US COLLEGE NEWS LATEST

FINDLAY DROPS OUT OF TOP 10 AFTER
DISASTROUS 81 IN SECOND ROUND
Fraserburgh-born Jordan Findlay, pictured right, crashed out of the top 10 in the Carpet Capital Collegiate golf tournament at the weekend with a second-round 81.
He had been lying joint ninth after a sparkling opening round of three-under-par 69 over the 7,002yd course at The Farm Club, Rocky Face in Georgia.
Findlay, just starting his second year at East Tennessee State University and playing his first event of the new 2006-2007 US college golf season, dropped down to a share of 60th place on 150.
Jordan started his round at the 10th hole and was not doing too badly with birdies at the 12th and 13th after a bogey at the 11th. Things started to run away from the Buchan teenager when he bogeyed the 16th and 17th and then double-bogeyed the 18th.
That was followed by a triple bogey at the first and further bogeys at the second, third and ninth in a total of 42 shots for the last nine holes he played.
Wallace Booth from Comrie, in his fourth and final year at Augusta State University, shot a second-round 67 – an improvement of seven strokes – to be sharing 10th place on 141 with Irishman Gareth Shaw, an East Tennessee State team-mate of Findlay’s.
Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies, a Walker Cup player and recognised as the top player on the East Tennessee State University team, is back in joint 37th place after scores of 75 and 70 for 145.
Darren Blair (North Carolina State) is the 36-hole leader by two strokes with 65 and 69 for 10-under-par 134.

INDIVIDUAL SCOREBOARD
134 (-10) Darren Blair (NC State) 65 69.
136 Vince Hatfield (Clemson) 66 70.
Scores of GB&I players:
139 Tom Sherreard (Georgia State) 70 69 (7th).
141 Wallace Booth (Augusta State) 74 67, Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 70 71 (jt 10th).
143 Ben Taylor (Georgia State) 70 73 (25th).
145 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 75 70 (jt 37th).
150 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 69 81, Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) 76 74 (jt 60th).
156 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 82 74 (84th).
157 Farren Keenan (Texas) 79 78 (jt 85th).
LEADING TEAMS
558 Clemson, 561 Alabama, 569 Florida, 571 Tennessee, 572 Georgia State, NC State.
Also:
578 Augusta State (9th).
579 East Tennessee State (11th).

*Switch over to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk for news of the US women's college circuit and the Ladies European Tour.

MACHRIHANISH PRO-AM

DEAN ROBERTSON SCORES
FIFTH WIN OF SEASON
ON TARTAN TOUR
Scottish PGA champion Dean Robertson, pictured right, scored his third pro-am win this month and his fifth win on the Tartan Tour this season with a four-under-par 66 in the Machrihanish Golf Club pro-am today.
Robertson collected first prize of £1,172 with a scorecard that showed birdies at the second, sixth, seventh, eighth, 10th and 12th, with bogeys at the 11th and 16th in halves of 31 (four under par) and 35 (level).
Dean won by three shots from Stephen Gray (Hayston).
Two teams had net totals of 15-under-par 55 in the pro-am event. Victory, by virtue of a better inward half (27-29), went to the Campbeltown Motor Company trio of Campbell McMurchy (12), James Lafferty (12) and Scott Trelfa (16) and their professional, Alan Lockhart (Ladybank).
Pipped on the card countback were the “Whisky Macs” trio of Lee Mathieson (5), John Docherty (13) and Craig Dickson (18) and their pro, Colin Gillies (Kingsfield).
LEADING PROFESSIONALS
66 D Robertson (Czech Design).
69 S Gray (Hayston).
70 B Mason (Drumoig), L Vannet (Carnoustie), C Gillies (Kingsfield).
71 D Leslie (Prestonfield), I Young (Braid Hills), A Lockhart (Ladybank).
72 D B Scott (Douglas Park).

SOUTH-EAST DISTRICT OPEN

CRAIG ELLIOT LEADS AT HALFWAY BUT LOT
OF PLAYERS STILL IN CONTENTION

Edinburgh player Craig Elliot (Carrickvale), winner of the 2002 Scottish mid-amateur championship when he was playing out of Ratho Park, is the narrow leader at the halfway stage of the South-east District Open championship at Longniddry Golf Club.
Elliot, with rounds of 64 and 65 for a seven-under-par rally of 129, is one stroke ahead of young Robert McKnight (Barassie) who scored 64 and 66 for 130.
There are four players on 131, another two on 132, one on 133 and two on 134 so the stage is set for a competitive final 36 holes on Sunday.
Former title winner Steve Armstrong from Turnhouse had the lowest score of the morning round – a five-under-par 63 – but he could only match the par of 68 in the afternoon. He and Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) and Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), last year’s Scottish champion, are the trio on 131.
A total of 30 players exactly qualified for the final two rounds with aggregates of three-over-par 139 or better.
QUALIFIERS
129 C Elliot (Carricvale) 64 65.
130 R McKnight (Barassie) 64 66.
131 M Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) 68 63, G Campbell (Blairgowrie) 65 66, S Armstrong (Turnhouse) 763 68.
132 Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 67 65, S Henry (Cardross) 67 75.
133 B Fotheringham (Forres) 66 67.
134 D Martin (Alyth) 65 69, C Watson (East Renfrewshire) 67 67.
135 M Stein (Craigielaw) 67 68, S Wilson (Forfar) 67 68, D Murray (Newbattle) 66 69, K McAlpine (Alyth) 68 67, K Reilly (Silverknowes) 70 65.
136 E Saltman (Craigielaw) 67 69, C Swanston (Uphall) 67 69.
137 N Paterson (Dunbar) 67 70, S Elder (Kirkcaldy) 70 67, B Anderson (Duddingston) 69 68, K Ralston (Shotts) 69 68.
138 G Paterson (St Andrews New) 69 69, R Kellett (Colville Park) 69 69, E Malcolm (Dunfermline) 67 71, P McLean (Peterhead) 66 72, J Ralston (Shotts) 68 70, B Mackay (Prestonfield) 72 66.
139 R Carson (Marriott Dalmahoy) 70 69, K Nicholson (Haddington) 75 64, A Anderson (Bruntsfield Links) 70 69.
NON-QUALIFIERS
140 M Cunningham (Longniddry) 70 70.
141 S Neilson (Newbattle) 70 71, S McEwan (Barassie) 67 74, D Miller (Duddingston) 70 71.
142 P Betty (Hayston) 72 70, A MacPhail (Ratho Park) 71 71, T Caldwell (Silverknowes) 71 71, J Neilson (Dunbar) 72 70, N Cunningham (Duddingston) 71 71, J Donaldson (Falkirk Tryst) 71 71.
143 N Sneddon (Ratho Park) 74 69, J McGuinness (Whitekirk) 73 70, D Brodie (Newton Stewart) 73 70, G Watson (Dunaverty) 70 73.
144 D Low (Duddingston) 75 69, G Robertson (Glenervie) 71 73, R Moffat (Dundas Parks) 70 74.
145 N Aitken (Longniddry) 73 72.
147 G Turner (West Linton) 72 75, C Mundie (Falkirk) 74 73.
148 S Tully (Duddingston) 72 76.
149 S Knowles (Kingsknowe) 73 76, D Strachan (Turnberry) 74 75.
150 D Donaldson (Bruntsfield Links) 73 77.
152 B Rushford (Grangemouth) 82 70.
153 I Wilson (Marriott Dalmahoy) 75 78.
156 J Archibald (Dunbar) 78 78.

IRISH NEWS

IRISH SENIOR CUP FINAL
Sponsored by Bulmers; Hosted by Enniscrone Golf Club.

GALWAY 4, KNOCK 1
(Galway names first)
Joe Lyons halved with Michael Sinclair.
Eddie McCormack bt Edward McAnoy 4 and 3.
David Scully bt Nicky Grant 5 and 3.
Stephen Keenan halved with Colin Fairweather.
Tom Nolan bt James Patterson 4 and 3.

JIMMY BRUEN SHIELD FINAL
Sponsored by Bulmers; Hosted by Enniscrone Golf Club.

ROSSLARE 3, CASTLEBLAYNEY 2
Rosslare names first)
Liam Brett & Eoin McCarthy lost to Eamon Tavey & Kevin Quinn 6 and 5.
James Doyle & Michael O’Connor bt Alan Bolger & Joe Quinn 1 hole.
Jonathan Stewart & Ian Lynch bt Raymond McHugh & Eugene Hughes 2 and 1.
Tiarnan Rossiter & John Skerritt lost to Frank McDonnell & Eugene McGuigan at 19th.
Ken Maher & Tom Kennedy bt Mick Fee & Declan McAteer 1 hole.

CHALLENGE TOUR NEWS

CHRIS DOAK MOVES UP IN WEATHER-HIT
CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT IN FRANCE
England’s Tim Milford had more reason than most for feeling frustrated when darkness called a halt to the third round of the weather-affected Open des Volcans – Challenge de France, the fifth last event on the 2006 Challenge Tour Schedule.
The 38 -year-old professional from Maidstone, still seeking his maiden victory at this level, had just reeled off four birdies in a row to move into a share of fifth place when the players were called off the course.
Milford was three under par for 15 holes and five under overall, six strokes behind the leader, Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who was level par for 10 holes of his third round.
The next best Brits were Sion E Bebb of Wales and Nick Faldo protégé James Heath of England, both of whom were four under after 12 holes.
Scotland’s Chris Doak managed to finish his round and returned a 68 to move from level par at the start of the day to three under.
Going in the opposite direction was Michael McGeady, the only Irishman to have survived the 36-hole cut. He carded a third-round 73 to drop back to two over par.
The third round will be completed on Sunday morning before the players commence their final 18 holes.

HSBC WORLD MATCH-PLAY

CASEY v MICHEEL FOR £1,000,000 IN WENTWORTH FINAL

England's Paul Casey, the 12th seed, will play American Shaun Micheel, the 15th seed in the £1,000,000 final to the HSBC world match-play championship over 36 holes at Wentworth on Sunday.

£1,000,000 is what the winner will collect. For the beaten finalist there is the not inconsiderable reward of £400,000.

For beaten semi-finalists Colin Montgomery and Robert Karlsson, the pay cheque is £120,000 each.

Casey, pictured right, beat Ryder Cup team-mate Colin Montgomery 6 and 5 in the 36-hole first semi-final while Micheel won by two holes over Sweden's Robert Karlsson.

SOUTH-EAST DISTRICT OPEN

STEVEN ARMSTRONG SETS CLUBHOUSE HALFWAY
TARGET OF FIVE-UNDER-PAR 131 AT LONGNIDDRY
Former professional Steven Armstrong (Turnhouse), the 2002 tournament winner, posted a five-under-par halfway total of 131 at the clubhouse target in late afternoon on the first day's play in the South-east District Open at Longniddry.
Armstrong had rounds of 63 and 68 over the par-68 lay-out to lead by one shot from teenager Zack Saltman (Craigielaw) (67-65) and Duncan Martin (Alth), third on 134.
The tournament, over 72 holes, ends on Sunday.

HALFWAY LEADERS IN CLUBHOUSE
Par 68
131 (-5) S Armstrong (Turnhouse) 63 68.
132 Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 67 75.
134 D Martin (Alth) 65 69.
136 E Saltman (Craigielaw) 67 69, C Swanston (Uphall) 67 69.
137 K Ralston (Shotts) 68 69, N Paterson (Dunbar) 67 70.
138 P McLean (Peterhead) 66 72, G Paterson (St Andrews New) 69 69, J Ralston (Shotts) 68 70.
139 K Nichlason (Haddington) 75 64.
142 D Miller (Duddingston) 70 71.
142 J Donaldson(Falkirk Tryst) 71 71.
148 S Tully (Duddingston) 72 76.
156 J Archibald (Dunbar) 78 78.
++More scores at the end of play

JUNIOR RYDER CUP MATCH PREVIEW

CARLY BOOTH ONLY GB OR IRISH PLAYER IN EUROPEAN

JUNIOR RYDER CUP TEAM
AT CELTIC MANOR

By STEVEN FRANKLIN
Press Officer, European Tour

Ryder Cup week starts on Sunday afternoon when the flags are raised at the opening ceremony for the junior version of the biennial competition, an event that offers a potential match-up between one of Britain’s brightest young golfing stars, Perthshire's Carly Booth, pictured right, and Isabelle Lendl, America’s No. 5 girl golfer and the daughter of eight-time Grand Slam tennis champion Ivan Lendl.

The 2006 Junior Ryder Cup is being held at the impressive Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, where the teenage teams from Europe and the United States will contest a series of four-balls and mixed four-balls played over two days on the Roman Road championship course, which has hosted The Celtic Manor Wales Open on The European Tour.

Each team comprises 12 players – six boys and six girls – who were under the age of 16 on January, 2006 and provides the prospect of an intriguing fourball involving Booth and Lendl.

Isabelle, aged 15, has undoubtedly inherited her father’s impressive hand-eye coordination and Ivan appears delighted that she is excelling in golf rather than tennis.

He said: “There were no golf courses in Czechoslovakia when I was growing up so I was never around golf, although I wish I had been as you never have to quit – just look at Gary Player. Don’t get me wrong though, I was more than happy with how my career turned out.”

Nowadays his attentions are focused on helping Isabelle make the most of her talent. “I stay away from the golf aspect as she has a coach who knows far more than me. What I do help her with is the preparation: I teach her how to be mentally tough; how to eat properly; and about the importance of concentration,” added Lendl, who is also a decent golfer himself and plays on professional mini tours in the US.

Carly, meanwhile, is able to draw upon a rich sporting heritage of her own as she aims to carve out a career in professional golf. The 14 year old’s father, Wallace, is a former wrestler who won silver at the Commonwealth Games in 1966, while her brother, Wallace Jnr, is an aspiring professional golfer who attends Augusta State University.

Carly’s own potential became public during the British Masters two years ago when, as a diminutive 11 year old she played with Sandy Lyle in the pro-am and won!

Within a few months Nick Faldo had signed her up to his Junior Series and her development duly quickened. The youngest ever club champion in Great Britain, she plays off plus-one and can carry the ball 260 yards with remarkable ease.

She was crowned this year’s Scottish Under 16 Girls’ Champion and finished as the highest placed Under 18 golfer in the British Ladies’ Open Stroke Play Championship – all at the age of 14. And earlier this week she was the winner of the girls' section by two shots in The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy tournament over the Dundonald links in Ayrshire.

Carly, who has flown back from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Bradenton, Florida to play in The Duke of York event and also the Junior Ryder Cup match, is the only British or Irish player in the European team of Under-16s.

The 2006 Junior Ryder Cup is preceded by an opening ceremony on Sunday September 17 and concluded by a closing ceremony at 5pm on Tuesday September 19, at which six-time Major Champion Nick Faldo will present the trophy to the winners.

Faldo’s appearance at the event is entirely appropriate given that he will Captain the European Team for The 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla, while The Celtic Manor Resort is preparing to host The 2010 Ryder Cup over its revamped Wentwood Hills course.

Ian Woosnam, who will lead Europe at The K Club next week, said: “I’d just like to wish all the talented young golfers the best of luck in the Junior Ryder Cup. It’s a great experience for them and I’m sure they will enjoy the tournament. Hopefully we can both win.”

The Junior Ryder Cup Matches, The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales
18th - 19h September 2006


The Junior Ryder Cup Matches are a biennial team match-play event between Europe and the United States and was originated to encourage friendship, the exchange of cultures and to enhance the enjoyment of golf. The Junior Ryder Cup Match is maturing into an integral and important part of the whole Ryder Cup experience.

In its relatively brief history, the Junior Ryder Cup Matches have already seen some of its young stars go on to make their mark on the golf world. The inaugural Junior Match in 1995 featured the 15 year-old Sergio Garcia leading a winning European squad and since then both teams have included several budding champions including David Gossett, Beth Bauer, David Porter, Nicolas Colsaerts, Suzann Pettersen, Ty Tryon, Casey Wittenberg, and from 2004 Belen Mozo (2006 British Ladies Open Amateur Champion & Girls Champion), Marius Thorp (2005 European Amateur Champion and 2006 Low Amateur at The Open) and Rory McIlroy (2006 European Amateur Champion).

Europe is currently leading the series 4-1

1995 Winners: Europe (Exhibition match) played in Rochester, USA
1997 Winners: United States (7-5) played at San Roque & Alcaidesa Links, Spain
1999 Winners: Europe (10.5-1.5) played at Cape Cod, USA
2002 Winners: Europe (9.5 – 2.5) played at The K Club, Ireland
2004 Winners Europe (8.5 – 3.5) played at Westfield CC, Detroit, USA

The Match is patronised and supported by the Ryder Cup Committee, European Golf Association, European Tour, PGA of Great Britain & Ireland, PGAs of Europe and the PGA of America.


Match Format

The teams consist each of 12 players, six boys and six girls. The matches are held over two days – Monday, September 18 being a boys vs. boys and girls vs. girls four-ball match format while Tuesday, September 19 is played as a mixed four-ball format.

The event is preceded by an opening ceremony on Sunday, September 17 and concluded by a closing ceremony and prize giving with Nick Faldo at the end of play on the Tuesday.
The European Junior Ryder Cup team will then travel to Dublin to watch the 36th Ryder Cup Matches at The K Club.

Team Selection

The two teams are selected on different criteria as follows:-

The players on Team Europe are selected by the European Golf Association. The 12 players were all under 16 on 1 January 2006. Four girls and four boys have been selected according to their results in the 2006 European Young Masters at Styrian GC Murhof, Graz, Austria. The remaining four players are team captain Andy Ingram’s picks.

Team USA is picked as follows:
*The U.S. Champion of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
*The winner of the U.S. Girls Junior Championship.
*The top two boys and girls from the PGA of America's flagship junior event, Westfield Junior PGA Championship.
*The leading two boys and girls in the Junior Ryder Cup final point standings following the Westfield Junior PGA Championship.
*The final boy and girl to complete the 12-member team were chosen by the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Captain Jack Connelly.


The Venue

The Junior Ryder Cup Match will be played on the superb Robert Trent Jones designed Roman Road course at the Celtic Manor Resort, Wales.
Roman Road takes its name from the ancient East-West highway of Roman Britain crossing its fairways to the nearby Roman fortress town of Caerleon from London and Bath.
Several Roman roads, including the main route connecting the fortress of Caerleon with the town of Caerwent, cross the land where the Roman Road is situated.
The course has played host to The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open in 2005 and 2006 with Miguel Angel Jimenez and Robert Karlsson as respective champions.

US COLLEGE NEWS

JORDAN STARTS NEW US SEASON WITH
A 69 FOR PLACE IN TOP 10 IN GEORGIA

Fraserburgh exile Jordan Findlay, pictured right, back in the United States as a second-year golf scholarship student at East Tennessee State University, was the leading European player in joint ninth place at the end of the first round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate tournament at The Farm Golf Club, Rock Face in Georgia.
Findlay shot a three-under-par 69 over the 7,002yd course, including a purple patch of birdies at the 11th, 12th and 14th and an eagle 3 at the 15th in halves of 36 and 33.
Team-mate Gareth Shaw from Lisburn, Northern Ireland had a 70 to be sharing 13th place.
Wallace Booth (Augusta State University) from Comrie, Perthshire had a 74 to be in joint 43rd place.
Edinburgh-born Welshman and Walker Cup player Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) had a double bogey 6 at the 14th and further bogeys at the 16th and 17th in returning a disappointing 75 for a share of 51st place in the field of 90.
Irish freshman Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) from Waterford had a 76. Team-mate and compatriot Cian McNamara from Limerick had an 82.
Darren Blair (North Carolina State) set the first-round pace with a 65, one shot ahead of Vince Haffield (Clemson) and two ahead of Jake Younan-Wise (Texas Tech).
Alabama (276) led the team event from Clemson (278), North Carolina State (286), Georgia State (286) and Augusta State and Wake Forest (both 289).
East Tennessee State scored 290 to be in joint ninth place in the field of 18 college teams.


KATE & CO DOWN THE FIELD IN TENNESSEE

Kate O’Sullivan from Paisley, a student at High Point University, North Carolina, was sharing 70th place after a round of 80 in the Mason Rudolph women’s college tournament at Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin in Tennessee.
Team-mates Ann Marie Dalton from Carlow, Ireland and Jenna Kinnear from Belfast scored 81 and 85 respectively.
The lead was shared by three players on 69 – Mallory Hetzel (Georgia), Tiffany John (UCLA) and Taylor Leon (Georgia), a member of the winning United States Curtis Cup team at Bandon Dunes, Oregon earlier this summer..

MAGNERS SCOTTISH CLUB GOLFERS

VICTORY FOR BALMORE AT MACDONALD CARDRONA HOTEL
GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, PEEBLES
(From the Scottish Golf Union website)
Gordon Campbell and Scott Chisholm from Balmore Golf Club are the 2006 Magners Scottish Club Golfers Champions after firing a superb nine-under par round of 63 at a sunny Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Country Club on Friday.
The pairing were one of the favourites for the final, having also shot a 63 to win the regional qualifying final at Lanark.
Birdies at the fourth and seventh sandwiched a superb eagle at the sixth and a 2 from Campbell at the ninth put them in charge with an outward half of 31.
Another eagle, at the long 12th, put them to seven under par for the day and further birdies at 14 and an excellent 3 at the last gave them their winning net total of 63.
“Wow. What a great feeling.” Said Campbell. “It was a real team effort at the final today, as well as at Lanark in the regional event. We’ll be the envy of the golf club, although no doubt we’ll take some flack for all the publicity we’ll be getting”, added Chisholm, having been presented with the trophy from Scotland rugby legend and former British Lion Craig Chalmers.
Fife’s Burntisland clinched the runners-up spot with a great seven under par round of 65, with the two Davids – Galloway and MacPherson – dovetailing well.

LEADING SCORES IN THE GRAND FINAL
1 Balmore 63.
2 Burntisland 65.
3 Duns (bih 33), Bruntsfield Links (ih 34) 67.
5 Stewarton 68
6 Hawick, Peebles, Arbroath Artisans, Nigg Bay, Perth Licensed Victuallers 69.
11 Dirleton Castle, Polmont, Newmachar, Inchmarlo, Port Bannatyne 70.
16 Callander, Larkhall, Thornton, Greater Easterhouse 71.
20 Palacerigg, Glen, Nairn Dunbar, East Aberdeenshire 72.
25 Dollar, Drumoig, Downfield, Perth Artisans, Auchterarder, Blair Atholl, Castle Heather, Fort William 73.

WORLD MATCH-PLAY SEMI-FINALISTS

CASEY v MONTY IN WENTWORTH CLASH

Three of next week's European Ryder Cup team - Paul Casey, Robert Karlsson and Colin Montgomerie have made it through to Saturday's semi-finals of the world match-play championship at Wentworth.
The fourth man in the line-up is American Shaun Micheel.
Casey plays Monty and Karlsson plays Micheel for places in the final.
Quarter-final results (seeded position in brackets):
(9) Colin Montgomerie (Sco) bt (1) Michael C ampbell (NZ) 1 hole.
(12) Paul Casey (Eng) bt (13) Mike Weir (Can) 5 and 3.
(14) Robert Karlsson (Swe) bt (11) Angel Cabrera (Arg) 4 and 3.
(15) Shaun Micheel (USA) bt (7) Luke Donald (Eng) 4 and 2.

EURO TOUR QUALIFYING STAGE 1

EUAN LITTLE AND BARRY HUME MAKE IT WITH EASE
BUT GRAHAM GORDON AND GRAEME LORNIE MISS OUT

Former Scottish amateur champion Graham Gordon from Aberdeen has said farewell for another year to his hopes of playing on the European Tour.
At Chart Hills Golf Club on Friday, on the last day of the First Qualifying Stage Section A of the Tour Qualifying School, Gordon missed out by one shot. He had rounds of 70, 68, 72 and 72 for a six-under-par total of 282 ... very good scoring but not quite good enough.
To make the cut for the Second Stage, you had to shoot seven-under-par or better for the 72 holes.
Graeme Lornie (Aspire Golf Centre) also failed to qualify at this venue . He had 69, 72, 73 and 72 for two-under-par 286.

Expectant father Francis McGuirk of England delivered a stylish four rounds of golf to seal victory in the First Qualifying Stage Section A of The European Tour Qualifying School.
The 32 year old produced scores of 65-68-68-66 to finish 21 under par at Chart Hills, four strokes ahead of his nearest challenger, fellow Englishman James Ruebotham.
The EuroPro Tour player estimates he has made ten appearances at The European Tour Qualifying School without ever making it past the Second Qualifying Stage, a statistic he hopes to right when he heads to Spain for four more rounds at the beginning of November.
In total, 92 players made it through from the three Section A courses and will take their places in the Second Qualifying Round at four Spanish venues from November 1 to 4.
From there it is on to the Final Q School at San Roque, also in Spain, from November 9 to 14.
Thirty-three progressed from Chart Hills where the cut came at seven under par, while at The Oxfordshire 31 made it through on two under or better.
England’s David Porter led from the first round to the last at The Oxfordshire after opening his Q. School account with a 64, eight under par.
He followed this up with rounds of 67-69-70 for a winning total of 18 under par 270, one better than Scotland’s Euan Little, twice a winner on the Challenge Tour at the 2003 Telia Grand Prix and the 2001 Segura Viudas Challenge de España.
In third place, on 14 under par, was former Scottish amateur hampion Barry Hume, while Seve Ballesteros’s nephew Raul Ballesteros successfully made it through on ten under par.
A total of 28 players progressed from the par 71 Arlandastad Golf Club in Sweden, where scoring proved very tough. After 72 holes the winning total was level par 280 achieved by Austrian Martin Wiegele.
Alfonso Gutierrez of Spain, the overnight leader, closed with a two over par round of 73 to finish in second place on one over.


The leading qualifiers at The Oxfordshire were:
270 David Porter (Eng) 64 67 69 70.
271 Euan Little (Sco) 69 69 65 68.
274 Barry Hume (Sco) 67 70 65 72.
Other Scots qualifiers at this venue:

281 (am) Scott Jamieson 70 69 69 73 (jt 13th).
283 Paul Doherty 71 69 72 71 (jt 17th).

Non-qualifiers (287 and over) included:
293 Callum Nicoll 74 73 72 74.
294 Mark Loftus 74 75 70 75.

At Chart Hills, the leading qualifiers were:
287 Francis McGuirk (Eng) 65 68 68 66.
271 James Ruebotham (Eng) 68 67 65 71.
272 Nick Jones (US) 69 68 67 68.
274 Paul McKechnie (Sco) 68 67 70 69.
Scottish non-qualifiers:
282 Graham Gordon 70 68 72 72 .
286 Graeme Lornie 69 72 73 72.

WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS

TITLE FOR ENGLAND - WOODEN SPOON FOR SCOTS

England have won the women’s home golf internationals title for the second year in a row and the fifth time in the past seven years.
They recovered from a 2-1 deficit in the final morning’s foursomes at Frilford Heath Golf Club to engulf Wales 5-1 in the singles for an overall 6-3 victory. England had already beaten Ireland and Scotland.
England had the “player of the tournament” – Kerry Smith who gained more points than any other – 5pt out of six.
Ireland beat Scotland 6-3 in the other match, which meant that the Scots, who have not won the title since 1991, finished at the bottom of the table.
Scotland’s most prolific points-earners were Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) and 15-year-old Sally Watson from South Queensferry, now on her way back to the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Both Heather and Sally gained 3pt.
Next year’s home internationals will be staged at Dunbar Golf Club.

Details:

IRELAND 6, SCOTLAND 3
Foursomes: T Mangan & M Gillen bt H MacRae & S Watson 1 hole, D McVeigh & M Dunne lost to J Wilson & M Pow 3 and 1, D Smith & M Morrin bt Louise Kennedy & K Caithenss 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: Mangan bt MacRae 1 hole, C Coughlan bt Wilson 5 and 4, Gillen bt Kenney 5 and 4, Morrin bt S Bishop 4 and 2, McVeigh lost to Pow 1 hole, Smith lost to Watson 5 and 4 (4-2).
ENGLAND 6, WALES 3
Foursomes: R Bell & N Edwards lost to B Loucks & S Hassan 2 and 1, E Bennett & M Reid lost to T Davies & R Harries 1 hole, K Smith & S Walker bt J Nicolson & Evans 4 and 2 (1-2).
Singles: Smith bt Evans 1 hole, Bell bt Loucks 3 and 2, Reid bt Hassan 2 and 1, Bennett lost to Davies, Edwards bt Harries 2 holes, F Johnston bt Nicolson 4 and 3 (5-1).


FINAL TABLE

P W D L F A Pts
England 3 3 0 0 16 ½ 10 ½ 3
Ireland 3 1 1 0 14 13 1 ½
Wales 3 1 1 0 12 ½ 14 ½ 1 ½
Scotland 3 0 0 3 11 16 0


PLAYERS’ RECORDS

SCOTLAND
Heather MacRae 3pt
Sally Watson 3pt
Martine Pow 2pt
Jenna Wilson 2pt
Louise Kenney 2pt
Krystle Caithness 1pt
Sara Bishop 0pt
Roseanne Niven 0pt
ENGLAND
Kerry Smith 5pt
Rachel Bell 4pt
Melissa Reid 4pt
Sophie Walker 3pt
Naomi Edwards 3pt
Felicity Johnson 2pt
Liz Bennett 1 1/2pt
Florentyna Parker 1/2 pt
WALES
Tara Davies 4pt
Breanne Loucks 3 ½ pt
Sahra Hassan 3 ½ pt
Rebecca Harries 3pt
Jo Nicolson 1pt
Katherine O’Connor 1pt
Stephanie Evans 1pt
IRELAND
Deirdrie Smith 4 1/2 pt
Maura Morrin 4 1/2 pt
Tricia Mangan 3 1/2 pt
Martina Gillen 3pt
Claire Coughlan 1 1/2 pt
Danielle McVeigh 1pt
Maria Dunne 1pt
Naomh Kitching 0pt

CHALLENGE TOUR

FOX OPENS WITH 70 IN FRANCE

Graham Fox from West Kilbrdie shot an opening round of one-under-par 7o in the Challenge Tour event, Open des Volcans at Golf des Volcans in France.
Four players shared the lead on 67.

Leading first round scores:
67 Sion E Bebb (Wal), Julien Foret (Fra), Martin Kaymer (Ger), Hernan Rey (Arg)
68 Olivier David (Fra), Sam Walker (Eng)
69 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra), Michiel Bothma (RSA), Carlos Del Moral (Esp), Raphaël Eyraud (Fra)
70 Jean Louis Roman (Fra), Graham Fox (Sco), Fabien Marty (Fra), Mark Pilkington (Wal), Alvaro Quiros (Esp), Jean Hugo (RSA), Cédric Menut (Fra), Magnus Persson (Swe), Guillaume Mallet (Fra), Kasper Linnet Jorgensen (Den), Jorge Benedetti (Col), Birgir Hafthorsson (Isl), Marco Soffietti (Ita)
71 Oskar Bergman (Swe), Jamie Little (Eng), Nicolas Beaufils (Fra), Nicolas Joakimides (Fra), Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut), Kyron Sullivan (Wal), Christian Reimbold (Ger), Nicolas Vanhootegem (Bel), Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Georges Plumet (Fra), Dominique Nouailhac (Fra), Laurent Pargade (Fra), Juan Abbate (Arg), Jean Marc De Polo (Fra), Gareth Davies (Eng), Chris Gane (Eng), Peter Jespersen (Den), Van Phillips (Eng)
72 Jeppe Huldahl (Den), Julien Quesne (Fra), Michael Mcgeady (Irl), Ilya Goroneskoul (Fra), Luis Claverie (Esp), Renaud Guillard (Fra), Julien Van Hauwe (Fra), Stuart Manley (Wal), Gary Lockerbie (Eng), Magnus A Carlsson (Swe), Younes El Hassani (Mar), Kalle Brink (Swe), Anders Schmidt Hansen (Den), James Heath (Eng), Alessandro Napoleoni (Ita), Denny Lucas (Eng), Ben Mason (Eng), Chris Doak (Sco), Raphaël De Sousa (Sui), Andrea Maestroni (Ita), Ben Willman (Eng), Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra), Alexandre Kaleka (Am) (Fra), Bertrand Noel (Am) (Fra), Rémi Dupuis (am) (Fra)

UNITED STATES COLLEGE NEWS

LINDSAY’S TRIPLE TIE IN IOWA COLLEGE GOLF

Banchory exile Adam Lindsay, a second-year student at the Iowa Wesleyan University, figured in a triple tie for first place in a field of 42 for the Waldorf Invitational men’s college golf tournament at Bear Creek golf course in Forest City, Iowa
Adam had a round of two-over-par 73 which was matched by another Iowa Wesleyan team member, James Lennox from England, and Andrew Cullen (North Iowa University).
Iowa Wesleyan won the team event by 17 strokes.

WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS

US CHAMPION RICHIE RAMSAY STILL NO 1

This week’s unofficial world men’s amateur golf rankings are:

1 Richie Ramsay (Sco) 1181.08, 2 Ross McGowan (Eng) 1168.75, 3 Jamie Moul (Eng) 1162.79, 4 Pablo Martin (Spa) 1154.76, 5 Rory McIlroy (Ire) 11.38.30, 6 Oliver Fisher (Eng) 1128.00, 7 Adam Gee (Eng) 1123.08, 8 Won Joon Lee (Aus) 1101.11, 9 Webb Simpson (US) 1061.90, 10 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) 104.5.16.
11 Nigel Edwards (Wal) 1044.75, 12 Jonathan Moore (US) 1037.78, 13 Rhys Davies (Wal) 1035.71, 14 Bronson LaCassie (Aus) 1027.91, 15 Mitchell Brown (Aus) 1015.07, 16 Chris Kirk (US) 1015.00; 17 Anthony Kim (US) 1012.50, 18 Stephen Dartnall (Aus) 996.77, 19 Julien Guerrier (Fra) 992.86, 20 Dawie van der Walt (SAf) 989.47.
Other Scottish rankings:
21 Scott Jamieson 975.00; 24 28 George Murray 936.00; 51 Lloyd Saltman 857.14; 56 Paul O’Hara 840.91; 83 Callum Macaulay 781.25; 87 John Gallagher 774.55; 109 Scott Henry 745.45; 114 Jonathan King 742.86; 118 Keir McNicoll 7834.38; 119 Bryan Fotheringham 732.00; 120 Elliot Saltman 726.42; 124 Mark Kerr 709.52, 125 Craig Watson 706.67; 128 Glenn Campbell 704.08; 158 Steven McEwan 650.00; 172 Duncan Stewart 628.13; 174 Iain Colquhoun 625.00; 180 Wallace Booth 615.63; 187 Gavin Dear 603.13; 195 Robert McKnight 595.12; 227 Kevin McAlpine 534.38; 230 Jordan Findlay 529.73.

*The world rankings, based on weekly tournament results from around the world, are being calculated on a trial basis by R&A staff man David Moir, who is also vice-president of the Scottish Golf Union.

WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS

ENGLAND v WALES FOR TITLE

England, with two wins out of two this week at Frilford Heath, meet Wales on Friday's final programme with the destination of the women's home internationals title at stake.
England beat Scotland only 5-4 after leading 3-0 at the end of the rain-interrupted morning foursomes (the greens flooded and play had to be suspended for 45min).
Scotland found their form after lunch to take the singles 4-2 but it was not enough to wipe out the morning "whitewash."
Wales also won their singles 4-2 against Ireland but, having taken half a point from the morning foursomes, that was enough to earn them a 4 1/2-4 1/2 draw with the Irish.
+For a fuller report and all the match details, log on to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING

NEIL MITCHELL IS THE ODD MAN OUT

A total of 203 players survived the cut to make it through to the last round at The European Tour Qualifying School First Qualifying Stage Section A at three venues.

At the Oxfordshire, all the Scots with the exception of Aberdonian Neil Mitchell made it. He had 75, 763 and 75 for 223 and a share of 84th place.
Callum Nicoll and Mark Loftus in joint 60th place on 219 qualified as did Barry Hume, Euan Little, Scott Jamieson and Paul Doherty.
At Chart Hills, Graham Gordon qualified in joint 26th place with 760, 68 and 72 for six-under 210.
Graeme Lornie (Aspire Golf Centre) made it in joint 53rd place on 214 with 69, 73 and 73.

SOME SCORES

THE OXFORDSHIRE
LEADERS:
200 David Porter (Eng) 64 67 69.
202 Barry Hume (Sco) 69 70 65.
203 Euan Little 69 69 65.
206 Didier De Vooght (Bel) 70 66 70, Ross McGowan (Eng) (am) 68 70 68.
Also:
208 Scott Jamieson (Sco) (am) 70 69 69 (jt 8th).
212 Paul Doherty (Sco) 71 69 72 (jt 19th).
219 Callum Nicoll (Sco) 74 73 72, Mark Loftus (Sco) 74 75 70 (jt 60th).
NON-QUALIFIER
223 Neil Mitchell (Sco) 75 73 75 (jt 84th).

CHART HILLS
LEADERS
200 James Ruebotham (Eng) 68 67 65.
201 Frances McGuirk (Eng) 75 68 68.
203 Adam Gee (Eng) (am) 66 67 70.
Also:
210 Graham Gordon (Sco) 70 68 72 (jt 26th).
214 Graeme Lornie (Sco) 69 72 73 (jt 53rd)

McDONALD'S DOUBLE WHAMMY

INTER-CLUB FINALS AT BANFF

McDonald Golf Club, Ellon won two of the three inter-club tournament finals staged by Duff House Royal.
Results:
MEN - Abercromby Cup - Fraserburgh 4 1/2 Elgin 3 1/2
WOMEN - Robertson Challenge Cup - McDonald 6 Kemnay 2
JUNIORS - Felicity Trophy - McDonald 5 Peterhead 3

GREAT CLIMAX AT DUNDONALD LINKS

SAM SWOOPS WITH RECORD 65 TO WIN
DUKE OF YORK TROPHY
- CARLY FINISHES TWO CLEAR OF GIRLS' FIELD
England boys’ team captain Sam Hutsby staged birdie blitz to slash five shots off the Dundonald course record with a brilliant final round of seven-under-par 65 and win The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy tournament over the Ayrshire links today.
Picture shows Sam Hutsby and Carly Booth flanking HRH Prince Andrew.
Hutsby, 18, from Lee on Solent Golf Club, Hampshire, has thus started and almost finished the season with two outstanding victories. Back in the spring he won the Spanish open amateur title by whipping the then US amateur champion, Edoardo Molinari (Italy) by 7 and 6 in the final.
Now, Sam has beaten a field of 42 national under-18 champions from all over Europe and South Africa with a level par aggregate of 216. His earlier rounds were 72 and 79.
Hutsby, who started the final round five shots off the pace with seven players ahead of him, came storming through the field in a steady drizzle that slowed the pace of the greens down to his liking.
“I prefer putting on soft, wet greens and don’t mind at all playing in the rain,” said Sam. “But I didn’t realise I was playing that well. I had no idea I had birdied six of the last seven holes until I checked my scorecard at the end.”
Prince Andrew watched Hutsby play the last few holes and went on to the 18th green to congratulate Sam after he had finished with a birdie for an inward half of five-under-par 31.
“Sam was completely focused on his game. It was a terrific performance,” he said.
Hutsby, a full-time amateur who will be 18 next month, birdied the fourth, fifth, 12th, 13th, 14th , 16th (where he holed a bunker shot), 17th and 18th. Unbelievably in such a brilliant round, he did have a bogey – at the 15th where he missed a short putt.
Very few competitions have been played over the Dundonald links. The previous lowest score was a 70 in the qualifying rounds of the British senior open amateur championship.
Sam won by two strokes from Marc Dobias (Switzerland) and Robin Wingardh (Sweden).
Scottish boys’ match-play champion James White from Lundin started the final day sharing the lead but saw his chances disappear when he required 42 shots – six over par – for the front nine.
He got his game together after that to come home in two-under-par 34 for a 76 for a total of 222 and fifth place.
“I had a double bogey 7 at the fifth and also bogeyed the sixth and seventh. That ruined it for me,” said James.
Carly Booth, 14-year-old Comrie girl who flew back from Florida and the David Leadbetter Golf Academy to play in this event and next week’s Junior Ryder Cup, won the girls’ event by four shots with scores of 73, 77 and 73 for 223. She was placed sixth overall.
Scottish boys’ stroke-play champion Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), partnered title-winner Hutsby over the final round, finishing with 76, 76 and 74 for 226 and 11th place overall.



THURSDAY SCOREBOARD

THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS’ TROPHY
Dundonald Golf Club, Gailes, Ayrshire
FINAL TOTALS

BOYS (Par 72)
216 S Hutsby (Eng) 72 79 65.
218 M Dobias (Swi) 72 76 70, R Wingardh (Swe) 71 75 72.
221 M Veijlainen (Fin) 76 72 73.
222 J White (Sco) 72 74 76.
223 X Feyaerts (Bel) 71 76 76.
224 T Weiler (Ger) 73 76 75
225 M Mayhauser (Aut) 77 77 71, X Puig (Spa) 75 76 74.
226 S McAllister (Sco) 76 76 74.
227 D Wright (Eng) 76 81 70.
228 M Nixon (Eng) 71 78 79.
229 R West (SAf) 77 74 78.
230 A Runcie (Wal) 76 79 75.
233 N Rasmussen (Den) 75 82 76.
235 T Gurses (Tur) 73 85 77.
237 T Gornik (Slovenia) 74 85 78, L Goddard (Eng) 78 80 79.
240 P Kaiser (Nor) 77 81 82.
241 R Nechanicky (Cze) 78 88 75, B Gudmundsson (Ice) 74 79 88.
244 F Le Goff (Fra) 79 81 84.
245 L Scotto (Ita) 79 87 79, S Healey (Ire) 80 82 83.
251 P Pohi (Est) 82 87 82.
253 H Karas (Lux) 76 94 83.

GIRLS (Par 72)
223 C Booth (Sco) 73 77 73.
227 M Smit (SAfr) 74 79 74.
230 S Monberg (Den) 79 78 73.
232 M Duff (Swe) 75 81 76, C Wolf (Aut) 73 79 80
233 R Jennings (Eng) 78 81 74.
234 L Gonzalez (Bel) 75 83 76, K Ruzikova (Cze) 73 81 80, S Hausladen (Ger) 73 79 82.
240 F Vuignier (Swi) 79 87 74.
241 G Molinaro (Ita) 76 81 84.
243 L Henriksson (Fin) 86 82 75.
245 C Aasheim (Nor) 85 81 79.
250 V Jonsdottir (Ice) 76 97 77.
253 A Theunis (Lux) 85 83 85.
259 C Thuault (Fra) 86 88 85.

+The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy is won by the player (boy or girl) with the lowest three-round total.

BELHAVEN BEST HANDICAP CHAMPION

MORAYSHIRE MAN WINS AT THE
DUKE'S - BUT ONLY JUST!

Morayshire golfer John Dawson, 41-year-old member of the Hopeman club, won the Belhaven Best Scottish Club Handicap individual championship over The Duke’s Course, St Andrews on Wednesday.
John, who has cut his handicap from 26 to 19 this season, finished up with 33 Stableford points – but won the title only on a comparison of the inward halves with Brian Williamson (Lothianburn). (John Dawson picture above, from the Scottish Golf Union website).
Brian also had 33 points but his inward half was “only” 17, compared with John’s 18.
Newmachar scratch player Martin Lawrence finished third with 32pt but will be rueing a double-bogey at the last hole for many a long day. That cost him the title.
LEADING POINTS TOTALS

1 John Dawson (Hopeman) 33 (bih 18)
2 Brian Williamson (Lothianburn) 33 (ih 17).
3 Martin Lawrence (Newmachar) 32.
4 Keith Thompson (Polmont), Robert Sharp (Milngavie) 31.
6 Lawrence Robinson (Banchory), Sandy Ferrari (Murcar Links) 30.
8 Jim Boyle (West lothian), Moray Watson (Baberton), William Kerr (Irvine Ravenspark), Hugh McHarg (New Cumnock) 29.
12 Alan Lee (Leven Thistle) 28.
13 Dave Burnside (Alyth), Gary Sword (Drumpellier) 27.
15 M J Morton (Downfield), Andrew Nunn (Huntly), Ernie Byers (NCR), Euan Forbes (Nairn Dunbar) 26.
19 Danny Gordon (Turnhouse) 25.
20 Stuart Lumsden (Glenrothes), Gordon Pirrit (Glenbervie), Robert Fostere (Culcrieff), Lindsay Hamilton (Murrayfield), Brian Carmichael (Lochmaben) 24.

EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING

RAUL KEEPS BALLESTEROS NAME TO FORE

By STEVEN FRANKLIN, Press Officer, European Tour.
++Scroll down to find out how the Scots are faring.
It was a test that his famous uncle never had to undergo, but Raul Ballesteros is making a good fist of his first attempt at The European Tour Qualifying School.

The 25 year old Spaniard lies in a share of second place after two rounds at The Oxfordshire Golf Club, one of three venues in use for the First Qualifying Stage Section A.

After opening his account with a one under par 71, Ballesteros stormed through the 103-man field on Wednesday with a round of 65 to move on to eight under par.
Son of the eldest of the Ballesteros professional golfing brothers Baldomero, Raul proved earlier in the year that he was capable of low scoring bursts at the Andalucia Open de España Valle Romano on The European Tour.

He raced four strokes ahead of the first round field at San Roque Club in April, only to drop three shots at the last two holes to end on six under par 66.
At the Chart Hills venue, Paul McKechnie is lying very hand on 135 (68-67) and a share of sixth place.
Aberdonian Graham Gordon is joint 15th with 70 and 68 for 138 but Graeme Lornie (Aspire Golf Centre) is down in a share of 40th place on 141 with 69 and 72, not bad scoring at all but the standard of play is so high.


At The Oxfordshire, Ballesteros finds himself alongside Belgium's Didier De Vooght and five shots behind the runaway leader David Porter of England, who added a 67 to his stunning first round 64.

Porter finished birdie-birdie-birdie in near darkness on Tuesday evening but ironically played the same three holes in one over par when faced with fine conditions on Wednesday.

At the Oxfordshire, Euan Little from Portpatrick is the top Scot in a share of fifth place on 138 with a pair of 69s.
Amateur Scott Jamieson is very well placed in joint ninth with 70 and 69 for 139 - one shot ahead of Paul Doherty who has had 71 and 69 for joint 13th place.
Callum Nicol is down in joint 59th place on 147 (74-73) while Aberdeen's Neil Mitchell is toiling in a share of 68th place with 75 and 73 for 148.
That's one shot ahead of Mark Loftus who has scored 74 and 74 for a share of 77th place.
The weather was not so pleasant at Chart Hills Golf Club, where thunder and lightning forced a suspension of play at 5.47pm. When they finally got finished the leaderboard featured three Englishmen at the top on 11 under par, the amateur Adam Gee, Francis McGuirk and Zane Scotland.

Two more Englishmen, Sean Whiffin and Matthew Richardson, were next on ten under after all three leading players had enjoyed rounds of four under par 68.

Birdies remained much harder to come by at the par 70 Arlandastad Golf Club in Sweden, where the leading score is two under par. Jakob Berlin is the man on that mark after the Swede added a 70 to his opening round of 68.

In second place on one under par is Victor M Fernandez of Spain following his 69, while among the group on level par 140 is Norwegian Eirik Tage Johansen who had the best round of the tournament so far, a 66.

Swede Tony Edlund, who had shared the overnight lead with Berlin, dropped back after a 76.

There will be a cut after Thursday’s third round with the final 18 holes played on Friday, after which the total progressing to the Second Qualifying Stage is broken down as follows:

Arlandastad Golf Club, Sweden (25 and ties)

Chart Hills Golf Club, England (31 and ties)
HOW THEY STAND
133 Adam Gee (Eng) 66 67, Francis McGuirk (Eng) 65 68, Zane Scotland (Sco) 66 67.
Scots scores:
135 Paul McKechnie 68 67 (jt 6th).
138 Graham Gordon 70 68 (jt 15th).
140 Graeme Lornie 69 72 (jt 40th).

The Oxfordshire Golf Club, England (29 and ties)
HOW THEY STAND
131 David Porter (Eng) 64 67.
136 Raul Ballesteros (Spa) 71 65, Didier Vooght (Bel) 70 66.
Scots scores:
138 Euan Little 69 69 (jt 5th).
139 Scott Jamieson 70 69 (jt 9th).
140 Paul Doherty 71 69 (jt 13th).
147 Callum Nicoll 74 73 (jt 59th).
148 Neil Mitchell 75 73 (jt 68th).
149 Mark Loftus 74 75 (jt 77th).

WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS

SCOTS LOSE TO WALES, ENGLAND BEAT IRELAND

Scotland lost 5-4 to Wales and England beat Ireland 5 1/2-3 1/2 on the opening day of the women's home internationals at Frilford Heath GC, Oxfordshire.
You can read the report and the match details by logging on to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

SCOTS TO FORE IN DUKE OF YORK TROPHY

JAMES WHITE SHARES OVERALL LEAD AND
CARLY BOOTH IS TWO AHEAD IN GIRLS' SECTION
Let’s not warm up the bagpipes yet … but a Scottish double whammy is a distinct possibility as The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy tournament enters its third and final round on Thursday at the Dundonald links at Gailes in Ayrshire.
James White, the Scottish boys’ match-play champion from Lundin Golf Club in Fife, shares the overall lead on 146 while Carly Booth from Comrie leads the girls’ section by two shots on 150.
A strong south-westerly wind gave Dundonald a set of teeth it didn’t have on the opening day when the invited field of 42 of the best Under-18 golfers in Europe basked in perfect scoring conditions.
On Wednesday, there were horror stories galore of scorecards strewn with 8s and 9s as some players who had scored in the mid-70s on the first day were blown away to returns in the 90s.
Scottish boys’ stroke-play champion Shaun McAllister, in 11th place on 152 with a pair of 76s, thought it was a “three-club” wind, i.e a shot that required only an eight-iron in the first round had been transformed into a more testing five-iron into the teeth of the wind.
James White, son of a former Tartan Tour pro, went as far as to say that he thought that at some holes, there was a four-club difference between the two rounds.
“I had to use a six-iron to hit an approach 105 yards into the wind at the fifth,” said James who was not all that pleased with his 74 for a two-over-par tally, the same as Sweden’s Robin Wingardh (71-75).
“I was level par at the turn, having birdied the fifth and eighth but bogeyed the sixth and seventh. Then I had an untidy start to the inward half with bogeys at the 10th, 11th and 12th.
“I got a birdie at the 13th but dropped another shot at the sixth and really was a bit lucky to get a birdie at the last. It’s a long hole but downwind today and I had a terrible drive. I could only hack out of the rough but was able to hit the green with a seven-iron and hole a good putt.”
Carly Booth, who has flown back from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida, to play in this event and next week’s Junior Ryder Cup, looked as if she did not know whether to laugh or cry after handing in a card for a 77 which put her two shots ahead of the girls’ field.
“I just felt I had no control over the ball in a wind like that,” said Carly, only 14 years but worldly-wise in golfing terms.
“I didn’t enjoy myself at all. I wasted more shots on the second nine than I did on the first. I three-putted the third, ninth, 12th and 14th. I found it really difficult to judge how hard to hit the putts.

SHORT PUTTS FROM DUNDONALD

Monique Smith, the South African girl, who achieved a 74 with borrowed clubs on Tuesday, was reunited with her own clubs which had gone missing in transit. Result? A 79 for 153. Maybe she will be looking for those borrowed clubs again for the final round!
English girls champion Rachel Jennings had a triple bogey 8 at the 18th, and a double bogey at the short 11th in an inward half of 43 for an 81 and 159.
British boys champion Matthew Nixon from Lancashire slipped back from a share of the lead on 71 to a 78 for 149.
He had a triple bogey 7 at the seventh and double-bogey 6s at the ninth and 10th in halves of 41 and 37.
Matthew highlighted his inward half with an eagle 3 at the 14th.


LEADING TEE TIMES FOR FINAL ROUND

10.00 Shaun McAllister & Sam Hutsby
10.10 Xavi Puig & Rhys West.
10.20 Carly Booth & Matthew Nixon.
10.30 Thomas Weiler & Marc Dobias.
10.40 Miro Veijlainen & Xavier Feyaerts.
10.50 Robin Wingardh & James White.

DUKE OF YORK DAY TWO SCOREBOARD

THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS’ TROPHY
Dundonald links, Gailes, Ayrshire.

SECOND-R0UND SCORES

BOYS (Par 72)
146 J White (Sco) 72 74, R Wingardh (Swe) 71 75.
147 X Feyaerts (Bel) 71 76.
148 M Veijalainen (Fin) 76 72, M Dobias (Swi) 72 76.
149 T Weiler (Ger) 73 76, M Nixon (Eng) 71 78.
151 R West (SAf) 77 74, X Puig (Spa) 75 76, S Hutsby (Eng) 72 79.
152 S McAllister (Sco) 76 76.
153 B Gudmundsson (Ice) 74 79.
154 M Mayrhauser (Aut) 77 77.
155 A Runcie (Wal) 76 79.
157 D Wright (Eng) 76 81, N Rasmussen (Den) 75 82.
158 L Goddard (Eng) 78 80, P Kaiser (Nor) 77 81, T Gurses (Tur) 73 85.
159 T Gornik (Slovenia) 74 85.
160 F Le Goff (Fra) 79 81.
162 S Healy (Ire) 80 82.
166 L Scotto (Italy) 79 87, R Nechanicky (Cze) 78 88.
168 P Pohi (Est) 82 87.
170 H Karas (Lux) 76 94.


GIRLS (Par 72)
150 C Booth (Sco) 73 77.
152 S Hausladen (Ger) 73 79, C Wolf (Aut) 73 79.
153 M Smit (SAf) 74 79.
154 K Ruzickova (Cze) 73 81.
156 M Duf (Swe) 75 81.
157 S Monberg (Den) 79 78, G Molinaro (Ita) 76 81.
158 L Gonzalez (Bel) 75 83.
159 R Jennings (Eng) 78 81.
166 C Aasheim (Nor) 85 81, F Vuignier (Swi) 79 87.
168 L Henriksson (Fin) 86 82, A Theunis (Lux) 85 83.
173 V Jonsdottir (Ice) 76 97.
174 C Thuault (Fra) 86 88.

+The player with the lowest three-round total, whether a boy or girl, will win the trophy.

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE

GRAEME McINNES (62) WINS AT BRAEMAR

Murcar Links tour professional Graeme McInnes set the North-east Alliance 2006-2007 season rolling with a sparkling three-under-par round of 62 to win the Braemar meeting by three shots.
He covered the outward half in only 30 strokes, thanks to birdies at the third and ninth, and then birdied the 13th, 14th and 18th in 32 home, which included bogeys at the 10th and 17th.
Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo Golf Centre) and Kemnay pro Ronnie McDonald were joint runners-up on 65.

Leading scores:

SCRATCH
62 G McInnes (Murcar Links).
65 P Cormack (Inchmarlo), R McDonald (Kemnay).
66 S Finnie (Caledonian), I D Smith (Hazlehead).
67 A Campbell (Deeside), W Main (Murcar Links), B Ritchie (Inverallochy), D Leighton (Murcar Links)
68 G Esson (Portlethen), R Stewart (Cruden Bay), R Nicoll (Murcar Links), G Bruce (Westhill).
69 C Nelson (Mackenzie Shop), G Gray (Deeside), S Davidson (Banchory), R Hyland (Newmachar), S Chalmers (Banchory), B Urquhart (Murcar Links), C Clark (Mackenzie Shop), P Lovie (Inchmarlo).

HANDICAP

Class 1 – D Leighton (Murcar Links) (6) 61; I D Smith (Hazlehead) (4) 62; B Nicoll (Murcar Links) (5), G Gray (Deeside), J Kinsella (Braemar) (8) 63.

Class 2 – P Cornfield (Auchmill) (11) 64; L Rodger (Royal Aberdeen) (10), D Randall (Banchory) (14), G Travis (Auchmill) (16) 65; G Leslie (Newburgh) (11), M Kidd (Newburgh) (12) 66.

Next Wednesday’s competition is at Kemnay.

THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS

WIND MAKES IT TOUGH FOR YOUNGSTERS
AT DUNDONALD LINKS
A strong south-westerly wind made it a completely different ball game for the 42 competitors in the second round of The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy tournament over the new Dundonald links at Gailes in north Ayrshire today.
Scottish boys' stroke-play champion Shaun McAllister from Craigielaw reckoned it was a "three-club" wind, i.e. at the holes played into the wind, a player could be playing a five-iron where they were taking an eight-iron in the wind-free conditions of the opening day.
So Shaun was quite pleased to have a second round 76, considering he had the same score on Tuesday.
McAllister had a pair of birdie 2s on his scorecard but the highlight was an eagle 3 at the 540yd 14th.
There were some nightmare stories, particularly among the girls, but some boys coped admirably with the much tougher conditions.
Miro Veijalainen from Finland, for instance, shot a splendid, par-matching 72 to take the clubhouse lead on 148. Despite the swirling wind, he covered the inward nine holes with eight pars and a birdie at the long 14th.


SECOND-R0UND SCORES

BOYS (Par 72)
148 M Veijalainen (Fin) 76 72.
151 R West (SAf) 77 74.
152 S McAllister (Sco) 76 76.
154 M Mayrhauser (Aut) 77 77.
155 A Runcie (Wal) 76 79.
157 D Wright (Eng) 76 81.
158 L Goddard (Eng) 78 80, P Kaiser (Nor) 77 81.
160 F Le Goff (Fra) 79 81.
162 S Healy (Ire) 80 82.
166 L Scotto (Italy) 79 87, R Nechanicky (Cze) 78 88.
168 P Pohi (Est) 82 87.
170 H Karas (Lux) 76 94.


GIRLS (Par 72)
156 M Duf (Swe) 75 81.
157 S Monberg (Den) 79 78, G Molinaro (Ita) 76 81.
159 R Jennings (Eng) 78 81.
166 C Aasheim (Nor) 85 81, F Vuignier (Swi) 79 87.
168 L Henriksson (Fin) 86 82, A Theunis (Lux) 85 83.
173 V Jonsdottir (Ice) 76 97.
174 C Thuault (Fra) 86 88.

ENGLAND NAME EISENHOWER TRIO

McGOWAN, MOUL, FISHER FOR SOUTH AFRICA

The English Golf Union today named native champion Ross McGowan, Walker Cup teenager Oliver Fisher and Jamie Moul to be England's representatives in the men's world amateur team championship for the Eisenhower Trophy, to be played at De Zalze and Stellenbosch golf clubs from October 26 to 29.

BADER CUP MIXED FOURSOMES

SCOTTISH COUPLES QUALIFY FOR
PORTUGAL GRAND FINAL


Callander couple Steven Fraser, who plays off one, and Elizabeth Morgan, a 22-handicapper, won the 12th and last area qualifying tournament for the Bader Cup mixed foursomes tournament.
They had a Stableford points score of 44 – one point ahead of runners-up Eric Dalgleish (3) and Gillian Lovety (handicap 30), both from Old Ranfurly Golf Club.
Both pairings go forward to the Grand Final at Morgado Golf Club on Portugal’s Algarve in November.

SCOTTISH GOLF UNION ORDER OF MERIT

GREAT SCOTT CAN'T BE CAUGHT

Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) has an unassailable lead at the top of the 2006 Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit, sponsored by Polaris World Property.
Positions after the Newlands Trophy and with only the South-east District Open championship to come:

1 Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) 615.80.
2 Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) 485.
3 George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle) 472.50.
4 Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) 470.
5 Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan) 452.50.
6 John Gallagher (Swanston) 447.50.
7 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 439.10.
8 Elliot Saltman (Craigielaw) 435.80.
9 Steven McEwan (Barassie) 426.25.
10 Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) 390.80.

BELHAVEN BEST CAPTS-SECS CHSHIP

KINTORE PAIR'S 69
BEST AT THE
DUKE'S

A Kintore Golf Club pairing have been crowned the first ever Belhaven Best Scottish Captains & Secretaries Champions in a last gasp victory at The Duke’s Course in St Andrews.
The formidable partnership of Stuart Archer – a 9 handicapper – and fellow club official Ali Thomson – playing off 6 – (pictured right) were the only club to break 70 on a day of high scoring on the tough Fife course.
A two-under par 69 gave Kintore a narrow one shot margin to take the national title from runners-up Lochgelly and third placed West Lothian.
In the second last match, Archer and Thompson enjoyed a one under par outward half of 35 and maintained their steady progress with birdies at the 11th, 14th and 17th.
Dropped shots at the 15th and the last might have cost them victory, but there were several fallers at the final hurdle with a few tales of woe at the 18th hole.
The Lochgelly partnership of one handicapper John Aidie and John Brogan (13) set the early pace with a fine round of 70 and led for most of the day, but were pipped into the silver medal place.
West Lothian earned third place by courtesy of a better inward half from Alyth, who also scored 70. On a day when the slick Duke’s Course greens and new bunkering caused havoc with the score cards, only eight clubs recorded scores of par or better, but all players were rewarded with a tasty pint of Belhaven Best at the 19th hole – Scotland’s No.1 ale brand.
Jim Yong, Director of Sales at Belhaven Breweries, was delighted with the first year of the championship:
“Belhaven is proud to support this event and give something back to Scotland’s golf clubs, who account for a large slice of our brand’s success. We had nearly 200 clubs taking part this year and hopefully the championship will grow even further next year.
"The Duke’s Course was a fitting venue for the final and well done to all players who have taken part.”
LEADING TOTALS
69 Kintore.
70 Lochgelly (bih 34), West Lothian (ih 36), Alyth (ih 38).
71 Ban chory, Jedburgh, Burntisland, Braids United.
72 Murcar Links.
73 Castle Heather, Murrayshall, Sheddens Lethamhill, Peebles.
74 Drumoig, Sanquhar.
75 BBT, Lanark, Thornhill Largs.
76 Kinross, Turnhouse, Saxone.
77 Crail, Grange, Nigg Bay, Peterculter.
79 Gifford, Dundas Parks.
80 Dunnikier Park, Eastwood, Newmachar.

THE DUKE WITH HIS YOUNG CHAMPIONS' FIELD

HRH Prince Andrew with most of the 42 competitors taking part in this week's The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy tournament at Dundonald links, Gailes inAyrshire.

EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING TEES OFF

BARRY HUME HAS GOOD START AT THE OXFORDSHIRE

By STEVEN FRANKLIN
Press Officer, The European Tour

A total of 297 golfers from across the globe gathered at three different venues yesterday, all with one identical target in mind: to secure a highly prized place on The 2007 European Tour.

The First Qualifying Stage (Section A) of The European Tour Qualifying School got underway on two courses in England, Chart Hills Golf Club and The Oxfordshire Golf Club, and at a third venue in Sweden, Arlandastad Golf Club.

Scoring was lowest at Chart Hills where three Englishmen finished atop the leaderboard after seven-under-par rounds of 65. Matt Ford, Ally Mellor and Francis McGuirk shared top billing although McGuirk’s primary concern on signing his card was whether his heavily pregnant wife had gone into labour.

While 32 year old McGuirk pondered fatherhood and the dream of a debut season on The European Tour, new dad Tony Edlund of Sweden was starting well on his ninth trip to Qualifying School.

Edlund, who has previously enjoyed two seasons on The European Tour, made light of the sleepless nights prompted by his two-week-old baby boy to claim a share of the lead at Arlandastad with a score of two under par 68. His effort was the best of the morning session and was matched later in the day by fellow Swede, Jakob Berlin.

In fact, the home contingent dominated day one at Arlandastad as Kenneth Sastre returned a 69 to make it a Swedish one-two-three at the top of the leaderboard.

Fog delayed the start of play at The Oxfordshire by one hour and 40 minutes and the first round was not expected to be completed before nightfall. Scotland’s Barry Hume and Spain’s Daniel Quiros were leading the way after rounds of five-under-par 67.

Everyone will complete three rounds before the cut falls on Thursday night. A final round is played on Friday and the total progressing to the Second Qualifying Stage is broken down as follows:
Arlandastad Golf Club, Sweden (25 and ties)
Chart Hills Golf Club, England (31 and ties)
The Oxfordshire Golf Club, England (29 and ties)

Leading First Round Scores:

Arlandastad Golf Club, Sweden (par 70)
68 Tony Edlund (Swe), Jakob Berlin (Swe)
69 Kenneth Sastre (Swe)
70 Christoffer Kenling (Swe), Matthew Bliss (Can), Fredrik Söderström (Swe), Janne Mommo (Fin), Victor M Fernandez (Esp), Fredrik B Andersson (Swe)
71 Lars Edvinson (Swe), Travis Johnson (USA), Alfonso Gutierrez (Esp), Hans Andersson (Swe), Thomas Sundström (Fin), Andrew Martin (Aus)

Chart Hills Golf Club, England (par 72)
65 Matt Ford (Eng), Ally Mellor (Eng), Francis McGuirk (Eng)
66 Mark Belsham (Eng), Sean Whiffin (Eng), Matthew Richardson (Eng), Gary Donnison (Eng), Jamie Harris (Eng), Zane Scotland (Eng), Adam Gee (Am) (Eng)
67 Mike Skelton (Eng)
68 Lloyd Kennedy (Eng), Darren Prosser (Eng), James Ruebotham (Eng), Clodamiro Carranza (Arg), Niklas Bruzelius (Swe), David M Clark (Eng), Paul Mckechnie (Sco)

The Oxfordshire Golf Club, England
(not available at time of going to press)

COMING UP LATER WEDNESDAY

If you log on to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk, you will find news of the women's home internationals, starting today (Wednesday) at Frilford Heath.
We will have the second round of The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy at Dundonald featured on that website and this one as the day progresses.

IRISH SENIOR WOMEN'S CHSHIP

VIKKI THOMAS WINS IRISH SENIOR WOMEN'S TITLE
BY ONE STROKE AT WOODBROOK

Former Curtis Cup player and many times Welsh women's champion, Vikki Thomas won the Irish senior women's 36-hole open stroke-play title at Woodbrook Golf Club on Tuesday. She had scores of 77 and 80 for a total of 157 - one shot ahead of Germany-based Marilyn Henderson.
Pamela Williamson from Baberton, a former winner of the title finished a creditable sixth on 163 after starting with an 84.

FINAL TOTALS
157 Vicki Thomas (Wales) 77 80
158 Marilyn Henderson (Germany) 82 76
158 Susan Pickles (England) 78 80
160 Diane Williams (Canada) 80 80
160 Alison Murdoch (Canada) 79 81
163 Pamela Williamson (Scotland) 84 79
164 Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange) 79 85
165 Sally Casey (Seapoint) 82 83
166 Noreen Fenton (Scotland) 83 83
167 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 85 82,
167 Joanne Saunders (Canada) 83 84
168 Susan Pearl (Canada) 82 86
168 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 79 89
169 Barbara Woodham (England) 85 84
169 Britt-Marie Walltorp (Sweden) 84 85
169 Lynne Terry (Scotland) 81 88
170 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 87 83
171 Mary McGoey (Greenore) 89 82
171 Noeline Quirke (Laytown & Bettystown) 86 85
171 Roma English (Larne) 85 86
171 Terry Sexton (Dun Laoghaire) 84 87
171 Tracye Osler (Canada) 83 88
172 Kay McCartan (Greenore) 86 86
172 Olivia Conroy (Co Longford) 85 87
174 Geraldine Neville (Galway) 84 90
174 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 83 91
174 Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) 82 92
174 Mary McKenna (Donabate) 79 95
176 Jennifer Mack (Scotland) 87 89
176 Elisabeth Wendels (Sweden) 86 90
177 Janice Paterson (Scotland) 91 86
177 Ita Donnolly (Dundalk) 89 88
177 Maureen Charleton (Lisburn) 88 89
177 Noreen Granard (The Heritage) 88 89
177 Catharina Thott (Sweden) 87 90
177 Mary Gorry (Baltinglass) 87 90
178 Judy Collins (Canda) 91 87
178 Sonja Gottschalch (Denmark) 87 91
179 Maura Breathnach (Monkstown) 89 90
179 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) 88 91
179 Helen Faulds (Scotland) 87 92
180 Catherine Hickey (Milltown) 93 87
180 Mary McCabe (Headfort) 90 90
180 Rhona Fanagan (Milltown) 89 91
180 Bonnie Zaoral (Canada) 87 93
181 Maura Mansfield (Elm Park) 90 91
181 Maire McMahon (Dromoland Castle) 89 92
181 Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush) 89 92
182 Louise Van den Berghe (Belgium) 96 86
182 Terry McNaughton (Canada) 94 88
182 Elaine James (England) 93 89
182 Kath Stweart Moore (Royal Portursh) 91 91
182 Carol Kinsella ( Waterford) 89 93
182 Maire Conlon (The Heath) 87 95
183 Catherine Carty (Tullamore) 96 87
183 Margaret Boomer (Lisburn) 92 91
183 Denise O'Sullivan (Hermitage) 91 92
183 Kitty Duffy (Dundalk) 91 92
183 Maria Sandstrom (Sweden) 89 94
183 Mary Dinan (The Island) 87 96
184 Elaine Lange (Germany) 94 90
184 Maureen Bryson (Lisburn) 93 91
184 Anna Moloney (Clonmel) 90 94
185 Marie Moran (Monkstown) 92 93
185 Pamela Burnside (Canada) 87 98
186 Kitty McEvoy (England) 95 91
186 Greta Foran (Edenderry) 94 92
187 Mary Courtney (Delgany) 96 91
187 Emi Yokoyama (England) 96 91
187 Gill Rouiller (Mannan Castle) 96 91
187 Anne Hayden (Foxrock) 92 95
188 Brenda Sheehan (Killiney) 97 91
188 Roisin McCann (Downpatrick) 94 94
189 Ann Bouton (France) 95 94
189 Paddie Connellan (Co Longford) 92 97
190 Rita MacNamara (The Heath) 95 95
190 Sidsel Christensson (France) 92 98
191 Margaret Corcoran (Bray) 97 94
191 Irene Stenlundh (Sweden) 96 95
191 Pauline Martin (Woodbrook) 93 98
192 Anabel Kane (The Curragh) 98 94
193 Anna Somers (Cill Dara) 97 96
193 Deirdre Curley (Blainroe) 92 101
195 Sara O'Regan (Delgany) 101 94
195 Ann Hayes (Co Longford) 99 96
195 Fiona Roger (Scotland) 92 103
196 Ann Freeman (Co Longford) 97 99
196 Phil O'Carroll (Cahir Park) 95 101
197 Sheila Bodmer (Switzerland) 102 95
197 Joan Buckley (Roscrea) 100 97
198 Maj-Britt Laempe (Sweden) 103 95
198 Bridget O'Brien (Tipperary) 100 98
199 Phil Duggan (Edenderry) 97 102
201 Sally Breen (England) 103 98
201 Linda Adair (Callan) 100 101
201 Ann O'Brien (Cahir Park) 99 102
201 Margie Farragher (Newbridge) 95 106
202 Ingrid Haak (Germany) 99 103
204 Olive Wrixon (Clonmel) 98 106
208 Marcella Ridgers (England) 109 99
214 Jean Quigley Parsons (England) 107 107
217 Breege Horkan (England) 111 106
N/R Mary O'Reilly (Courtown) 101 N/R

IRISH SENIOR LADIES HOME INTERNATIONAL TEAM

Ireland's team for the senior women's home internationals at Hamilton GC from October 3 to 5 is:
Roma English (Larne)
Valerie Hassett (Ennis)
Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine)
Mary Madden (Ballinasloe)
Eileen MacMullen (Donegal)
Mary McKenna (Donabate)
Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange)

Captain - Elaine Bradshaw

DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS

CARLY SHARES LEAD, JAMES ONLY ONE OFF
THE PACE AT END OF FIRST ROUND
The wake-up alarm on the switched-off mobile phone in Carly Booth’s pocket went off when she was on the 17th tee in the first round of The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy over the new Dundonald links course in Ayrshire today.
“I had forgotten to put it on to British time. It gave me quite a shock. I’m not quite sure what day of the week is, nor where I am,” joked the 14-year-old Carly who was only 10 days into her four-year course at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Bradenton, Florida when she flew back to Britain at the weekend for a double engagment – this tournament and next week’s Junior Ryder Cup match at Celtic Manor.
But Miss Booth, the Scottish Under-16 girls champion from Comrie, Perthshire, certainly had no need of wake-up call in golfing terms.
Despite feeling “absolutely shattered” after a travelling schedule which began with her Manchester to Tampa outward trip taking TWO days and two missed connections to complete, Carly shares the lead in the girls’ section.
Up with the lark – when she would really have loved a long lie – Miss Booth shot a one-over-par 73 (37-37) in perfect, windless conditions for only her second 18 holes over this impressive lay-out designed Kyle Phillips, the man responsible for another great links course, Kingsbarns.
Carly, finding the greens surprisingly fast, particularly on the downslopes, three-putted the ninth and 16th greens and missed a whole string of 10-foot birdie chances in starting with eight pars in a row.
She did not get any birdies until the long 14th, where she come out a bunker to 10ft and holed the putt, and the 17th where she rammed in a 25-footer with conviction.
That score was later matched by Christine Wolf (Austria) 36-37, Katerina Ruzickova (Czech Republic) 36-37 and Sakia Hausladen (Germany) 37-36.
English girls’ champion Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) finished on 78 after matching the par of 36 on the outward half. She had a triple bogey 7 at the 17th.
Matthew Nixon from Ashton under Lynne, near Manchester, winner recently of the British boys’ open championship at Royal Aberdeen, showed he could be just as good a card-and-pencil player as he was match-player at Balgownie, by sharing the lead on one-under-par 71 in the boys’ section.
Matthew started with a pair of bogeys in an outward 37 but his two-under-par 34 – birdies at the short 11th long 14th – was matched only by another one of the three joint leaders, Robin Wingardh (Sweden).
The third of the trio on 71 was Belgium’s Xavier Feyaerts.
Scottish boys’ match-play champion James White from Lundin Golf Club, Fife and England’s Sam Hutsby (Lee-on-Solent), the Spanish open amateur champion, are sharing fourth place only one off the pace on 72. James had a little bit of everything in halves of 37 and 35 – a shank with a three-iron at the 15th , three-putts at the fourth and 14th, an “outrageous” birdie 3 at the 13th where he got home with two iffy shots and then holed a putt from all 40 feet. White’s other birdies came at the fifth, 10th and the 18th.
Scottish boys’ stroke-play champion Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) lost two balls in compiling a 76. The first, at the seventh, cost him a double-bogey but he was able to make a 3 with his second ball for a bogeyat the 10th. Shaun did birdie the seventh, 12th and the 18th.


THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS’ TROPHY
Dundonald Golf Club, Gailes, Ayrshire.

FIRST-ROUND SCORES

BOYS (Par 72)
71 R Wingardh (Swe) 37-34, X Fayaerts (Bel) 35-36, M Nixon (Eng) 37-34.
72 M Dobias (Swi) 36-36, S Hutsby (Eng) 37-35, J White (Sco) 37-35.
73 T Gurses (Tur) 33-40, T Weiler (Ger) 34-39.
74 B Gudmundsson (Ice) 36-38, T Gornik (Slo) 36-38.
75 X Puig (Spa) 40-35, N Rasmussen (Den) 36-39.
76 M Veijalainen (Fin) 35-41, S McAllister (Sco) 39-37, H Karas (Lux) 38-38, A Runcie (Wal) 38-38, D Wright (Eng) 38-38.
77 P Kaiser (Nor) 40-37, M Mayrhauser (Aut) 41-36, R West (SAf) 40-37.
78 L Goddard (Eng) 41-37. R Nechanicky (Cze) 37-41.
79 L Scotto (Ita) 41-38, S Monberg (Den) 38-41, F Le Goff (Fra) 37-42.
80 S Healey (Ire) 38-42.
82 P Pohi (Est) 42-40.

GIRLS (Par 72)
73 C Booth (Scotland) 37-36, C Wolf (Aut) 36-37, K Ruzickova (Cze) 36-37, Saskia Hausladen (Ger) 37-36.
74 M Smit (SAf) 37-37.
75 L Gonzalez (Belgium) 39-36, M Duff (Swe) 40-35..
76 V Jonsdottir (Iceland) 36-40, G Molinaro (Ita) 39-37.
78 R Jennings (Eng) 36-42.
79 F Vuignier (Swi) 39-40.
80 C Aashaim (Nor) 40-45.
85 A Theunis (Lux) 43-42.
86 C Thuault (Fra) 41-45, L Henriksson (Fin) 46-40.

+The lowest 54-hole total, whether by a boy or girl, will win The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy.

MAGNERS SCOTTISH CLUB 2006 FINAL

ALL ROADS LEAD TO MACDONALD CARDRONA ON FRIDAY

The final of 2006 Magners Scottish Club Golfers Championship takes place at the Macdonald Cardrona Golf, Hotel & Country Club this Friday (15 September), with one hundred and twenty club golfers battling it out for the Scottish Golf Union’s flagship handicap prize.

From an initial entry of more than 23,000 golfers who played in local qualifying competitions across 286 clubs, last month’s four regional qualifying finals have produced sixty pairings who have the honour of representing their clubs in the national final.

Balmore Golf Club from Dunbartonshire will start among the favourites for the title, following their emphatic victory in the first regional final, with Gordon Campbell and Scott Chisholm firing a seven-under par 63 at Lanark. East Lothian duo Law Hardie and Michael Sinclair (The Glen GC) enjoyed the best round of the regional finals, recording an eleven-under par 61 to clinch the Forrester Park event and they will be hoping for more of the same in the Borders on Friday.

Host club Alyth won the third regional final with local members Scott Brough and partner John Quither dove tailing well to shoot a 64, seven under the card, whilst Aberdeen’s Nigg Bay, represented by Ryan Elder and Gary Thom took the honours when the Championship visited Murcar Links for the last regional final.

The Magners Scottish Club Golfers Championship is the country’s biggest participation golf event and part of the SGU’s commitment to supporting clubs and providing national championships for golfers at all levels.

Magners Irish Cider’s Marketing Manager, Joanne Hayden has been delighted with the response to their first championship in Scotland:

“The popularity of the new championship adds to the growing profile of our brand in the Scottish golf club market. The event provides golfers from across Scotland with a great opportunity to compete in a prestigious national event, whether they are a scratch golfer or high handicapper. It’s important to Magners that everyone has that chance.”

The action gets underway at 8.00am on the 6,856 yard Cardrona championship course, with the final tee-time at 12.50pm. Competing clubs range from Colvend in the south to Tarbat near Tain in the north of the country, whilst the handicap spread is from plus one right up to twenty four.

CARLY SHARES DUKE OF YORK LEAD

SCOT TO THE FORE IN EARLY RETURNS
AT DUNDONALD LINKS

Carly Booth, 14, from Comrie via Florida was sharing the girls' clubhouse lead in The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy tournament at 1p.m. today.
Carly shot a one-over-par 73 over the new Dundonald links at Gailes in Ayrshire. Miss Booth's score was later matched by Christine Wolf (Austria) and Katerina Ruzickova (Czech Republic).
In the boys' section, Swedish boys champion Robin Wingardh was the clubhouse leader with a one-under-par 71.
More details at the end of play.

SCOREBOARD



THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS’ TROPHY
Dundonald Golf Club, Gailes, Ayrshire.

FIRST-ROUND SCORES

BOYS (Par 72)
71 R Wingardh (Swe) 37-34.
72 S Hutsby (Eng) 37-35.
73 T Gurses (Tur) 33-40.
76 M Veijalainen (Fin) 35-41, S McAllister (Sco) 39-37, H Karas (Lux) 38-38..
77 P Kaiser (Nor) 40-37.
79 L Scotto (Ita) 41-38.
82 P Pohi (Est) 42-40.

GIRLS (Par 72)
73 C Booth (Scotland) 37-36, C Wolf (Aut) 36-37.
74 M Smit (SAf) 37-37.
75 L Gonzalez (Belgium) 39-36.
76 V Jonsdottir (Iceland) 36-40.
86 C Thuault (Fra) 41-45.

THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS

Prince Andrew flew back from New York and the 9/11 memorial services in time for today’s opening round of The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy at Dundonald Golf Club, near Troon.
The 54-hole event, in its sixth year, brings together 42 of the best Under-18 boy and girl golfers in Europe.
Invitations are extended by His Royal Highness only to the winners of national stroke-play and match-play tournaments during the current season.
Prince Andrew is a single-figure handicap golf “fanatic” in his own right and he will play a couple of holes with tournament sponsors’ representatives this morning before going out to watch the adult stars of tomorrow in action.
Scotland have three players in the field – Carly Booth (Comrie), the Scottish Under-16 girls champion, James White (Lundin), winner of the Scottish boys’ match-play title back in the spring, and Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) who came out of the blue to win the Scottish Under-18 boys’ open stroke-play title at Alloa during the summer.
White and McAllister were members of the Scotland team who won the boys’ home internationals title at Lossiemouth last month.
Carly, still only 14 but with a + handicap, has flown back from Florida to play in The Duke of York’s event and also next week’s Junior Ryder Cup match at Celtic Manor. Miss Booth is the only British or Irish player in the European team for the Under-16 contest against the United States.
Carly has enrolled on a full scholarship at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Bradenton, Florida. She will return there immediately after the Junior Ryder Cup contest.
Oliver Fisher, the youngest-ever Walker Cup player, won last year’s The Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy at Castletown Links on the Isle of Man. The odds are in favour or England again providing the champion, who can be a girl … the player, of either sex, who returns the lowest gross three-round total will win the trophy.
England have a strong hand of four title-winning boys, including Matthew Nixon who won the British boys, open championship at Balgownie last month, and the English girls’ champion, Rachel Jennings.

But the result of the annual Jacques Leglise Trophy match between Britain & Ireland and the Continent of Europe in the Czech Republic a week or so ago – a crushing win for Europe – confirmed the impression that the best of the current Continental Under-18 players are better than their counterparts in Britain and Ireland.
So the winner of The Duke of York Trophy this week may well turn out to be Austian, Belgian, Germany, Spanish, Swedish or Spanish…. To name only a handful of the 22 countries who are represented in the quality field.

FIFE MEN'S ORDER OF MERIT

2006 FORRESTER PARK FIFE ORDER OF MERIT for
THE MACKAY BOWL

Positions after 23 events

1 Alex Main (Thornton) 650pts.
2 George Murray (Earlsferry Th) 625.
3 David Imrie (Thornton) 555.
4 Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 520.
5 Euan Malcolm (Dunfermline) 480.
6 Scott Michie (Thornton) 455.
7 Stewart Elder (Kirkcaldy) 440.
8 Stuart Meiklejohn (Aberdour) 425.
9 Allan England (Balbirnie Park) 250.
10 Gary Sharp (St Andrews) 235.

*The last counting event in the 2006 FORRESTER PARK FIFE ORDER OF MERIT is the SOUTH EAST DISTRICT OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP at Longniddry this coming Saturday and Sunday.

MEGAN (13), GRAEME BEST NET IN SCOTTISH MIXED

Bruce Smith, chairman of tournament sponsors Paull and Williamsons, with the local couple who had the best net score of 67, off 10, in the Scottish mixed foursomes championship at Deeside Golf Club today - Megan Clyne (Deeside), who had her 13th birthday only a week or two ago, and 18-year-old Graeme Mitchell (Northern).

LADYBANK PRO-AM

DEAN ROBERTSON BACK IN WINNING
FORM TO LIFT £1,025 TOP PRIZE

New Scottish PGA champion Dean Robertson (Czech Design) was back in winning form in the Ladybank Golf Club pro-am today.
Dean picked up the first prize of £1,025 with a five-under-par round of 66.
He birdied the third, fifth, sixth, eightn, 13th and 15th in halves of 32 (four under par) and 34 (one under). He had one bogey, at the 12th.
Robertson won by one shot from Kenny Walker (Castle Park) and Gary McFarlane (Clydebank & District).
Kenny Walker lead the Aitkens Jaguars trio of amateurs, Sandy Aitken (7), George Simpson (13) and Derek Reid (9) to victory in the team event with a 15-under-par net score of 56.
LEADING PROFESSIONALS
Par 71
66 D Robertson (Czech Design).
67 K Walker (Castle Park), G McFarlane (Clydebank & Dist).
68 C Gillies (Kingsfield), C Lee (All Golf Swing Centre).
69 L Barn (Noah’s Ark).
70 C Ronald (Carluke), C Kelly (Cawder).
71 S Cairns (Westerwood), J McKinnon (Irvine).

EUROPEAN SENIOR MASTERS

CARL MASON WINS AT WOBURN

 

Englishman Carl Mason headed overnight leader Horacio Carbonetti with a 69 to a 72 to win the European Senior Masters over the Duke’s Course at Woburn.

Mason won with a seven-under-par total of 209, two shots ahead of Carbonetti.

Sam Torrance made headway on the final day with a 67 for level par 216 and a joint ninth finish.

 

 

LEADING FINAL TOTALS (Par 72)

209 Carl Mason (Eng) 73 67 69.

211 Horacio Carbonetti (Arg) 69 70 72.

212 Eamonn Darcy (Ire) 74 70 68, Giuseppe Cali (Ita) 74 69 69, Jose Rivero (Spa) 66 76 70.

214 Tony Johnstone (Zim) 74 71 69, Bruce Heuchan (Can) 71 73 70.

215 Pete Oakley (US) 69 75 71, Noel Ratcliffe (Aus) 73 69 73.

216 Sam Torrance (Sco) 77 72 67, Bertus Smit (RSA) 73 71 72, Terry Gale (Aus) 72 70 74.

217 Mark James (Eng) 76 74 67, Nick Job (Eng) 78 71 68, Gavan Levenson (SAf) 74 74 69, Bob Cameron (Eng) 76 72 69, Juan Quiros (Spa) 70 77 70, Stewart Ginn (Aus) 71 73 73, Angel Fernandez (Chi) 71 72 74, Rodger Davis (Aus) 71 72 74.

218 Bill Longmuir (Sco) 74 71 73, Martin Gray (Sco) 75 70 73, Glenn Ralph (Eng) 72 71 75.

Other scores:

222 Craig Maltman (Sco) 73 74 75.

225 Mike Miller (Sco) 73 76 76.

230 John Chillas (Sco) 74 73 83.

NEWLANDS TROPHY

BREAKTHROUGH 72-HOLE WIN FOR
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD BYRNE
James Byrne, 17-year-old Great Britain & Ireland boy international from Banchory, scored his first Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit 72-hole tournament win at Lanark Golf Club today.
James, the halfway leader by a clear margin, went on to win by four strokes with scores of 68, 66, 71 and 66 - the par is 70 - for a nine-under-par total of 271.
Chris Orr (Lanark) was second with 71, 67, 73 and 64 for 275.
Two players tied for third place on 280 - Scott Borrowman (Dollar) with 70, 70, 71 and 69 as well as David McMillan (Lanark) 71 69 69 72.

ROSS-SHIRE LEAGUE FINALS

ALNESS WIN HIGHLANG FABRICATORS' CUP

ROBIN WILSON REPORTING

Two members of Alness Golf Club, Colin Munro and Craig Taylor, who played when Alness in 1988 had their only previous success in the Ross –shire Singles League, were again in the line-up when they won the cup for only the second time at Invergordon today, beating the holders, Muir of Ord, in the final.
Alness team captain, Colin Taylor, Craig Taylor and Graham Bowles were unbeaten over the weekend as Alness beat Fortrose & Rosemarkie in the semi-final before lining up against Muir of Ord in the final.
Richard Woods won the last two holes to beat former North youths champion Darren Hexley in the top game. Then Taylor and Bowles brought in the next two points to secure the Highland Fabricators' Cup.
Details:
Alness 3½, Fortrose & Rosemarkie 1½.
R Woods lost to M MacDonald 2&1, C Taylor beat A Brown 1 hole, G Bowles beat R Mackay 3&1, D Stevenson halved with K Gaitens, C P Munro beat B Main 3&1.
Muir of Ord 3, Strathpeffer Spa 2
J Forbes beat M Mackenzie 4&3, D Hexley beat D Morrison 5&4, A Begg lost to M McNab 4&3, B Weatherall beat M. Sloggie 6&5, G. Mellis lost to D. Krzyzanowsk 2 holes.
Final
Alness 4, Muir of Ord 1
Woods beat Hexley 2 holes, Taylor beat Mellis 4&3, Bowles beat Weatherall 2&1, Stevenson lost to Begg 1 hole, Munro beat Forbes 2&1.

SCOTTISH MIXED FOURSOMES

FIONA AND KEVIN MAKE
IT TWO TITLE WINS
OUT OF TWO AT
DEESIDE

Leuchars couple Fiona Lockhart and Kevin Hastie, pictured right, have played in the Scottish open amateur mixed foursomes only twice. They won the title on their debut at Nairn Dunbar four years ago … and toda, at Deeside Golf Club, they maintained their 100 per cent success rate.
The tournament was sponsored by Aberdeen-based solicitors Paull and Williamsons.
Fiona, who works on the Scottish Golf Union staff, has a happy knack of collecting titles. She won the Scottish women’s amateur championship at Cruden Bay last year and, just a few weeks ago, she collected the Scottish women’s foursomes championship in partnership with Elaine Moffat.
Scratch player Fiona, a member of the St Regulus club, St Andrews, and Kevin, a +1 St Andrews GC member, won the Scottish mixed title by three shots with a gross 73 over the Bieldside course.
They looked like they were going to win nothing when they stood three over par on the ninth tee, having bogeyed the third, fifth and seventh. Then Kevin pitched to 2ft to set up a birdie 3 for a two-over-par outward half of 38 – and that was the turning point,.
They bogeyed the 10th but Kevin hit a superb five-iron tee shot and Fiona holed the 4ft putt for a birdie 2 at the 12th. Two further bogeys at the 15th and 16th were followed by a pitch-and-putt birdie 3 at the 17th en route to an inward half of one-over 35.
Playing partners Carol and Alistair Eddie summed up the performance: “Kevin’s short game, his wedge approach shots in particular, was impressive while Fiona holed everything.”
Although Kevin Hastie had not seen the course previously, Fiona played a couple of round over it last summer as member of Scotland’s squad warming up for the European team championship in Sweden.
Twice Ayrshire county champion Lesley Hendry (Routenburn) and Brian Moore, a +2 Largs GC member, were runners-up with a 76 (39-37). A double bogey 6 at the 11th, where Lesley went out of bounds off the tee, plus a bogey-bogey finish after a birdie 3 at 15th cost them the title
The leading handicap award was won by Megan Clyne (Deeside), who had her 13th birthday a week or two ago, and Graeme Mitchell, the +2 Northern GC member who is one of the top under-18 players in the North-east.
Megan and Graeme, with a deduction of 10 (half their combined handicap), had a net 67 to pip Jacolyn Henderson (Deeside) and Nicholas Henderson (Craibstone) by a single shot.
There were some late withdrawals but there was a final field of 48 couples

LEADING SCRATCH
(female player first)
73 F Lockhart (St Regulus) & K Hastie (St Andrews).
76 L Hendry (Routenburn) & B Moore (Largs).
77 J Carthew & G Mackie (Ladybank) (better inward half), S Vass (Tain) & J Russell (Murcar Links), M Clyne (Deeside) & G Mitchell (Northern).
78 J Milne & S Milne (Craigie Hll), J Turner (Mortonhall) & B Mackay (West Linton), M Briggs & M Clark (Kilmacolm).
80 E Farquharson-Black (Deeside) & S Wilson (Forfar), R Copland (Scotscreaig) & A Copland (Carnoustie)..
81 A Smith (Monifieth) & M Thomson (Grange), E Moffat (St Regulus) & G Denholm Mortonhall), A Houson (Dolar) & D Houston (Muckhart), S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) & A Charles (Deeside).
82 M Smith & G Smith (Tain), L McLardy (Murcar Links) & A Imray (Royal Aberdeen).
83 C Eddie (Hazlehead( & A J Eddie (Deeside), F Miller (Carnoustie Ladies) & R Rayner (Carnoustie).
84 J Henderson (Deeside) & N Henderson (Craibstone), C McLoughlin (Gullane) & D Jones (Hawarden), A Clark & D Clark (Duff House Royal).
85 F McMillan (Stirling) & B Liddle (Stirling).
86 M Millership & A Millership (Deeside), F Prouse & L Prouse (Hazlehead), L Whyte (Aberdeen loadies) & G Prise (Murcar Links).
89 M Johnstone & D Johnstone (Northern).
90 E Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) & R Whyte (Deeside), L Murray (Alford) & C Johnstone (Northern), L Smith (Monifieth) & I Smith (Grange), F Fullerton & D Grant (Huntly), M Parkinson (Deeside) & D Parkinson (Edzell).
LEADING HANDICAP
67 M Clyne (Deeside) & G Mitchell (Northern) (10).
68 J Henderson (Deeside) & N Henderson (Craibstone) (16).
71 ½ J Milne & S Milne (Craigie Hill) (16 ½).
73 ½ S Belford (Deeside) & L Clark (Edzell) (17 ½), S Vass (Tain) & J Russell (Murcar Links) (3 ½), F Lockhart (St Regulus) & K Hastie (St Andrews) (+ ½).
74 F McMillan & B Liddle (Stirling) (11).
74 ½ A Smith (Monifieth) & M Thomson (Grange) (6 ½).
75 R Copland (Scotscreaig) & A Copland (Carnoustie) (5), A Houston (Dollar) & D Houston (Muckhart) (6).
76 L Hendry (Routenburn) & B Moore (Largs) (scr), J Turner (Mortonhall) & B Mackay (West Linton) (2).
76 ½ M Millership & A Millership (Deeside) (10 ½), M Smith & G Smith (Tain) (5 ½).
77 L McLardy (Murcar Links) & A Imray (Royal Aberdeen) (5), J Carthew & G Mackie (Ladybank) (scr).
77 ½ S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) & A Charles (Deeside) (3 ½), M Parkinson (Deeside) & D Parkinson (Edzell) (12 ½)..
78 M Briggs & M Clark (Kilmacolm) (scr), C Eddie (Hazlehead) & A J Eddie (Deeside) (5), A Clark & D Clark (Duff House Royal) (6).
78 ½ A Dunnett & B Bell (Newmachar) (12 ½), M Moody (Murcar Links) & R Moody (Deeside) 913) (16 ½).
79 L Smith (Monifieth) & I Smith (Grange) (11), F Fullerton & D Grant (Huntly) (11), E Moffat (St Regulus) & G Denholm (Mortonhall) 2), L Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) & G Prise (Murcar Links) (7), E Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) & R Whyte (Deeside) (11), C Geddes (& G Geddes (Northern) (14).