng) 69 69 72 75
287 Paul Dwyer (Eng) 68 71 72 76, Gustavo Rojas (Arg) 70 70 73 74, Vaughn Groenewald 65 74 74 74
288 Dean Lambert 68 66 76 78, Hendrik Buhrmann 72 68 73 75, Grant Muller 68 72 75 73, Robert Dinwiddie (Eng) 69 69 76 74, Sion Bebb (Wal) 69 71 76 72, Chris Davison 68 71 74 75
289 Tyrone Van Aswegen 68 72 77 72.
290 Magnus Persson (Swe) 68 67 79 76, Chris Gane (Eng) 65 72 75 78, Simon Nash (Aus) 72 68 72 78.
291 Omar Sandys 70 69 75 77.

SEVE'S EUROPEAN TEAM CRUSH
ASIA TO WIN ROYAL TROPHY

A European team, captained by Seve Ballesteros, proved far too strong for an Asia line-up at Amata Spring Golf Club, Bangkok in Thailand.
The Europeans won the foursomes and four-balls rather comfortably and it was no different in the final day's eight singles.
The Europeans won five, halved two and lost only one.
That made the final over all scoreline in the Royal Trophy - Europe 12 1/2, Asia 3 1/2.
FINAL SINGLES RESULTS
European names first:
Singles
(European names first):
Lee Westwood (Eng) bt Toru Taniguchi (Jpn) 4 and 3.
Darren Clarke (NIr) halved with Prom Meesawat (Tha).
Johan Edfors (Swe) bt SK Ho (Kor) 3 and 2.
Paul McGinley (Ire) bt Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 2 and 1.
Anthony Wall (Eng) bt Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn) 4 and 2.
Robert Karlsson (Swe) bt Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 3 and 2.
Henrik Stenson (Swe) halved with Y E Yang (Kor).
Niclas Fasth (Swe) lost to Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 2 and 1.

RACHEL SAVES BEST FOR LAST
FOR TOP-10 “SALLY” FINISH

Rachel Connor, 16-year-old England girl international from Oldham, shot her best round of the week – a one-over-par 73 – on the final day to claim 10th place and the leading European player spot behind winner Kelly Calkin, a University of Maryland student, in the South Atlantic Ladies amateur golf tournament at Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach in Florida.
"With a little bit of luck I would have beaten par in the final round," said Rachel, pictured right.
"I hit the green on the 14th with my approach but the ball spun back into the water and I took double bogey."
Miss Connor, daughter of Manchester Golf Club's Scottish-born professional, Brian, has been staying at the Florida summer home of her coach Roger Dougherty, father of European Tour player Nick Doughtery.
Sally been playing regularly with Nick, who has been a friend since childhood.

COACH IS HAPPY
"I'm happy that Rachel finished in the top 20 in the four events (two of them for juniors, the other two for women) she played over the past four weeks," said Roger.
Miss Connor has a brother Scott who is a professional and she is keen to become the third pro in the family - but first she wants to be selected for a Curtis Cup match. She has time on her side.
Rachel, who won't be 17 until July, had rounds of 75, 82, 78 and 73 for an aggregate of 308 in this the second event of the annual Orange Blossom Tour for female amateurs.
Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Chester was the highest-placed finisher of the six-strong Stirling University squad taking part.
Emma had rounds of 80, 83, 73 and 78 to share 17th place on 314.
Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) and Rachael Cassidy from Dublin shared 34th place on 328. Claire-Marie had scores of 82, 89, 80 and 77 while Rachel had rounds of 85, 88, 75 and 80.
Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) finished 47th on 336 with scores of 88, 84, 79 and 85.
The final two Stirling University players, England’s Catherine Baines and Florida-born Courtnay Montgomery filled the last two places in the field of 89. Catherine scored 101, 99, 107 and 93 for 400 while Courtnay had 103, 101, 97 and 103 for 404.
Sarah Carty from Dublin – not a Stirling student – finished joint 43rd on 334 with scores of 78, 84, 80 and 82.

NEW CLUBS MAKE DIFFERENCE
The event was won by University of Maryland junior student Kelly Calkin whose golfing performances have taken off since she changed her clubs six months ago. Since then she has brought her average score down from 80 to 73.
When overnight leader, high school girl Natalie Sheary, who is bound for Wake Forest University in the autumn, bogeyed the first five holes of the final round, Miss Calkin swept past and when she holed a 40ft birdie putt at the ninth, Kelly led the field by six shots.
In the end Kelly matched the par of 72 for a four-stroke win with a seven-over-par total of 295 after earlier rounds of 74, 76 and 73.
Miss Calkin was watched from a buggy by her mother, a teaching professional who can no longer swing a golf club due to multiple sclerosis.
Fellow American Jessica Yadloczky leapfrogged a bunch of players to claim second place on 299 after returning a 68, the only sub-par round of the four days.
Natalie Sheary subsided into third place on 300.
US Curtis Cup player and defending champion Virginia Grimes shared fourth place on 301.
United States Curtis Cup captain Carol Semple Thompson had a total of 316.
+ The tournament is better known among players as the “Sally.”

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
Players from US unless stated
295 Kelly Calkin 74 76 73 72.
299 Jessica Yadloczky 74 81 76 68.
300 Natalie Sheary 76 74 72 78.
301 Virginia Grimes 77 74 77 73, Kathy Hartwiger 74 76 79 72, Susan Choi 77 80 73 71.
304 Kira Meixner (Canada) 79 73 75 77.
3076 Alexandra Bodemann 77 79 73 77, Tiffany Chudy 75 74 81 76.
308 Rachel Connor (England) 75 82 78 73.
Other totals:
314 Emma Tipping (England) 80 83 73 78.
316 Carol Semple Thompson 82 78 77 78.
328 Claire-Marie Carlton (Scotland) 82 89 80 77, Rachel Cassidy (Ireland) 85 88 75 80.
334 Sarah Carty (Ireland) 78 84 80 82.
336 Dawn Dewar (Scotland) 88 84 79 85.
400 Catherine Baines (England) 101 99 107 93.
404 Courtnay Montgomery (US) 103 101 97 103.

McLARDY BACK IN LEAD AS

FORSYTH COOLS OFF

South African Andrew McLardy, whose parents come from Helensburgh, has regained the lead in the fourth and final round of the weather-delayed Johannesburg Open at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club.

Play in the third round was halted on Saturday due to a severe electrical storm over the course and many of the players did not finish the round until this morning. After a quite bite, they were back out on the course.

At the end of the third round Argentina's Ariel Canete led at 15-under-par 199 - one shot ahead of first-round pacemaker McLardy. Scot Alastair Forsyth came back in 31 for a 69 and, going into the fourth round, he was sharing fifth place on 204. He has dropped back a notch or two in the fourth round.

THIRD ROUND LEADING TOTALS

Players from South Africa unless stated

199 (-15) A Canete (Arg) 66 68 65.

200 (-14) A McLardy 63 72 65.

202 (-12) A Haindl 68 68 66, H Otto 65 67 70.

204 (-10) E Rush (Eng) 70 67 67, S Struver (Ger) 65 71 68, A Forsyth (Sco) 67 68 68, E Molinari (Ita) 64 71 69, M Murless 64 71 69, J Kingston 66 66 72.

Also:

205 D Park (Wal) 65 71 69 (jt 11th).

208 E Little (Sco) 69 71 68 (jt 30th).

POSITIONS IN FINAL ROUND

(at different stages out on course)

-17 McLardy.

-16 Canete.

-14 Otto.

-13 Haindl.

-12 Rush, Murless.

-11 A Da Silva (Braz), Forsyth, J-B Gonnet (Fra).

American Howell takes over lead in Sony Open

LUKE DONALD ONE BEHIND WITH
ONE ROUND TO GO ON HAWAII

Luke Donald has dropped back to second place, one shot behind new leader Charles Howell, with one round to so in the Sony Open at Honolulu on Hawaii.
The Chicago-based Ryder Cup player from England slumped to two over par for the third round after only six holes but recovered to return a one-under 69 for a 54-hole tally of 12-under-par 198.
Howell, one of those Americans who stick a number after their name - it's Charles Howell the Third, had a 65 to take over the pole position at 13-under-par 197. Howell has not won for more than four years, some 123 tournaments to be precise.
Donald was quite philosophical about losing the lead - "To be only one shot back of the leader after a poor putting round, is better than I expected," he said.
Sixteen-year-old Hawaiian player Tadd Fujikawa (and he has only just turned 16), the youngest player for 50 years to make the halfway cut in a US PGA Tour event, showed that his second-round 66 was no fluke ... he went out and did it again in the third round.
Fujikawa is only six shots off the pace on 203.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 210 (3 x 70)
Players from US unless stated.

197 Charles Howell III 69 63 65.
198 Luke Donald (Eng) 63 66 69.
199 Paul Goydos 66 63 70.
201 Steve Stricker 67 67 67, Ted Purdy 67 68 66.
202 Jim Furyk 65 68 69, Paul Azinger 68 66 68.
203 Tadd Fujikawa 71 66 66, Robert Allenby (Aus) 67 66 70, KJ Choi (Kor) 64 71 68, Craig Kanada 72 65 66.
204 Bart Bryant 69 69 66, John Senden (Aus) 69 67 68, Ryuji Imada (Jap) 66 70 68, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 69 67 68
205 Jerry Kelly 69 65 71, Jeff Maggert 73 65 67, Steven Marino 68 71 66, Jason Dufner 67 68 70, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 67 70 68, Bo Van Pelt 69 70 66, Heath Slocum 66 68 71
206 Andrew Buckle (Aus) 70 66 70, David Toms 70 68 68, Steve Lowery 72 67 67, George McNeill 70 66 70, Chad Campbell 66 65 75, Rich Beem 69 66 71, Douglas Labelle 69 71 66, Troy Matteson 69 68 69
207 Pat Perez 68 70 69, Robert Garrigus 68 72 67, Brian Gay 68 69 70, Harrison Frazar 71 67 69, Daisuke Maruyama (Jpn) 66 72 69, Gavin Coles (Aus) 71 67 69, Will MacKenzie 65 68 74, Kenny Perry 71 66 70, Boo Weekley 69 67 71, Johnson Wagner 70 67 70, Shane Bertsch 66 70 71
208 John Daly 69 68 71, John Rollins 66 70 72, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 71 66 71, Nathan Green (Aus) 67 71 70, Vijay Singh (Fij) 71 67 70, Craig Lile (Rsa) 70 67 71, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 67 72 69
209 Kaname Yokoo (Jap) 69 70 70, Cameron Beckman 69 70 70, Ken Duke 69 69 71, Bubba Watson 71 66 72, Cliff Kresge 71 67 71
210 Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 68 71 71, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 69 71 70, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 68 72 70, J J Henry 68 72 70, Michael Putnam 71 69 70, Yusaku Miyazato (Jap) 69 70 71
211 Mathew Goggin (Aus) 71 68 72, Davis Love III 70 70 71, J.P. Hayes 70 70 71, Briny Baird 67 72 72
212 David Branshaw 67 69 76, Tim Petrovic 70 68 74, Glen Day 71 69 72, 213 Azuma Yano (Jap) 73 66 74, Brett Quigley 70 70 73, Jeff Sluman 66 72 75, Jeff Quinney 69 71 73, Joe Daley 70 69 74
214 Eric Axley 72 67 75
216 Tom Lehman 68 72 76
*You can look at all the scorecards by logging on to the US PGA Tour website:
http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/

SEVE'S EUROPEAN TEAM INCREASE
LEAD OVER ASIA IN ROYAL TROPHY

Seve Ballesteros's European team increased their lead over Asia on the second day of the Royal Trophy match in Bangkok, Thailand today.
The Europeans who won the opening day's foursomes 3 1/2-1/2, took the four-balls 3-1 to establish a 5pt lead (6 1/2-1 1/2) with Sunday's 12 concluding singles to come.
SATURDAY RESULTS
(European names first)
FOUR-BALLS
Darren Clarke & Lee Westwood halved with Thongchai Chaidee & Prom Meesawat (Asia).
Johan Edfors & Henrik Stenson bt Y E Yang and Toru Taniguchi 2 and 1.
Anthony Wall & Paul McGinley bt Tetsuji Hiratsuka & Thaworn Wiratchant 1 hole.
Niclas Fasth & Robert Karlsson halved with Jeev Milka Singh.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CYPRUS
TOURNAMENTS IN APRIL

Linda Jones, one of the organisers of the Cyprus national open championships from April 16 to 20 at Secret Valley Golf Club, has been in touch today with more information.
Scroll down to Friday's article to see how you can go about taking a week's holiday on the island of Cyprus -and play some competitive golf as well.
Linda says that the women's open practice day is on Monday, April 16, followed by the 36-hole tournament on the Tuesday and Wednesday.
The men's practice day in on Thursday, April 19 with their 54-hole tournament running from Friday to Sunday. The week finishes with a gala prizegiving dinner, which is covering by your entry fee.
"Secret Valley golf course is approx 15 - 20 min from the centre of Paphos. There are numerous flights from Scotland that do land at Paphos," says Linda.
"Car hire is readily available, and we do drive on the same side of the road as the UK, therefore it does make life a lot easier for all.
"Hotel accommodation varies from two-star to the very best four and five-star hotels. Paphos is in one of the best locations in Cyprus, plenty of local tavernas, sightseeing, and some excellent beaches.
"In a nutshell, it is a perfect holiday location and just to add to that some great golf, especially in the sun. We do hope to see you all here in April !!"
**If you want to make inquiries about playing in either the men's or women's Cyprus open amateur tournaments direct to Linda Jones, her mobile number is: 00357 99088964 and her landline and fax number is: 0035726 940763.

Johannesburg Open hit by thunder and lightning storm

EARLY START SUNDAY AFTER PLAY

SUSPENDED FOR THE DAY

Play in the third round of the Johannesburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, South Africa was suspended because of a thunder and lightning storm over the course.

It was later decided not to resume play today.
The third round will be completed on Sunday when play will commence at 6.45am.

It is hoped, weather permitting, that the fourth and final round will be completed on Sunday.
Euan Little from Portpatrick had completed his third round before the players were called in off the course.
COMPLETED THIRD-ROUND TOTAL
208 (-6) Euan Little (Sco) 67 71 70.

POSITIONS AT SUSPENSION
-12 Ariel Canete (Arg) after nine holes.
-11 Andrew McLardy (SAf) after 11 holes.
-11 Hennie Otto (SAf) after eight holes.
-10 Edoardo Molinari (Ita) after 10 holes.
Other position:
-7 Alastair Forsyth (Sco) after 11 holes (jt 17th)

JUDGEMENT OF SOLOMON:
FRED IN CALIFORNIA

SETS UP HIS OWN

WORLD AMATEUR

RANKINGS

The news that the R&A set up a world amateur ranking system at least a year ago has not yet filtered through to San Francisco, Californa.
That's from where a Mr Fred Solomon today launched the "first" Scratch Players World Amateur Rankings. Well, that's what it says in his Press Release.
All is revealed by Fred in a website: www.scratchplayers.org/world.am.rank.asp.
According to Mr Solomon (pictured above):
"There has never been an amateur ranking this extensive in the history of golf. It is the culmination of three years of research and extensive work. There are over 28,00 players in the database who have earned a finish position point somewhere worldwide during the last two years. Of those, only players with 100 or more “net” points are uploaded to the website weekly (almost 1600 currently).
"The ranking covers over 1000 tournaments worldwide annually. Many of these events are USA collegiate events injected into the world ranking via sub-rankings of US collegiate players prior to the D1 regionals.
PABLO IS WORLD NUMBER ONE?
"There are also factors for junior rankings that get in and over 350 individual amateur or open tournaments from every corner of the world (including Pakistan and Sri Lanka). Amateurs earning world pro ranking points in any event the last 2 years on one of the top nine pro tours worldwide earn points on the world amateur ranking scale. "
Never mind that Royal Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay is the current United States amateur champion and has been No 1 in the R&A World Amateur Rankings for the 20-odd weeks since he won the title ..... on Mr Solomon's list the top-ranked amateur in the world is Spain's Pablo Martin (pictured above), who just happens to be a student at Oklahoma State University.
Fred has Welshman Rhys Davies - also at university in the States - as the top-ranked European. Questions or comments on the ranking may be referred to the creator of the rankings:
Fred Solomon, Scratch Players, 1133 Taylor Street, San Francisco, California.
fs@scratchplayers.org
www.scratchplayers.org

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

From Colin Farquharson, Editor, Scottishgolfview.com.
I posted an E-mail to Fred Solomon about the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings being in place for a year or two now.

FRED SOLOMON SAYS HIS METHOD IS BETTER THAN R&A's

Here is Fred's reply:

Colin,
I’m certainly aware of the R&A ranking as an event I founded is in that ranking (Scratch Players Championship or SPC). Richie Ramsay finished T16 in the 2006 SPC won by GB&I Walker Cupper, Rhys Davies in a play-off with fellow Walker Cupper, Oliver Fisher.
I arranged guest housing for Richie with fellow Scotsman & R&A member, Ian Hay who is Arnold Palmer’s personal physician at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
The 2006 National Collegiate Champion, Jonathan Moore tied for fourth right behind 2006 Western Amateur Champion, Bronson LaCassie of Australia. The SPC is annually held right before the US Amateur in the same vicinity and the Champion is exempt into the British Amateur along with virtually every national level amateur tournament in the States outside the USGA.
I’ve been getting updates weekly on the R&A ranking for a year and communicate regularly with David Moir. As for who was first, I started this project three years ago which is well documented here in the States by several credible sources. That is earlier than David or anyone else I’m aware of worldwide. I first got wind of the R&A attempt from the European Golf Association Secretary in the late Fall of 2005 or over a year & a half after I started this project.
I have already vented the SPWAR with most of the top amateur tournament directors in the States who universally favor my ranking as does the assistant national coach of England, Stephen Burnett.
FAVOURED BY US COLLEGE COACHES
Within the US collegiate coaching community, the ranking comparison is not even close. There are also certain members of the R&A who prefer the SPWAR as they have “issues” with the R&A attempt.
The distribution of top amateurs worldwide geographically in the SPWAR is more highly correlated to that of the world pro ranking. And as we know, all pros were once amateurs. The ranking of USA players in the SPWAR is much more accurate than the R&A attempt and there is no way David knows USA players as well as I do.
Virtually all top amateur tournaments in the States will use the SPWAR exclusively for purposes of entry exemptions and/or invitations. The 2007 Western Amateur entries, my No. 3 tournament in the world, are already out and the SPWAR is on it.
The primary difference between the SPWAR and the R&A ranking is the SPWAR is based on finish position versus the R&A which is attempting to compile theirs on some sort of stroke average method.
There is no credible way to find a common denominator to adjust scores for course difficulty worldwide and how does one account for match-play competition with a stroke average method?
UNWORKABLE METHOD
The bottom line is that method can’t work unless all players in the ranking population play courses that all have the same way of adjusting scores for course difficulty and if match-play is never used.
As you may be aware, there are many major amateur championships worldwide where the primary tournament format is match-play, including the top three amateur tournaments in the world.
There is a reason the world pro ranking uses the finish position method and it’s the method used by every regional or State golf association in the United States without exception. Simply put, it works the best.
I do appreciate your mention of the ranking on your news site. Should there be any significant changes in the ranking beyond the normal weekly updates website posted, I’ll certainly continue to email you related releases.

Fred Solomon
San Francisco, California

Orange Blossom Tour: South Atlantic Ladies Amateur

RACHEL FAILS TO
MAKE MOST OF
BALMY BREEZE
IN FLORIDA

England girl international Rachel Connor, 17-year-old daughter of the Scottish-born Manchester Golf Club professional, was in joint 13th place going into the fourth and final round of the South Atlantic Ladies amateur golf tournament at Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach in Florida.
Rachel did not make the most of perfect scoring conditions – temperatures in the mid-70s with a slight breeze coming off the ocean – for she had a third-round 78 after opening with a 75 and then and 83.
She is on 19-over-par 235 – 13 strokes behind the leader, another teenager, Natalie Sheary from Hartford, Connecticutt. Natalie had the best score of the third day, a par-matching 72 for a six-over-par tally of 222.
FOR WAKE FOREST IN 2011
Miss Sheary won the Connecticutt State women's amateur championship in 2006 but is still only 14 or 15 years of age. She has already signed a Letter of Intent to join Wake Forest University in 2011.
Natalie leads by one shot from another American, Kelly Calkin, with one round to go.
Curtis Cup player and title-holder Virginia Grimes (pictured above with caddie) is in fourth place on 228, having lost her momentum with a third-round 77.
Halfway leader Tiffany Chudy fell off her pedestal with an 81 to drop to joint seventh place on 230.
Of the Stirling University students’ touring party, Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Cheshire, was best placed in a share of 16th place on 236 after a very good third-round 73 for 236.
Dubliner Rachel Cassidy is joint 36th after a 75 for 248.
Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) and Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) are both on 251, Dawn after a third-round 79 and Claire-Marie an 80.
The last two Stirling students, England’s Catherine Baines (301) and Florida-born Courtnay Montgomery (307) are lying 89th and 91st in the field of 91.
Sarah Carty from Dublin – not a Stirling University student – had a third-round 90 to be sharing 44th place on 252.

United States Curtis Cup captain Carol Semple Thompson is in 21st place on 238 after a 77.
The South Atlantic Ladies Amateur tournament – better known as the “Sally” – is the second event on the annual Orange Blossom Tour for female amateurs in Florida.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 216 (3 x 72)
Players from US unless stated
222 Natalie Sheary 76 74 72.
223 Kelly Calkin 74 76 73.
227 Kira Meixner (Canada) 79 73 75.
228 Virginia Grimes 77 74 77.
229 Kathy Hartwiger 74 76 79, Alexandra Bodemann 77 79 73.
230 Tiffany Chud 75 74 81, Susan Choi 77 80 73.
231 Tonya Choate 75 79 77, Jessica Yadloczky 74 81 76.
233 Rachel Williams 87 71 75.
234 Boo Brynestad-Grotvedt 82 75 77.
235 Rachel Connor (England) 75 82 78, C J Kim 80 79 76, Kristin Wetzel 81 81 73.
Other scores:
236 Emma Tipping (England) 80 83 73 (jt 16th).
238 Carol Semple Thompson (US) 82 79 77 (21st).
248 Rachel Cassidy (Ireland) 85 88 75 (jt 36th).
251 Dawn Dewar (Scotland) 88 84 79, Claire-Marie Carlton (Scotland) 82 89 80 (jt 40th).
252 Sarah Carty (Ireland) 78 84 80.
301 Courtnay Montgomery (US) 103 101 97 (89th).
307 Catherine Baines (England) 101 99 107.

LUKE DONALD SHARES LEAD
AS MICHELLE WIE FAILS TO
BEAT SONY OPEN CUT

Chicago-based Englishman Luke Donald is still there at the top of the Sony Open leaderboard but he has been joined at the halfway stage by American Paul Goydos.
Donald has shot 63 and 66 for 11-under-par 129 while Goydos has done it the other way round, 66 first and 63 in the second round.
They are two shots clear of American Chad Campbell.
Michelle Wie improved her second round standard of play from 78 to 76 for 154, missing the cut by 14 shots. But she did not finish last - 143rd of the 145 finishers, two other players, including Stephen Ames (Trinidad) having been disqualified.
HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 140 (2 x 70)
Players from US unless stated.
129 Luke Donald (Eng) 63 66, Paul Goydos 66 63.
131 Chad Campbell 66 65.
132 Charles Howell 69 63.
133 Will MacKenzie 65 68, Jim Furyk 65 68, Robert Allenby (Aus) 67 66.
134 Jerry Kelly 69 65, Steve Stricker 67 67, Heath Slocum 66 68, Paul Azinger 68 66.
Other qualifiers (140 and under):
136 Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 69 67.
138 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 71 67.
Non-qualifier:
154 Michelle Wie 78 76.

CYPRUS GOLF
FEDERATION
WANTS YOU TO
PLAY THERE
IN APRIL
TOURNAMENTS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Received an E-mail message this evening from a Linda Jones of Paphos on the island of Cyprus.
I think she has something to do with the Cyprus Golf Federation because she is seeking my help to bring to the attention of male and female amateur golfers in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales that the Cyprus women’s open amateur championship (36 holes stroke-play) and the Cyprus men’s open amateur championship (54 holes stroke-play) are being played one after another in the same week in April.
The women’s championship starts on Tuesday, April 17 after a practice day and the men’s championship tees off on Friday, April 20 after a Thursday practice day.
The Cyprus Golf Federation has all the details on http://www.cfg.org.cy/
Apparently, if you fly by Cyprus Airways you can get a 10% discount.
Cyprus Airways does not fly in or out of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Manchester is the nearest airport.
Don’t be scared off by the fact that these are the national championships of a foreign country.
The handicap limit for the men’s competition is 12 and for the ladies it is 24.
There are three handicap sections in the prize list fori the women’s championship – up to 9, 10 to 17, and 18 to 24.
The women’s entry fee of CYP £80 (that’s 80 Cyprus £s and the rate of exchange is £1 Sterling = 0.86904 CYP), covers three rounds of golf and a ticket to the gala prizegiving dinner on the closing Sunday night (April 22).
The venue for both tournaments is Secret Valley Golf Club (pictured above).
I’ve asked Linda Jones to give me more details with regard to things like accommodation and where the golf course is in relation to the airport and the possible hotels.
If you are interested, have a look at the Cyprus Golf Federation website and key in Cyprus Airways to your Search Machine and see how much it would cost you to get there and back.
When Linda comes back with more details, I shall pass them on.
Oh, by the way, she says that the weather at the moment on Cyprus is “lovely, warm and sunny.”

TOUGH FOR GB&I GIRLS TO WIN
JUNIOR SOLHEIM CUP PLACES

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

It’s going to be tough for British and Irish girls to earn a place in the European team of 12 for the Ping Junior Solheim Cup match against the United States at Bastad Golf Club, Sweden on September 11 and 12.
That’s because only one of the five events in which points can be earned for an automatic selection table is not on the Continent – the British girls open championship at Southerndown Golf Club in South Wales from August 13 to 17.
The “British” will be the last of five tournaments in which Ping Junior Solheim Cup qualifying points can be earned, following on to the Spanish women’s amateur championship (February 28-March 3), the French Lady Juniors championship (April 5-6), the Skandia Junior Open in Sweden (May 25-27) and the European girls’ team championship in Norway (July 10-14).
Points will be awarded to players who finish in the top eight of a match-play competition and the top 10 of a stroke-play event.

AUTOMATIC SELECTIONS
The leading seven in the points table at the conclusion of the British girls open championship will be automatic selections for the Junior Solheim Cup match.
The remaining five players in the European girls’ team will be chosen by the team captain, former Solheim Cup player Catrin Nilsmark (Sweden), and a selection committee.
In the last Junior Solheim Cup match, staged in the United States in 2005, there were only two UK players in the European team - England's Florentyna Parker and Melissa Reid.

The age parameters are between 13 and 18 years old (born 1989 and later).
The two-day match will feature six foursomes, six four-balls and 12 singles.
United States lead 2-1 in the biennial series.
+A clash of dates with the Ping Junior Solheim Cup will rob The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy tournament of a number of Europe’s leading Under-18 girl golfers who would otherwise have been in the field for the September 11-13 stroke-play event over the Dundonald Links, Ayrshire.

Johannesburg Open reaches halfway stage

FORSYTH AND LITTLE ONLY
SCOTS TO BEAT THE CUT

Alastair Forsyth and Euan Little were the only Scots to survive the halfway cut in the Johannesburg Open at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, South Africa today.
Alastair moved up to a share of eighth place on eight-under-par 135. He has scored 67 and 68 to be three shots behind three South African joint leaders - James Kington, Hennie Otto and rookie Jakobus Roos, all on 11-under-par 132 with two rounds to play.
First-round leader Andrew McLardy, a South African whose parents hail from Helensburgh, dropped down to 135 with a 72, nine shots worse than his first round.
Euan Little made the cut with nothing to spare. Rounds of 69 and 71 put him in joint 64th place on three-under-par 140, which was the maximum figure for the final two rounds.
Steven O'Hara, David Drysdale and Alan McLean all missed out by three shots. Derek Crawford was well off the mark on 148.

LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 143 (71+72)
Players from South Africa unless stated

132 James Kington 66 66, Hennie Otto 65 67, Jakobus Roos 67 75.
133 Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 67 66.
134 Dean Lambert 768 66, Ariel Canete (Arg) 66 68, Louis Oosthuizen 65 69.
135 Mark Murless 64 71, Magnus Persson (Swe) 68 67, Jaco Van Zyl 67 68, Henrik Nystrom (Swe) 66 69, Richard Sterne 69 76, Doug McGuigan 68 67, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 64 71, Magnus Carlsson (Swe) 69 66, Alastair Forsyth (Sco) 67 68, Andrew McLardy 63 72, Matthew Zions (Aus) 67 68.
Other qualifiers included:
136 David Park (Wales) 65 71.
137 Justin Walters (Eng) 68 68, David Dixon (Eng) 66 71, Chris Gane (Eng) 765 72, Ed Rush (Eng) 70 67, Olvier Wilson (Eng) 69 68, Gareth Davies (Eng) 66 71.
138 Robert Dinwiddie (Eng) 69 69, David Higgins (Ire) 69 69, Andrew Marshall (Eng) 69 69, Ben Barhan (Eng) 68 70.
140 Euan Little 69 61.
(Players with 141 or worse failed to qualify).
Scottish non-qualifiers:
143 Steven O'Hara 71 72, David Drysdale 72 71, Alan McLean 70 73.
148 Derek Crawford 72 76.

ST ANDREWS' SEVENTH COURSE
NAMED AFTER KINKELL CASTLE

Well, you needed to know a bit of the local history of castles to win the name-the-seventh course competition organised by the St Andrews Links Trust.
After a naming competition which attracted more than 4000 entries from around the world the name of the new course is the CASTLE COURSE.
The name reflects the history of the headland (pictured right) to the south-east of St Andrews where Kinkell Castle stood in the Middle Ages.
The winner of the naming competition who suggested the Castle Course is Edwin Burtnett from America. He was selected after a random draw of all those who had suggested the winning names.
VIP OPENING CEREMONY
Mr Burtnett will be invited to the VIP opening ceremony of the seventh course next year and will be given the opportunity to play one of the first rounds on the new course.
Alastair Dempster, chairman of the St Andrews Links Trustees, said, “In golfing terms this is a major decision and an historic announcement. It is not every day that a new course at St Andrews is named. In reaching this decision, we were acutely aware that the name of the new course would have to stand the test of time and remain appropriate to a world famous golfing destination.
“In selecting the Castle Course as the name I think we have made an excellent choice. I am sure golf fans around the world, many of whom entered the naming competition, will have their own views and will debate its merits for years to come but I am confident that people will appreciate the Castle Course as a fitting identity for a younger sister to the Old Course.”
DESIGNED BY A SCOT
The Castle Course has been designed by David McLay Kidd, a Scot who has gained worldwide renown for his work on courses such as Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Nanea in Hawaii and Queenwood in Surrey.
The 220 acre clifftop course is expected to open for full play next spring and each hole will feature five tees to cater for all levels of ability. The par-71 lay-out will range in length from 5,600 to 7,200 yards. As with the existing six St Andrews Links courses the Castle Course will be a public, play-and-play venue.

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

First Day of Royal Trophy match in Thailand

SEVE'S BOYS JUMP INTO 3pt
LEAD OVER ASIANS

The European team, captained by Seve Ballesteros, jumped into a 3pt lead on the first day of the Royal Trophy match against Joe Ozaki's Asian line-up at Amata Spring Country Club, Bangkok in Thailand.
The Europeans, despite the unusual combination of searing heat and strong winds, hit form immediately to take the foursomes 3 1/2-1/2.
The Ryder Cup pair of Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood led throughout in beating S.K. Ho of South Korea and Toru Taniguchi of Japan by 4 and 3.
The Europeans took their second point when Sweden's Johan Edfors and Henrik Stenson, keeping a bogey off their card, outclassed local rookie Prom Meesawat and Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka 6 and 5.
Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Jeev Milkha Singh of India and South Korea's Y.E. Yang finished all square with Anthony Wall (England) and Paul McGinley (Ireland).
SWEDES GRAB LATE BIRDIES

Niclas Fasth and Robert Karlsson of Sweden beat Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant 3 and 1 after the Europeans sank birdie putts on the 16th and 17th holes.
Saturday's format is four-ball better ball.
Ozaki announced a reshuffle of his Saturday line-up to pair long drivers with short game players, despite concerns over the language barrier faced by his team of players from four countries.
"Normally players from the same country will be paired together, but I would like to mix them up. I asked the players and they are OK with it," said the Asian team captain.

SCOTS FINISH THIRD AT LA MANGA

Scotland's representatives, Craigielaw Golf Club, were beaten 5-1 by Ireland's Belvoir Park in their final match of the sponsored Home Nations boys' team championship at La Manga, Spain.
The title was won by the team from Worthing Golf Club, Sussex, representing England, with whom Craigielaw had drawn 3-3 in their opening match.
Belvoir Park finished runners-up and Craigielaw third ahead of the Welsh representatives, Conwy.

COLIN FARQUHARSON LOOKS BACK ON THE CAREER OF THE AMERICAN AMATEUR WHO WAS RUNNER-UP TO BEN HOGAN AT CARNOUSTIE IN THE OPEN OF 1953
Our Scottishgolfview.com flashback feature yesterday concerned the 1954 Open championship at Royal Birkdale (scroll down until you come to a picture of the cover of the "Golf Monthly" magazine).
The article referred to wealthy American amateur Frank Stranahan letting the leading amateur's silver medal slip out of his grasp over the final round.
Stranahan was a well-known golfing name to me as I grew up - as an amateur he was runner-up to Ben Hogan in the 1953 Open at Carnoustie - but obviously all our readers are not of the same vintage as me. One E-mailed me to tell him more about Frank, which I do with pleasure.
Here's his biography, courtesy of "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia," with a few inserts from your Editor.
Pictured above: Frank Stranahan and his wife during the 1954 Open at Royal Birkdale.

THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE

FRANK STRANAHAN ANY MORE

Frank Stranahan (born August 5, 1922), was arguably the world's most prolific amateur golf champion.
Stranahan was born in Toledo, Ohio and he is still alive, now residing in his 85th year at West Palm, Beach, Florida.
During Frank's amateur career, spanning from 1936 to 1954, he won over 70 amateur championships. Frank's was a finalist in over a dozen national championships on both sides of the Atlantic, winning seven.
Frank won two major championships (as they were counted at the time) - the 1948 and 1950 British Amateurs titles. He was runner-up in five other major championships including the British Amateur, the US Masters, the (British) Open championship and the US Amateur championship.
UNFATHOMABLE WEALTH
His globe-trotting allowed him to compete in over 200 tournaments across three continents during his amateur career.
Stranahan was born into unfathomable wealth. His father, R.A. Stranahan, was the founder of Champion Spark Plug. His father's millions allowed Frank to concentrate on becoming one of the greatest golfers of his time without distraction.
Frank remained an amateur golfer most of his career, finally turning pro in 1954 after losing to Arnold Palmer in the 1954 US Amateur championship. As a pro Stranahan’s greatest victory came in the 1958 Los Angeles Open.
He retired from competitive golf in the mid-1960s.
Although Arnold Palmer is generally given credit for reviving American interest in the Open championship with his victories at Royal Birkdale and Royal Troon in the early 1960s, Frank Stranahan was years ahead of him.
FRANK CARRIED TORCH FOR OPEN
Many believed that it was the American amateur who helped to save a British golfing tradition by travelling over from the States to play in 10 consecutive Open championships.
Stranahan carried a torch for the Open when the top Americans made only the odd appearance in the event.
He loved coming over to play competitive golf in post-war Britain, unlike 1946 Open winner Sam Snead who put a visit to this country on a par “with going camping.” No allowances made for Britain having just come through a war that almost brought it to its knees.
Here’s another article, by Mike Garbett of “The Augusta Chronicle” which throws some fresh light on the Frank Stranahan Story:
No one remembers that Frank Stranahan was the first amateur to make a serious challenge at the Masters tournament.
His place in Masters lore instead is marked by a confrontation with Augusta National Golf Club officials, one that resulted in Stranahan's invitation to play being revoked.
Playing as an amateur, he finished tied second in 1947 with Byron Nelson - two strokes behind Jimmy Demaret, a three-time winner.
A year later Frank arrived back in town and soon found himself surrounded by controversy.
On Monday of tournament week, as he approached the eighth green during his practice round, Stranahan was informed by an Augusta National spokesman that his invitation had been withdrawn by the tournament committee, and he was asked to leave the golf course.
Curt Sampson, author of "The Masters: Golf, Money and Power in Augusta, Georgia," wrote that Stranahan was dismissed after he ignored instructions to hit no more than one ball to the greens the previous year. Stranahan did hit more than one ball in 1947, breaking the tournament rule.
Stranahan insists to this day that he hit only one ball but did drop additional balls on the greens to work on his putting, a practice permitted then as it is now.
STRONG AND ATHLETIC
What's often lost in the controversy is that Stranahan was invited back by Masters officials the next year and continued to play in the Masters every year through 1959. In his 13 appearances, he had eight finishes in the top 24.
The son of the founder-owner-president of Champion Spark Plugs, Stranahan was born with a silver spoon in his month but unlike many "rich kids," Frank kept himself in good, physical shape. He was strong and athletic. He also was mischievous. A body builder, Stranahan liked to carry free weights with him on his travels.
``A favourite trick of his was to ask unsuspecting bellboys to bring his luggage, then laugh as they struggled to carry his bags laden with weights,'' wrote David Owen.
A year before his run-in with tournament officials, Stranahan's final-round four-under-par 68 - the day's best round - vaulted him into contention, but he never seriously challenged for the Masters title.
Stranahan played in the winning United States Walker Cup teams of 1947 (St Andrews), 1949 (Winged Foot) and 1951 (Royal Birkdale).
TWICE BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPION
He won the British Amateur twice (1948 at Royal St George's and 1950 at St Andrews) and was the runner-up to Ben Hogan in the 1953 Open at Carnoustie before turning pro a year later.
He won twice during his seven-year pro career, retiring in 1960 to begin a career in business. It could only have been the need for a new challenge because Stranahan was and still is a very wealthy man.

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

ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT

SPONSOR COLIN MONTGOMERIE

Aberdeen Asset Management, sponsors of 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, have added Colin Montgomerie to their golfing "stable."

Monty has signed a long-term sponsorship deal, of which the details have not been released.

Eight times European Tour Order of Merit winner Montgomerie, who is 43, said:

"In sport today anything that's long term at 43 is great. I feel in a very fortunate position as I honestly believe there is a lot of improvement left in me."

Pictured right: Colin Montgomerie (no wonder he's got a big smile on his face!).

ANY COMMENT? E-mail your view to colin@scottishgolfview.com

MHAIRI AND JANICE TO BE

SCOTLAND PAIRING IN
IN WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

We don't suppose it's because Scottishgolfview.com has been complaining for weeks that Scotland, runners-up to Sweden last year, were not invited to put forward a team of two for the Women's World Cup at Sun City, South Africa from January 19 to 21.
But, the great news today is that Scotland have been invited to fill the place vacated by the Philippines.
Janice Moodie, pictured far right, who partnered Catriona Matthew last year, will play alongwith Mhairi McKay, also pictured.
Janice, like Catriona, has become a mother within the past few months.
It was because Catriona - who had her baby just a week or two - would not have been ready to resume playing in time to be a member of the Scotland team that no invitation was extended to Scotland.
Not counting Mrs Matthew, Scotland did not have a player high enough in the money tables to qualify for an invitation.
Now that's been put right.

WHAT'S YOUR VIEW? E-mail your comments to colin@scottishgolfview.com

GLENN TURNER REACHES 300 MARK
IN WORLD RECORD BID

WORLD record hopeful Glenn Turner is celebrating playing at 300 different 18 hole golf courses in just 292 days.
The 47-year-old from Preston is now into the 10th month of his year long record attempt, and looks set to achieve his target of playing over 365 courses during that period, despite the current wet and windy weather.
Glenn has played at courses in Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England during the past 10 months and is set to finish his tour on March 31 at Nigel Mansell’s Woodbury Park Golf Course in Devon.
The professional golf tutor has taken a year off coaching , left his family behind for 12 months and travelled across the country in a customised motorhome in an attempt to bring a new world record to Britain and raise £1 million for the 43 hospices which make up the Association of Children’s Hospices and the Rhys Daniels Trust.
FANTASTIC PEOPLE
Glenn set the triple century milestone at Rochester and Cobham Golf Club in Kent and said:
“To achieve this milestone is a fantastic boost. The past 10 months have been hard work on my feet and back, especially as I have walked the equivalent of 80 marathons so far on the greens so far and drove 16,800 miles in the motorhome.
“But I’ve met so many fantastic people along the way that it has made me even more determined to set the world record and raise a large amount of money for the thoroughly deserving charities. My next milestone will be setting the new world record on March 31.”
People can donate to Glenn’s charities by texting GOLF to 64446. The text will cost £1 and the amount going to charity will depend on your mobile phone network.
Alternatively, visit http://www.ibidwins.com/ for a chance to win Glenn’s motorhome or golf buggy.

Visit http://www.worldrecordgolftour.co.uk/ to find out which courses Glenn will be playing at during the rest of his tour.

RACHEL DROPS DOWN TO SHARE
10TH PLACE IN THE “SALLY”

Oldham’s England girls international player Rachel Connor, the leading British player overnight in the 81st South Atlantic Ladies amateur golf tournament at Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach, Florida, dropped down to a share of 10th place at the halfway stage of the 72-hole stroke-play tournament.
Rachel, 17-year-old daughter of Brian Connor, the Scottish-born Manchester Golf Club professional, has had rounds of 75 and 82 for 157 in this the second event – known as the “Sally” – of the annual Orange Blossom Tour in Florida.
She is eight shots behind leader Tiffany Chud from Miramir Florida. Tiffany is on five-over-par 149 after rounds of 75 and 74 and leads by one shot from fellow Americans Kelly Calkin, Kathy Hartwiger and Natalie Sheary.
HOLDER TAKES CLOSER ORDER
US Curtis Cup player Virginia Grimes, defending champion and a two-time winner of the title, has taken closer order. She has moved up to fifth place on 151 with 77 and 74.
Sarah Carty from Dublin is in joint 20th place with scores of 78 and 84 for 162.
Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Cheshire is leading the Stirling University contingent in equal 25th place with 80 and 83 for 163.
Next come Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) in joint 42nd place on 171 with 82 and 89, followed by Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) in joint 4th place on 172 (88-84) and Dublin’;s Rachel Cassidy in tied 50th place with 85 and 88 for 173.
The last two Stirling students, Catherine Baines from England and Florida-born Courtnay Montgomery, are on 200 and 204 respectively.

LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS

Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from US unless stated
149 Tiffany Chud 75 74.
150 Kelly Calkin 74 76, Kathy Hartwiger 74 76, Natalie Sheary 76 74.
151 Virginia Grimes 77 74.
152 Kira Meixner (Can) 79 73.
154 Tonya Choate 75 79.
155 Jessica Yadloczky 74 81.
156 Alexadra Bodemann 77 79.
157 Rachel Connor (Eng) 75 82, Susan Choi 77 80, Boo Brynestadt-Grotvedt 82 75.
Other scores:
161 Carol S Thompson 82 69.
162 Sarah Carty (Ire) 78 84.
163 Emma Tipping (Eng) 80 83.
171 Claire-Marie Carlton (Sco) 82 89.
172 Dawn Dewar (Sco) 88 84.
173 Rachel Cassidy (Ire) 85 88.
200 Catherine Baines (Eng) 101 99.
204 Courtnay Montgomery (US) 103 101.

SONY OPEN TEES OFF ON HAWAII

LUKE DONALD (63) LEADS AS
MICHELE WIE SALVAGES A 78
AFTER 43 TO TURN

After a day of low scoring, England's Chicago-based Ryder Cup player Luke Donald held the lead on seven-under-par 63 in the Sony Open over the Waialae Country Club course in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the scoreboard, Michelle Wie, playing on her native island, had an eight-over-par 78, which left her 143rd in the field of 144.

But, it could have been worse. Michelle, driving poorly, was out in eight-over-par 43 and heading for a score well into the 80s, until she steadied up and came home in level par 35.

She ran up double bogeys at the fifth and sixth but birdied the 12th and 17th to offset further bogeys at the 10th and 13th.

Statistically, Michelle was driving the ball an average of 206.5yd, whereas pacemaker Luke Donald, pictured right, was averaging 299.5yd.
Luke started at the 10th and birdied the 10th, 14th, 16th and 18th with just one bogey, at the 13th, in 32 (three under par) for his first nine holes.

Then he covered holes one to nine in only 31 shots with a bogey at the second but birdies at the third, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth.

EARLY CLUBHOUSE SCORES

Par 70

Players from US unless stated
63 Luke Donald (Eng).

64 K J Choi (Kor).

65 Will MacKenzie, Jim Furyk.

66 Daisuke Maruyama (Jap), Shane Bertsch, Heath Slocum, Jeff Sluman, John Rollin,s Paul Goydos, Chad Campbell, Ryuji Imada (Jap).

Other score:

78 Michelle Wie.

Double-eagle finish gives McLardy first-round lead with 63

FORSYTH (67) MAKES GOOD
START IN SOUTH AFRICA

Andrew McLardy, South-African born son of parents from Helensburgh, set the pace with a nine-under-par 63 in the first round of the Johannesburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club today.
Two courses are being used for the first two rounds – the Par-71 East and the Par-72 West, which caused a bit of confusion on the scoreboard.
The players will switch courses on Friday and the 70+ties qualifiers will play two final rounds over the Par-71 East, generally rated the more difficult course.
An experienced European Tour player, McLardy, who will be 33 next week, shot his 63 on the West course. He had halves of 34 and 29, highlighting his inward half with eagle 3s at the 15th and 18th which lifted him clear of the field.
He had six birdies prior to his pair of eagles and one bogey, at the fifth over the 7,085yd course. Although McLardy later described his outward half of 34 as "awful - I hit only one fairway," it was still two under the card while his superb inward journey was seven under par.
Alastair Forsyth, who has been working hard on his swing with Bob Torrance, is the leading home-based Scot with a five-under-par 67 over the West course.
Euan Little had a three-under-par 69 over the West.
Alan McLean had a two-under-par 70 over the West.
Steven O’Hara matched the par of 71 over the East.
Derek Crawford, a qualifier, and David Drysdale matched the par of 72 over the West.
Former Northern Open champion Chris Doak retired before the end of his round.

LEADING SCORES
(Leading 70 and ties to qualify after 36 holes)

WEST COURSE (Par 72)
(Players from South Africa unless stated)
63 A McLardy.
64 W Abery, M Murless.
65 L Oosthuizen, D Park (Wal), C Gane (Eng), B Pieters, V Groenewald.
66 A Canete (Arg), T Aiken, G Davies (Eng), P Sjoland (Swe), D Dixon (Eng), H Nystrom (Swe), J Little (Eng).
Other scores:
67 A Forsyth (Sco).
69 E Little (Sco).
70 A McLean (Sco).
72 D Crawford (Sco), D Drysdale (Sco).

EAST COURSE (Par 71)
64 E Molinari (Ita), M Cayeux (Zim).
65 H Otto, S Struver (Ger).
66 D Botes, J Kingston, M Tayob, K Horne, T Whitehouse (Eng), B Lincoln, S Cage (Eng).
Other scores:
71 S O’Hara (Sco).

THE WAY THE OPEN WAS .... JULY 1954

No Open grandstands but spectators at Royal Birkdale were happy to surround the 18th green

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Our flashback picture today shows the cover of the "Golf Monthly" for the August, 1954 issue.
The cover picture (if you click on the image, it will increase in size) caption says:

“THE TRIUMPH OF ROYAL BIRKDALE

“The last green of the Royal Birkdale Golf Course with Bobby Locke putting. The ground sloped slightly up towards the clubhouse and round the green, which formed a perfect grandstand for the crowds to watch the closing scenes.
“Congratulations are due to the Royal Birkdale Club for the magnificent arrangements they made and for the whole general organisation of their first Open championship. There is no doubt that all felt that they had been cared for well.
“Although it was their first Open, Royal Birkdale have had considerable experience in the running of big tournaments and as long ago as 1936 they housed the Boys’ Amateur Championship which was won by Jimmy Bruen, and, in 1951, the Walker Cup was played over their links.”

Incidentally, Royal Birkdale Golf Club were due to host the Open for the first time in 1940 but the outbreak of World War II the previous September delayed their big week for some 14 years.
NO TV COVERAGE UNTIL 1955
The first thing that strikes me about the picture is the absence of the spectator grandstands around the 18th green, which have been part and parcel of an Open championship for as long as I can remember. Obviously, they were introduced over the years since 1954.
No television towers, either. It was not until the following year at St Andrews that the BBC cameras covered the last day's play only.
My other observation is the lack of a mention of the R&A’s part in putting the whole show together. Surely, Royal Birkdale Golf Club didn’t do all the organising off their own bat, although in an article inside this issue of “Golf Monthly” it refers to an army of volunteers - "hundreds of local amateurs acting as stewards and 300 ladies as markers" - being well trained.
Open championships still run like clockwork these days but it’s all due to the efficiency of the R&A’s championship-organising team.
THREE-DAY OPEN FINISHED ON FRIDAY
The “Golf Monthly” devotes another page to the final scores because “we feel that many of our readers, both at home and abroad, would like to know the figures for the four rounds of the fifty players who qualified for the final day’s play.”
Which would suggest that the Saturday morning newspapers of that week did not give the Open championship the blanket coverage it receives today when every paper worth its salt has all the final scores available to its readers.
In those days, after a 36-hole qualifying contest for ALL the competitors, the Open championship proper was contested over three days, starting on a Wednesday and finishing with two rounds on the Friday, a relic of the era when the professionals had to be back at their club shops for Saturday morning to attend to the members’ weekend needs. Changed days indeed.
TOP FINISHERS IN 1954
Can you remember the top finishers in the Open of 1954? Probably not,
so here they are:
283 P W Thomson (Australia) 72 71 69 71.
284 S S Scott (Carlisle City) 76 67 69 72, D J Rees (South Herts) 72 71 69 72, A D Locke (South Africa) 74 71 69 70.
286 J Adams (Royal Mid Surrey) 73 75 69 69, A Cerda (Argentina) 71 71 73 71, J Turnesa (USA) 72 72 71 71.
287 P Alliss (Ferndown) 72 74 71 70, S L King (Knole Park) 69 74 74 70.
289 J Demaret (USA) 73 71 74 71, F Van Donck (Belgium) 77 71 70 71.
290 H Bradshaw (Portmarnock) 72 72 73 73, T W Spence (Dartford) 69 72 74 75, A Angelini (Italy) 76 70 73 71.
291 R Halsall (Royal Birkdale 72 73 73 73, Mr P Toogood (Tasmania) 72 75 73 71.
292 C Kane (Royal Dublin) 74 72 74 72, G Sarazen (USA) 75 74 73 70.

An Australian - Peter Toogood from Tasmania - also won the leading amateur medal with a total of 291 - four shots better than Frank Stranahan (USA), the only other amateur to survive the halfway cut. Stranahan finished with a 76 to Toogood's 71, a five-stroke swing that cost the wealthy American the coveted medal.
Frank’s father was president, founder and owner of the Champion Sparking Plug Company, so Frank was never short of a dollar or two as he pursued a full-time amateur golf career. Believe it or not, in this issue of “Golf Monthly,” a half page was devoted to a picture (black and white, of course) of Frank Stranahan and his wife “visiting the Feltham factory of the world-wide Champion Sparking Plug organisation.” The managing director and the deputy managing director are pictured either side of the Stranahans. Talk about a free advert!
FIRST OF PETER THOMSON'S FIVE
It was the first of five Open championship wins by Peter Thomson – the “Melbourne Tiger” as he was called, and, according to a full-page advertisement in the magazine, he used a Dunlop 65 golf ball. More than one, I am sure.
Peter was 24 at the time and the first Aussie to win the Open title. He had played in the championship twice previously.
Thomson completed an Open hat-trick by winning again at St Andrews in 1955 and Hoylake in 1956. His fourth win was achieved at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1958 and his last one at Royal Birkdale again in 1965.
Ben Hogan, winner of the Open at Carnoustie in 1953, did not defend the title at Royal Birkdale 12 months later. Although there were one or two Americans in the 1954 Open field, it was not until Arnold Palmer came over to win the next Open to be staged at Royal Birkdale (1960) and retain the title at Royal Troon in 1961, that Arnie’s contemporaries on the US Tour followed suit.
SCORING IN RELATION TO PAR
I cannot remember when we started accepting a player’s scoring in relation to par – i.e. So-and-so was 10 under par for the tournament. Certainly in 1954, the scores had been talked about in relation to the now “old fashioned” level 4s. So that Peter Thomson had been five under 4s at the finish of the fourth round at Royal Birkdale.
The trouble with on-the-course scoring in relation to level 4s was that it did not take into account that the player might still have three par-5s to play on the inward half.

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

PHILIPPINE OPEN IS BACK
ON FROM FEBRUARY 1-4
The Philippine Open, originally scheduled as the season-opening event on the Asian Tour, will now be staged at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club from February 1-4, officials confirmed today.
Prize money will increase by US$100,000 to US$300,000 from last year's total purse when Australian Scott Strange claimed an emphatic victory in Asia's oldest national championship.
The concerted efforts put in over the past week by the National Golf Association of the Philippines' (NGAP) President Leandro R. Mendoza, the First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and his Foundation, Wack Wack's Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos senior, ICTSI's Enrique Razon and Asian Tour's Director of Tour Development Patrick Young have been instrumental in the quick return of the event.
Initially, the Philippine Open, inaugurated in 1913, was scheduled to be played this week but organisers delayed the championship at short notice, due to some details of the event that were being finalised.
Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said today: "We are delighted to announce that the Philippine Open will be held during the first week of February with a substantial increase of 50 per cent in the total prize money.
With its timely return, the Philippine Open will now be the third leg of the 2007 Asian Tour season which is offering a minimum 29 tournaments and an all-time high of US$26 million in total prize money this season.
The new season will tee off in Karachi next week with the staging of the Pakistan Open at Karachi Golf Club from January 18-21.

Second event of Orange Blossom Tour in Florida

RACHEL LEADS BRITISH

PLAYERS IN FIRST

ROUND OF “SALLY”

England girl international Rachel Connor, 17-year-old daughter of Manchester Golf Club’s Scots-born professional, was only one shot off the lead at the end of the first round of the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur championship – better known as the “Sally” - at Oceanside Golf & Country Club, Ormond Beach in Florida.
Over 72 holes of stroke play, this is the second event of the annual Orange Blossom Tour for women amateurs in Florida.
Joint fourth, Rachel had a three-over-par 75 in far from easy scoring conditions, a 15 to 20mph cool north wind which made the 65 degree temperature "feel like 50" according to the locals. Three Americans shared the overnight lead on 74 and only 19 players in the field of 93 scored 80 or better. So, in that context, it was a very good round by young Miss Connor.
United States Curtis Cup player Virginia Grimes, 42, winner of this title in 1998 and again last year, had to settle for a 77, but that was still good enough to put her in joint eighth place overnight.
Sarah Carty from Dublin had a 78 and Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Cheshire did best of the touring Stirling University squad. She had an 80.
Three other Stirling students scored in the 80s - West of Scotland champion Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) had an 82; Dubliner Rachel Cassidy, a member of The Island Golf Club, an 85, and former Angus women’s champion Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) an 88.
The last two of the Stirling contingent, Catherine Baines from England and Florida-born Courtnay Montgomery did not managed to break 100. Catherine scored 101 and Courtnay 103.

The championship field will be cut to the leading 36 and ties after the second round but everyone will continue to get a game, albeit in lower flights.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
(Players from US unless stated).

Par 72

74 Jessica Yadloczky. Kelly Calkin, Kathy Hartwiger.
75 Rachel Connor (Eng), Tonya Choate, Tiffany Chudy.
76 Natalie Sheary.
77 Alexandra Bodemann, Susan Choi, Virginia Grimes, Susan Nam.
78 Sarah Carty (Ire), Taffy Brower.
79 Kira Meixner (Can).
80 Emma Tipping (Eng), Jill Hardy (Can), C J Kim, Rebecca Kuhn, Miranda Orr.
Other scores included:
82 Claire-Marie Carlton (Sco), Carol Semple Thompson (US).
85 Rachel Cassidy (Ire).
88 Dawn Dewar (Sco).
101 Catherine Baines (Sco).

103 Courtnay Montgomery (US).

Oldest surviving United States team player passes away

MAUREEN ORCUTT (99),

LAST LINK WITH BIRTH

OF CURTIS CUP, DIES

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The oldest surviving Curtis Cup match player, Maureen Orcutt, has died at the age of 99 at Durham, North Carolina.
Maureen, whose father was a New York journalist and mother a leading golfer of her day, was born on April 1, 2007 on Park Avenue, New York. She played for the Americans in the forerunner to the Curtis Cup – an informal Britain versus United States match at Sunningdale in 1930.
The Curtis Cup was formalised after that and Maureen played for the United States in the first four one-day matches before World War II – 1932 at Wentworth, 1934 at Chevy Chase, Maryland, 1936 over the King’s Course, Gleneagles and in 1938 at Essex, Massachusetts.

BEATEN BY HELEN HOLM
She won five of the eight Curtis Cup ties she played. One of her defeats was in 1938 when, partnered by Estelle Lawson Page, she lost a foursomes tie by two holes to the legendary Scottish player, Helen Holm and Clarrie Tiernan.
Also figuring in the 1938 match, for Great Britain & Ireland, was the English champion, Phyllis Wade (later Wylie), who has lived in Troon for many years. “Phil,” as she is better known, is in her 96th year and now becomes the oldest surviving Curtis Cup player.

Maureen was introduced to golf at the age of seven when her birthday presents included a cut-down mashie niblick (akin to a modern seven-iron). When she was 12, she told her mother, Elizabeth Kelly, that she wanted to play in the local club's women's championship - and that she could win it.

Mrs Orcutt told Maureen that if she did win the title, she could have her clubs and her membership. Maureen borrowed her dad's clubs - won the club championship ... and legend has it that her mother never played golf again.
MAUREEN KNEW THEM ALL
During her long amateur career, which predated the advent of women's professional golf tournaments, Maureen Orcutt played exhibition matches with and against Bobby Jones and competitively against Joyce Wethered and Glenna Collette Vare. She was on first-name terms with the likes of Babe Zaharias, Cecil Leitch, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead. She knew them all.

The story goes that Maureen once beat the legendary Babe Zaharias in an exhibition, and the defeat upset Zaharias so much that she left without paying off a $10 bet.
Orcutt also once partnered Walter Hagen, then at his peak as a professional. Hagen, never short of a few works, expressed his disappointment at being paired with a woman ... but Maureen Orcutt proved she belonged in Walter's company and made him eat his words.

"CARRIED HAGEN FOR NINE HOLES"
"I didn't say anything," she later recalled. "But the next day, I carried Hagen for nine holes and we won."
In the 1920s and 1930s, Maureen was one of the world’s premier female amateur golfers and won dozens of tournaments, including the Canadian women's open amateur championship twice, but could never manage to land the United States women’s amateur title. She lost twice in the final, in 1927 and again in 1936 when the English player, Pam Barton, beat her 4 and 3.
When Maureen won her first USGA senior women’s amateur title in 1962 – when she had been in her 55th year – she was reduced to tears.
“It was the thrill of my life finally to have won a United States title, ” she said later. She was to win it again in 1966.
Maureen was also a pioneering sports journalist in the days when female reporters were few and far between. She followed her father, the music critic at the “New York Tribune” and the “New York Times,” into journalism.
She covered women's golf tournaments for the “New York World’’ and began writing a column called "Women in Sports" for the "New York Times" in 1937. For years, she was the only woman among an editorial staff of 50 men. She would often report on golf tournaments in which she herself was playing.

ONLY WOMAN IN A STAFF OF 50

Orcutt began covering women's golf and writing a column called "Women in Sports" for the "New York Times" in 1937 and for years was the only woman among about 50 men in the sports department.
She retired from from the "New York Times" and moved to Durham, North Carolina in 1973, where she won her club championship at Croasdaile Country Club seven times, the last at age 82. Well into her 80s, she would play golf two or three times a week.
She was a severe critic of modern-day golf journalism, frequently writing letters to sports editors or phoning television stations to complain about their golf coverage.
“Next time, send somebody to cover the Greensboro Open who knows something about golf,” she told one newspaper editor over the telephone.
With the death of Maureen Orcutt, the last link with the birth of the Curtis Cup match has gone.

+Picture shows Maureen Orcutt in action in the 1936 Curtis Cup match at Gleneagles (courtesy of the United States Golf Association).

CRAIG LEE WINS EAST
ALLIANCE WITH A 62

AT WINTERFIELD
Tartan tour professional Craig Lee – winner of the individual event in the PGAs of Europe international team championship in Spain several weeks ago – made a stunning seasonal debut in the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance at Winterfield Golf Club today.
Craig, who had been to busy setting up his All Golf Swing Centre in the Stirling Enterprise Park to play in earlier alliance meetings, shot a 62 to win the £100 top prize by three shots from amateurs Kenneth Glen (Royal Musselburgh) and Ross Noon (Longniddry) in a field of 84.
Craig, pictured right, also lifted the John Glen Trophy because his round of 62 was one stroke better than the net 63 by Graeme D Johnston (Glenbervie), playing off four.

LEADING SCORES
SCRATCH
62 C Lee (All Golf Swing Centre) p (£100).
65 K Glen (Royal Musselburgh), R Noon (Longniddry) (£70 voucher each).
66 A Dunsmore (Bathgate) p (£40).
67 S Grieve (King’s Acre) t (£20), A Strang (Rothco Mortgages) p (£20), G D Johnston (Glenbervie).
68 T Buchanan (Duddinston) t, A Oldcorn (King’s Acre) p, S Walker (Rahto Park).
69 N Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) p, C Imlah (Peebles) p, G Johnston (Baberton) t, W Laing (Prestonfield), S Smith (Duddingston), A Wight (Glencorse), T Wilson (Glenbervie).
70 C Fraser (Peebles).
71 R Harrower (Cardrona) p, A Love (Mortonhall), C Morris (Kingstknowe) p, B Smith (Edinburgh Thistle), C Smith (Royal Musselburgh) p, M Thomson (Cardrona).
762 A Anderson (Peebles), S Doyle (Liberton), R Grant (Baberton), A Marshall (Houston GR) p, I Marshall (Baberton), D Patrick (Mortonhall) p.
73 H Cartmill (Bathgate), A McLean (Duddingston) p, J Rae (Newbattle), G Wither (Lothianburn).
74 L Gibson(Glenbervie), S Lamb (unatt) p.
75 A Culverwell (Dunbar), M D Graham (Duddingston), N Huguet (Royal Musselburgh) t, M Louden (Glencorse), A Mackenzie (Liberton) t, J White (Harrison).
76 T Flaherty (Gullane), I Fyfe (Musselburgh), D Hume (Greenburn), G Law (Uphall) p, J Noon (Leven).
77 R Clapperton (Glenbervie), D Fish (Glenbervie), R Johnston (Glenbervie).
p denotes professional; t, trainee professional.

LEADING HANDICAP
63 G D Johnston (Glenbervie) (4) (£100 voucher).
64 W Laing (Prestonfield) (5) (£80 voucher).
65 S Walker (Ratho Park) (3) (£60 voucher).
66 T Flaherty (Gullane) (10), A Love (Mortonhall) (5), R Noon (Longniddry) (+1), J Rae (Newbattle) (7), B Smith (Edinburgh Thistle) (5) (£15 vouchers).
67 R Clapperton (Glenbervie) (10) (£10 senior voucher), L Gibson (Glenbervie) (6) (£10 senior voucher), R Grant (Baberton) (5), I Marshall (Baberton) (5), A Wight (Glencorse) (2), T Wilson (Glenbervie) (2).
68 H Cartmill (Bathgate) (5), S Doyle (Liberton) (4), D Gardiner (Dunbar) (10).
69 A Anderson (Peebles) (3), D Ferguson (Dunfermline) (12), C Fraser (1) 69.
70 A Devlin (Pumpherson) (13), M D Graham (Duddingston) (5), P Ritchie (Bathgate) (8), G Robertson (Liberton) (9), S Smith (Duddingston) (+1).
81 D Hume (Greenburn) (5), D Jeffrey (Whitekirk) (6), J White (Harrison) (4).

"TIGER" BRATTON SCORES
FIFTH WIN OF SEASON
ON NE ALLIANCE CIRCUIT

Newburgh on Ythan club professional Ian Bratton has become the Tiger Woods of the North-east Alliance golf circuit this season. Bratton’s victory in today's meeting at Craibstone Golf Centre was his fifth in 12 outings.
Even Tiger would have been delighted to have shot a four-under-par 65 in cold, windy and sometimes very wet conditions. Ian, pictured right, outclassed the field of 89 on the day to win by four strokes from Newmachar’s Richard Hyland with fellow amateur Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links) third on 70.
OUT IN 32
Bratton’s brilliance reduced the outward half to 32 strokes with birdies at the first, fourth and eighth. He dropped his first and only stroke at the 13th but finished strongly with his fourth and fifth birdies of the day, at the 15th and 17th , for 33 home.
Hyland dropped shots at the second and third and then covered the remaining 15 holes in two under par with 13 pars and birdies at the fifth and 18th for his 69 (36-33).
Mathieson, three over par after 13 holes, birdied the 16th and 18th to salvage a creditable 70 (37-33).
MacKenzie Club Shop manager Colin Nelson had four birdies - only one fewer than Ian Bratton - but still contrived to finish with a two-over-par 71. Colin was three under par after eight holes with 2s at the second and sixth and a birdie 3 at the eighth but he bogeyed the ninth to turn in 33, the second lowest outward half of the day.
Then Colin bogeyed the 11th, ran up a double bogey 6 at the 13th, birdied the 15th and finally closed the doors on his victory hopes with another double bogey 6 at the 17th on his way to a four-over-par inward half of 38.

Leading scores (Par 69)
SCRATCH
65 I Bratton (Newburgh) p.
69 R Hyland (Newmachar).
70 T Mathieson (Murcar Links).
71 A Campbell (Deeside), C Nelson (MacKenzie Club) p, D Garrett (Huntly).
72 J Nicolson (Auchmill), G Forbes (Murcar Links) p.
73 F Bisset (Banchory).
74 W Main (Murcar Links), S Pert (Huntly), S Davidson (Banchory) p, C Alexander (Murcar Links) s.
75 G Ingram (Inverurie).
76 P Morrison (Oldmeldrum), S Finnie (Caledonian).
77 G Grimmer (Nigg Bay), C Carnegie (Kemnay), A Graham (Portlethen), L Barbour (Cruden Bay).
78 S Kidd (Newburgh), A K Pirie (Hazlehead).
79 D Corkey (East Aberdeeenshire), S Elrick (Kemnay), R L Nicoll (Murcar Links) s, I D Smith (Hazlehead) s, N Murray (Cruden Bay) p.
80 R Stewart (Cruden Bay) p, D Wilson (Duff House Royal), D Leighton (Murcar Links), K Smith (Aboyne).
81 B Harper (Newburgh), P Farnan (Royal Aberdeen) s.
82 M Kidd (Newburgh), F G Gray (Deeside).
83 A Grant (Portlethen), A Innes (Murcar Links).
84 C Hood (Alford), K Mintry (Turriff), G Homer (Lumphanan).
85 A Petrie (Oldmeldrum), I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen), N Parker (Murcar Links).
86 L Roger (Royal Aberdeen) s.
87 W Forbes (Murcar Links) s.
88 R Alison (Deeside) s.

HANDICAP
Class 1 – J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 68; D Garrett (Huntly) (2), F Bisset (Banchory) (4) 69; R Hyland (Newmachar) (+1) 70; A Campbell (Deeside) (scr), S Pert (Huntly) (3), C Alexander (Murcar Links) s (3), G Ingram (Inverurie) (4), P Morrison (Oldmeldrum) (5), S Kidd (Newburgh) (7) 71; T Mathieson (Murcar Links) (+2) 72; A Graham (Portlethen) (4), K Smith (Aboyne) (7) 73; W Main (Murcar Links) (scr), S Elrick (Kemnay) (5), R L Nicoll (Murcar Links) (5) s 74; G Grimmer (Nigg Bay) (2), C Carnegie (Kemnay) (2), I D Smith (4) s, D Wilson (Duff House Royal) (5), D Leighton (Murcar Links) (5), B Harper (Newburgh) (6), P Farnan (Royal Aberdeen) (6) s 75.
Class 2 – M Kidd (Newburgh) (10, G Homer (Lumphanan) (12), W Forbes (Murcar Links) (15) s 72; G Travis (Auchmill) (15), A Dent (McDonald Ellon) (2) 73; C Hood (Alford) (10), I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11), D Wood (Newburgh) (14) s, B Lumsden (Northern) (16) 74; R Alison (Deeside) (13) s 75; G Leslie (Newburgh) (10) 78; W D Rae (Kemnay) (11) s , J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14) s, J Jones (Craibstone) (16) 79 s; R Addison (Newburgh) (18) s 81.

p denotes professional; s denotes senior player.

LEADING SCORECARDS
Craibstone Golf Centre par 69
OUT: 4-3-4-5-5-3-3-4-4-35
IN: 3-4-3-4-4-4-4-4-4-34

IAN BRATTON 65
OUT: 3-3-4-4-5-3-3-3-4-32
IN: 3-4-3-5-4-3-4-3-4-33

RICHARD HYLAND 69
OUT: 4-4-5-5-4-3-3-4-4-36
IN: 3-4-3-4-4-4-4-4-3-33

TERRY MATHIESON 70
OUT: 4-3-4-4-5-4-4-5-4-37
IN: 3-4-3-5-4-4-3-4-3-33

ANDREW CAMPBELL 71
OUT: 4-3-4-7-4-3-4-5-4-38
IN: 4-4-3-4-3-4-4-4-3-33

DON GARRETT 71
OUT: 4-3-5-5-5-3-4-4-4-37
IN: 3-5-3-4-4-4-4-4-3-34

COLIN NELSON 71
OUT: 4-2-4-5-5-2-3-3-5-33
IN: 3-5-3-6-4-3-4-6-4-38

2006-2007 MONEY LIST
(Vouchers where amateurs are listed)
+Before competition at Craibstone.
1 - £547 Ian Bratton (Newburgh).
2 - £290 Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links).
3 - £240 Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
4 - £223 Stewart Davidson (Banchory).
5 - £206 Colin Nelson (MacKenzie Club).
6 - £195 Gary Homer (Lumphanan).
7 - £173 Iain Buchan (Craibstone).
8 - £165 Ian Strachan (Royal Aberdeen).
9 - £162 Brian Ritchie (Inverallochy).
10 - £160 Ronnie McDonald (Kemmnay).
11 - £150 Gary Esson (Portlethen).
12 - £147 Andrew Campbell (Deeside).
13 - £142 Billy Main (Murcar Links).
14 - £138 Paul Cornfield (Auchmill).
15 - £135 Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum).
16 - £133 Hamish McNaugthon (Cruden Bay).
17 - £130 Leslie Roger (Royal Aberdeen).
18 - £126 Clark Alexander (Murcar Links).
19 - £125 Greg Ingram (Inverurie).
20 - £120 David Corkey (East Aberdeenshire).

ORDER OF MERIT EXPLAINED

The Order of Merit standings for the whole NE Alliance season will be an average of a players' best 10 scores, so 10 scores is the minimum requirement.
For the first half of the season, the minium requirement was to have had five scores. If a player had played in all 12 of the competitions up to the mid-winter break, then his Handicap Order of Merit would be based on average of his 12 scores; if he had played in say seven competitions, he would have an average from seven.
Ron fixes a "target score" for each meeting, which is roughly a blend of the course par and CSS. A player's average score for Order of Merit purposes only is worked out against these.
There should be a Scratch as well as a Handicap Order of Merit table below but the Scratch figures are not yet to hand. We will publish them as soon as Ron Menzies gets them to me.

LEADING ORDER OF MERIT (Handicap)
+Before competition at Craibstone.
1 David Corkey (East Aberdeenshire) (2) Avge net score in relation to Ron Menzies' "target score" for each meeting: 0.6.
2 Fergus Bisset (Banchory) (4) 1.6.
2 Bob Nicoll (Murcar Links) (5) 1.6.
2 Alan Stewart (Hazlehead) (8) 1.6.
5 Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) (scr) 1.8.
5 Colin Duffus (Kemnay) 1.8.
5 Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (7) 1.8.
9 Brian Ritchie (Inverallochy) (2) 1.9.
9 Alan Grant (Portlethen) (7) 2.
10 Paul Cornfield (Auchmill) (11) 2.1
11 John Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 2.3.
12 Billy Main (Murcar Links) (scr) 2.4
12 Dean Yeats (Newmachar ) (+1) 2.4.
15 Don Garrett (Huntly) (2) 2.6.
16 Andrew Campbell (Deeside) (scr) 2.7.
16 Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links) (+2) 2.7.
18 Clark Alexander (Murcar Links) (3) 2.8.
18 Sandy Innes (Murcar Links) 2.8.
18 Allan Swift (Auchmill) (4) 2.8

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

JIM HARDIE HAS A NZ
ROUND WITH
BOB CHARLES

It's been the best of winters and the worst of winters so far for North-east veteran golfer Jim Hardie.
At this time of the year he is usually halfway through his winter holiday in New Zealand (where it is summer, of course).
But he came home to Aberdeen before Christmas because the weather in New Zealand was so bad - even snow showers! - that he thought he would be better off back home.
Jim did have one highlight of his abbreviated stay to recall with relish. He played a round of golf with Bob Charles, the left-handed New Zealander who won the Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1963 after a play-off with the American, Phil Rodgers.
Jim has promised to tell Scottishgolfview.com all about it.
+Bob Charles is pictured at Balgownie in 2005 during the Senior British Open.

SHORT PUTTS OF GOLF NEWS

SCOTS DRAW FIRST LA MANGA MATCH
Scotland, represented by Craigielaw Golf Club, drew 3-3 with England (Worthing Golf Club) on the opening day of the sponsored Home nations international boys' team championship at La Manga.
Ireland (Belvoir Park) beat Wales (Conwy) 4-2 in the other match.

CRAWFORD QUALIFIES FOR JOBURG OPEN

Scottish amateur international team member of the early 1990s, Derek Crawford from Glasgow had a second cause for celebration in South Africa today.
At the weekend, he came through the South African Sunshine Tour Qualifying School in fourth place.
Today, he was fifth best qualifier over the same Kempton Park Golf Club course for the inaugural big-money Joburg Open.
Crawford shot a six-under-par 66, one shot behind a quartet who tied for first place. There were 36 qualifiers in all for the big event but Derek made it through in style.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM CHANGES

News of team changes for the Women’s World Cup at Sun City, South Africa from January 19-21 – that’s the one in which Scotland, last year’s runners-up, have not got a team.
Brazil’s Angela Park has withdrawn due to personal reasons and is replaced by Maria Priscila Iida (yes, that’s how her surname is spelled) as a partner to Candy Hanneman.
Miram Nagl, injured in a holiday ski-ing accident, is out of the Germany team. Her place goes to Denise Simon who will partner Anja Monke.
+Catriona Matthew’s break to have her first baby meant that Scotland did not have a player high enough in the money lists to qualify for an invitation.

EUROPRO TOUR GOES IRISH

The PGA EuroPro Tour will go to Ireland for the first time in the new season. Faithlegg Golf Club, on the shores of the River Suir, outside Waterford in the south-east of the Emerald Isle, will be the host for a 54-hole event with a minimum prize money of the Euro equivalent of £40,000.
The EuroPro Tour Qualifying School process starts on April 11-12 at four venues (Beau Desert, Fulford, The Bedford and Stoke by Nayland). It continues with a field of 240 for the Final Q Stage at Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire on April 17-19.

IRELAND’S PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

The Irish Golf Writers Association have voted their players of the year.
They are:
Professional – Padraig Harrington, Ryder Cup player, European Tour Order of Merit winner and conqueror Tiger Woods in the Dunlop Phoenix play-off in Japan.
Amateur – Rory McIlroy, 17-year-old winner of the European title, who retained his Irish closed championship.
Female – Martina Gillen, 2006 Irish women’s amateur stroke-play champion, Curtis Cup player and a graduate to the Ladies European Tour from the Qualifying School.

SCOTTISH AREA TEAM
CHAMPIONSHIP
GROUPS, FIXTURES

The Scottish men’s area team golf championship will again be contested on the usual lines of four groups of four, with the four league table winners going forward to the semi-finals at Powfoot Golf Club, on the Solway Firth on October 6. The final will be played at the same venue the following day.
Lothians will be defending the title they won for the 12th time at Glasgow Gailes last year when they beat Angus 5 ½-3 ½ in the final.
In the semi-finals, Lothians beat defending champions Renfrewshire 6-3 while Angus beat Perth & Kinross 5 ½-3 1/2.
Most districts have difficulty in getting their leading players available to play in all the Sunday sectional ties. There has been talk of the tournament being streamlined to just one long weekend when all 16 district teams would take part in a straight knock-out format.
But talking is as far as that idea has advanced and it’s the status quo for 2007 when the groups are:

GROUP A
May 20 – South v Ayrshire, Lanarkshire v Renfrewshire.
August 5 – Ayrshire v Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire v South.
September 23 – Ayrshire v Renfrewshire, South v Lanarkshire.

GROUP B
May 20 – North-east v Argyll & Bute, Fife v Clackmannanshire.
August 5 – Argyll & Bute v Fife, Clackmannanshire v North-east.
September 23 – Argyll & Bute v Clackmannanshire, North-east v Fife.

GROUP C
May 20 – Lothians v North, Stirlingshire v Glasgow.
August 5 – North v Stirlingshire, Glasgow v Lothians.
September 23 – North v Glasgow, Lothians v Stirlingshire.

GROUP D
May 20 – Dumbartonshire v Borders, Perth & Kinross v Angus.
August 5 – Borders v Perth & Kinross, Angus v Dumbartonshire.
September 23 – Borders v Angus, Dumbartonshire v Perth & Kinross.

HUTCHEON (33) THINKS THERE
IS STILL TIME TO MAKE IT
BIG ON EUROPEAN TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Greig Hutcheon, who will be 34 on March 29, still has not given up hope of making it on to the European Tour on a more permanent basis than has been the case since 1998.
“I don’t want to come across as getting too big for my golf shoes, but I have looked at all the top players in Europe and I honestly believe that the difference between them and me is in the region of 1 ½ to two shots a round," said Greig (pictured right).
“That’s how close I feel I am to the top. I am not at the top, obviously, but I don’t feel as though I will be out of my league when I play in the PGA championship at Wentworth, and then the big ones at Loch Lomond and Gleneagles in the new season.
“Four good rounds strung together in any of these big tournaments could change my life. It’s a nice thought. If you lose your dreams, your ambitions as a pro golfer, then you are in danger of going backwards.”
WINTERING ON ALGARVE
Hutcheon is spending the winter on the Algarve – at Penina, to be precise – just as he did in the winter of 2005-2006 and he reckons that daily practice in the comparative warm conditions of southern Portugal meant he went into the 2006 Tartan Tour schedule with a game that was much sharper than if he had stayed at home in the North-east and been confined to the house by the freezing weather for long periods.
Hutcheon, who plays out of Peterculter Golf Club nowadays, highlighted his first full campaign on the PGA Scottish Region circuit by winning the Order of Merit and the Callaway Order of Merit and also finishing seventh in the money table with in excess of £20,000 from only 26 competitions – considerably fewer than anyone in the top six.
Quite apart from the success, the former Scotland boy and youth amateur international from Crathes, Aberdeenshire, enjoyed every minute of the Tartan Tour.
“For a start, it was reminder to me just how many good golf courses there are in Scotland. I hadn’t played some of them for a few years – and some I was playing for the first time,” said Greig with enthusiasm.
STRENGTH IN DEPTH
“The competition is good too. There are a lot of good tour pros playing in Scotland, more than I think might have been the case a decade or two ago. I think the success of Craig Lee, James McKinnon and Sam Cairns in the PGAs of Europe team championship in Spain at the end of the year underlined the strength in depth we have up here.

“I had played the Challenge Tour and the European Tour almost alternately every year since 1997 and it was really an accident that turned my attention to my domestic tour.
“It was December 23, 2004 – I shall never forget the date – and I was horsing about with some pals in the snow. I fell heavily on my right shoulder which pushed it out of alignment. It was very, very painful for a long time and virtually screwed up the 2005 season for me.
“Looking back, I should have gone for a medical exemption for the year, as the European Tour people told me I would have had no difficulty in getting but, foolishly I think now, I decided to soldier on.
“I could have an operation to put the shoulder back into sync with the rest of my body but there is a risk of making the situation much worse and I am not prepared to take that gamble.
“So, in a way, the 2005 season was the lowest point of my playing career … not being able to play for a long spell ... then trying to play and finding, not only that it was painful but that I couldn’t play as well as I used to.”
1999 SCOTTISH PGA CHAMPION
The silver lining for Hutcheon was that his inactivity combined with his lack of success on the Challenge Tour – on which he had been a winner three times - forced him to look closer to home for an opportunity to make a living. Having won the Scottish PGA title in 1999, Greig was entitled to play the Tartan Tour.
“I should have done it earlier. It doesn’t cost nearly as much to play anywhere in Scotland as it does to follow the Challenge Tour – and I think the calendar of events is great, just the right mix of tournaments.
“I like pro-ams. I like meeting people and playing golf with strangers. That’s just the way I am.”
Finishing third in both the Northern Open at Skibo Castle and the Gleneagles Scottish championship provided the platform for his first capture of the Order of Merit title.
“The Northern Open’s long history – the golden days of John Panton and Eric Brown, etc – puts the tournament on a pedestal and I like playing in it. Combine that with the fact that Skibo Castle has become its home and I go into that week with a sense of excitement and expectation.
“The Carnegie course has become one of my favourites. You can shoot 66 – which I did in the last round in 2006 – or some days you can shoot a 76 which feels like a 66. That’s the mark of a very good course.
“I ‘lost’ the 2006 Northern Open by starting with a 73. That let the leaders get away from me. I shot 68-70-66 after that and came one short of being in the play-off between Jason McCreadie and Chris Doak.
“That 70, by the way, was played in a howling gale and I rated that almost as good an effort as the 66.”
INCREDIBLE GOLF
Hutcheon also had a 66 in his four rounds at the Gleneagles Scottish professional championship. That was in the second round, but that was the only time he broke 70 over the PGA Centenary course.
“I finished eight under par for the four rounds and thought I had played quite well. For Dean Robertson and Craig Lee to shoot 17 under par and tie was incredible golf.
“It was an an amazing last day to that tournament. I started 7-5-5, which put me three over par on the fourth tee – and then I had four birdies. I think it was battling on for a high finish that secured the Order of Merit title for me.”
So what was the best part of Greig’s game during 2006?
“I think was more consistent than I had been in some of my previous years. There was never a great peak or, fortunately, a big slump. I just kept a fairly good standard going most of the time.
“If you pressed me, I would say my putting was the most reliable part of my game. Over the years, I switched backwards and forward from cackhanded to orthodox putting – not to be recommended, I know, but some years, cackhanded putting works for me, and 2006 was one of them.”

MURCAR NOT AVAILABLE,
CHALLENGE TOUR
CHIEFS HUNT FOR
SCOTS VENUE
ON AUGUST 9-12

The European Challenge Tour will have a whistle-stop tournament in Scotland again this summer but it looks unlikely that the 72-hole event on Europe's No 2 men's professional tour will be held again at Murcar Links where Sam Walker (pictured right) was the winner last year.
That's not because the Challenge Tour don't want to play in the North-east and not because Murcar Links don't want to host it ... the only stumbling block has proved to be the dates.
The only slot for a "Scotland Challenge" this year is from August 9 to 12 - and Murcar Links cannot accommodate it at that time of the year.
So it's a question of waiting and wondering which Scottish course is going to be the lucky one as the European Challenge Tour administrators beaver away behind the scenes.
Mid-summer will see a ‘Celtic Swing’ with successive events in Wales, Ireland and Scotland before moving into a ‘Scandinavian Swing’ with two tournaments in Denmark sandwiched between events in Norway and Sweden.
The Ryder Cup Wales Challenge will be held at Vale Hotel Golf & Spa Resort from July 26 to 29, followed by the Challenge of Ireland at Dromoland Castle, County Down from August 2 to 5.
Then comes the Scottish Challenge at the mystery venue from August 9 to 12 when a prize fund of 200,000 Euros will be on offer.
THRIVING SCHEDULE
Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce a thriving Challenge Tour Schedule for the 2007 season with four new tournaments alongside our established events across Europe, South and Latin America, Africa and Asia.
"It is particularly pleasing to confirm three events in Germany for the first time. Prize money is consistent throughout the season, further underlining the need to perform well week in week out and we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead.”

SNOW GOLF - CAN
SAM PEAK AGAIN
IN ALPS?

Victorious Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance is looking to add to his long list of golfing achievements this month as he hopes to win the Chivas Snow Golf Championship in St Moritz. Golf professionals and celebrities alike will compete in Switzerland, including keen golfer and supermodel Jodie Kidd (pictured right) who returns for the second consecutive year.
Golf’s coolest tournament, with a field of over 150 competitors from more than 18 countries, takes place on January 12 and 13.
Torrance, the "godfather of British golf," has continued his winning ways throughout his illustrious career and most recently topped the European Seniors Tours Order of Merit. However Sam, a veteran of eight Ryder Cups, faces tough competition as he tries his hand at golf’s ‘coolest’ tournament because he will be competing against the reigning Chivas Snow Golf champion, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano from Spain.
Torrance said: “Over the years golf has given me some fantastic experiences and it is so refreshing to try something different like the Chivas Snow Golf Championship. Playing on snow is something that we should be used to in Scotland but this is still a new one for me!”
Fernandez-Castano, the 2005 European Tour Rookie of the Year and winner of the 2006 BMW Asian Open, claimed victory in last year’s snow tournament from a quality field that included two-time Major winner Sandy Lyle.
Despite last year’s snow golf success Fernandez-Castano will have to be at the top of his game to beat new entrants Sam Torrance and the Danish ex-professional Henrik Bergqvist. Henrik is a specialist snow golf course builder and used to keeping his cool in snowy conditions.
English professional Paul Eales completes the line up in the men’s professional field, while leading Swiss amateur Caroline Rominger is favourite to win the amateur title.

ENGLAND'S SEVE BENSON
WINS QATAR OPEN
AMATEUR TITLE

Seve Benson, named after Seve Ballesteros, celebrated his call-up to the England Elite Squad by winning the 36-hole Qatar open amateur championship in Doha.
The Surrey 20 year old had rounds of 69 and 74 for a one under par total of 143, one shot ahead of fellow Surrey golfer, Gary King, a member of the England under 18 squad, who closed with 73.
Benson, picture left by courtesy of Tom Ward, led by one after an opening 69 and was five under par after 27 holes. But a few shots slipped away over the homeward nine, including a bogey at the 15th, where his approach struck a rake and rebounded into a bunker.
Apart from the trophy, Benson’s victory also earns him a place in the Qatar Masters on the European Tour over the same course later this month.
“It was a thrill to win again,” said Seve, “although it is not like winning a 72-hole championship. But when you also gain an invite to a European Tour event it rates high on my list.”
It was Benson’s third significant overseas victory in little more than six months. He won the Russian open amateur championship in Moscow last June and won the team title with Ed Richardson at the Juan Carlos Tailhade Cup in Buenos Aires last month.
Benson also becomes the second English player to win the Qatar Amateur. Yorkshire’s Danny Denison, now a professional, won the title in 2005.

US RYDER CUP SLUMP
HAS ITS ROOTS IN THEIR
COLLEGE SYSTEM,
says JIM FARMER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

R&A honorary professional Jim Farmer, captain of the GB&I team of club pros who won the PGA Cup two years ago, made a long-range forecast to me at today's PGA Scottish Region lunch at Gleneagles.
“It could be years before the United States regain the Ryder Cup because their top players of the future are not coming through the college ranks as they used to,” said Jim (pictured right).
He says the situation in the United States university golf squads is similar to the situation in the Scottish Premier League – so many players are imported that the home-grown talent is being snuffed out.
“It all started years ago when some of the American colleges started signing the odd top prospect from Sweden, Spain, Australia or wherever. But that snowballed to such an extent that most of the US college teams are now top-heavy with ‘foreigners.”
“Look at the result at Prestwick in the last Palmer Cup students’ match between the United States and Europe – the Europeans thrashed them.
NOT IMPRESSED
“I go over to the States once a year with a team of R&A bursars and I have to say I am not impressed with the American college players I see. Many of them have awful, four-knuckle grips. All they want to do is knock the ball out of sight,” said Jim.
“And they can do that. But ask them to play a threequarter swing shot under the wind, or any shot that requires a bit of skill and feel for it, and they have no idea how to play it.
“Many American colleges don’t have professional golf coaches as we would know them. They are administrators. So quite often the university golf team players are left to their own devices with nobody telling them how they should be gripping or swinging a club.”
Now you might say that the United States still managed to beat Great Britain & Ireland in the last Walker Cup match at Chicago. But Walker Cup line-ups are not restricted to college players.
Backing up Jim Farmer’s claim is the fact that two Europeans have won the last two United States amateur championships – Italian Edoardo Molinari in 2005 and our own Richie Ramsay in 2006.
Farmer, in fact, thinks that if the European dominance of the Ryder Cup matches continues, the top players, like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, will not want to go on playing for a team of losers.
BLEAK US OUTLOOK
“Then the United States will be in trouble. The American public don’t like losers and they could finish up in a few years with (a) nobody wanting to play in the Ryder Cup and (b) nobody wanting to watch the matches in the United States,” said Jim.
My own feeling is we should show mercy on the Americans by reverting to a Great Britain & Ireland team instead of throwing the might of All-Europe at them!
Only kidding, I think ….

WHAT'S YOUR VIEW?
E-mail your comments to colin@scottishgolfview.com

SALLY SET TO CLIMB UNDER-18
AMERICAN RANKINGS

Sally Watson's fourth-place finish in the Harder Hall Women's Invitational tournament in Florida at the weekend should see her climb the US GolfWeek Under-18 girl rankings.
The 15-year-old from South Queensferry, a student at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy since August, was ranked 22nd before the Orange Blossom Tour event at Sebring.
Quite a few of those ranked above her finished behind Sally in the "Harder Hall."
Ten of those above her in the GolfWeek Under-18 girl rankings are in their final season of junior golf and only two of them are not from the United States.
If you want to have a look at the GolfWeek rankings, log on to:
www.juniorgolfextra.com/juniorgolf/ratings/girls.asp

NEW TARTAN TOUR

SUPREMO GORDON
WILL ASK PAUL

LAWRIE & COMPANY

TO SUPPORT "SCOTTISH"

The centenary year of the Scottish professional championship highlights a season on the Tartan Tour worth around £730,000 to the country’s leading home-based players.
In its ninth year as the Gleneagles Scottish championship, the event, worth £55,000, is scheduled from August 2-5 over the PGA Centenary course in a bid by Scottish Region officials to attract some of the Scots who normally ply their trade on the European Tour.
Speaking at the region’s annual Hangover Lunch today at Gleneagles, the new Scottish Region secretary, Gordon Dewar, pictured above, pointed out that up against the Gleneagles event, won last August by Dean Robertson, is the World Championship at Bridgestone, Ohio, which attracts the world’s leading 64 players, and the Russian Open, one of the lesser events on the European Tour’s calendar.
Players such as Paul Lawrie and David Drysdale (the 2005 winner and runner-up at Gleneagles), Alastair Forsyth and Marc Warren will be approached early in the year to see if they can accommodate the Gleneagles championship within their schedules.
Warren, the 2006 European Tour rookie of the year, spoke enthusiastically during a coaching session at Largs with Bob Torrance, to whom the Cambuslang 25-year-old has given much of the credit for his success so far.

WARREN COMMITMENT
“I’d definitely consider playing if my schedule’s clear”, said Marc, winner of the Scandinavian Open last August. “It would be good to be there, especially for the 100th year of such a long-established championship.”
Marc, currently 120th in the world rankings, makes his first appearance of 2007 in the new Abu Dhabi championship, starting January 18, and continues in the Middle East at Doha and Dubai.
The other 72-hole championship on the Scottish schedule is the Northern Open at Skibo Castle from May 15 to 18.It is again being generously sponsored by a member of the Carnegie Club, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Title holder, Buchanan Castle’s Jason McCreadie, will be aiming for his third win in four years.
For the third successive year, the World Hickory championship will be played in East Lothian, again at Craigielaw, whose top-notch teenage amateur, Zack Saltman, will be defending the title. BUNKERED CHALLENGE BACK
The Bunkered Challenge, a Ryder Cup-style match-play event between Scotland’s top amateurs and professionals, is due to be played – a year later than envisaged – at the new Carrick-on-Loch-Lomond course in mid-October.
Among the other Order of Merit events are the 54-hole Scottish Wateraid pro-am at St Andrews Bay, and the three Callaway 36-holers at Monifieth, Craigielaw and Lanark.
Scotland’s young professionals head for the hills at Muckhart, where their national championship (July 4-6) is sponsored by Clubgolf, the initiative established to encourage young Scots to take up the game. Other young professionals’ events are the 54-hole Shotts/Pro Guide (August 19-20), the Paul Lawrie match-play event at Newburgh-on-Ythan (August 28-29), and the Royal Dornoch Masters (Oct. 7-8).

Full schedules:

ORDER OF MERIT EVENTS
April 4-5: Callaway Challenge (Monifieth).
May 2-3: Callaway Challenge (Craigielaw).
May 8-10: Scottish Wateraid 54 holes (St Andrews Bay, Torrance course).
May 15-18: Northern Open at Skibo Castle.
June 2-3: Wishaw 36 holes.
August 2-5: Gleneagles Scottish Championship (PGA Centenary). August 7-8: Deer Park Masters.
August 13-14: Volvo/Ayrshire Hospice 36 holes (West Kilbride).

August 24-25: Williamwood 36 holes.
September 8-9: Kerr Investments Classic (Dumfries & Galloway).

September 24-25: Callaway Challenge (Lanark).

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS’ ORDER OF MERIT
July 4-6: Clubgolf Scottish young professionals’ championship (Muckhart).
August 19-20: Shotts/Pro Guide 54 holes.
August 28-29: Paul Lawrie young professionals’ match-play (Newburgh-on-Ythan).
October 7-8: Royal Dornoch young professionals’ Masters.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
September 28: World Hickory championship (Craigielaw).
October 11-13: Bunkered Challenge (Carrick-on-Loch Lomond).

COMPLETE TARTAN TOUR SCHEDULE FOR 2007

APRIL
4-5 Callaway Challenge 1 36-hole (Monifieth).
9 Kingsbarns Young Profdessionals.
16 Glenmuir Qualifying (Irvine).
24-25 Northern Open Qualifying (St Andrews Bay, Torrance).
29 John Panton Young Professionals pro-am (Glenbervie).

MAY
2-3 Callaway Challenge 2 36-hole (Craigielaw).
4 Teddy Bear Foundation invitational pro-am (Westin Turnberry, Ailsa).
6 Possible pro-am (to be arranged).
8-10 Scottish Wateraid 54-hole order of merit pro-am (St Andrews Bay, Torrance).
11 Cambuslang Special Olympics shotgun pro-am.
13 Scotscraig pro-am.
14 Powerade PGA assistants championship qualifying (Auchterarder).
14 Northern Open at Skibo Castle Company Day.
15-18 Northern Open at Skibo Castle (Carnegie Club).
20 Brechin shotgun invitational pro-am.
21 Wishaw 36-hole order-of merit qualifying.
23 Ben shotgun pro-am (Cardross).
25 Lochwinnoch pro-am.
26 Portpatrick pro-am.
27 Bishopbriggs pro-am.
29 West Lothian pro-am.

JUNE
1 Eastwood shotgun invitational pro-am.
2-3 Wishaw 36-hole order of merit pro-am.
5 Strathaven pro-am.
6 Pollok pro-am.
8 Cawder pro-am.
9 West Dunbartonshire DC pro-am (Dalmuir).
10 Monklands Masters charity pro-am (Drumpellier).
12 Parkdean Holidays pro-am (Ayr Belleisle).
12-15 Glenmuir club professionals championship (Royal Porthcawl)
15 Eden pro-am (Kingsbarns).
15 Sense invitational pro-am (East Renfrewshire).
16 Free Press & Stena Line pro-am (Stranraer).
18 Brunston Castle pro-am.
19 Professional’s pro-am (Bonnyton).
21 Douglas Park pro-am.
22 Possible pro-am (to be arranged).
23 Portlethen pro-am.
24 Edzell pro-am.
25 Golf Highland pro-am (Nairn Dunbar).
27 Airdrie pro-am.
28 Torrance House pro-am.
30 Hayston pro-am.

JULY
3 Clubgolf young professionals pro-am (Muckhart).
4 Open championship qualifying (various venues).
4-6 Clubgolf Scottish young professionals championship (Muckhart).
7 Clober pro-am.
9-10 Open championship final qualifying (various venues).
11 Patrons pro-am (to be confirmed).
12 Volvo/Ayrshire Hospice 36-hole pro-am qualifying (West Kilbride).
13 Newmachar pro-am.
16 Dumfries & County pro-am.
17 Paul Lawrie young professionals match-play qualifying (West Lothian).
18 Shotts Pro-Guide young professionals 54-hole qualifying (Shotts).
19-22 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (Carnoustie).
20 Prestonfield pro-am.
22 Bothwell Castle pro-am.
23 Deer Park Masters qualifying.
24-25 Gleneagles Scottish championship qualifying (Crieff).
26 Williamwood Centenary 36-hole qualifying.
27 Grampian Houston Junior Fund pro-am (Royal Aberdeen).
28 Montrose pro-am.
29 Murrayfield pro-am.
30 Gulf Air pro-captain qualifying (Crail Craighead).

AUGUST
2-5 Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship (PGA Centenary course).
7-8 Deer Park Masters 36-hole order of merit pro-am.
9 Meldrum House young professionals pro-am.
9-12 Scottish Challenge Tour event (to be confirmed).
10 Container Company Aberdeen Ellon pro-am (McDonald Ellon).
11 Aberdeen Petroleum Club pro-am (Peterculter).
12 Troon Welbeck pro-am (Lochgreen).
13 Volvo/Ayrshire Hospice pro-am (West Kilbride).
14 Volvo/Ayrshire Hospice second round, professionals only (West Kilbride).
16 Kerr Investments qualifying (Dumfries & Galloway).
17 Stirling pro-am.
18 Bathgate pro-am.
19 Sandyhills pro-am.
19-20 Shotts/Pro Guide young professionals 54-hole pro-am.
22 Fraserburgh pro-am.
23 Turriff pro-am.
25-24 Williamwood 36-hole pro-am.
26 Easter Moffat pro-am.
27 Paul Lawrie young professionals match-play pro-am (Newburgh on Ythan).
28 Ben pro-am (Archerfield Links).
28-29 Paul Lawrie young professionals match-play (Newburgh on Ythan).

SEPTEMBER
1 Paisley pro-am.
4 Possible pro-am (to be arranged).
5 Elgin pro-am.
6 Discovery shotgun pro-am (Downfield).
7 Crow Wood company day.
7 Petrofac young professionals (Inchmarlo).
7 Esporta Dougalstown invitational pro-am.
8-9 Kerr Investments Classic (Dumfries & Galloway).
11-12 Carnegie invitational 36-hole pro-am (Carnegie Links).
14 Possible young professionals’ pro-am (to be confirmed).
15 Machrihanish pro-am.
16 Possible young professionals pro-am (to be confirmed).
17-18 Possible young professionals tournament (to be confirmed).
21 VSA Tartan pro-am (Cruden Bay).
23 Ladybank pro-am.
24-25 Callaway Challenge 3 36-hole order of merit (Lanark).
27 World hickory championship pro-am (Craigielaw).
28 World hickory championship (Craigielaw).
30 Royal Musselburgh pro-am.

OCTOBER
1 MHF invitational shotgun pro-am (Prestwick).
6 Royal Dornoch & clubgolf young professionals pro-am.
7-8 Royal Dornoch Young Professionals’ Masters.
11-13 Bunkered Challenge: Professionals v Amateurs (Carrick on Loch Lomond).
25 Monifieth four-ball.

R&A WORLD MEN'S AMATEUR RANKINGS

WINNERS & LEADING AMATEURS

Mu Hu (Dixie Amateur) & Major Manning (New Year’s Invitational)
*New WAGRanked Player.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Richie Ramsay (Scotland) retains the WAGR No 1 spot for a 21st week.
Jason Palmer (England) climbs 2 places to enter the Top 20 at No 19 and Niklas Lemke (Sweden) also climbs 2 places to No 20.
Four high-ranked South African players have signed professional forms as a result of their performance in the Sunshine Tour Final Qualifying and have been deleted from the current WAGR.
As a result, Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) moved up from No 44 to No 39. We now have three Scots in the top 50 as Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) is now at No 45, as he and three Americans, Daniel Summerhays, Kevin Chappell and Colt Knost, at 46, 47 and 48, moved up six places into the Top 50 in Week 2007/02.
Zack Miller (USA) and Jarred Texter (USA) have moved up seven places to Nos 49 and 50 respectively.
Into the lower reaches of the R&A WAGR top 100, all rising eight places, come Niall Turner (Ireland), Jacques Blaaux (South Africa), Dale Marmion (England), Jorge Campillo (Spain), two Scots, Jonathan King (Glasgow) and Scott Henry (Cardross), and two Americans, Trent Leon and Daniel Im.

WORLD'S TOP-RANKED 50 PLAYERS THIS WEEK

+First column is this week's ranking; Second column is last week's ranking.

1 1 Richie Ramsay SCO 1153.66
2 2 Rory McIlroy IRE 1120.83
3 3 Jamie Moul ENG 1117.02
4 4 Pablo Martin ESP 1105.77
5 5 Kyung Tae Kim KOR 1046.88
6 6 Rhys Davies WAL 1044.23
7 7 Chris Kirk USA 1034.00
8 8 Nigel Edwards WAL 1026.09
9 9 Webb Simpson USA 1020.41
10 10 Billy Horschel USA 1013.46
11 11 Gary Wolstenholme ENG 1001.69
12 13 +1 Bronson LaCassie AUS 974.58
13 14 +1 Jonathan Moore USA 972.41
14 15 +1 Julien Guerrier FRA 963.04
15 16 +1 Seve Benson ENG 944.74
16 17 +1 Johan Carlsson SWE 930.30
17 18 +1 Robert Riesen USA 928.57
18 20 +2 Dustin Johnson USA 920.69
19 21 +2 Jason Palmer ENG 913.51
20 22 +2 Niklas Lemke SWE 912.50
21 23 +2 Stephen Lewton ENG 912.20
22 24 +2 Oscar Floren SWE 910.53
23 27 +4 Adrien Bernadet FRA 897.22
24 19 -5 George Coetzee RSA 893.94
25 29 +4 Bjorn Akesson SWE 887.50
26 30 +4 Tim Stewart AUS 883.54
27 31 +4 Cameron Tringale USA 880.49
28 32 +4 David Horsey ENG 879.07
29 33 +4 Rick Kulacz AUS 875.68
30 34 +4 Ryan Yip CAN 875.00
31 35 +4 Marius Thorp NOR 875.00
32 36 +4 James Gill NZE 874.58
33 37 +4 Gary Woodland USA 872.73
34 38 +4 Dawie van der Walt RSA 868.97
35 39 +4 Rob Grube USA 866.67
36 40 +4 Alex Prugh USA 864.58
37 42 +5 Richie Gallichan AUS 862.22
38 43 +5 Ben Parker ENG 854.76
39 44 +5 Lloyd Saltman SCO 854.00
40 45 +5 Michael Foster AUS 850.00
41 47 +6 Andrew Dodt AUS 845.83
42 48 +6 Jordi Garcia ESP 845.45
43 49 +6 Seung Su Han KOR 843.75
44 50 +6 Brian Harman USA 843.48
45 51 +6 Paul O'Hara SCO 840.91
46 52 +6 Daniel Summerhays USA 838.30
47 53 +6 Kevin Chappell USA 835.85
48 54 +6 Colt Knost USA 833.33
49 56 +7 Zack Miller USA 830.23
50 57 +7 Jarred Texter USA 822.22

A PEARL OF A TROPHY FOR QATAR MASTERS WINNER

The handsome trophy that will go to the winner was on display at today's Press Conference to launch the 2007 Commercialbank Qatar Masters. Pictured above (left to right) are event manager Chris Myers, Commercial Bank Group CEO Andrew Stevens and Qatar Golf Assocaition president Hassan Al Nuami.

STAGE SET FOR RICHEST-EVER COMMERCIALBANK

QATAR MASTERS
Doha (QATAR): The 2007 Commercialbank Qatar Masters will take golf in Qatar to a completely new level in terms of players, prize-money, sponsorship and hospitality tournament officials announced today (January 8) at the Doha Golf Club.
To be staged over the 7,374yd Doha Golf Club championship course from January 25 to 28, the Commercialbank Qatar Masters will see the co-sanctioned PGA European Tour and Asian Tour event on the calendar for 10th time. However, according to Andrew Stevens, group CEO of title sponsors Commercialbank of Qatar, the tenth anniversary will bear no resemblance to previous Doha tournaments.

BIGGEST AND BEST YET
“We are looking forward to making the 10th staging the biggest, best and – with $2.2 million in prize money – richest Qatar Masters,” said Stevens at a press conference staged in one of the new bespoke hospitality units designed exclusively for the event.
"Under the guidance of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Qatari Government is striving to cement the country’s position as the sporting centre of the Middle East. The 2006 Asian Games, the recent Qatar Tennis Open and March’s Commercialbank Moto GP are just three examples of that ambition – an ambition we at Commercialbank are proud to share and one that will be firmly underlined here at Doha Golf Club in less than three weeks.”
With a prize-fund of $2.2 million that includes a winner’s cheque of $366,660, the event is certainly the richest golf event staged in Qatar and has attracted a field that will put the country in the world sporting spotlight.
Already confirmed and teeing up on January 25 will be former Masters champion and world No. 5 Ernie Els, world No. 6 Retief Goosen – both from South Africa – world No. 11 Sergio Garcia of Spain, world No. 15 and European No. 2 Paul Casey and world No. 20 Chris DiMarco from the US.

GOLFING BIG GUNS
The complement of golfing big guns also features European Ryder Cup heroes Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood, while Swede Henrik Stenson – currently ranked 12th in the world and the man who sank the winning putt in the Ryder Cup matches at the K Club – will be back in Doha to defend the title he won just 12 months earlier.
“I may be biased, but I strongly believe that with the calibre of players we have lined up, this year’s Commercialbank Qatar Masters has the strongest in-depth field of all the Tour events being staged in the region,” added Tournament Manager Chris Myers.

.

VIJAY SINGH CHALKS

UP 30TH VICTORY

ON US PGA TOUR
Vijay Singh opened the US PGA Tour season by winning the Mercedes-Benz Championship and its $1,100,000 top prize by two strokes at Kapalua on Hawaii.

It was the 43-year-old Fijian's 30th win on the American tour and his 18th since he had his 40th birthday - that beats the over-40s' success record held by the late Sam Snead.
Vijay, pictured above, had rounds of 69, 69,70 and 70 for a 14-under-par total of 278 over the par-73 course.
Australian Adam Scott was runner-up on 280.
England's Luke Donald finished seventh on 285 and earned $193,000.
FINAL TOTALS (Par 292: 4 x 73)

Players from US unless stated.

278 Vijay Singh (Fij) 69 69 70 70.
280 Adam Scott (Aus) 73 69 69 69.
283 Trevor Immelman (SAf) 71 68 72 72
284 Will MacKenzie 69 70 73 72, J.B. Holmes 73 68 71 72, Davis Love III 70 71 75 68.
285 Luke Donald (Eng) 72 71 71 71.
286 J J Henry 74 73 68 71, KJ Choi (Kor) 69 77 71 69, David Toms 75 72 72 67.
287 Troy Matteson 73 70 70 74, Stephen Ames (Can) 69 74 74 70.
288 Rory Sabbatini (SAf) 71 78 68 71, Chris Couch 71 70 77 70, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 73 72 72 71.
289 Kirk Triplett 75 73 69 72, Joe Durant 73 73 72 71.
292 Jim Furyk 71 74 76 71.
293 Tim Herron 75 72 72 74, John Senden (Aus) 73 74 75 71, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 74 72 74 73.
294 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 74 80 71 69, Brett Wetterich 69 79 73 73, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 72 75 77 70.
295 John Rollins 77 74 70 74.
296 Eric Axley 78 75 74 69.
297 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 77 72 78 70.
301 Corey Pavin 75 75 74 77.
302 Dean Wilson 80 78 72 72.
303 Jeff Maggert 76 74 74 79.
305 Chad Campbell 77 75 78 75.
306 D.J. Trahan 79 77 75 75.
312 Ben Curtis 81 78 77 76.

SALLY FOURTH ON

DEBUT IN HARDER HALL INVITATIONAL

Debutante Sally Watson finished a creditable fourth on three-over-par 291 in the 52nd Harder Hall Women’s Invitational golf tournament at Harder Hall Country Club, Sebring in Florida.
Competing over the 6,151yd, par-72 course in the first event of the annual Orange Blossom Tour for female amateurs, the 15-year-old South Queensferry girl, a student at the David Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton, Florida had rounds of 72, 73, 72 and 74.
Rachel Connor, 17-year-old daughter of the Scottish-born Manchester Golf Club professional, Brian Connor, slipped down to 14th place in the final round after being in the top 10 through the first three rounds.
Rachel from Oldham had scores of 70, 78, 74 and 78 for 290.
Tournament winner was University of Virginia student Leah Wigger (pictured above) from Louisville, Kentucky. Leah led from start to finish with scores of 69, 73, 67 and 71 for eight-under—ar 280 and a three-stroke victory from Auburn University student Candace Schepperle. Former tennis ace Ivan Lendl’s teenage daughter Isabelle had the second lowest score of the final round – a two-under-par 70 – and she finished sixth with 296.
United States Curtis Cup captain and tournament director Carol Semple Thompson had scores of 80, 74 74 and 77 to share 19th place on 305.
Sally Watson’s older teenage sister Rebecca had rounds of 83, 86, 75 and 81 for 325.

Second event on the Orange Blossom Tour is the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur - known as the "Sally" - over 72 holes and beginning at Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach in Florida on Wednesday.

The touring Stirling University students, who played in the Dixie amateur championships last week, are scheduled to join the tour this week.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72). 6,151yd.
Players from US unless stated.

280 Leah Wigger 69 73 67 71.
283 Candace Schepperle 70 74 70 69.
290 Jacqui Concolino 72 73 69 76.
291 Sally Watson (Sco) 72 73 72 74.
293 Megan Grehan 77 74 70 72.
296 Isabelle Lendl 75 76 75 70.
Other totals:
290 Rachel Connor (Eng) 70 78 74 78.
305 Carol S Thompson 80 74 74 77.
325 Rebecca Watson (Sco) 83 86 75 81.

SCOT CRAWFORD FINISHES 4th
AT SOUTH AFRICAN Q SCHOOL

Derek Crawford from Glasgow, who played for the Scotland amateur international team regularly in 1990 and 1991, finished joint fourth in the Sunshine Tour Qualifying School at Kempton Park Golf Club, South Africa today.
Derek had rounds of 68, 70, 68 and 69 for a 13-under-par total of 275 - eight shots behind South Africa Charl Coetzee who won the 15,000 South African Rand first prize with scores of 65, 63, 69 and 70 for 21-under-par 267.
The top 20 and ties earned playing rights on the 2007 Sunshine Tour of South Africa. Crawford has been a professional since the early 1990s.

LEADING TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
267 Charl Coetzee (SAfr) 65 63 69 70.
270 Dale Burraston (SAfr) 73 68 64 65.
273 (am) Jbe Kruger (SAfr) 68 65 71 69.
275 Derek Crawford (Sco) 68 70 68 69, Neil Schietekat (SAfr) 71 68 67 69.
276 Kai Li (China) 69 69 67 71.
277 Padraig Dooley (Ire) 790 68 70 69, Garth Mulloy (SAf) 69 68 69 74.

THE WAY THEY WERE: SPRING 1954

BRITISH RYDER CUP

PLAYERS EN ROUTE TO

SOUTH AMERICA - CAN

YOU NAME THEM ALL?

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Another black and white photograph (there were no coloured ones in those days) from the "Golf Monthly" of April 1954.

Boarding a BOAC plane for Montevideo, Uruguay and an international 90-hole tournament are seven leading British professional golfers of that era.

They had one thing in common. They all played in the Ryder Cup in the days when it was Great Britain & Ireland against the United States.

Two of them were Open championship winners.

Given up trying to identify each one (click on the image to increase the size)?

In the left-hand column, from the top to the bottom of the steps are:

TOM HALIBURTON. Born Rhu, Dunbartonshire 1915. Bernard Gallacher's predecessor as professional at Wentworth. Played in the Ryder Cup matches of 1961 and 1963. For a long time, the quietly-spoken Scot held the British professional tournament low record score of 61 (at Worthing) and the world record of 126 for two consecutive rounds in the same tournament.

HARRY WEETMAN (1920-72). Born Oswestry, Shropshire. Professional at Hartsbourne before moving to Selsdon Park, Surrey. One of the longest and hardest hitters of his day, Harry had a "velvet touch" around the greens and was one of the leading post-war British tour professionals.

One reference book of the time described Weetman as "Broad of shoulder and of thigh, he hits the ball violently with an air of truculence. He almost swaggers up to the ball and appears to take no trouble in addressing it."

Harry could be a fiery character with no respect for officialdom - he was suspended for a spell by the PGA for stepping out of line, so long ago I cannot remember the dates. During that ban Harry was able to come up to play in the Northern Open, which was not played under the auspices of the PGA.

Weetman did win the Northern Open at Murcar in 1961 but whether that was the year of his PGA suspension or whether it was a return trip because he liked the then very early season tournament (played in April, often in blizzards), I cannot remember.

Harry played in the Ryder Cup matches of 1951-53-55-57-59-61-63. He was non-playing captain of the GB&I team in 1965.

Weetman was tragically killed in a car accident at the age of 52.

ALF PADGHAM. Surrey-born in 1906. Professional at Sundridge Park, Kent. He won the 1936 Open at Hoylake after finishing third in 1934 and second in 1935. Played in the Ryder Cup matches of 1933-35-37. Selected for the 1939 match which was not played because of the impending World War II hostilities.

In the right-hand column, from the top to the bottom of the steps, we have:

MAX FAULKNER (1916-2005). Born Bexhill, Sussex. The R&A Golfer's Handbook describes him as "One of the game's most extrovert and colourful personalities who won the 1951 Open championship at Royal Portrush, the only time the event has been played in Northern Ireland."Played in five Ryder Cup matches: 1947-49-51-53-57. Awarded OBE (rather belatedly) in 2001. Father in law of another Ryder Cup player, Brian Barnes, Max died in 2005.

JIMMY ADAMS. Born in Troon in 1910, Jimmy was runner-up in the Open championships of 1936 (one stroke behind Alf Padgham) and 1938 (Reg Whitcombe was the winner). Won the 1946 Dunlop Masters and several Continental events. He played in four post-war Ryder Cup matches: 1947-49-51-53 after being robbed of his Ryder Cup debut in the 1939 match when it was cancelled because World War II was on the horizon.

Long before the days of John Daly, Adams was one of the first front-rank players whose club went far beyond the horizontal on his backswing but it was described as a "lovely, easy swing."

PETER ALLISS. Born in Berlin 1931 when his father Percy was a professional at Wannsee Golf Club. Was based at Parkstone Golf Club, Dorset before becoming pro at Moor Allerton, Leeds in late 1970. Golf course design work in partnership with Dave Thomas and later television work extended the long connection Peter has had with golf. The son of a Ryder Cup player, Peter himself played in eight matches: 1953-57-59-61-63-65-67-69.

BERNARD HUNT. Born Atherstone, Warwickshire 1930. Son of a professional and brother of Geoffrey who also played in the Ryder Cup match of 1963. Most of Bernard's tournament wins were over parkland courses but he could play quality links golf as well - third equal in the Open of 1960, fourth in 1964 and fifth equal in 1965. Played in the Ryder Cup matches of 1953-57-59-61-63-65-67-69 and was non-playing skipper in 1973 and 1975.

+The great Belgian player, Flory Van Donck, beat all the above players to win the 1954 Montevideo tournament with a five-round aggregate of 345.

ANY COMMENTS? Do you remember any of the above players? Perhaps have a story to tell about one of them? E-mail it to colin@scottishgolfview.com

First response from DAVID WOOLMER.

One of my Scots friends on the Golfobserver board posted a comment on the photo and write up.
I am now 70, playing off four but I was a +1 handicap for 17 years and a Walker Cup reserve.

I still have very fond memories of Tom Haliburton. At age 14 I started golf at Wentworth with Tom Haliburton as my golf teacher, a relationship which lasted at least four years until I moved away.
Also, although it may not really be of interest to Scottish readers I know Peter Alliss well, also Bernard Hunt and I used to know and play golf with Harry Weetman - also with such as Christy O'Connor, Joe Carr and Ronnie Shade!

Regards
David Woolmer

Colin Farquharson: If anyone wants to get in touch with David about times past, E-mail me at colin@scottishgolfview.com and I will pass on his telephone number and/or E-mail address.

LUXURY $150,000 CRUISER

FOR FIRST ACE AT

QATAR MASTERS

The first player to achieve a hole-in-one Doha Golf Club's par-3 17th hole in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters tournament from January 25 to 28 will win a luxury cruiser, courtesy of Alfardan Marine, worth $150,000 (pictured above).
Recently, the tournament organisers announced that the first player to break the course record of 63 would win a new car from the BMW 6 series, courtesy of Alfardan Automobiles.

For the first time in the event’s ten-year history, Alfardan Marine has come on board to offer a 26-foot Doral Monticello luxury cruiser for the first player able to hole his tee shot on the par-3 17th hole at the Doha Golf Club from January 25-28.

EXTRA SPICE

Fadi Alyousfi, Associate Vice President of Alfardan Marine Services, said:
“The hole-in-one prize will add extra spice to the occasion and ensure large spectator attendance at the 17th hole over the four days.”
The presence of the $150,000 cruiser floating in the middle of the lake in front of the 156yd 17th hole will be the focus of both public and media attention for a hole-in-one prize that is one of the richest on either the PGA European Tour or the Asian Tour – both Tours sanction the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.
“It’s certainly a wonderful prize to offer for a hole-in-one and we are grateful for Alfardan Marine’s support of the tournament in this way,” said Commercialbank of Qatar Group CEO Andrew Stevens. “And with the quality in our line-up, we certainly have the players capable of taking home the keys to what is a stunning boat.”
The $2.2 million Commercialbank Qatar Masters has attracted a world-class field including Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Chris DiMarco, Sergio Garcia, Stuart Appleby, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood.

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

What are your feelings about big prizes, in general, for holes in one, course records, etc? Do they add to a tournament's stature or are they gimmicks that deflect the spotlight from the player who has the lowest 72-hole score.

AUCHTERARDER-BASED COMPANY
WINS BAHRAIN CONTRACT FOR
COLIN MONTGOMERIE COURSE

A joint venture between Auchterarder-based Braemar Golf Developments (BGD) and Bahrain-based Nass Contracting Co has been awarded a prestigious contract worth 11.7million Euros to construct the new Colin Montgomerie Signature golf course at the Riffa Views project in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The partnership brings together companies with very different experience and skills but in combination all the requirements the client was looking for to build this world-class course.
Richard Browning, chief executive of Riffa Golf & Residential Development Company, said:
"The partnership brings a professional calibre that is essential for the quality demanded by the Riffa Views project. BGD-Nass demonstrated the essential mix of large-scale construction experience coupled with the vital site specific technical golf knowledge and a vital understanding of quality the Colin Montgomerie-designed golf course demands.
"This golf course is a vital asset to this ground-breaking residential development in Bahrain which will feaure 900 residential homes as well as a Boris Becker Tennis Academy, an International School, Country Club and Hotel."
David Dean of Braemar Golf Developments said:
"The turnkey construction ability of Nass in the Gulf, in conjunction with the technical golf course management and construction skills specific to the region, accumulated by BGD over a number of years working in the Middle East, have been the key to the success of the bid and we look forward to looking for other golf course opportunities that could benefit from the combined skills and experience of BGD-Nass."
+You can find out more about the Auchterarder-based Braemar Golf Developments on their website: www.braemargolf.co.uk

VIJAY SINGH GOES THREE
CLEAR ON HAWAII

Beaten by Stuart Appleby in a title play-off last year, Vijay Singh is odds on to make to the winner's rostrum on Sunday after the fourth round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, the opening event on the 2007 US PGA Tour, at Kapalua, Hawaii.
The Fijian increased his halfway lead to three shots with a third-round 70 (three under par) for a 54-hole tally of 11-under-par 208 over the par-73 course.
Singh's closest challengeres are Australian Adam Scott (69-211) and South African Trevor Immelman, the US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2006, who had a 72 for 211.
Luke Donald is back in seventh place on 214 after a 71.
LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES
208 V Singh (Fiji) 69 69 70.
211 A Scott (Aus) 73 69 69, T Immelman (SAf) 71 68 72.
212 W MacKenzie (US) 69 70 73, J B Holmes (US) 73 68 71.
213 T Matteson (US) 73 77 70.
214 L Donald (Eng) 72 71 71.
215 J J Henry (US) 74 73 68.
216 D Love (US) 70 71 75.
217 R Sabbatini (US) 71 78 69, K Triplett (US) 75 73 69, K J Choi (Kor) 69 77 71, S Appleby (Aus) 73 72 72, S Ames (Tri) 69 74 74.
Other scores:
221 J Furyk (US) 71 74 76.
236 B Curtis (US) 81 78 77.

NEW PORTUGUESE MASTERS
(October 11-14) GOES ON AT
VILAMOURA VICTORIA

Portugal’s tourism golf strategy was unveiled on Friday with the European Tour playing an integral part in the plan. Three events on the European Tour International Schedule will be hosted by Portugal this year.
Government ministers and representatives of the Portuguese Golf Federation met with officials from the European Tour at Victoria Clube de Golfe, Vilamoura, which will host the inaugural Portugal Masters from October 11-14. A 3 million Euros prize fund will be on offer with a first prize of 583,333 Euros.
Bradley Dredge, who partnered Stephen Dodd in Wales’ impressive victory in the 2005 WGC – World Cup in Portugal over the Victoria Course, was present to lend his support to the tournament.
The far-reaching strategy to boost tourism across the country will include the Portugal Masters, the Madeira Island Open at Santa da Serra from March 22-25 and the Open de Portugal, to be played at Oitavos Golfe in Estoril the following week, along with events on the European Seniors and the Challenge Tours.

SEND US YOUR 2007 FIXTURES - AND RESULTS

HUGH HUNTER, the former Scottish Golf Union president, and a life-long golf enthusiast, has supplied the following dates and venues for his home union, Clackmannan County.
If any other area in Scotland - men or women - would like their 2007 fixtures published, E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com
We would also be interested in publishing on www.scottishgolfview.com results/scores from any area's leading competitions throughout the 2007 season. Again the E-mail address would be colin@scottishgolfview.com


CLACKMANNAN COUNTY GOLF UNION

PRINCIPAL CLUB AND COUNTY FIXTURES 2007

APRIL
1st Provan Salver v Perth & Kinross Away
8th Provan Salver v Angus Tulliallan 11.00am
14th Carlsberg Open Tillicoultry
15th Clackmannan v Stirling Alloa 9am/1pm
21/22nd Waddell Shield Qualifying Tillicoultry
28th Spring Meetings
A Division Braehead
B Division Alloa
29th Provan Salver v Fife Burntisland
29th Waddell Shield Final Tillicoultry
29th Belhaven Trophy Alva
29th Skol Invitation Tulliallan

MAY
1st County Fours 1st Round 5.15 pm Tulliallan
3rd County Fours 1st Round 5.15 pm Tulliallan
5th Invitation Tillicoultry
6th County Boys Championship Braehead 10.30 – 12.30 pm
6th Buick Trophy Alloa
7th County Boys Match Play 1st Round Dollar 5.00pm
8th County Fours Semi-finals Tulliallan 5.15 pm
9th County Boys Semi-finals Tillicoultry
10th County Boys Finals Tulliallan 4.45 pm
10th County Fours Final Tulliallan 5.15 pm
12th Invitation (Sanny Todd) Braehead
13th Mixed Open Dollar
19th Junior Open Dollar
20th Clackmannan v Fife (Area Team Match 1) Aaway
19/20th Marshalls Open Tillicoultry
20th Invitation Alloa
26th Summer Meetings
A Division Alloa
B Division Dollar
31st Senior Mixed Open Greensomes Braehead

JUNE
3rd Alva Open Alva
4th County Matchplay 1st Round Dollar 5.15 pm
5th Seniors Open Dollar
7th County Matchplay 2nd Round Alloa 5.15 pm
9th Lamert Trophy Tulliallan
9th Braehead Open Division 2 Braehead
10th Patton Trophy Mixed Open Alloa
10th Braehead Open Division 1 Braehead
11th County Matchplay Semi-finals Braehead 5.15pm
13th Seniors Open Tillicoultry
14th County Matchplay Final Tulliallan 5.15 pm
16th Campbell Stoddart Trophy Tulliallan
23rd Open Greensomes Alva
24th Scottish Power Open Greensomes Tulliallan
28th Boys Open Tillicoultry
30th Belhaven Trophy Braehead

JULY
1st County Mixed Foursomes Alva 1.00 - 2.30 pm
7th Purkis Trophy Alloa
8th Weir Trophy Alloa
8th Alexander Trophy Braehead
11th Boys Open Braehead
14th Williamson Open (4 ball) Braehead
15th Macaulay Cup (4 ball) Tulliallan
21st Invitation Dollar
22nd County Championship (36 holes) Braehead
26th Seniors Open Braehead
28th Hugh Macdonald Invitation Braehead

AUGUST
2nd Junior Open Tulliallan
5th Mixed Open Tulliallan
5th Clackmannan v North-east (Area Team Match 2) Braehead
8th Seniors Open Tulliallan
9th Seniors Open Alloa
11th Boys Open Alva
12th Alpha Trophy Alloa
18th Open Greensomes Braehead
18th Dollar Open Dollar
19th Mixed Open Greensomes Braehead
25th Autumn Meeting Dollar
26th Bloy/Smith Invitation Tulliallan
26th Jubilee Mixed Open Tillicoultry

SEPTEMBER
2nd Westland Trophy Alloa
8/9th Gary Harvey Trophy (Boys) Braehead
9th Invitation Tillicoultry
9th Mixed Open Alva
16th Midlands Team Championship Away (Perth&Kinross)
23rd Clackmannan v Argyll & Bute (Area Team Match 3) Away
30th Scottish Club Championship Final Glenbervie

OCTOBER
6/7th Area Team Championship semi-finals & final Powfoot.

NOTE. Although care has been taken in compiling these dates, they are subject to change. Intending competitors should check with the Golf Club concerned

SALLY (4th), RACHEL (7th)
AS PACE HEATS UP
IN FLORIDA WITH ONE
ROUND TO GO

Sally Watson matched the par of 72 in the third round – but so hot was the scoring in the Harder Hall Women’s Invitational tournament that the 15-year-old Scottish girl actually lost ground on the leaders!
But Miss Watson, pictured right, still has reasons to be very cheerful on her debut in the event at Harder Hall Country Club, Sebring, which tees off the annual Orange Blossom Tour in Florida.
Sally, beaten finalist in the British girls championship last year when she won the Daily Telegraph girls’ national final at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, is lying fourth going into the final round after earlier rounds of 72 and 73.
She has a 54-hole tally of one-over-par 217.
Another great British prospect in the top 10 is 17-year-old Rachel Connor from Oldham, daughter of the Scottish born Manchester Golf Club professional, Brian Connor.
Rachel is in seventh place after scores of 70, 78 and 74 for 222.
Leah Wigger (University of Virigina), who has led the field since the first day, finished her third round with a five under par 67 which tied the course record set by Beth Bauer in 1999.
However Arizona University’s Alison Walshe had finished earlier and set a new course record at 66. With five birdies and an eagle, Walshe jumped into fifth place in the tournament - but 10 strokes back of the leader.


LEAH LEADS BY FIVE
Wigger extended her overnight two-stroke lead to a commanding five-shot advantage with 18 holes to play. She began with three birdies and a bogey on her first nine.
Her strength this week seems to be the ability to follow a bogey with a birdie – which she did twice in the third round. She birdied the final three holes to add a 67 to her opening scores of 69 and 73, putting her clear of the field on seven-under-par 209.0
Southeastern Conference rivals Jacqui Concolino of Vanderbilt and Candace Schepperle of Auburn both shot under par – Jacqui a 69, and Candace a 70 – but, just like Sally Watson, they could not make up any ground on the leader
Sally’s older sister, Rebecca, now competing in the Second Flight after scores of 83 and 86, returned to form with a third-round 75 for 244.

HOW THEY STAND WITH ONE ROUND TO GO
Par 216 (3 x 72). Players from US unless stated
209 Leah Wigger 69 73 67.
214 Jacqui Concolino 72 73 69, Candace Schepperle 70 74 70.
217 Sally Watson (Sco) 72 73 72.
219 Alison Walshe 78 75 66.
221 Megan Greham 77 74 70.
222 Rachel Connor (Eng) 70 78 74.
223 Lauren Hunt 78 72 73.
224 Lucy Nunn 76 73 75.
225 Tonya Choate 81 70 74, Diane Lang 73 77 75, Garrett Phillips 75 76 74.
226 Benedikte Brynestad-Grotve 76 77 73, Isabelle Lendl 75 76 75.
Other scores:
228 Carol S Thompson 80 74 74.
244 Rebecca Watson (Sco) 83 86 75.

VIJAY SINGH TAMES
HAWAII WIND
TO LEAD BY ONE
AT HALFWAY STAGE

Storm-force ways threatened to halt the second round of the Mercedes-Benz championship at Kapalua Plantation Golf Club, Kapalua on Hawaii but most of the leaders coped with the conditions very well.

Vijay Singh, pictured right, established a one-stroke halfway lead with a second 69 for eight-under-par 136.

Australian Stuart Appleby, bidding for a fourth successive win in the tournament, moved up to

the fringe of the top 10 with two rounds to go. He had a 72 for 145 - nine off the pace.

HOW THEY STAND
(Par 146, 2 x 73; players from US unless stated).
138 Vijay Singh (Fij) 69 69
139 Will MacKenzie 69 70, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 71 68
141 J.B. Holmes 73 68, Davis Love III 70 71, Chris Couch 71 70
142 Adam Scott (Aus) 73 69
143 Luke Donald (Eng) 72 71, Troy Matteson 73 70, Stephen Ames (Can) 69 74
145 Jim Furyk 71 74, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 73 72
146 Joe Durant 73 73, KJ Choi (Kor) 69 77, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 74 72
147 J J Henry 74 73, Tim Herron 75 72, John Senden (Aus) 73 74, David Toms 75 72, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 72 75
148 Kirk Triplett 75 73, Brett Wetterich 69 79
149 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 77 72, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 71 78
150 Jeff Maggert 76 74, Corey Pavin 75 75
151 John Rollins 77 74
152 Chad Campbell 77 75
153 Eric Axley 78 75
154 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 74 80
156 D.J. Trahan 79 77
158 Dean Wilson 80 78
159 Ben Curtis 81 78

SALLY AND RACHEL IN

TOP SIX AT HALFWAY

STAGE IN FLORIDA

Sally Watson from South Queensferry and Rachel Connor from Oldham, two of Britain’s best teenage golf prospects, are doing very well in their debuts on the Harder Hall Women’s Invitational, the first tournament on the annual Orange Blossom Tour in Florida.
Daily Telegraph national girls' championship winner Sally, a 15-year-old student at the David Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton, Florida, has had rounds of 72 and 73 for a one-over-par tally of 145 at Harder Hall Country Club, Sebring.
She is sharing third place at the halfway stage of the 72-hole stroke-play tournament, only three shots behind the leader, University of Viriginia student Leah Wigger (69-73)
Rachel (pictured right), 17-year-old daughter of Manchester Golf Club’s Scottish-born professional Brian Connor, followed up a sparkling opening round of 70 with a 78. She is sharing fourth place on 148.
Sally Watson’s older sister Rebecca has shot 83 and 86 for 169. Rebecca will enrol at the University of Tennessee next autumn.
Sarah Carty from Dublin has had 88 and 86 for 174.
Carol Thompson, the United States Curtis Cup team captain and chairman of the tournament-organising committee, has had an 80 and 74 for 154.

LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72).
Players from US unless stated.
142 Leah Wigger 69 73.
144 Candace Schepperle 70 74.
145 Sally Watson (Sco) 72 73, Jacqui Concolino 72 72.
148 Rachel Connor (Eng) 70 78, Cindel Gwynn 74 74.
149 Lucy Nunn 76 73.
150 Lauren Doughtie 76 74, Lauren Hunt 78 72, Diane Lang 73 77.
151 Taffy Brower 77 74, Tonya Choate 81 70, Megan Grehan 77 74, Isabelle Lendl 75 76.
Other scores:
154 Carol S Thompson 80 74.
169 Rebecca Watson (Sco) 83 86.
174 Sarah Carty (Ire) 88 86.

RACHAEL FROM DUBLIN

IS TOP STIRLING

STUDENT IN “DIXIE”

Rachael Cassidy, 19, from Dublin had the highest final placing of the three Stirling University students who survived the halfway cut in the 76th Dixie amateur golf championships at Palm Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Rachael, pictured right, had rounds of 77, 78, 79 and 74 for an aggregate of 308 over the par-71 course.
Rachael, a member of The Island Golf Club, did particularly well to return her best score of 74 in strong winds on the final day. Miss Cassidy finished joint 29th behind the winner, Florida teenager Vicky Hurst who scored 71, 71, 77 and 71 for six-over-par 290, which included a hole in one in one of the earlier rounds.
Vicky from Melbourne, Florida won by one shot from long-time leader Mayule Tomimbang (Kissimmee, Florida) who holed a 25ft birdie putt on the last green for a closing 74 and a total of 291.
Eleven-year-old Alexis Thompson from Coral Gables, Florida, the youngest ever player in the tournament’s long history, tied for third place on 293.
Stirling student and former Scottish schoolgirls title-winner Claire-Marie Carlton, a member of Fereneze Golf Club, shot 77, 689, 77 and 79 for 312 and a share of 34th place.
A third Stirling student, Gavin Dear (Murrayshall Golf Club) from Alyth,finished joint 43rd in the men’s championship. Gavin had rounds of 69, 77, 75 and 74 for a total of 295 – 20 shots behind the winner, Mu Hu, from the aptly-named Florida town of Celebration, near Orlando.
Mu Hu, inspired by a practice round last week by former US PGA Tour champion Andy Bean (winner of the 1975 Dixie amateur men’s title), had scores of 68, 66, 70 and 71. He led from start to finish for a three-stroke victory with his nine-under-par total.

Mu Hu is actually Chinese born and is only 16, two days older than Michelle Wie. His wealthy father sells and installs Otis elevators. Mu Hu and his mother now live in Florida and are visited by the father once a year.

Mu Hu has attended the David Leadbetter Academy at Bradenton, Florida and has been personally coached by Leadbetter. Mu Hu is tipped to become China's answer to Tiger Woods.
The leading European was England international Edward Richardson from East Sussex. He finished joint 14th on 286.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

MEN (Par 284: 4 x 71)
Players from US unless stated
275 Mu Hu 68 66 70 71.
278 Bud Cauley 69 67 69 73.
280 Lion Kim 71 67 69 73, Ji Moon 74 65 69 72, Minghao Wang 68 71 73 68.
281 Greg Huxman 69 66 70 76, Gator Todd 70 66 73 72.
Other totals:
284 Xavier Feyaerts (Belg) 69 73 73 69 (11th).
286 Edward Richardson (Eng) 71 70 71 74 (jt 14th).
295 Gavin Dear (Sco) 69 77 75 74 (jt 43rd).
296 Florian Fritsch (Ger) 74 71 74 77 (jt 46th).
297 Patrick Hanauer (Ger) 75 69 76 77 (jt 49th).
298 Roger Furrer (Switz) 75 72 74 77 (jt 50th).

WOMEN (Par 284: 4 x 71)
Players from US unless stated
290 Vicky Hurst 71 71 77 71.
291 Mayule Tomimbang 67 74 76 74.
293 Alexis Thompson 69 74 75 75, Alina Lee 72 72 74 75.
294 Michelle Shin 74 68 77 75.
296 Jane Rah 73 75 74 74, Cydney Clanton 75 77 72 72, Megan McChrystal 74 72 73 77.
297 Tiffany Chudy 75 73 74 75, Christina Hirano 73 78 68 78.
Other totals:
302 Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Bel) 78 71 75 78 (jt 18th).
308 Rachael Cassidy (Ire) 77 78 79 74 (jt 29th).
312 Claire-Marie Carlton (Sco) 77 79 77 79 (jt 34th).

CLACKMANNAN COUNTY GOLF SEASON PREVIEW

By HUGH HUNTER
Clackmannan County Golf Union would like to wish all Wee County golfers a belated Happy New Golfing Year, with the hope that the drives go straight, the iron shots pepper the pin and all the short putts are for birdies.
At the recent County annual general meeting, the main appointments for the 2007 season were:
PRESIDENT: Sam Kinnaird (Tillicoultry).
VICE-PRESIDENT: Peter Paterson (Alva).
SECRETARY/TREASURER: Tommy Johnson (Tulliallan).
TEAM CAPTAIN: Steven McIvor (Alva).
DELEGATE TO SCOTTISH GOLF UNION: Kenneth Ellacott (Dollar).

SQUARE-HEADED DRIVERS
With 2007 underway, golf enthusiasts are looking forward to the new season, and important events (i.e. golf fixtures) are starting to be entered in diaries. The new range of golfing equipment may also be scrutinised, perhaps even to purchase.
Those golfers who-must- have will be especially attracted to the new square-headed drivers. With their unique noise on contact with the ball and claimed more distance, these clubs are sure to be in demand.
Clackmannan County Golf Union will be running their usual range of tournaments, and the participants will be pleased to hear that there will be no increase in entry fees for 2007.
A successful fixtures meeting involving the six count clubs has tried to ensure there are no major clashes of events. It is hoped that all county golfers will give good support to the events held by the local clubs, as well as the county competitions.
Braehead will host the premier county stroke-play events with the two-round county championship (July 22) and the boys' championship (May 6). The men's (June 14) and boys' (May 10) match-play championships' finals are decided over Tulliallan.
TESTING SEASON
The Clackmannan county team will have another testing season. Early matches against neighbouring areas in the Provan Salver event, plus a local derby event against Stirlingshire, should provide the selectors with quality players for the later area team matches.
Clackmannan have a tough draw with two away matches (v Fife + v Argyll & Bute) and one home match (v North-east) The winning area in this group will go forward to the finals at Powfoot in October.
The county championship will be used to select a club to represent Clackmannanshire in the Scottish club championship final at nearby Glenbervie. Tulliallan have dominated the local qualifying in recent years, and also giving a good account of themselves in the Scottish final.
At boys' level, the annual quadrangular match, contested by the elite boy golfers from Angus, Clackmannan, Fife, Perth & Kinross, is scheduled for Braehead (September 8-9), so the county boys' team will be keen to do well at home.
At senior level, there is some hope of a county league for 2007. In any case they are well catered for with a huge number of low-cost senior opens available.
Many, of course, eagerly await the “Wee Yellow Book” of fixtures, published at the end of January, to plan their campaign.
VOLUNTEER WORKERS
As well as the main Clackmannan fixtures, each golf club has a comprehensive fixture list of medals, trophy events, knock-out competitions, etc so there is no shortage of competitive opportunities for the keen golfer.
The volunteer workers in the six clubs deserve a big thank-you from the club members for the work involved in staging these competition.

+IF ANY OTHER SCOTTISH GOLF UNION AREA WANTS THEIR LOCAL NEWS (AND PICTURES) PUBLISHED ON SCOTTISHGOLFVIEW.COM, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS E-MAIL colin@scottishgolfview.com

United States PGA Tour starts if 2007 season

FIVE SHARE LEAD IN HAWAII OPENER

Five players, including Vijay Singh, shared the lead on four-under-par 69 in the first event of the 2007 US PGA Tour - the Mercedes-Benz championship at the Kapalua Plantation Golf Club on Hawaii.
Australian Stuart Appleby, bidding for a unique fourth win in a row in this tournament, equalled the par of 73.
Former Open champion Ben Curtis had the poorest score of the opening day - an eight-over-par 81.

FIRST-ROUND SCORES
(Players from US unless stated)

69 Will MacKenzie, Vijay Singh (Fij), KJ Choi (Kor), Brett Wetterich, Stephen Ames (Can).
70 Davis Love III
71 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Jim Furyk, Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Chris Couch.
72 Luke Donald (Eng), Carl Pettersson (Swe).
73 J.B. Holmes, Arron Oberholser, Joe Durant, Adam Scott (Aus), John Senden (Aus), Troy Matteson, Stuart Appleby (Aus).
74 Rodney Pampling (Aus), J J Henry, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus).
75 Kirk Triplett, Tim Herron, David Toms, Corey Pavin.
76 Jeff Maggert.
77 Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Chad Campbell, John Rollins.
78 Eric Axley.
79 D.J. Trahan.
80 Dean Wilson.
81 Ben Curtis.

ABERDEEN PRINTER
WHO DESIGNED
600 to 1,000
COURSES IN
NORTH AMERICA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Very few people in Scotland – not even those steeped in golf – have heard of Tom Bendelow, the Aberdeen printer who emigrated to the United States in the 1890s and became the most prolific golf-course designer in North America.
He is credited with having laid out at least 600 courses; perhaps 1,000 is a more accurate figure. We shall never know.
Stuart Bendelow, after much research, produced last year a biography of his grandfather: “Thomas ‘Tom’ Bendelow: The Johnny Appleseed of American Golf.”
Those who loved to read accounts of Scottish life the way it was more than 100 years ago will find the early chapters in particular a fascinating read. The Bendelow Pie Shop, next door to Aberdeen's Causeway School, was run by Tom's parents.
That book is now more readily available in Scotland since Stuart put it on http://www.half.com/, an offshoot of Ebay. It costs $24.95.
If you want to buy it, here’s the direct link to the half.com page the book is on:
http://product.half.ebay.com/_W0QQprZ57201645QQcpidZ1377453947

Here are some comments about the book:

“Finally, a definitive biography of America’s first – and most prolific – golf course architect, painstakingly researched and passionately written” – Tim Cronin, The Daily Southtown, Chicago.

“Tom Bendelow is one of the unsung heroes of American golf, a pioneer in the field of golf course design. This book fills a void in golf history.” – Len Ziehm, Chicago Sun-Times.

“Stuart Bendelow’s biography of his grandfather Tom is a tribute to a Scottish immigrant who was a pioneer of American golf, not just in the field of golf course design, but also in the development of instruction, equipment, competition and … the notion that the game should be available to the common man.” - Ron Whitten, Senior Editor, Golf Digest.

“Stuart Bendelow’s book ensures that this important golf architect will be forgotten no more.” – Art McCafferty, Publisher, The Michigan Golfer.


"Without Tom Bendelow, golf would have lingered in the (United States) metropolitan areas of the East Coast. Instead, with his knowledge and perseverance, it was carried to 30 states in every quadrant of America, as well as five Canadian provinces. Bendelow was exactly what American sportsmen needed at the time ... Tom not only had the expertise to plot a golf course but he was also backed by a sporting goods company that had the resources to send him throughout the country in its name." - Bob Labbance, Golf Editor, Turf Magazine.

SCOTTISH GOLF CLASSIC DATES
AND VENUES FOR THIS YEAR

Ian McCaig, the originator of the popular Scottish Golf Classic series - 72-hole handicap Stableford events at four different venues in a particular area - has announced his dates and venues for the 2007 programme.
They are:

June 3-7 FIFE GOLF CLASSIC - Kingsbarns, Scotscraig, The Duke's & Ladybank.

July 9-12 AYRSHIRE GOLF CLASSIC - Western Gailes, Barassie, Irvine Bogside and Prestwick St Nicholas.

September 23-27 - HIGHLAND GOLF CLASSIC - Royal Dornoch, Tain, Golspie & Brora.

The handicap limit for men is 18 and for women 27.

If you want more details and entry forms, log on to Ian McCaig's website at: www.scottishgolfclassics.com

RACHEL AND SALLY MAKE

GOOD START TO

ORANGE BLOSSOM TOUR

Rachel Connor from Oldham and South Queensferry’s Sally Watson, pictured right, were up with the leaders at the end of the first round in the Harder Hall Women’s Invitational golf tournament at Harder Hall County Club, Sebring in Florida, the first event of the annual Orange Blossom Tour.
England girl international Rachel, daughter of Manchester Golf Club’s Scottish-born professional Brian Connor, shot a two-under-par 70 top be lying joint second while Scotland girl cap Sally Watson, only 15, had a 72 to be joint fourth with three rounds to go in this stroke-play tournament.
Sally’s older sister Rebecca Watson had an 83 while Sarah Carty from Dublin returned an 88.
The field will be cut to the leading 40 and ties after 36 holes.
University of Virgina student Leah Wigger leads the field with a three-under-par 69.
Carol S Thompson, the tournament director and United States Curtis Cup captain, had an 80.

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from US unless stated
69 Leah Wigger.
70 Rachel Connor (Eng), Candace Schepperle.
72 Sally Watson (Sco), Jacqui Concolino.
73 Diane Lang, Alexandra Schulte.
74 Cindel Gwyn.
75 Rachel Gavin, Isabelle Lendl, Courtney Mahon, Garrett Phillips.
Other scores:
80 Carol S Thompson.
83 Rebecca Watson (Sco).
88 Sarah Carty (Ire).

CLAIRE-MARIE BEST PLACED
STIRLING STUDENT IN FLORIDA

Stirling students Claire-Marie Carlton from Fereneze and Rachael Cassidy from Dublin were lying joint 29th and 32nd going into the fourth and final round of the 76th Dixie women’s amateur golf championship at Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
The only other Stirling student with a live interest in the tournament, Murrayshall Golf Club member Gavin Dear from Scone, was sharing 46th place in the men’s championship.
Strong winds made scoring difficult in the third round, although there were one or two exceptional sub-par scores.
Claire-Marie, pictured right, has had rounds so far of 77, 79 and 77 for a 54-hole tally of 233 over the par-71 course.
Rachael has shot 77, 78 and 79 for 234.

LEADER BY ONE STROKE
Florida player Mayule Tomimbang’s standard of play is dropping with each round but an opening score of 67 is standing her in good stead.
The Kissimmee player has followed that up with 74 and 76 to be on four-over-par 217. She leads by one stroke from 11-year-old Alexis Thompson from Coral Springs, Florida – the youngest player ever to compete in the championship - and Alina Lee.
Gavin Dear was in the top 10 after an opening 69 but he has since scored 77 and 75 for eight-over-par 221.
Edward Richardson from East Sussex Golf Club is the leading European player in the men’s championship after rounds of 71, 70 and 71 for a one-under-par aggregate of 212. That had him in joint ninth place, eight shots behind the succinctly named leader from Celebration, Florida – Mu Hu.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

MEN (Par 213: 3 x 71)
Competitors from US unless stated
204 Mu Hu 68 66 70.
205 Greg Huxman 69 66 70, Bud Cauley 69 67 69.
207 Lion Kim 71 67 69.208 Ji Moon 74 65 69.
209 Gator Todd 70 66 73, Jhared Hack 70 69 70.
210 David Johnson 67 71 72.
212 Edward Richardson (Eng) 71 70 71, Nicholas Mullhaupt 69 72 71, Judson Eustaquio 69 67 76, Ki Moon 68 72 72, Minghao Wang 68 71 73.
Other scores:
215 Xavier Feyaerts Belg) 69 73 73.
219 Florian Fritsch (Ger) 74 71 74.
220 Patrick Hanauer (Ger) 75 69 76.
221 Gavin Dear (Sco) 69 77 75, Roger Furrer (Switz) 75 72 74 (jt 46th)..
225 Stephen Gross (Ger) 73 73 79.
WOMEN (Par 213: 3 x 71)
217 Mayule Tomimbang 67 74 76.
218 Alexis Thompson 69 74 75, Alina Lee 72 72 74.
219 Megan McChrystal 74 72 73, Christina Hirano 73 78 68, Michelle Shin 74 68 77, Vicky Hurst 71 71 77.
Other scores:
233 Claire-Marie Carlton (Sco) 77 79 77 (jt 29th).
234 Rachael Cassidy (Ire) 77 78 79 (jt 32nd).

PROQUIP LAUNCH
SILK TOUCH
WIND RANGE
WITH VIBRANT
STYLING

PROQUIP, the North Berwick-based world’s leading innovator of lightweight golf weatherwear, has extended its successful Silk Touch range by introducing two new featherlight wind garments with vibrant styling inspired by the 2006 European Ryder Cup Team’s weatherwear.
Following the phenomenal success of the Silk Touch rain suit in 2006, the company’s innovative design team has brought Silk Touch technology to windwear.
The ultra-soft, micro-woven fabric, exclusive to ProQuip, features in the new Silk Touch Half-Sleeve Wind Shield and Silk Touch Wind Jacket. As well as being virtually silent to swing in, Silk Touch is Teflon™ coated protecting the golfer from wind and showers.
Richard Head, ProQuip’s managing director and chief designer, said: “In Silk Touch we created the ultimate easy-to-play-in, lightweight weatherwear. We have brought the same ultra-soft, virtually silent featherlight fabric to our wind tops with highly visual styling inspired by our much-praised design for the 2006 European Ryder Cup Team.
“The dramatic yellow shoulder and sleeve striping in the European Ryder Cup team suit is reborn in the Silk Touch Wind Range, with edgy, vibrant colours and bold full colour contrast zips. This is high performance weatherwear to get you noticed.”
The Half-Sleeve Wind Shield features bold striking colour ways on the cutting edge of golf fashion, including aqua, moss and purple, off-set by strong black shoulder striping.
The new Wind Jacket with full-length sleeves, blends a classic black body with striking contrast sleeve and shoulder stripes, in aqua, red, lime, moss and purple.
“As well as new, high-fashion colour ways we have also maintained traditional, best-selling colours, ensuring the Silk Touch wind range appeals to all golfers,” added Richard Head.
“Our designers have invested considerable time in choosing bold high-visibility colour stories for outstanding in-store merchandising which will attract the consumer.”
“Silk Touch is set to remain the most talked about weatherwear fabric in 2007.”
+++More Customer information: tel 01620 892219; www.proquipgolf.com

SCOT MARTIN WINS PLACE AMONG BIG
GUNS AT ABU DHABI CHAMPIONSHIP

Scots exile Craig Martin has won a place in the Abu Dhabi Championship, which was won by American Chris Di Marco last year.
Around 25 professionals played in the regional qualifier at Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Dubai, and Martin tied for top spot with Englishman Simon Payne on 71. Craig won the play-off at the first extra hole.
Alan MacKenzie, from Ladybank, the Director of Golf at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, came third on 73 with another Scot, Stephen Hubner, fourth on 74.
The Abu Dhabi Championship - part of the European Tour - will be played at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from January 18 to 21.

DISAPPOINTED MICHELE
CUTTING SHORT
ALABAMA SCHOLARSHIP
TO COME HOME
After only four months and very much against the trend of young Scottish golf talent heading Stateside, Michele Thomson has decided not to continue with her four-year golf scholarship at Jacksonville State University. The 18-year-old Ellon girl, pictured right with her caddie-dad, Graham, is to return home from Alabama immediately.
“When I signed in April to play and study at JSU, one of things that encouraged me was the golf programme, the people and the infrastructure they had in place,” said Michele.
“Sadly however, by the time I arrived in Alabama at the end of August, things had changed, the swing coach had moved on and as a result the golf programme was, in my opinion, already beginning to suffer.
“Don’t get me wrong. The university people there are very friendly and supportive and the facilities and weather are great but, without regular quality coaching, even though I was qualifying well and had one or two good results, I felt I was not progressing at the rate I wanted.”
TALK WITH JSU HEAD COACH
Michele, the current Scottish schoolgirls champion, winner of the North of Scotland women’s title for the past two years and a member of the title-winning Scotland girls team last summer, said she had had a talk with the Jacksonville State head coach but he was not able to convince her that things were going to improve in the short term.
“While home over Christmas, I was on the range almost every day, sometimes for about five hours, working with a number of key people. While I knew myself that my swing had deteriorated over the four months abroad I did not appreciate just how bad technically it had become. In the end the decision about what was best for me personally was easy,” said Michele.
“Having seen and tried first hand what is available in America has made me much more appreciative of what is actually available on my own door step in Scotland.
“I know some people may say I did not give it long enough but you have to be there to understand. While there are good and not-so-good universities in the States, things continuously change and you have to keep reviewing where you want your golf to be against where you are at.
SUPPORT NEEDED TO IMPROVE
“I was not prepared to go another four or five months without the necessary support I believe I need to improve. There is no doubt I will miss the regular American college tournaments and the many new friends I have made but now that I have made my decision I look forward to working hard with quality people in Scotland and getting my game into shape for the 2007 season.
“I am going to continually review my progress over the coming months and work hard at home with my game before making any decision about what I want to do on a longer term basis.”
Colin Farquharson writes:
Michele Thomson's dad Graham, who fully supports his daughter's decision, tells me that Michele worked very hard during her Christmas holiday with professional Ross Cameron, who works out out of Peterhead driving range, to put her swing back on track. She also saw SGU national junior coach Spencer Henderon and Karyn Young of Banks o' Dee Junior Football Club for some physiotherapy.
Michele will start working with Meldrum House Golf Club professional Neil Marr, who is an SGU area coach, on a more permanent basis when she returns home to the North-east next week.

ENGLAND SIX FOR COSTA
BALLENA QUADRANGULAR

Six members of the English Golf Union’s A Squad for 2007 will comprise the England team aiming to complete a third successive victory in the annual Costa Ballena Quadrangular match in Spain at the end of January.
Costa Ballena Golf Club, opened in 1997, is in the south-east Seville & Gulf of Cadiz region of Spain.
The competition is between England, Finland, Germany and Spain from January 24 to 26.
England won the inaugural International Costa Ballena Golf in 2001 and also came out on top in 2005 and 2006. As in previous years, the competition will be played on a round robin basis, each match comprising three foursomes and six singles.
England team is:
Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale), Luke Collins (Mendip Spring), Ben Evans (Rye), Gareth Evans (Northcliffe), Sam Hutsby (Lee-on-Solent), Steven Uzzell (Hornsea).

AUSSIE APPLEBY
TO MAKE MIDDLE
EAST DEBUT IN
QATAR MASTERS

The ‘King of Kapalua’ may be chasing his fourth straight Mercedes-Benz title in Hawaii this week but there’s a less familiar trophy in Stuart Appleby’s sights in the shape of the 2007 Commercialbank Qatar Masters.
The 35 year-old Australian, pictured right, currently aiming to emulate Tiger Woods’ feat of winning a US PGA Tour event four years in a row, has added his signature to the growing list of superstars heading to the Doha Golf Club from January 25-28.
Securing the services of Appleby, a regular on the US Tour but highly selective about his international appearances, is a massive bonus for the $2.2 million Qatar event and underlines its growing international reputation.
For Appleby, it’s a first date in the Middle East and a crack at landing a title sanctioned by both the PGA European Tour and the Asian Tour.

THREE STIRLING STUDENTS

SURVIVE HALFWAY CUT

IN FLORIDA

Stirling University students Gavin Dear (pictured right) from Scone, Dubliner Rachael Cassidy and Claire-Marie Carlton from Fereneze survived the halfway cut in the 76th Dixie men’s and women’s amateur golf championships over the Oaks and Cypress courses at Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Murrayshall Golf Club member Dear made it with only one shot to spare in perfect scoring conditions – warm and windless.
After an opening round of four-under-par 69 which put him in the top 10 overnight, Gavin slid down the leaderboard with a 77 for 146.
The leading 42 players (from a starting field of over 200) on 147 or better qualified for the final two rounds of the 72-hole stroke-play championship.
Mu Hu, from the quaintly named Florida town/city of Celebration, leads by one shot with 68 and 66 for eight-under-par 134.
Leading European is England international Edward Richardson from East Sussex Golf Club. He has had rounds of 71 and 70 to be sharing 14th place on one-under-par 141.

RACHEL AND CLAIRE-MARIE MAKE IT
Ireland’s Rachael Cassidy, a 19-year-old member of The Island Golf Club, has had scores of 77 and 78 for 155 – one ahead of 20-year-old Claire-Marie Carlton who has shot 77 and 79.
They were among the 43 players with 36-hole totals of 159 or better, who advanced to the last two rounds of the women’s championship.
Stirling students Emma Tipping (85-167) from Cheshire, Dawn Dewar (94-183) from Monifieth and Catherine Baines (95-190) missed out as did Perth & Kinross squad member Jacqueline Sneddon (89-177), a member of Alyth Golf Club.
Florida-born Stirling student Courtnay Montgomery withdrew after a first-round 93.
Mayule Tomimbang from Kissimmee, Florida leads the women’s championship on one-under-par 141 after a second-round 74. She is only a shot ahead of two other home-state players, Michelle Shin and Vicky Hurst.
Vicky, runner-up in last week’s Junior Orange Bowl girls’ championship, had her first ever hole in one with a five-iron at at the 151yd 17th hole on her way to a par-matching 71 for 142
Alexis Thompson, at 11 years of age the youngest ever player to enter the Dixie women’s tournament, slipped down to a share of third place on 143 after a second-round 75.

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Men (Par 142: 2 x 71)
Players from US unless stated
134 Mu Hu 68 66.
135 Greg Huxman 69 66.
136 Bud Cauley 69 67, Judson Eustaquio 69 67, Gatopr Todd 70 66, Daniel Candon 71 65.
138 Lion Kim 71 67, David Johnson 67 71.
Other qualifiers included:
141 Edward Richardson (Eng) 71 70.
142 Xavier Feyaerts (Belg) 69 73…
144 Patrick Hanauer (Ger) 75 69.
145 Florian Fritsch (Ger) 74 71.
146 Gavin Dear (Sco) 69 77, Stephen Gross (Ger) 73 73.
147 Roger Furrer (Switz) 75 72.
Non-qualifiers included:
149 James Dunkley (Eng) 77 77.
165 Christian Fritsch (Ger) 85 80.

Women (Par 142: 2 x 71)
Players from US unless stated
141 Mayule Tomimbang 67 74.
142 Michelle Shin 74 68, Vicky Hurst 71 71.
143 Alexis Thompson 69 74, Cassandra Blaney 72 71.
144 Alina Lee 72 72.
146 Megan McChrystal 74 72, Andrea Watts 76 70.
149 Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Belg) 78 71, Leigh Crosby) 72 77.
Other qualifiers included:
155 Rachael Cassidy (Ire) 77 78.
156 Claire-Marie Carlton (Sco) 77 79.
Non-qualifiers included:
167 Emma Tipping (Eng) 82 85.
177 Jacqueline Sneddon (Sco) 88 890.
183 Dawn Dewar (Sco) 89 94.
190 Catherine Baines (Eng) 95 95.
Withdrew: Courtnay Montgomery (US) 93 -.

OUR ADVERTISERS ARE SUPPORTING US
THEY DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT

TURKISH DELIGHT FOR EUROPEAN
SENIORS TOUR IN MAY

TURKEY – one of the most popular destinations with the players of the European Seniors Tour - will make a welcome return to the schedule this year with the Gloria Turkish Seniors Open at Gloria Golf Resort, Belek, from May 11-13.
The tournament for the over-50s will be played over 54 holes on the spectacular New Course at Gloria Golf Resort and will carry a prize fund of €325,000.
Among the potential challengers for the €48,750 first prize are Ryder Cup players Sam Torrance, Eamonn Darcy and José Rivero, plus Carl Mason, winner of 14 titles on the European Seniors Tour, and Tony Johnstone, who most memorably won the 1992 PGA Championship on the European Tour.
Last played in 2001, when Australian Noel Ratcliffe lifted the trophy, the return of the Gloria Turkish Seniors Open to the European Seniors Tour Schedule is further evidence of the country’s burgeoning status as a top-class golfing destination.
Located at the gateway between the Asian and European continents and once best known as the seat of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, modern Turkey is now a golfing paradise that is attracting some of world’s best course designers.
Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Seniors Tour, said: “Turkey, and particularly the region of Belek which incorporates Gloria Golf Resort, has grown into a truly exceptional golfing destination and I know are players are delighted to be returning there.
“This will be our fourth visit to Gloria Golf Resort but this time we are looking forward to the challenge of the New Course, which I am certain will provide an excellent champion in keeping with the six previous Turkish Seniors Opens won by Bobby Verwey, Tommy Horton (twice), Bob Lendzion, Brian Huggett and Noel Ratcliffe.
Designed by Frenchman Michel Gayon and shaped by four large lakes, the 6,823-yard, par 72 New Course opened in October 2005 and forms part of a 45-hole complex at Gloria Golf Resort. The Resort has also recently launched the glorious new Serenity Hotel which perfectly complements the nearby Gloria Golf Resort and Gloria Verde Resort hotels.
The 2007 Gloria Turkish Seniors Open is the fifth event to be announced on the 2007 European Seniors Tour Schedule.
The others are:
February 28-March 2: DGM Barbados Open at Royal Westmoreland Resort.
June 1-3: AIB Irish Seniors Open, in association with Greenstar and Fáilte Ireland, at PGA National Ireland.
July 12-14: Open de France Senior Divonne at Golf du Domaine de Divonne.
July 26-29: Senior British Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, at Muirfield, Gullane.

The full 2007 European Seniors Tour Schedule will be released later this month.

R&A PRESS RELEASE

RICHIE RAMSAY HEADS
LIST OF R&A BURSARS

US amateur champion Richie Ramsay (Stirling University & Royal Aberdeen GC) is one of 64 students, an increase of 20% from 2005-06, in receipt of R&A Foundation bursary funding for the current academic year.
Following his win at Hazeltine in August, Ramsay, who played in the 2005 Walker Cup match at Chicago GC, will play in the first three Majors of 2007 – the Masters, the US Open and the Open at Carnoustie – while completing his university studies.
Individual bursaries range from £500 to £3,000 and players with handicaps of +1 or better for men or three of a handicap for women are eligible to apply.
The R&A’s total annual spend on university golf currently exceeds £300,000 and includes grants to support student golf programmes run at Birmingham, Bournemouth, Dublin, Exeter, Glasgow, Heriot Watt, Loughborough, Northumbria, St Andrews, Stirling, Strathclyde and Ulster. Joining this list for the first time is the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

2006-2007 R&A FOUNDATION BURSARS

Helena Arnadottir (University of Iceland), Reykjavik GC.
Paul Betty (University of Stirling), Hayston GC
Samantha Birks (University of Manchester), Wolstanton GC.
David Booth (University of Stirling), Rotherham GC
Scott Borrowman (University of Stirling), Dollar GC.
Clare-Marie Carlton (University of Stirling), Fereneze GC.
Rachel Cassidy (University of Stirling), The Island GC, Ireland.
Colin Colraine (University of Strathclyde), Windyhill GC.
Dave Corsby (Myerscough College), Fleetwood GC.
Mark Davies (University of Exeter), Coventry Hearsall GC.
Gavin Dear (University of Stirling), Murrayshall GC.
John Duff (University of Aberdeen), Newmachar GC.
Emma Fairnie (University of Edinburgh), Dunbar GC.
Samuel Foster (University of Exeter), Coventry Hearsall GC.
Antonio Garbaccio (Turin Polytechnic), Turin GC, Italy.
Kevin Garwood (Bournemouth University), Surrey National GC.
Cameron Gray (University of St Andrews), West Kilbride GC.
Iwan Griffiths (University of Wales, Swansea). Aberdare GC.
Claire Grignolo (Imperial College, London). Turin GC, Italy.
Kerri Harper (University of Abertay), Inverness GC.
Lesley Hendry (University of Paisley), Routenburn GC.
Thea Hoffmeister (University of Newcastle), Seddiner See GC, Germany.
Andrew Hogan (University College, Dublin), Newlands GC
Jonathan Holmes (Unversity of Southampton), Southerndown GC.
Steven Hume (University of Abertay), Murrayshall GC.
Rachel Hunt (Swansea Institute of Higher Eduction), Royal Porthcawl GC.
Matthew Jones (University of Wales Institute, Cardiff), Pontypridd GC.
Louise Kenney (University of Dundee), Pitreavie GC.
Roberto Laino (University of Durham), Bedford & County GC.
Shane Lowry (University College, Dublin). Ersker Hills GC.
Alexander MacGregor (University of Exeter), Killiow GC.
Greg McBain (North Highland College), Newmachar GC.
Alex McCloy (University of Ulster), Ballymena GC.
Naoimh McMahon (University of Limerick), Shannon GC.
Alexander Main (University of Edinburgh), Thornton GC.
David Morrison (North Highland College), Duff House Royal GC.
Niall O’Connor (University College, Dublin). Elm Park GC.
Gillian O’Leary (University College, Cork). Cork GC.
Philippo Okan (University of St Andrews), Meerbush GC, Germany.
Edward Parker (University of Birmingham), Crewe GC.
Euan Polson (University of Stirling), Inverness GC.
Richie Ramsay (University of Stirling), Royal Aberdeen GC.
Darren Renwick (Chichester College), Worthing GC.
Andrea Romano (University of Bologna), Modena GC, Italy.
Anna Roscio (University of Turin). Turin GC, Italy.
Samantha Round (University of Gloucestershire), Tadmarton Heath GC.
Bobby Rushford (University of Stirling), Grangemouth GC.
Andrew Shakespear (University of Bath), Five Lakes GC.
Elliot Shaw (Cardiff University), Herefordshire GC.
Andrew Smedley (University of Birmingham), Notts GC.
James Smedley (Sheffield Hallam University), Hallowes GC.
Brian Soutar (Heriot-Watt University), Leven GS.
Gordon Stevenson (University of St Andrews), Whitecraigs GC.
Emma Tipping (University of Stirling), Sandiway GC.
Catherine Tucker (University of Limerick), Limerick GC.
Vittoria Valvassori ) (University of Teramo), La Marherita GC, Italy.
Laura Walker (University of Dundee), Nairn Dunbar GC.
Simon Ward (University of Ulster), County Louth GC.
Jonathon Watt (University of Stirling), Brokenhurst Manor GC.
James White (University of Stirling), Lundin GC.
Craig Wilkinson (Northumbria University), Blyth GC.
Jonathan Williams (University of Wales Institute, Cardiff), Vale of Glamorgan GC.
Rebecca Wood (Sheffield Hallam University), Glossop & District GC.
Gordon Yates (University of Stirling), Hilton Park GC.

GAVIN DEAR SIXTH IN

FLORIDA BUT GIRLS

FROM SCOTLAND
DOWN THE FIELD

Stirling University student Gavin Dear from Scone - named today as one of the new list of R&A Bursars - did best of the Scottish contingent in the first round of the 76th Dixie amateur golf championship at Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Murrayshall Golf Club member Gavin, who played on the American college golf circuit for Lynn University, Boca Raton, benefited from that experience of Florida conditions to return a score of two-under-par 69 over the Oaks course.
He starts the second round of the men’s four-round stroke-play championship in joint sixth place, two shots behind leader David Johnson from Palm Beach Florida.
Only the leading 60 in the men’s field of 205 will go on to the third round.
Two Florida-based players lead the women’s championship field of 59. Mayule Tomimbang from Kissimmee shot a four-under-par 67 to lead by two shots from 11-year-old Alexis Thompson from Coral Springs, the youngest player ever to play in the “Dixie.”
The top Stirling University players were Ireland’s Rachael Cassidy from Dublin and a member of The Island Golf Club, and Scotland’s Clare-Marie Carlton from the Fereneze club. They are sharing 27th place on 77.
Stirling student Emma Tipping from Sandiway, Cheshire was tied 45th after an 82.
Perth & Kinross women’s squad member Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) - who is not a Stirling student - from Tayport had an 88.
Completing the Stirling University squad, Dawn Dewar from Monifieth had an 89, Florida-born Courtnay Montgomery a 93 and Catherine Baines a 95.
The women’s championship field of 59 will be cut to the leading 40 after 36 holes.

DIXIE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Palm-Aire CC, Pompano Breach, Florida.

FIRST ROUND
Leading men’s scores (Par 71)
(Players from US unless stated)
67 David Johnson.
68 Jeff Dennis, Mu Hu, Ki Moon, Minghao Wang.
69 Gavin Dear (Sco), Greg Hauxman, Nicholas Mullhaupt, Judson Eustaquio, Xavier Feyaerts (Belg), David Palm.
Other scores:
71 Edward Richardson (Eng).
72 James Dunkley (Eng).
74 Florian Fritsch (Ger).
75 Patrick Hanauer (Ger), Roger Furrer (Swi).
83 Gael Seegmuller (Belg).
85 Christian Fritsch (Ger).
86 Sandro Viglino (Switz).

Leading women’s scores (Par 71)
(Players from US unless stated)
67 Mayule Tomimbang.
69 Alexis Thompson.
71 Erica Gonzalez, Vicky Hurst.
72 Cassandra Blaney, Leigh Crosby, Alina Lee, Jenny Shin.
73 Madison Pressel, Jane Rah, Rebecca Samuelsson, Christina Hirano.
Other scores:
77 Rachael Cassidy (Ire), C-M Carlton (Sco) (jt 27th).
78 Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Belg).
82 Emma Tipping (Eng).
88 Jacqueline Sneddon (Sco).

89 Dawn Dewar (Sco).
93 Courtnay Montgomery (US) (56th).
95 Catherine Baines (Eng) (58th).

COURSE RECORD-BREAKER
WILL EARN
NEW BMW

Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Chris DiMarco - and the rest of the field - will have an added incentive for breaking the course record of 63 at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters later this month.
The first man to shoot a 62 or better will win - irrespective of where he finishes in the championship - a brand new BMW 6 Series, courtesy of Alfardan Automobiles.
The news follows the announcement that BMW has been named as the Official Car for the $2.2 million tournament to be staged at Doha Golf Club from January 25-28 and sanctioned by both the European and Asian Tours.
The partnership will see Alfardan Automobiles - Qatar’s exclusive BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce importer - provide a fleet of chauffeur-driven vehicles from the luxurious BMW range to get the leading players to and from the golf course every day.

WOLSTENHOLME AWARDED
MBE IN NEW YEAR HONOURS
Walker Cup and England international veteran Gary Wolstenholme, pictured right, was awarded the MBE for services to sport in the New Year Honours List.
“It’s a great honour and I’m very proud,” he said. “I received a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office some three weeks ago and the biggest problem was not being able to tell anyone. It was burning a hole in my pocket so to speak.
“This means everything to me. It salutes the sacrifices I’ve made to the game over the past 20 years but this is not just for me. It is also for those people who have helped me achieve what I have. Those at my club Kilworth Springs, those who have coached me over the years, the people who helped me when I was in Bristol, and especially my mother without whom I wouldn’t have achieved anything.”
His father, tour professional Guy Wolstenholme, who had also been a very successful amateur, died quite young.
THREE DECADES AT TOP
Gary Wolstenholme has been at the pinnacle of the men’s amateur game for three decades. He made his full England debut in the 1988 home internationals and has played annually ever since. He has also played regularly against France and Spain and in the European Men‘s Team championship for England, making overall 199 appearances for his country.
Gary has been a member of the past six GB&I Walker Cup teams, four times on the winning side, as well as three St Andrews Trophies and three Eisenhower Trophies for England and GB&I, once as a winner.
“Being able to represent your country, be it England or GB&I, means more to me than all the individual stuff,” he adds. “The team events such as the Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy are thrilling and I would say winning the Eisenhower in Chile in 1998 would be my ultimate success.”
Despite turning 46 last August, Wolstenholme has lost none of his zest for golf and is about to launch another hectic year by jetting off to Australia in two weeks to represent England in a series of events.
“I’ve been playing golf for over 40 years, having started when I was four,” he says.
“Although I’m 46 years old I feel I’m 46 years young. I am still very ambitious and want to achieve even more in the game. A seventh Walker Cup would be high on the list.”
Wolstenholme will receive his MBE at an investiture at Buckingham Palace, he hopes from the Queen, some time over the coming months
“I’ve been to the Palace with the Walker Cup team but I’ve yet to meet the Queen. So that would be a thrill,” he adds.

REEDIE REPORT: SGU BOARD
CONSIDER NEXT MOVE

Scottishgolfview.com understands that the Scottish Golf Union board are meeting - may already have met - to consider a response to the resounding rejection by the area committees of the Reedie Report recommendations which, if implemented, would scrap the SGU executive committee in its present format.
The Scottish Golf Union annual meeting is scheduled for January 28.

PERTH & KINROSS BAG-PACKERS
MAKE £870.95 FOR COUNTY FUNDS
Perth & Kinross Ladies Golf Association funds have received an £870.95 boost, thanks to the bag-packing efforts at Marks & Spencers on Saturday.
The volunteer "packers" were Ailie & Erica Burnett, Annabel Niven, Lucy Gilmour, Pat Colquhoun, Wilma Stewart, Carol Muir, Sue Mellor, Dawn Butchart, Greig Butchart, Gwen Lambie, Jane Yellowlees, Sal Shepherd and county captain Janet Griffiths.
"A big thank you to Jillian Milne who arranged the event for us, M & S for allowing us to be there and the wonderful folk of Perth for their generosity," says Janet on the P&K website.
"The money will go towards coaching for all juniors and senior squad members."

STIRLING STUDENTS TEE

IT UP IN DIXIE AMATEUR

CHAMPIONSHIP

The 76th annual Dixie amateur championships start tomorrow over the Oaks and Cypress courses at Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach in Florida.
Competing in the women’s section will be six Stirling University students – Dawn Dewar (pictured right), Claire-Marie Carlton, Catherine Baines, Rachael Cassidy Emma Tipping and Courtney Montgomery.
Courtney is an American and comes from Florida.
Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth), leading qualifier and beaten semi-finalist in last year's P&K county championship, is also in the field.
The Dixie women’s amateur championship is over four rounds of stroke-play with a cut to the leading 40 and ties after two rounds.

ORANGE BLOSSOM TOUR
Later in the week, the Orange Blossom Tour for female amateurs tees off at Harder Hall Country Club, Sebring in Florida.
The Harder Hall Women’s Invitational starts on January 4 and is over four rounds.
In the field are teenagers Sally Watson from South Queensferry and Rachel Connor from Oldham, daughter of the Scots-born Manchester Golf Club professional Brian Connor. Both Sally and Rachel competed in last week’s Junior Orange Bowl at Coral Gables, Florida.
Welsh seniors champion Vicki Thomas and United States Curtis Cup captain Carol Semple Thompson, the organising chairman of the Harder Hall tournament, will also be in action.
The Stirling University players will join the four-event Orange Blossom Tour later.