Royal Aberdeen member makes mark overseas

FROM FINLAND TO CYPRUS
WITH NO NINE-IRON
BUT ANDY WON 36-HOLE
AUDI TOURNAMENT

Aberdonian businessman ANDY FOWLIE , lives and works in Finland as a member of the Nokia staff. He has recently won a 36-hole tournament at Aphrodite Hills, Cyprus, which was the 10th event of the Finnish Audi Tour.
In the first of two or three articles over the next few days, Andy, who is a country member of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club and a former North-east of Scotland youths champion, explains what it was all about.

THE AUDI TOUR
The tour is open to all players in Finland over 30 years of age (at the start of the year) who are members of a Finnish golf club.
The tour itself consists of nine regular 18-hole events at some of Finland's best courses, followed by a final 36-hole event at the end of the season in a somewhat warmer climate. The field is typically having around 30 players of handicap 3 or better so it is a reasonable standard.
At the nine regular events the field is limited to 96 players (balloted on handicap if necessary) and those players in the top 30 places receive points for the order of merit (from 100 pts for a win down to 1pt for 30th).
The top five players in the order of merit after the nine regular events qualify for fully subsidised participation in the final event, those players placed sixth to 15th qualify for partially subsidised participation in the final event, any other Audi Tour players can participate in the final if they are willing to pay the full price.
The final is therefore played between the top players over the whole season and because it is a 36-hole event the points available are doubled (200 for a win, etc). The trip for the final is over seven days and includes time for practice rounds, a few days to focus on golf and being ready for the competition itself.
One exciting thing about the final is that it is covered on TV (the Finnish sports channel) so it is interesting to play with the TV cameras in attendance. The result of this will be a 30min highlights programme which should be aired for the first time in the next couple of weeks.

WHAT THE AUDI TOUR IS NOT
It is important to stress that the Audi Tour final is not an officially sanctioned Finnish Mid-Amateur Championship and the winner cannot be referred to as Finnish Mid-Amateur champion (instead "winner of the final of the Finnish Audi Tour").
Similarly the winner of the order of merit cannot be referred to as the winner of the Finnish Mid-Amateur order of merit (instead "winner of the Finnish Audi Tour order of merit 2006”).
Furthermore, although it is open to members of all Finnish golf clubs, in practice all the events are in the southern half of Finland. Although players from the north could compete, it is not very easy for them to do so due to the distances involved.
There is another tour called the Finnish Mid-Tour which is for players over 35 years of age and that similarly has a number of events during the year but it is not officially sanctioned either.
There are not, to my knowledge, any officially sanctioned events of this kind in Finland, so the best that is available is to win the unofficial competitions.

WHAT DID I ACTUALLY DO?
I won the Audi Tour Final and that put me up to fifth on the order of merit for the whole year. So I was the "winner of the final of the Finnish Audi Tour". More details of that later.

ABOUT THE AUDI TOUR REGULAR SEASON
During the regular season (the nine events in Finland) I had one fourth place, two top-10 finishes, three top-20 finishes and one top-30. I had been playing well for the whole year without quite putting together the good scores that I had been doing in practice and had been threatening a couple of times in tournament situations.
After the nine events I was in 14th place in the order of merit, having been in the top 15 for the whole season.
So I qualified for the final and went there knowing that it was my last chance to produce a result for this year (the Kytäjä courses closed for the year on the day we left for Cyprus).

THE BUILD-UP TO THE FINAL
The week before leaving for Cyprus there was a bit of a setback when my nine-iron snapped while playing at Kytäjä. Despite my best efforts it was not possible to get a matching replacement shaft in time so I ended up playing in Cyprus without a nine-iron, which was not exactly ideal.

THE VENUE
Aphrodite Hills, near to Paphos, is an excellent five-star resort with a golf course, spa and tennis academy.
The golf course was a quite challenging par-71 lay-out with some spectacular holes, notably the intimidating par-3 seventh which was 210m (just over 230yd), all carry over a canyon to a small green.
Also interesting to me were the Bermuda grass fairways which were very different to hit from -the ball spun much more than usual. The course was also a "carts only" course due to there being many hundreds of metres between some greens and the following tees, the occasional canyon to traverse, and the temperature between 25 and 35 degrees Centigrade.
PRACTICE ROUNDS
In the practice rounds I played quite well, especially on the first day at Aphrodite Hills. The week’s golf started very nicely with a birdie at the first which was a good sign for the things to come. I had a 71 that day which was the best score of the day by a few shots.
The highlight from this round was an eagle at the 10th hole where I chipped in. In the other practice rounds I played reasonably well, two or three shots behind the best score of each day, and had a good feeling about my game. The biggest problem for the whole week was my putting, which was pretty bad at times.
BEFORE TOURNAMENT STARTED
One thing which I think was a key factor to playing well in the tournament was to take a day off from golf on the day before it started. It was my plan to have a "rest day" in order to make sure that I was not too physically tired and also was mentally fresh for the tournament itself.
It was quite a difficult thing to do when seeing all the other guys going off to play on the Tuesday but I think that it was a very important decision
TO BE CONTINUED

Euan Little, Scott Henderson, Eric Ramsay and George Murray

ONLY FOUR SCOTS MAKE IT THROUGH
TO EUROPEAN TOUR FINAL Q SCHOOL

Euan Little, Scott Henderson, Eric Ramsay (pictured right) and amateur George Murray were the only Scots to qualify for next week’s European Tour Final Qualifying School over six rounds at San Roque Golf Club on the tip of the Costa del Sol.
The Stage 2 tests at four Spanish venues ended today with the usual crop of heartbreak and near-miss stories.
Let’s start our round-up at the par-70 Costa Ballena where Scott Henderson had been going so well through the first 54 holes.
Oh what a change in the fourth and final round!The Aberdonian slumped to a 76 for 279. He squeezed through in joint 12th place.
One more stroke and he would have been involved in the play-off on 280.
Euan Little from Portpatrick qualified with a bit more to spare than Henderson. Euan closed with a 69 for 276 and joint sixth place behind the winner at this venue, the left-handed Finnish amateur Antti Ahoka who finished on 15-under-par 273. Little earned £150.
Scots who did not make it at Costa Ballena were Graeme Brown from Montrose on 282, Paul McKechnie and Peter Whiteford on 283, Chris Doak and David Patrick on 284.
At Sherry Golf Jerez (par 72), former Scottish amateur champion George Murray, who has not yet turned pro, qualified with one shot to spare with a closing 70 for 284 and a share of 12th place.
Walker Cup youngster Oliver Fisher qualified in joint fourth place on 282, four shots behind the leader, Australian Andrew Tampion.
Scots who did not make it at Sherry Golf Jerez were Graham Fox and Jamie McLeary (both 287), Murray Urquhart (292) and amateur Scott Jamieson (293).
At PGA Catalunya, there were no Scots celebrating in the bar at the close. Walker Cup man Lloyd Saltman, the first round leader with a 65, finished on 285 – one shot too many to be involved in the play-off at this venue.
Former Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Doherty, going well for the first two rounds, eventually sagged with third and fourth rounds of 76 and 78 for 291.
At Emporda (par 70), Eric Ramsay from Carnoustie qualified in joint 10th position after a closing score of 67 for 274. That was one stroke inside the play-off bracket.
Paul Doherty’s older brother Jack suffered the same fate as Paul with a 72 for 285.
SCOREBOARD

EMPORDA
268 (-12) Magnus Carlsson (Swe) 68 68 66 66.
271 Raphael Eyraud (Fra) 67 68 67 69, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 71 69 64 67.
Other qualifiers included:
272 Sean Whiffin (Eng) 66 71 66 69, Robert Dinwiddie (Eng) 66 71 66 70 (jt 4th).
274 Eric Ramsay 69 70 68 67, Adam Gee (Eng) 64 71 71 68, Philip Walton (Ire) 68 70 71 65.
Play-off on 275: Five for four places. Successful in play-off included David Dixon (Eng) and Edward Rush (Eng).
Did not qualify:
274 Jack Doherty 66 78 68 72 (jt 54th).

PGA CATALUNYA
266 (-18) Roope Kakko (Fin) 66 69 65 66.
274 Manuel Quiros (Spa) 68 68 66 72.
277 Liam Bond (Wal) 72 66 70 69.
Other qualifiers included:
282 Ian Keenan (Eng) 71 69 70 72, Richard McEvoy (Eng) 71 69 70 72 (jt 10th).
283 David Porter (Eng) 73 69 75 66, Andrew Raitt (Eng) 68 73 75 67 (jt 15th).
Play-off on 284: Six for three places. Successful players included Graeme Clark (Eng) and (am) James Morrison (Eng).
Did not qualify:
285 (am) Lloyd Saltman 65 78 74 68 (jt 24th).
291 Paul Doherty 67 70 76 78 (jt 41st).

SHERRY GOLF JEREZ
278 (-10) Andrew Tampion (Aus) 66 71 70 71.
280 Steve Surry (Eng) 70 69 71 70.
Other qualifiers included:
282 (am) Oliver Fisher (Eng0 73 67 71 71, Matthew King (Eng) 71 72 69 70 (jt 4th).
W8e Ben Mason (Eng) 69 73 67 74 (jt 8th).
284 (am) Ross McGowan (Eng) 69 73 70 72, (am) George Murray 69 75 70 70 (jt 12th).
Play-off on 285: Four for two places.
Did not qualify:
287 Graham Fox 69 74 72 72, Jamie McLeary 71 72 71 73 (jt 24th).
282 Murray Urquhart 74 75 69 74 (jt 51st).
293 (am) Scott Jamieson 75 73 69 76 (jt 60th).

COSTA BALLENA
273 (-15) (am) Antti Ahokas (Fin) 71 66 68 68.
274 Matthew Richardson (Eng) 70 70 67 70, Paolo Terrini (Ita) 70 64 71 69.
Other qualifiers included:
275 Sean Doherty (Eng) 70 68 69 68 (jt 4th).
276 Euan Little 66 69 72 69 (jt 6th).
279 Scott Henderson 68 69 66 76 (jt 12th).
Play-off on 280: Eight for four places. Successful players included Notah Begay (US) and Daniel Denison (Eng).
Did not qualify:
282 Graeme Brown 69 69 70 74 (jt 28th).
283 Paul McKechnie 72 68 72 71, Peter Whiteford 67 73 70 73 (jt 37th).
284 Chris Doak 74 71 67 72, David Patrick 71 71 70 72 (jt 41st).
294 Alasdair Hay 73 74 71 76.
295 (am) Mark Kerr 71 73 74 77.

Continuing our new Book Review service

STUCK FOR AN IDEA
FOR A PRESENT? WHAT
ABOUT A NOVEL?
Can't think of what to give the man or woman in your life for his or her birthday?
What better than a new book with a golf theme.
Here's one for your literary shopping list:

DOUBLE HIT
by Alec Wright

Published by Book Guilding Publishing.
Hardback: 278 pages, £16.95.

"I listened carefully in case someone out there was in trouble. I heard vague shouts and strange scuffling noises ... Deserted streets at night bred opportunities for villains ..."

Paul Calvert returns to England from Australia under a cloud. His engagement is on the rocks and his career is in tatters. He hopes to rebuild his life in a quiet, charming Dorset village but right from the start he makes enemies when he saves an elderly man from ruthless muggers.

However, he takes a job as assistant secretary of the local country golf club but, even there, he soon discovers that beneath the tranquil veneer of golf club life lie sinister undercurrents, deep-rooted grudges, crooked dealings, blackmail and violence.

Nonetheless, no one could have predicted that even minor resentments between golf club members could lead to murder - and not just one murder at that!

Instead of building an idyllic new life for himself, Paul finds that he too is in mortal danger. Can Paul survive to unmask the killer?

In Double Hit, author Alex Wright weaves a masterful tale - a plot full of twists and turns, romance and setbacks, and full of memorable characters. A gripping read for all whodunit and thriller fans - and for golf enthusiasts too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alec Wright, in his first novel, draws on his experience as a golfer with a single-figure handicap and as captain of a Sussex golf club. A member of the Society of Authors, he has published non-fiction books and articles in professional journals in the UK and the United States. Alec lives in East Sussex.

European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 eliminator

SCOTT HENDERSON TURNS
CLOCK BACK WITH 66
TO SHARE LEAD

Scott Henderson, pictured right, brought back memories of the 1990s when he was European Tour Rookie of the Year with a six-under-par round of 66 to share the lead at the end of the third round at Costa Ballena, one of the four venues for this week’s European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 eliminator.
Henderson has broken 70 in each of three rounds so far and is sitting pretty at 13-under-par 203, sharing the lead at his venue with Englishman Kieran Staunton.
At the end of Saturday’s fourth and final round at Costa Ballena, PGA Catalunya, Emporda and Sherry Golf Jerez, approximately the top 20 at each venue will go forward to next week’s Final Qualifying School at San Roque on the southernmost tip of the Costa del Sol.
Euan Little from Portpatrick (nine-under-par 207) and Graeme Brown from Montrose (eight-under 208) are in joint 15th and 24th places repectively at Costa Ballena. Little just needs to tread water and he is through to next week’s action. Brown needs to improve at least four places.
Out of it at this venue would appear to be Peter Whiteford, even through he is on six-under-par 210, David Patrick, Paul McKechnie and Chris Doak, all on 210. Whiteford is joint 36th and the others sharing 47th place.
At Sherry Golf Jerez, there are no Scots in the leading 20 after three rounds. Jamie McLeary (214) in a share of 26th place is the closest to being on the fringe of contention.
At PGA Catalunya, Paul Doherty didn’t do his prospects much good with a third-round 76 for level par 213. He is sharing 15th place. But Walker Cup man Lloyd Saltman has slipped after an opening 65 to 78 and 74 for four-over 217 and his hopes have all but gone unless he produces something special in the last round.
At Emporda, Eric Ramsay (jt 18th on 207) has a chance of making the top 20 but Jack Doherty (212) looks as though the chance has gone for another year.

SCOREBOARD

EMPORDA
(Par 70: Leading 20 to qualify)
201 (-9) Simon Lilly (Eng) 66 70 65.
202 Marcus Both (Australia) 69 68 65, Magnus Carlsson (Swe) 68 68 66, Raphael Eyraud (Fra) 67 68 67.
203 Robert Dinwiddie (Eng) 66 71 66, Michele Reale (Ita) 65 68 70, Sean Whiffin (Eng) 66 71 66.
Scots’ scores:
207 Eric Ramsay 69 70 68 (jt 18th).
212 Jack Doherty 68 74 70 (jt 43rd).
PGA CATALUNYA
(Par 71: Leading 20 to qualify)
200 (-13) Roope Kakko (Fin) 66 69 65.
202 Manuel Quiros (Spa)68 68 66.
Scots scores:
213 Paul Doherty 67 70 76 (jt 15th).
217 (am) Lloyd Saltman 65 78 74 (jt 35th).
221 Barry Hume 74 74 73 (jt 53rd).
COSTA BALLENA
(Par 72: Leading 20 to qualify).
203 (-13) Scott Henderson (Sco) 68 69 66, Kieran Staunton (Eng) 67 69 67.
Other Scots scores:
207 Euan Little 66 69 72 (jt 15th).
208 Graeme Brown 69 69 70 (jt 24th).
210 Peter Whiteford 67 73 70 (jt 36th).
212 David Patrick 71 71 70, Paul McKechnie 72 68 72, Chris Doak 74 71 67 (jt 47th).
218 Alasdair Hay 73 74 71, (am) Mark Kerr 71 73 74 (jt 73rd).
SHERRY GOLF JEREZ
(Par 72: Leading 19 to qualify).
205 (-11) Raphael de Sousa (Swi) 72 67 66.
207 Andrew Tampion (Australia) 66 71 70.
Other scores:
211 (am) Oliver Fisher (Eng) 73 67 71.
214 Jamie McLeary 71 72 71, (am) George Murray 69 75 70 (jt 26th).
215 Graham Fox 69 74 72 (jt 35th).
217 (am) Scott Jamieson 75 73 69 (jt 56th).
218 Murray Urquhart 74 75 69 (jt 61st).
Withdrew: Greig Hutcheon 73 79 -.

Well done, Laurie, Michael and Ross!

CRUDEN BAY TRIO FINISH JOINT FOURTH IN EUROPEAN CLUB
CUP TOURNAMENT ON CORFU

Scotland, represented by Cruden Bay’s Laurie Phillips, Michael Buchan and Ross Cooper (pictured in that order on the right), finished a very creditable joint fourth of 24 in the European Club Cup team golf tournament over three rounds on the Greek island of Corfu.
The Cruden Bay trio, who won the Scottish club title for a second time in three years to qualify for the European final, had an aggregate of 444, 18 shots behind the winners, Germany’s St Leon-Rot Golf Club, who won by four shots from runners-up Kilworth Springs Golf Club from England.
Ireland’s Galway Golf Club (454) finished 10th and Wales (Llandudno Golf Club) 19th on 475.
English Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme tied with young German Sean Einhaus for the individual title. They both totalled four-under-par 212.
Michael Buchan was the leading Scot in 11th place on 224 with Laurie Phillips, who had two double bogeys in a final round 81, finishing joint 18th on 227 and Ross Coooper 32nd on 234 in a field of 72 players..
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
426 Germany. 430 England. 437 Finland. 444 Scotland, Portugal. 446 Turkey. 448 Iceland. 451 Italy, 453 Denmark. 454 Ireland. 455 France. 456 Switzerland. 459 Spain. 461 Czech Rep, Slovenia. 462 Belgium,. 463 Netherlands. 474 Poland. 475 Wales. 477 Israel. 478 Estonia. 493 Greece. 501 Croatia. 507 Luxembourg.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
212 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 71 68 73, S Einhaus (Ger) 72 67 73.
Other totals:
218 D Stevens (Eng) 74 71 73 (7th).
224 M Buchan (Sco) 72 78 74 (11th).
227 L Phillips (Sco) 73 73 81 (jt 18th).
230 S Keenan (Ire) 79 73 78 (jt 23rd).
231 S Mayfield (Eng) 75 76 80 (26th).
232 J Lyons (Ire) 77 77 78 (27th).
234 R Cooper (Sco) 81 78 75 (32nd).
235 D Scully (Ire) 73 86 76 (jt 34th).
239 A Hanson (Wal) 82 74 83 (jt 43rd).
245 H Williams (Wales) 81 89 75 (jt 55th).
250 G Marfell (Wal) 85 80 85 (61st).

Reports from America indicate PGA of America choice for 2008

PAUL AZINGER TO BE UNITED STATES'
NEXT RYDER CUP CAPTAIN

According to reports coming out of America, Paul Azinger, pictured right, has been offered and accepted the captaincy of the United States team in the next Ryder Cup match- at Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville in 2008.
Nick Faldo, Azinger’s fellow TV commentator, will, of course, skipper the European team.
Azinger, winner of the US PGA championship, played in four Ryder Cup contests. His record is: Played 12 ties, won 5, lost 7, halved 3. He never lost a singles tie.
Paul has recovered from lymphoma in his left shoulder, diagnosed in the early 1990s.
Europe has won the last three Ryder Cup contests, including record margins of 18 ½-9 ½ in the last two.
"The bottom line is the players have to perform," Azinger said last week. "And you have to have players that are playing well enough to get it done. If you have a team that's running cold against a team that's running blazing hot, then you have to look at the system to determine how you can change the system to get the best players – the hottest players – on your team at that event.”

Proposal to merge executive committee with board

SGU CLUBS TO DISCUSS STANCE
ON GOVERNANCE
REVIEW PROPOSALS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

The way Scottish men’s amateur golf is governed will be on the agenda when representatives of all 16 areas affiliated to the Scottish Golf Union meet at Falkirk Golf Club on Sunday, December 3.
“Stirlingshire Golf Union has facilitated a meeting of all the areas to discuss the Governance Review,” said John Elliott, the Stirlingshire secretary.
The Governance Review is a report submitted earlier this year by an independent working group, chaired by Sir Craig Reedie and commissioned by the Scottish Golf Union to look at how the governing body of men’s amateur golf in Scotland could be made to function better than it does at the moment.
One of their recommendations is that the existing board of seven and the 16-strong executive council (one from each area) should be unified into an enlarged board of 12
Under that proposal the 16 areas would have only two representatives in total. The three other positions on the revamped board would be filled by the SGU president and vice-president and the chief executive.
Representatives of the 16 areas have to decide, by early in the New Year, whether to adopt any or all of the working group’s recommendations.
Indications are that at least some of the areas will come out strongly in favour of retaining the traditional 16-strong executive committee format.
As one area official commented: “Do they really expect the executive to vote for its own demise? It’s like asking a turkey to vote for Christmas!”
But SGU president Gordon McInnes, pictured above, says: “I believe these proposed changes would enable the Union to continue to attract able and committed volunteers to assist in the governance of our affairs in the future.”

Past president of Scottish Golf Union and North District

DEATH OF DR GEORGE GORMLEY

Dr George D Gormley, JP, a past president of both the Scottish Golf Union and the North District of the SGU, died this morning (November 3) at Dr Gray's Hospital, Elgin where he was admitted about a month ago.
Dr Gormley was also a long-standing member (more than 40 years) and past captain of Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth.
George was made an honorary president of the SGU after serving as President from 1995 to 1997. He was instrumental in Moray Golf Club being invited to stage the men's home internationals and the Scottish amateur championship in the 1990s.
He was an independent councillor for Lossiemouth West Ward on the Moray Council from 2002-2003 when he retired.
The funeral service will be held at Mortlach Parish Church, Dufftown at 1.30pm on Thursday, November 9. The interrment will be conducted at Mortlach Cemetery.

NGA Professional Tour Winter Series

BARNARD EARNS $300 IN FLORIDA
EVENT IT COST $850 TO ENTER!

Banchory’s Mark Barnard had rounds of 72, 74 and 80 for a total of 10-over-par 226 to finish last of the 33 qualifiers for the final round of the NGA Professional Tour Winter Series opening tournament over the LPGA Legends Course at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Barnard, a young professional attached to Slaley Hall Golf Club, earned $300 from an event which cost $850 to enter as a non-member.
Barnard’s travelling companion, Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo Golf Centre), failed to beat the 36-hole cut.
The $10,000 first prize was won by four strokes by American Theodore Potter with an 11-under-par total of 205 (69-67-69).
Englishman Paul Curry finished joint eighth on 212 (73-71-68) and earned $2,185.
Barnard and Cormack – in Florida to play in six events in all up to the middle of December – are next in action at the LPGA Champions Course on Tuesday when the next tournament in the series starts.

Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance news

TOP 50 IN SCRATCH AND HANDICAP ORDERS
OF MERIT AFTER FIVE EVENTS

By DUNCAN IRELAND

Listed below are the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance Scratch and Handicap Orders of Merit after five events
Information about the Tappit Hen pro-am/am-am at Haddington on November 8 will be sent over the weekend but I still need more players.
If you're interested then please let me know ASAP. It will be almost impossible to just turn up "on spec" as usual so if want to play then please contact me without delay.
SCRATCH ORDER OF MERIT
After five events
1 N Colquhoun (p) 267pt
2 M Thomson 260.50.
3 S Grieve (t) 243.
4 A Dunsmore (p) 233.
5 A Marshall (p) 229.50.
6 R Harrower (p) 228.50.
7 S Lamb (p) 224.50.
8 S Doyle 213.
9 T Buchanan 197.50.
10 A MacKenzie (t) 193.50.
11 R Johnston 186.
12 A Oldcorn (p) 180.
13 C Imlah (p) 176.
14 C Morris (p) 169.50.
15 J Kerr 168.
16 O Leslie (p) 164.50.
17 A Strang ( p) 162.50.
18 C Fraser 156.50.
19 A Anderson 154.50.
20 I A Fraser 152.75.
21 A Rothney 142.50.
22 D P Miller 136.50.
23 R Neill (t) 135.50.
24 T Wilson 133.
25 G Wither 131.50.
26 M Louden 129.
27 N Forsyth 128.50.
28 A Wight 128.
29 G Cook (p) 126.
30 S Watson 116.
31 C McLachlan 114.
32 S Rosie (p) 114.
33 J White 112.50.
34 J McGhee 106.
35 A McLean (p) 104.
36 R Cameron 101.50.
36 G Walker (p) 100.50.
38 K Glen (t) 98.50.
39 H Cartmill 97.
40 A Culverwell 95.50.
41 D Fish 89.
42 D Graham 88.50.
43 J Archibald 87
44 G Davidson 87.
45 C Smith (p) 85.50.
46 A McLennan 85.
47 P Terras (p) 85.
48 W Laing 80.50.
49 M Bonas 78.
50 E Bird 77.

HANDICAP ORDER OF MERIT
After five events.
1 S Doyle 101.
2 T Flaherty 72.50.
3 J Kerr 63.80.
4 A McLennan 45.40.
5 H Cartmill 40.90.
6 I A Fraser 39.20.
7 D Ferguson 37.
8 A Anderson 36.80.
9 A Wight 35.50.
10 S Watson35.40.
11 P Sewell 34.
12 G Wither 32.50.
13 A Rothney 31.50.
14 A Devlin 31.
15 R Cameron 30.90.
16 C McLachlan 30.
17 E Bird 28.60.
18 C Fraser 28.20.
19 N Forsyth 28.
20 J White 28.
21 M D Graham 25.90.
22 A Robertson 25.80.
23 D Meldrum 25.
24 R Clapperton 24.40.
25 W Forsyth 24.
26 M McEwan 23.80.
27 S Brown 23.50.
28 W Laing 23.30.
29 J Lowe 22.80.
30 S Downing 22.40.
31 D Hume 21.
32 D Miller 21.
33 B Smith 20.
34 D P Miller 19.90.
35 R Johnsdon 19.50.
36 W Forton 19.50.
37 M Bonas 19.30.
38 D Anderson 19.
39 T Lewis 19.
40 J Masterton 19.
41 S Walker 18.5.
42 J Wilson 18.50.
43 W Marr 18.
44 K Liddle 17.50.
45 G Grieve 17.30.
46 A Robson 17.
47 J Aitken 15.5.
48 G D Johnson 15.50.
49 J Wardrop 15.5.
50 K Bisset 15.
51 C Munro 15.

+If you appreciate Scottishgolfview.com's service of news and scores from the North, North-east, Midland and Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliances, tell your friends so that they can share your enjoyment.

BBC TV SPORTS PERSONALITY 2006

VOTE FOR RICHIE RAMSAY!

The nominations for BBC TV + Radio Sports Personality 2006 have opened on the BBC Sport website.
Nominations from the public will be accepted up to November 15.
The final 10 nominations will be chosen by a panel to go forward to telephone/text voting during the television show from the NEC Birmingham on the evening of December 10.
Scottishgolfview.com feels that Richie Ramsay, the first Scot to win the United States amateur golf championship for more than 100 years deserves your vote.
For details of how to nominate Richie, log on to:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/6080190.stm

Day 2 in European Tour Q School Stage 2 events

SALTMAN SLIPS DOWN TO JOINT 26TH
AFTER FOLLOWING UP 65 WITH 78

Walker Cup man Lloyd Saltman from Craigielaw fell off his pedestal on the second day of the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 event at PGA Catalunya, one of four Spanish venues being used for the 72-hole tests.
The top 20 (approximately) after four rounds at each centre will go forward to the Final Q School at San Roque on the Costa del Sol from November 9 to 14.
Saltman’s standard of performance deteriorated by 13 shots in 24 hours. On Wednesday, golf was the easiest game in the world as he shot a 65 to lead a field of would-be pros. Today he toiled for an 78 and his 143 aggregate has dropped him to a share of 26th place.
At the same venue, former Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Doherty from South Wales is fiddling away in a share of fourth place at PGA Catalunya. Paul has had scores of 67 and 70 for five-under-par 137 and he is sharing fourth place.
Past Scottish amateur champion Barry Hume looks out of it here with a pair of 74s for a share of 58th place on 148.
Euan Little from Portpatrick is sharing fourth place at Costa Ballena after scores of 66 and 69 for 135. He’s two shots off the hot pace being set by Sweden’s Per Barth.
Former European Tour Rookie of the Year Scott Henderson is sharing eighth place here after scores of 69 and 69 for 137 – one shot ahead of Montrose man Graeme Brown with a pair of 69s.
Not so well placed are Paul McKechnie and Peter Whiteford in a share of 39th place on 140 while David Patrick (142), amateur Mark Kerr (144), Chris Doak (145) and mystery Scot Alasdair Hay (147) look out of it at the halfway stage.
Carnoustie’s Eric Ramsay is a borderline case meantime at Emporda whereis he sharing 23rd place on 139 after scores of 69 and 70.
Paul Doherty’s big brother Jack fell from grace here with a 78 – 12 shots worse than his opening round – and he is sharing 64th place on 144.
At Sherry Golf Jerez, Graham Fox and Jamie McLeary are in contention with 36 holes to go as they share 21st place on 143. Amateur George Murray is sharing 30th place on 144.
At this venue, it does not look good for amateur Scott Jamieson (148), Murray Urquhart from Inverness on 149 and Greig Hutcheon on 152. The Peterculter man had a bad day at the office with a 79.
SCOREBOARDS
(Approximately leading 20 at each venue will go forward to Final Q School at San Roque after four rounds).
SHERRY GOLF JEREZ
137 (-7) Andrew Tampion (Aus) 66 71, Julien Xantopoulos (Fra) 68 69.
139 Raphael De Sousa Swi) 72 67, Travis Johnson (US) 70 69, Anders Sjostrand (Swe) 69 70, Steve Surry (Eng) 70 69.
Other scores (Scots unless stated):
140 (am) Oliver Fisher (Eng) 73 67 (jt 7th)…
143 Graham Fox 69 74, J McLeary 71 72 (jt 21st).
144 (am) George Murray 69 75 (jt 30th).
148 (am) Scott Jamieson 75 73 (jt 63rd).
149 M Urquhart 74 75 (jt 69th).
152 G Hutcheon 73 79 (80th).
COSTA BALLENA
133 (-11) Per Barth (Swe) 74 69.
134 Ally Mellor (Eng) 67 67, Paolo Terreni (Ita) 70 64.
135 Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 67 68, Euan Little (Sco) 66 69, Miguel Rodriguez (Arg) 63 72.
Other scores:
137 Scott Henderson 68 69 (jt 8th).
138 Graeme Brown 69 69 (jt 20th).
140 Paul McKechnie 72 68, Peter Whiteford 67 73 (jt 39th).
142 David Patrick 71 71 (jt 54th).
144 (am) Mark Kerr 71 73 (jt 70th).
145 Chris Doak 74 71 (jt 73rd).
147 Alasdair Hay 73 74 (jt 79th).
EMPORDA
133 (-7) Michele Real (Ita) 65 68.
134 Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 65 69.
135 Carlos del Moral (Spa) 65 70, Raphael Eyraud (Fra) 67 68, Adam Gee Eng) 64 71.
Other scores:
139 Eric Ramsay 69 70 (jt 23rd).
144 Jack Doherty 66 78 (jt 64th).
PGA CATALUNYA
135 (-7) Roope Kakko (Fin) 66 69.
136 Mikko Korhonen(Fin) 69 67, Manuel Quiros (Spa) 68 68.
137 Paul Doherty (Sco) 67 70, Tuomas Tuovinen (Fin) 69 69.
Other scores:
143 (am) Lloyd Saltman 65 78 (jt 26th).
148 Barry Hume 74 74 (jt 58th).

Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance competition

NEW BOY MELDRUM PREVENTS OLDCORN
HAT-TRICK AT BATHGATE

By DUNCAN IRELAND
A field of 96 played in the Professional’s Trophy meeting of the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance at Bathgate Golf Club.
An hour’s delay due to early morning frost meant that not everyone managed to get round in daylight but there is not much that can be done about that.
We must send best wishes to Peter Ritchie who had to be taken to hospital after standing on part of an old railing and getting a spike through his foot.
Hopefully, Peter will be back with us soon.
Congratulations are due to a very new member. David Meldrum (Prestonfield), on winning the Professional’s Trophy. David’s net 69 off 12 just managed to prevent Andrew Oldcorn from winning his third event of the season. David pipped the professional on the better back nine countback.

LEADING SCRATCH SCORES
69 A Oldcorn (King’s Acre) p (£100).
71 N Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) p, S Grieve (King’s Acre) p, S Lamb (unatt) p (£60 each).
72 C Imlah (Peebles) p (£20).
73 A Marshall (Houston GR) p, J McGhee (Turnhouse) t (£20 trainee pro prize), G Wither (Lothianburn).
74 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar), A Mackenzie (Liberton) t, J Strachan (Shotts) p, A Strang (Rothco Mortgages) p.
75 D P Miller (Murrayfield, R Neill (West Lothian) t.
76 G Cook (Prestonfield) p, R Harrower (Cardrona) p, J Kerr (Deer Park), C Morris (Kingsknowe) p, M Thomson (Cardrona).
77 T Buchanan (Duddingston) t, A Dunsmore (Bathgate) p, C Fraser (Peebles), D MacMullen (Dalmahoy) p, S Rosie (Linlithgow) p, S Walker (Ratho Park).
78 M Bonas (Pumpherston), H Cartmill (Bathgate), S Doyle (Liberton), A McLennan (Deer Park), R Noon (Longniddry).
79 I A Fraser (Duddingston), R Grant (Baberton), R Johnston (Glenbervie), C McLachlan (Glenbervie).
80 D Fish (Glenbervie), W Forsyth (Peebles),S Watson (Dundas Park),T Wilson (Glenbervie).

LEADING HANDICAP SCORES
69 D Meldrum (Prestonfield) (12) (overall winner) (£100 voucher).
70 W Forsyth (Peebles) (10) (£80 voucher).
72 J Kerr (Deer Park) (4), A McLennan (Deer Park) (6), G Wither (Lothianburn) (1) (£40 voucher each).
73 H Cartmill (Bathgate) (5), T Lewis (West Lothian) (11) (£20 voucher senior prize), D P Miller (Murrayfield) (2).
74 S Doyle (Liberton) (4), T Flaherty (Gullane) (10), R Grand (Baberton) (5), G Grieve (Torphin) (7), S Walker (Ratho Park) (3), J Wilson (Niddry Castle) (11).
75 A Culverwell (Dunbar) (+1), W Marr (West Lothian) (10), C McLachlan (Glenbervie) (4), S Wardlaw (Harburn) (11), S Watson (Dundas Park) (5).
76 M Bonas (Pumpherston) (2), S Brown (Glencorse) (6), S Cameron (Peebles) (12), B Falconer (Glenbervie) (6), C Fraser (Peebles) (1), I A Fraser (Duddingston) (3), W Laing (Prestonfield) (5), E MacMorran (Glenbervie) (8).

Scottish champions in top 10 on island of Corfu

CRUDEN BAY TRIO 8th OF 24
IN EURO CLUB CUP
WITH ONE ROUND TO GO

Scotland’s representatives – Cruden Bay’s Michael Buchan, Laurie Phillips and Ross Cooper – start the final round of the European Club Cup tournament in eighth place in a field of 24 nations on the Greek island of Corfu.
Under the best two from three individual scores to count for each team daily, Buchan, Phillips (pictured right) and Cooper totalled 145 on the first day but slipped back with a team score of 151 today (Thursday) for a 36-hole aggregate of 296.
Leaders with 283 are Germany, one shot ahead of England’s trio, who include veteran Walker Cup player Guy Wolstenholme.
Ireland (306) are in 14th place and Wales (321) 21st.

TEAM TOTALS AFTER 36 HOLES
284 Germany. 284 England. 288 Iceland. 289 Finland, Portugal, 292 Turkey. 294 Italy. 296 Scotland. 300 Denmark. 301 Spain. 302 France. 304 Netherlands, Slovenia. 306 Ireland. 307 Switzerland. 308 Belgium. 309 Czech Rep. 312 Estonia. 314 Poland. 315 Israel. 321 Wales. 324 Greece, Luxembourg. 332 Croatia.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
139 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 71 68, S Einhaus (Ger) 72 67.
Other scores:
145 D Stevens (Eng) 74 71 (9th).
146 L Phillips (Sco) 73 73, A Hanson (Wal) 82 74 (jt 14th).
150 M Buchan (Sco) 72 78 (21st).
151 S Mayfield (Eng) 75 76 (24th).
152 S Keenan (Ire) 79 73 (26th).
154 J Lyons (Ire) 77 77.
159 R Cooper (Sco) 81 78, D Scully (Ire) 73 86 (jt 52nd).
165 G Marfel (Wal) 85 80 (63rd).
170 H Williams (Wal) 81 89 (69th).

PGA SCOTTISH REGION FINAL TABLE 2006

DEAN ROBERTSON CAPS TARTAN
TOUR DEBUT SEASON
BY WINNING MONEY TITLE

Former European Tour player Dean Robertson’s first season on the Tartan Tour was an outstanding one. Not only did he win the Scottish PGA championship at Gleneagles and come second to Greig Hutcheon in the Order of Merit, Dean also finished up as the PGA Scottish Region’s leading money-winner.
Robertson, pictured on right with the Scottish professional championship trophy, pipped Stirling’s Craig Lee by just over £200 for the No 1 spot with a total of £28,751, gained in 45 competitions.
Lee amassed £28,542 from 49 outings.
Third-placed Colin Gillies added added £28,070 to the career total (now £428,035) which makes him the Tartan Tour’s leading all-time money winner.
This year’s top 20 were (number of competitions in brackets):

1 Dean Robertson (Czech Design) £28,751 (45).
2 Craig Lee (All Golf Swing Centre) £28,542 (49).
3 Colin Gillies (Kingsfield) £28,070 (63).
4 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) £22,946 (33).
5 Craig Ronald (Carluke) £20,604 (50).
6 Ross Drummond (Prestwick Driving Range) £20,316 (53).
7 Greig Hutcheon (Peterculter) £20,299 (26).
8 Mark Loftus (Cowglen) £17,189 (53).
9 Chris Doak (unattached) £16,591 (20).
10 Mark King (Kingsfield) £16,024 (67).
11 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) £15,912 (45).
12 Gary McFarlane (Milngavie) £15,532 (58).
13 Kenny Walker (Castle Park) £15,353 (46).
14 Chris Kelly (Cawder) £15,300 (36).
15 James McKinnon (Irvine) £14,830 (44).
16 Samuel Cairns (Westerwood) (14,563 (44).
17 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range) £14,484 (46).
18 David Orr (East Renfrewshire) £13,612 (31).
19 Murray Urquhart (Inverness) £12,533 (19).
20 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) £12,120 (48).

European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 events in Spain

LLOYD SALTMAN LEADS THE WAY
WITH A 65 AT PGA CATALUNYA
Walker Cup player Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), not considered in good enough form to be part of Scotland's team of three in the recent Eisenhower Trophy tournament, was the best placed Scot at the end of the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 events at four venues in Spain.
Lloyd, pictured on right, led the way at PGA Catalunya with a great round of six-under-par 65.
Also at this venue, Paul Doherty is bang in contention - if he can maintain his position - for one of the 20 or so qualifying places at the Final Q School at San Roque from November 9 to 14.
Paul had a 67.
Former Scottish amateur champion Barry Hume, who campaigns on the Asian Tour, looks out of it, even this early, with a 74.
At Emporda Golf Club, Adam Gee (England), Stephan Scahill (NZ) and Erik Stenman (Finland) set a hot pace with six-under-par 64s.
Jack Dohderty is sharing eighth place on 66 while Eric Ramsay from Carnoustie is tied for 37th spot after a one-under 69.
At Costa Ballena Golf Club, Miguel Rodriguez (Argentina) had the lowest score of the day at all four venues - a nine-under-par 63. Even that gave him only a one-stroek lead from Per Barth of Sweden.
Euan Little had a 66 and Peter Whiteford a 67. Scott Henderson is sharing 15th place with a 68 and Graeme Brown from Montrose is tied for 21st spot on 69.
Edinburgh players Mark Kerr (still an amateur) and David Patrick are sharing 47th place on 71. Alasdair Hay, reputed to be a Scot,k had a 73 while former Northern Open champion Chris Doak will be very disappointed to open with a 74 and be back in a share of 77th place.
At Sherry Golf Jerez, Australian amateur Andrew Tampion - who has played in the Tennant Cup - is setting the pace with a 66.
Graham Fox and amateur George Murray are sharing fifth place on 69. Jamie McLeary is tied for 25th place with a 71.
Peterculter's Greig Hutcheon has a bit of ground to make up after a 73 for a share of 47th place.
Murray Urquhart from Inverness - with Chris Campbell (Carnegie Club) as his caddie - is tied for 60th place after a 74.
Amateur Scott Jamieson, a member of the Scotland team who finished joint sixth in the Eisenhower Trophy, had a 75.

NGA PRO TOUR WINTER SERIES OPENER

BARNARD MAKES FLORIDA CUT
BUT CORMACK MISSES OUT

North-east player Mark Barnard made the cut with rounds of 72 and 74 for 146 and a share of 23rd place with one round to go in the NGA Professional Tour Winter Series’ opening tournament over the LPGA Legends Course at Daytona Beach, Florida.
But his fellow-traveller from Scotland, Paul Cormack, attached to Inchmarlo Golf Centre, missed out with 78 and 79 for 79th place in a field of 106 players on 157.
Barnard, also from Banchory, playing out of Slaley Hall Golf Club, is 10 shots behind the four-shot leader, American Theodore Potter (69-67 for eight-under-par 136).
Englishman Paul Curry is in joint 13th place with 73 and 71 for 144.
Barnard and Cormack are in Florida to play in the first six events of the NGA Winter Series. They will come home in mid-December.

Aberdeen hotelier recalls Indian teenager's 1986-87 visits

VOLVO MASTERS WINNER JEEV MILKA
SINGH IS A DOUG SANDERS "OLD BOY"

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Jeev Milka Singh, the Indian golfer who won the Volvo Masters at Valderrama on Sunday, could not afford a decent pair of golf shoes when he came to Aberdeen 20 years ago!
Jeev, pictured right, played in the 1986 and 1987 Doug Sanders world boys championships, a tournament that was hosted by Aberdeen for the best part of 20 years.
Aberdeen hotelier Stewart Spence was chairman of the organising committee. He has fond memories of the Indian lad.
“He arrived for the 1986 championship at Hazlehead with no golf shoes worthy of the name but after the story appeared in the Press and Journal, we had six pairs donated,” recalls Stewart.
“Jeev’s father was an officer in the Indian Army and he and his brother caddied for the officers at their golf club in the north of India. The two borthers had only one pair of golf shoes between them so both couldn’t play in tournaments at the same time.
“When he arrived in Aberdeen 20 years ago at the age of 16 – with a moustache! – his golf shoes, to be it nicely, were past it and had to be put in the bucket. Eventually, he played in one of the 300 pairs of golf shoes that Doug Sanders had in his collection. If I remember correctly, they were pink!
“Jeev returned in the summer of 1987 to play again in the Doug Sanders world boys championship in Aberdeen. He was a really, really lovely guy, so polite and mannerly.
“Many of the young boys who came over to play in the Doug Sanders world boys championship went on to make their mark as top tour professionals. Adam Scott, the Australian, was just one of a long list. Another Australian, Aaron Badley, who had been over here as well, won a tournament in the United States the same week as Jeev made his breakthrough in China several years ago.
“I still make a point of reading the scores from all the world golf circuits to see how the Doug Sanders ‘old boys’ are getting on. Great memories indeed.”

Later news: You can still play golf over the links near Fochabers

SPEY BAY CATERING CLOSED TO PUBLIC,
NE ALLIANCE SWITCHED TO BUCKPOOL

The November 22 North-east Alliance competition arranged for Spey Bay has been switched to Buckpool - but the Spey Bay course remains open to the public, said a spokeswoman later (on Thursday).
"I have been informed that the Spey Bay building has been condemned by the local authorities with regard to providing catering facilities" said Alliance secretary Ron Menzies.
"I was offered changing room facilities but without catering and declined. Buckpool Golf Club is delighted to have us on November 22 - and we shall still be returning to Buckpool in the second half of the season."
The closure of Spey Bay's hotel-restaurant-clubhouse building to the public is another step in the decline of what was once a famous links.
Neil Hobday's company had American investors prepared to put up money to restore Spey Bay to its former glory but because things were moving so slowly, they eventually pulled the plug on the project.
Edinburgh-based Mr Hobday, by the way, is now the project manager for Donald Trump's long-awaited hotel-villas-golf course development on the Menie Estate between Aberdeen and Ellon.
The good news is that although he cannot have a meal before or after your round you can still play golf over the Spey Bay links.
Fears that the classic short but testing links near Fochabers might be abandoned and soon revert to nature have been dispelled. According to a spokeswoman, a three-strong greenkeeping staff will continue to maintain the course.

MIDLAND GOLFERS' ALLIANCE MEETING

KENNY HUTTON WINS WITH A 66
AT KIRRIEMUIR

Winner of today's Midland Golfer's Alliance meeting, sponsored by Jolly's Hotel, Broughty Ferry, at Kirriemuir Golf Club was Downfield professional Kenny Hutton.
The Muir of Ord man, pictured right, had a fine score of two-under-par 66. He covered the last four holrs in two-under-par to win by two shots from fellow professionals Steve Craig (Edinburgh Leisure), Brian Mason (Drumoig) and Jamie Stevenson (Braehead).
Joint winners of the handicap prize were Douglas Mitchell (Panmure) and Derek Adams (Carnoustie) with net scores of 66.
Winners of the Jolly's Hotel team competition were Steve Craig (Edinburgh Leisure), Jim Wilson (Dunfermline) and Ron Keir (Lundin) with a score of 58.

LEADING SCRATCH
66 K Hutton (Downfield) p.
68 S Craig (Edinburgh Leisure) p, B Mason (Drumoig) p, J Stevenson (Braehead) p.
70 D Mitchell (Panmure), R Bell (Downfield).
71 C Knowles (Murrayshall) ap.
LEADING HANDICAP
66 D Mitchell (Panmure), D Adams (Carnoustie).
67 F McKay (Drumoig).
68 B Liddle (St Andrews), D Redford (Murrayshall), K Egan (Downfield).
70 A Saunders (Monifieth), M Niven (Alloa), I Mitchell (Downfield).

Jolly's Hotel Broughty Ferry Team Competition
58 S. Craig (Edinburgh Leisure) p, J Wilson (Dunfermline), R Keir (Lundin).
60 F McKay (Drumoig), J Milne (Drumoig), D Seivwright (Drumoig) (better inward half), D Gillespie (Strathmore), A Saunders (Monifieth), W Miller (Monifieth) (better inward half).

Qualifiers for the championship at Monifieth in April:
J Stevenson (Braehead) p, D Mitchell (Panmure), R Bell (Downfield).

Midland Golfer’s Alliance Grant’s Promotions Pro-Am
St. Andrews Bay Wednesday, November 8
TWO-TEE START
8.30 S. Carruthers M. Niven D. Cameron R. Bell
8.30 N. McGill D. Vicary J. Kemp B. Crombie

8.38 B. Mason D. Mason I. Mason A. Mason
8.38 J. Black R. Ford D. Roberts A. Sharp

8.46 B. Smith I. McMurray T. Devaney T. Anderson
8.46 C. Mackie N. Henderson J. Brown R. Redpath

8.54 G. McLeod M. Brown J. Roy A. Saunders
8.54 S. Smith J. Gray K. MacKenzie A. Lindsay

9.02 C. Nugent B. Black R. DeRose T. McKenna
9.02 G. Tough J. Todd R. Thorley C. Purvey

9.10 J. Stevenson J. McCormack I. Mitchell C. Gowrie
9.10 A. Reid J. Meddicks D. Redford L. Irvine

9.18 J. Philp I. Logie S. Reith K. Smith
9.18 D. Mitchell G. Paton W. Miller J. Meikle

9.26 R. Walker M. Fraser K. Fraser S. Herd
9.26 S. Martin D. Adams A. Herd J. Cree

9.34 E. Malcolm R. Malcolm R. Pennycook D. Black
9.34 D. Holloway P. Callander B. Beaumont F. Thomson

9.42 S. Wilson (Forfar) D. Smith G. Mitchell T. Watson
9.42 D. Chillas R. Taylor G. McCartney E. Starritt

9.50 L. Vannet G. Vannet F. Johnstone J. Muir
9.50 J. Miller G. Gillespie W. Crosbie R. Baldie

9.58 F. MacKay J. Milne P. Philip D. Sievwright
9.58 G. Finlay S. Harrod M. Watkin A. Cameron

10.06 D. Rettie H. Hunter R. Wallace J. Muirden
10.06 H. Wong T. Cooper A. Robertson R. Fairley

10.14 S. Craig J. Barnett G. Atkinson J. Wilson
10.14 G. Cowburgh H. Salmond J. Irwin G. Wilkie

10.22 E. Wilson I. Wilson C. Marr E. Sherry
10.22 K. Esson I. Henderson W. Smeaton J. Gray

10.30 E. Walker H. Grant G. Mathewson J. Edmiston
10.30 R. Bell D. Gillespie I. Butchart G. White

Please Note - Electric Caddy Cars will NOT be allowed on the course

Peterculter conditions wet and cold for a field of 91

HUNTLY MAN FIRST-TIME
WINNER ON NORTH-EAST
ALLIANCE CIRCUIT

From COLIN FARQUHARSON

Four times Huntly Golf Club champion Don Garrett, pictured right, became the second first-time winner on the 2006-2007 North-east Golfers’ Alliance with a par-matching 71 in difficult, wet and cold conditions at Peterculter Golf Club today.
This is only two-handicapper Garrett’s second season on the winter circuit and he followed in the footsteps of Clark Alexander (Murcar Links), who made a winning breakthrough at East Aberdeenshire recently, by heading a field of 91.
The secret of Don’s success was that he played down-the-middle golf, avoiding the card-ruining misfortunes that beset the majority of his rivals.
Don birdied the long fifth and the short eighth and dropped only two shots, at the fourth and the 12th, which he three-putted, in halves of 35 and 36.
Runner-up on 72 was Craibstone Golf Centre professional Iain Buchan who became a dad for the first time a few days ago. He birdied the three par-5s in halves of 37 and 35 but, like so many others, we went out of bounds during his round. In Iain's case it was at the fourth.

Former Walker Cup player Sandy Pirie tied for third place on 73 with fellow amateur Billy Main (Murcar Links) and Newburgh club pro Ian Bratton.
Pirie couldn't hole his birdie chances as he parred the last four holes for 37 home.

Of the many “unlucky losers,” possibly the unluckiest was Murcar Links professional Gary Forbes, having his first game of golf for seven weeks.
Gary’s 74 included six penalty shots, going out of bounds twice at the seventh and once at the 17th. He birdied the long fifth and long seventh and also th short 15th and par-4 16th.
David Corkey, the East Aberdeenshire club champion, also had a 74 after starting with a triple-bogey 7.
"I just went straight from the car to the first tee and, without thinking about where the potential danger lay, I just hit my first tee shot straight left and out of bounds," said David.
Gordon Grimmer, another on 74, bogeyed the 15th and 16th.
Leading scores (Par 71)
SCRATCH
71 D Garrett (Huntly).
72 I Buchan (Craibstone).
73 W Main (Murcar Links), I Bratton (Newburgh), A K Pirie (Hazlehead).
74 S Davidson (Banchory), G Forbes (Murcar Links), D Corkey (East Aberdeenshire), G Grimmer (Nigg Bay).
75 S Pert (Huntly), G Ingram (Inverurie).
76 C Nelson (MacKenzie Club), F Bisset (Banchory), I D Smith (Hazlehead), J Nicolson (Auchmill), R Pirie (Caledonian), L Sang (Aboyne), W S Urquhart (Murcar Links), I Welsh (Nigg Bay).
77 B Ritchie (Inverallochy), R Stewart (Cruden Bay), N Murray (Cruden Bay), S Fraser (Northern).
78 R L Nicoll (Murcar Links), A Graham (Portlethen), S Finnie (Caledonian).
79 J M Hamilton (Murcar Links), K Smith (Aboyne), D Nelson (Aboyne).
80 F Barclay (Kintore), C Alexander (Murcar Links).
81 F G Gray (Deeside).
82 S Kidd (Newburgh), S Scott (Auchmill), R McDonald (Kemnay).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – D Garrett (Huntly) (2) 69; K Smith (Aboyne) (8), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2), G Ingram (Inverurie) (4) 71; F Bisset (Banchory) (4), I D Smith (Hazlehead) (4), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4), S Pert (Huntly) (3), D Corkey (East Aberdeenshire) (2), G Grimmer (Nigg Bay) (2) 72.

Class 2 – P Cornfield (Auchmill) (11), C Hood (Alford) (10), G Homer (Lumphanan (12) 73; G Leslie (Newburgh) (10) 74; W D Rae (Kemnay) (11) 75; G Travis (Auchmill) (15) 76; I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11) 77.

LEADING SCORECARDS
Peterculter par 71:
OUT:4-4-3-4-5-4-5-3-4-36.
IN: 3-4-4-4-4-3-4-5-4-35

DON GARRETT 71
OUT: 4-4-3-5-4-4-5-2-4-35
IN: 3-4-5-4-4-3-4-5-4-36

IAIN BUCHAN 72
OUT: 5-3-3-6-4-5-4-3-4-37
IN: 3-4-4-5-4-3-4-4-4-35

BILLY MAIN 73
OUT: 5-4-3-5-5-5-4-4-4-39
IN: 3-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4-34

IAN BRATTON 73
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-4-6-3-4-37
IN: 4-4-3-5-4-3-4-5-4-36

SANDY PIRIE 73
OUT: 4-4-3-4-4-5-5-3-4-36
IN: 4-4-4-5-4-3-4-5-4-37

STEWART DAVIDSON 74
OUT: 5-5-2-3-5-5-4-3-4-36
IN: 4-3-4-5-4-4-5-5-4-38

DAVID CORKEY 74
OUT: 7-4-3-5-5-4-4-3-5-40
IN: 3-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4-34

GORDON GRIMMER 74
OUT: 5-4-2-4-5-4-5-3-4-36
IN: 3-4-4-4-4-4-5-5-5-38

GARY FORBES 74
OUT: 4-4-3-4-4-4-4-4-4-35
IN: 3-4-7-5-4-2-3-7-4-39

NGA PRO TOUR WINTER SERIES EVENT ONE

MIXED LUCK FOR BARNARD AND
CORMACK IN FLORIDA OPENER

Banchory pair Mark Barnard and Paul Cormack had mixed fortunes in the first round of the NGA Professional Tour’s Winter Series 54-hole tournament over the LPGA Legends Course at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Mark, playing out of Slaley Hall, matched the par of 72 to be sharing 15th place, seven strokes behind leader Brad Klapprott.
Cormack, based at Inchmarlo Golf Centre, was in a share of 67th place in a field of 106 players after a 78.
Barnard and Cormack, pictured right, have gone over to Florida to play in six events before returning in mid-December. The trip will cost them several thousand dollars in entry fees, flights and living expenses.

Russell Knox, Duncan Stewart pipped in South Carolina

TWO USA WINS IN A ROW FOR
KATY FROM CARNOUSTIE

Carnoustie teenager Katy McNicoll, a second-year student at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, has made it two wins in a row on the American women’s college golf circuit.
Katy, pictured right, who will be 19 in February, shot rounds of 72 and 74 for two-over-par 146 to win the Saint Leo Women’s Fall Preview tournament by three shots from team-mate Elise Brandt (77-72) at Lake Jovita Country Club, Florida.
“My short game was good and I drove the ball well both days,” said Katy who has now won more events in United States than her Scotland international brother Keir who was a leading player for the Lynn University men’s team until graduating last spring.
Lynn University women’s squad also won the Saint Leo team event – their third team win in their first four starts of the 2006-2007 college season – with a total of 600, some 20 shots ahead of runners-up Barry University with third-placed Florida Tech a distant third on 657.
Lynn University’s next tournament is not until late February.

SCOTS PIPPED FOR TITLES IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Highlanders Duncan Stewart from Grantown on Spey and Russell Knox from Inverness, both senior year students at Jacksonville University, Florida, were pipped for the individual and team titles in the Charleston Southern Fall Invitational college tournament at Crowfield Plantation Golf Club, Charleston in South Carolina.
Over a par-72, 6,928yd course, Russell scored 73, 68 and 68 for 209 to finish runner-up to Matt Cook (West Carolina University) with 68, 70 and 68 for 10-under-par 206.
Duncan Stewart, joint leader with one round to go, slipped down to third place on 210 with scores of 68, 70 and 72 in a field of 53 players.
South Carolina (861) won the team event from Jacksonville (872) with Western Carolina (873) third.

MICHELE JUST MAKES TOP 20 IN ALABAMA
North of Scotland women’s champion Michele Thomson from Ellon, a freshman student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama, had rounds of 75 and 77 for a final placing of joint 20th on 152 in the Troy Women’s Invitational tournament at Arrowhead Country Club, Montgomery in Alabama.
Andrea Donner from Surrey, a freshman at Murray State Universty, was the leading British finisher in joint 10th place with 73 and 75 for 148 – her second top-five placing since she arrived in America.
Portia Abbott, one of Michele’s team-mates from Wiltshire, had 79 and 75 for joint 25th place on 154.
The tournament was won by Elin Andersson, a Swedish senior student at South Alabama University, with 69 and 73 for a total of 142 over the 5,888yd, par-72 Arrowhead course.
South Alabama also won the team event with 587, five shots ahead of Louisiana-Monroe with Jacksonville State (596) third and Murray State (606) fourth in a field of 15 college teams.

++For even more news from the United States college circuit, please switch over to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk.

Royal occasion on November 14 at De Vere Cameron House

PRINCESS ANNE TO OPEN
THE CARRICK
AT LOCH LOMOND

De Vere Hotels & Resorts is delighted to announce the official completion of its long-awaited 18 hole golf course, The Carrick, at De Vere Cameron House, on the banks of Loch Lomond.
The ceremony will be conducted by HRH Princess Anne on November 14.
The new course adds another outstanding golfing destination to the group’s illustrious portfolio. The championship course has breathtaking views, straddling both Highlands and Lowlands, and is destined to take its place among Scotland’s elite.
The tranquility of The Carrick provides a refreshing alternative to Scotland’s other major golf destinations – the still waters of Loch Lomond, in contrast to the busy North Sea, the oak groves instead of wind-blown dunes. The approach to The Carrick, by water taxi from Cameron House, takes golfers past the nature reserve, which forms almost a third of the 350 acre estate in Scotland’s first national park.
The Carrick on Loch Lomond is named after its award-winning archictect, Doug Carrick. However, by coincidence, the word ‘carrick’ also means ‘rocky place’ in ancient Scots – an apt description of the setting – and, if that wasn’t enough, the legendary Robert the Bruce is buried nearby, (one of his titles was The 3rd Earl of Carrick).
The official opening of The Carrick on November 14 will incorporate it into the world-renowned De Vere portfolio of prestigious golf resorts, including: The De Vere Belfry, De Vere Slaley Hall, De Vere Carden Park and De Vere Mottram Hall, all of which have a pedigree in managing golf tournaments.
De Vere Cameron House, EventScotland and partners have already submitted a joint bid to stage the 2011 Solheim Cup.
A major part of that bid is the four-year commitment to bring the Scottish Ladies Open back to the sporting calendar as a specific part of Scotland`s Major Events Strategy and to cement her reputation for delivering exceptional golf events.

Another Scot joins talent drain across the Atlantic

SCOTTISH GIRLS CHAMPION
ROSEANNE TO JOIN
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
IN NEW YEAR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Another young talented Scottish golfer has been "lost" to the warmer temperatures and superior university golfing facilities in the United States.
Roseanne Niven, 17-year-old winner of the Scottish girls’ match-play title at Peebles this summer, is to join the University of California Berkeley early in the New Year.
Roseanne, a member of Crieff Golf Club, has been one of Scotland’s best young female golfers for a number of years. Her first national title was the Scottish Under-16 girls’ open championship at Strathtyrum, St Andrews.
And she was one of the youngest ever winners of the Perth & Kinross women’s county title in 2004.
Apart from winning the Scottish Under-18 girls title this year, Roseanne was a member of the Scotland team who brought home the girls’ home internationals team trophy from Portstewart, Northern Ireland.
She has been awarded a full golf scholarship by the University of California Berkeley, where Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) and Anne Walker (Strathaven), winner and beaten finalist in the 1997 Scottish girls championship, both spent four years.
Vikki became one of the leading players on the American women’s college circuit and Ann was not far behind her. She won two tournaments.
Miss Walker stayed on at the California college to become the Bears’ assistant women’s golf coach.
The universities of North Carolina, Virginia and Vanderbilt were also prepared to offer Roseanne a golf scholarship and she visited the United States to see what their facilities were like before making up her mind to enrol at the University of California Berkeley.
QUOTE FROM ROSEANNE
Roseanne said last night:
“I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to further my golfing career and to be educated at a top university such as Berkeley. It is a very exciting time in my life and I cannot wait to get started in January.”
Nancy McDaniel, the head women’s coach of University of California Berkeley, said:
“We are delighted to have Roseanne Niven join our women’s golf team. She succeeds two of our most accomplished players, also from Scotland – Anne Walker and Vikki Laing.
“Scottish players seem to love California and really fit into the Cal Golf system. Roseanne brings a great deal of experience on an international level that will undoubtedly impact the team upon her arrival.”
+There are nine Scottish girls currently at college in the United States: Michele Thomson (Jacksonville State), Louise Fleming (Jacksonville State), Carly Booth (David Leadbetter Golf Academy), Sally Watson (David Leadbetter Golf Academy), Ashton Ingram (Belmont Abbey College), Kate O'Sullivan (High Point), Kelly Brotherton (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Katy McNicoll (Lynn University), Gemma Webster (Ohio State).

LONDON GOLF SHOW, APRIL 26-29, 2007

TREATS NOT TRICKS AS TICKETS
GO ON SALE ... BUT FREE ENTRY
FOR TWO JUNIORS PLUS ADULT

It may be Halloween but the London Golf Show is definitely treating its visitors while leaving the tricks to its competitors.
Tickets for next year’s event, which returns to ExCeL from April 26-29, 2007, go on sale tomorrow (Wednesday, November 1) – and there is a tremendous offer for junior golfers.
Every adult attending can bring two juniors – aged under-16 – into the show FREE; an offer applying to tickets bought either in advance or on the door.
And even the adults can enjoy a reduction on last year’s entry price. Tickets bought in advance are £10 for adults - a £2.50 reduction on last year’s ‘early bird’ price. Tickets on the door are £15.
Extra juniors will be charged at £5 per head - the extra tickets available only on the door.
Andy Barwell, the London Golf Show’s marketing director, explained: “It is our intention to make the London Golf Show a real family day out. The expansion of junior golf is at the very heart of their ethos.
“So we decided to increase the junior golf section, with an enlarged tuition area for youngsters and more equipment available. And to encourage youngsters to take advantage of these enhancements we also chose to do away with entry prices for accompanied under-16s.
“In addition to offering an improved experience for the young golfer it also means it’s more cost effective for families to visit the event.”
■ The London Golf Show is at ExCeL London from April 26-29, 2007. Tickets are available from http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/. For further details visit http://www.londongolfshow.com/.

OVERNIGHT COLLEGE NEWS FROM AMERICA

DUNCAN AND RUSSELL WELL TO THE
FORE IN SOUTH CAROLINA

The “Jacksonville Jocks” are on the march again. Duncan Stewart from Grantown on Spey and Russell Knox from Inverness – both senior-year students at Jacksonville University, Florida - are up with the leaders with one round to go in the Charleston Southern Fall Invitational college tournament at Charleston, South Carolina.
In fact, Stewart, pictured right, winner of six individual events on the American college circuit, is homing in on win No 7. Duncan, winner of the Chiberta Grand Prix in southwest France during his summer holidays, is sharing the lead with Matt Cook (West Carolina) on 138, six under par for the 6,928yd, par-72 course.
Both players have had rounds of 68 and 70.
Russell Knox, who played for Scotland in the European youth team championships in Spain during the summer, is sharing third place on the 141 mark with rounds of 73 and 68.
Jacksonville University, bidding for a third team win in the early weeks of the 2006-2006 college golf season, are in second place on 581, three behind leaders South Carolina. Hosts Charleston Southern (583) are third best in a field of 10 colleges.

MICHELE SHARING 13TH PLACE IN ALABAMA

Michele Thomson, the North of Scotland women’s champion from Ellon, is sharing 13th place after one round of the Troy Women’s Invitational college tournament over the 5,888yd, par-72 Arrowhead Country Club course at Montgomery, Alabama.
Michele, a freshman student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama had a round of 75 – six shots behind the leader, Swedish player Elinor Andersson (South Alabama).
Portia Abbott from Wiltshire, one of Michele Thomson’s team-mates, had a 79.
Jacksonville State (305) are in sixth place behind leaders South Alabama (292) in the team event.

+For more overnight news from the American college women's circuit, switch over to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

Joint second in Volvo Masters wins Euro title for Irishman

ORDER OF MERIT WINNER HARRINGTON
IS NAMED GOLFER OF THE MONTH

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who on Sunday was crowned European Tour Number One following his joint second place finish in the Volvo Masters, has been named the European Tour Golfer of the Month for October.
The 35-year-old Dubliner, pictured right, overhauled England’s Paul Casey to reach the summit of European professional golf with two outstanding performances during the month. First he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by five strokes at St Andrews, for his 10th European Tour title. He also won the Team event in partnership with JP McManus, repeating their double success of 2002.
Then, on Sunday, Harrington claimed the 30th second place of his career at the Volvo Masters, enabling him to collect the greatest prize of his life, the Harry Vardon Trophy, as winner of the European Tour Order of Merit for the first time.
Harrington, by virtue of a share of second place at Club de Golf Valderrama, won the Order of Merit with tournament earnings of £1,667,618, finishing £23,616 in front of Casey.
“This certainly means a lot to me,” said Harrington. “The Order of Merit is a good marker to success in a career. I have been 10 years as a professional and this shows how far I have come. I have been runner-up twice now and it is good to finally win it.”

Players named for winter training and coaching

SCOTTISH GOLF UNION PRODUCE SQUADS
FOR MORE OF THE SAME SUCCESS IN 2007

The Scottish Golf Union has named its national training and coaching squads for 2006-2007.
The system worked tremendously well in the 2006 season, preparing and producing Scotland teams which won home international titles at Under-18, men’s and over-55 levels, as well as the European senior team championship.
The squads are:
UNDER-16 – Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle), Chris Bremner (Edzell), Shaun Connor (Ralston), David Law (Hazlehead), Andrew McLachlan (Eastwood), Paul McPhee (King James VI), Gordon Nelson (Thornhill), Jack Scott (Deeside), Chris Robb (Inchmarlo), William Russell St Andrews).
DEVELOPMENT SQUAD – Paul Shields (Kirkhill), Sam Binning (Old Ranfurly), Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), Jack Thow (Crieff), Daniel Harrison (Crieff), Scott Fraser (Northern), Christopher Gaittens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), Craig Wyper (Campsie).
UNDER-18 – James Byrne (Banchory), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), Sam McLaren (King James VI), Kyle Smith (Barassie), Tom Spencer (Inchmarlo), pictured above right.
YOUTHS – Ross Kellett (Colville Park), Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), Steven McEwan (Barassie), Philip McLean (Peterhead), Robert McKnight (Barassie), James White (Lundin).
MEN – Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Jonathan King (Glasgow), John Gallagher (Swanston), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), Scott Henry (Cardross), Paul O’Hara (Colville Park), Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres).

North Alliance golfers beat storms from Pentland Firth

FERRIES BROTHERS TOP OF
THE TREE IN REAY RETURNS
AFTER BURN "ALTERS"
PAR-5 SIXTH HOLE

BY ROBIN WILSON (pictured right)
After the rain-and-gale storms that ravaged the North last week, only sterling work by the greenkeeper and volunteer members got the Reay course on the shores of the Pentland Firth fit for the visit of the North Golfers’ Alliance on Sunday.
Sand blown up from Sandside Beach covered the fifth green and sixth tee. Bridges over the burn that runs through the course at the sixth and seventh holes had to be repaired. The burn may also have left an unplanned alteration to the par-5 sixth hole after gouging away part of the fairway (see picture on far right).
The Reay Golf Club committee are now considering, after consultation with interested parties, the most economic and environmentally-friendly option to re-establish the hole to its former glory.
To leave the arrival of the water inlet as a feature will make players think a little more about attempting the reach the green with their second shot. The hole was named “Braids Choice” after the five times Open Champion, James Braid visited the course and many are of the opinion that the master golfer and course designer would approve of the change.
Overcoming all the hurdles put in front of them, including the remainder of the gale, Tain siblings Billy and Munro Ferries filled two of the top three places, with elder brother Billy emerging the scratch winner after an excellent one-over-par score of 70.
EARLY CLUBHOUSE LEADER
The wind was still at its strongest when, from neighbouring Thurso, Doug Thorburn, already with two runner-up places this season, teed off, but with a sharp short game he mastered the conditions to reach the turn in a creditable 36 strokes.
His birdie at the closing hole from off the green gave him the early clubhouse lead of 71.
Munro Ferries matched this return despite burdening his card with a double bogey 7 at the fourth hole. Into the wind three strikes with woods took the Tain scratch player past the green, 584yd from the tee – but he fluffed his return chip!
TWO-BIRDIE RECOVERY
Recovering with two birdies, Munro was one ahead of Thorburn’s 36 and his brother, Billy playing behind who also took 36 after a bogey-Bogey start.
On the homeward run Munro extended his lead, beginning his back nine with a birdie 3,only to slip back to third place after dropping shots at the 12th and 18th for 36 home and a 71.
Thorburn, with the help of his finishing birdie, was home in 35 for second place, allowing Billy Ferries’s excellent effort of a one-over-par 70 take the honours. After a run of seven pars from the third hole for his first nine of 36, Billy continued his par-matching run at all the inward holes, broken only by a birdie 4 at the 14th that lowered his inward card to one-under-par 34 for his winning 70.
Heading the excellent entry of 50 in the Class 1 handicap section (0 to 10) was Graham Grant (Helmsdale) and local member John O’Brien. Both grossed 74, and both had halves of 37.Grant, with the extra stoke on his handicap, netted a 68 to O’ Brien’s 69 to secure first place.
Eight-handicapper Jim Meiklejohn (Thurso) and Reay’s Freddie Groves tied for the next place. Meiklejohn won the inward half card play-off for third place. Taking up the unfamiliar position of fifth in the net returns was Munro Ferries whose scratch inward 36 denied Bruce Mackay (Reay) a nibble of the prizes.
With 26 entrants in Class 2, Mike Forbes (Thurso) led the way with a gross 86, net 70. He was a shot ahead of another Helmsdale visitor, Richard MacKenzie who, in turn, finished two ahead of Peter Etheridge (Brora). Etheridge had a card-destroying end to his outward half of 7-6-6 but rallied to come home in 38.
The venue switches back to Ross shire this weekend with Invergordon staging the fixture.
RESULTS
SCRATCH
70 B Ferries (Tain).
71 D Thorburn (Thurso), M Ferries (Tain).
74 J O’Brien (Reay), G Grant (Helmsdale), S McIntosh (Muir of Ord).
HANDICAP
Class 1 – G Grant (Helmsdale ) (6) 68; J O’Brien (Reay) (5) 69; J Meiklejohn (Thurso) (8), F E Groves (Reay) (8) 70; M Ferries (Tain) (scr) 71.
Class 2 – M Forbes (Thurso) (16) 70; R Sutherland (Helmsdale) (11) 71; P Etheridge (Brora) (11) 73; T Mackay (Thurso) (15) 74.

Another addition to our service from Scotland's Alliances

EDINBURGH & EAST OF SCOTLAND ALLIANCE
SCORES ON THIS WEBSITE EVERY WEDNESDAY

Scottishgolfview.com is enlarging its reports and scores service from Alliance districts to include the Edinburgh and East of Scotland. Today we catch up on last Wednesday’s competition at Kings Acre. From Wednesday evening, we will be providing an end-of-the-day service from the weekly competitions.
That means we shall be covering the North, North-east, Midlands and Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliances. Tell your golfing friends the good news.

ANDREW OLDCORN WINS WITH 68 OVER
HOME COURSE KING'S ACRE
European Tour player Andrew Oldcorn, playing over his home course, won the top cash prize of £100 with a round of 68 in last Wednesday’s Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance Bootland Trophy meeting at King’s Acre Golf Club.
Andrew, pictured above right when he won the Volvo PGA title at Wentworth, won last week by a shot from fellow professional Andrew Dunsmore (Bathgate) with another pro, Stevie Lamb (Cardrona) sharing third place with Duddingston amateur David Miller on 70.
The leading net score was a 79 off two of a handicap by Andrew Wight (Glencorse).
SCRATCH
68 Andrew Oldcorn (King’s Acre) p.
69 Andrew Dunsmore (Bathgate) p.
70 Stevie Lamb (Cardrona) p, David Miller (Duddingston).
71 Ally MacKenzie (Liberton) t, Mike Thomson (Cardrona), Andrew Wight (Glencorse).
72 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) p, James McGhee (Turnhouse), Steven Rosie (Linlithgow) p.
73 Graham Johnston (Baberton) t.
74 John Archiblad (Dunbar), Mark Bonas (Pumpherston), Steven Doyle (Liberton), Ian A Fraser (Duddingston), Chris Morris (Kingsknowe) p, Andrew Rothney (Deer Park), George Wither (Lothianburn).
75 Ross Harrower (Cardrona) p, Craig Imlah (Peebles) p, Alistair Anderson (Peebles), Gavin Cook (Prestonfield) p, Scott Grieve (King’s Acre) t, Richard Johnston (Glenbervie), Colin McLachlan (Glenvbervie), Andrew McLennan (Deer Park), Paul Terras (Goswick).
76 Alistair Anderson (Peebles), Gavin Cook (Prestonfield) p, Scott Grieve (King’s Acre) t, Richard Johnston (Glenbervie), Colin McLachlan (Glenbervie), Andrew McLennan (Deer Park), Paul Terras (Goswick) p.
77 Colin Fraser (Peebles), David Kerr (Liberton), Morris McEwan (Gifford).
78 Stuart Brown (Glencorse), Graeme Davidson (Peebles), Owen Leslie (Prestonfield) p, Tony McLeman (Eyemouth) p, Derek P Miller (Murrayfield), Alan Robson (Burntisland), Adam Strang (Rothco Mortgages) p, Scott Watson (Dundas Park).
79 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar), Michael Louden (Glencorse).
+All amateurs unless stated: p denotes professional; t trainee professional.
LEADING HANDICAP RETURNS
69 Andrew Wight (Glencorse) (2).
70 Steven Doyle (Liberton) (4), Andrew McLennan (Deer Park) (6).
71 Ian A Fraser (Duddingston) (3), Morris McEwan (Gifford) (6), David Miller (Duddingston) (+1).
72 Mark Bonas (Pumpherston) (2), Stuart Brown (Glencorse) (6), Thomas Flaherty (Gullane) (10), Colin McLachlan (Glenbervie) (4), Alan Robson (Burntisland) (6).
73 Alistair Anderson (Peebles) (3), John Archibald (Dunbar) (1), Steve Canmeron (Peebles) (12), David Kerr (Liberton) (4), James Laurieston (Easter Moffat) (10), Andrew Rothney (Deer Park) (1), Scott Watson (Dundas Park) (5), George Wither (Lothianburn) (1).
74 Les Gibson (Glenbervie) (7).
LEADING ORDER OF MERIT POINTS
+Points are awarded at each event. At the end of the season, members with the most points qualify to play in the Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance championship and also to play in an annual match versus the West Alliance.
SCRATCH
216.50 Mike Thomson.
209 Neil Colquhoun p.
194.50 Andrews Dunsmore p.
185 Scott Grieve t.
184.50 Ross Harrower p.
180 Steve Doyle.
180 Andrew Marshall p.
175.50 Steve Lamb p.
166.50 Owen Leslie p.
159 Tom Buchanan t.
158 Richard Johnston.
143 Ally Mackenzie t.
142.50 Andrew Rothney.
135.50 Alistair Anderson.
128.50 Norman Forsyth.
125.50 Chris Morris p.
124.75 Ian A Fraser.
124 John Kerr.
121 Michael Louden.
129 Craig Imlah p, Andrew Oldcorn p.
AMATEURS
86.5 Steven Doyle.
58 Thomas Flaherty.
41.8 John Kerr.
37 Douglas Ferguson.
36.9 Ian A Fraser.
36.8 Alistair Anderson.
35.5 Andrew Wight.
34 Peter Sewell.
31.5 Andrew Rothney.
31 Alan Devlin.
30.9 Russell Cameron.
+This Wednesday's Professional's Trophy meeting is at Bathgate, following by Haddington on November 8 and Royal Musselburgh on November 22.

Glasgow girl's Sunday slump in North Carolina

GEMMA RUNS INTO BIG TROUBLE
IN FINAL ROUND AT WILMINGTON

Gemma Webster’s hopes of at least a top-10 finish in the Women’s Landfall Tradition tournament at Country Club of Landfall evaporated over her third and final round at Wilmington, North Carolina.
Joint fifth at the start of the day, second-year Ohio State University student Gemma from Glasgow dropped down to a final placing of joint 14th on 230 after an 80 which ruined the good work of earlier rounds of 74 and 76 over the par-72 course.
Miss Webster bogeyed the first four holes, found a bit of form with birdies at the fifth and seventh and then fell away again with a bogey at the 10th and then a catastrophic finish of a triple-bogey 7 at the 14th and a double-bogey 6 at the 17th for an inward half of 42.
Catterick girl Jodi Ewart, a freshman at New Mexico University, pulled herself up to a joint 12th finish with a final round of 73 for 223. She had five double bogeys over her two opening rounds of 77 but birdied the 10th, 13th and 18th in her last effort.
Sara Brown (Michigan State) won by four shots with a one-under-par total of 215 (74-69-72).
Virginia and Michigan State tied on 902 for the team title with New Mexico (904) third. Ohio State (920) finished sixth of the 12 colleges taking part.

LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
215 Sara Brown (Michigan State) 74 69 72.
219 Mandy Goins (Wake Forest) 77 72 70.
222 Mikaela Backstedt (New Mexico) 77 73 72, Brianna Broderick (Migigan) 72 76 74.
223 Dana Je (Ohio State) 72 79 72.
225 Jennie Arseneault (Virginia) 72 81 72, Giselle Claux (New Mexico) 75 75 75.
Other scores:
227 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 77 77 73 (jt 12th).
230 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 74 76 80 (jt 14th).
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
902 Virginia, Michigan State.
904 New Mexico.
915 Wake Forest.
917 Michigan.
920 Ohio State.
===============================================================
++More US college tournament news and a short report on the Dubai Ladies Masters can be found on our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

Men's world amateur team championship Final Day

NETHERLANDS WIN EISENHOWER
TROPHY FOR FIRST TIME
... and joint sixth is Scotland's
best finish at third attempt
Joost Luiten of the Netherlands played his last five holes in six-under-par and finished with a five-under-par 67 as the Dutchmen captured the Eisenhower Trophy as the winners of the 2006 men’s world amateur team championship at Stellenbosch, South Africa.
It was the Netherlands’ first victory in the tournament and they also supplied the player with the lowest 72-hole individual score, Wil Besseling with 13-under-par 275.
The Netherlands totalled 554 to win by two strokes from Canada (556) with the holders, United States, third on 567.
The GB&I teams did very well. Wales (559) were fourth and Scotland tied with England in sixth place on 563. Ireland were joint ninth on 564.
It was Scotland’s highest placing since they competed as a separate team from the traditional GB&I format. The Scots were 21st in 2002 and 31st in 2004 – so to finish joint sixth backs up national coach Ian Rae’s view that this was the strongest team Scotland has so far entered.
Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) - with the help of a hole-in-one, George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle) and Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) all returned two-under-par 70s in their final round over the De Zalze course.
Ramsay and Murray – both finishing with eight-under-par totals of 280 – were joint ninth in the unofficial standings, unofficial in the respect that there are no awards for individual scoring in what is essentially a team event.
JOOST WAS THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
With Canada and the Netherlands battling for the top position, 20-year-old Joost Luiten began his run with a birdie on the par-5 14th hole at De Zalze Golf Club. He then holed a sand wedge from 93 yards on the par-4 15th for an eagle and closed with birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th.
Thanks to Luiten’s 67 and a 70 from individual low scorer Wil Besseling, the Netherlands posted a total of 22-under-par 554, the lowest since the two counting scores format was instituted in 2002.
"His nickname is Pyromaniac and he went on fire,” said Dutch coach Chris van der Velde of Luiten.
Ironically, Luiten’s five-hole streak began after he had bogeyed three of his previous four holes.
"It just happened,” Luiten said. “After 15, I knew I was in the zone.”
"We didn’t lose it,” said Canada’s captain Doug Roxburgh. “The Netherlands won it. They made the birdies coming home.”
"You can’t question how good they are,” said Scott. “They were 22-under par. They went out and won it.”
United States player Trip Kuehne was five-under-par on his second nine and finished at three-under 69 to go along with a 69 from Chris Kirk to move to the USA into the bronze medal slot.
"The Netherlands played great,” Kuehne said. “What Joost did out there is the stuff of legends.”
The previous best finish for the Netherlands was a tie for eighth place in 1992 and 1994.

FINAL TEAM TOTALS

1 – 554 (-22) NETHERLANDS 141 140 136 137.
2 – 556 (-20) CANADA 139 139 141 137.
3 – 557 (-19) UNITED STATES 143 136 140 138.
4 – 559 (-17) WALES 144 143 132 140.
5 – 561 (-15) KOREA 146 137 138 140.
6 – 563 (-13) SCOTLAND 144 142 137 140, ENGLAND 149 138 140 136,
ARGENTINA 148 142 134 139.
9 – 564 (-12) IRELAND 146 138 140 140, FRANCE 141 142 141 139.
11 – 565 (-11) SPAIN 145 141 144 135.
12 – 569 (-7) AUSTRALIA 147 141 140 141, SWEDEN 150 132 141 146,
GERMANY 146 141 146 136, MEXICO 143 138 145 143.

OTHER LEADING TOTALS:
570 Japan, Switzerland. 571 Malaysia. 572 New Zealand, Denmark. 573 Portugal. 574 Belgium, South Africa, Colombia, Norway. 575 Chinese Taipei, Finland. 576 Chile. 577 Italy. 578 Austria. 584 Brazil. 585 India, Czech Republic.
590 Iceland. 593 Trinidad & Tobago.594 Puerto Rico. 596 Bolivia. 599 Philippines. 603 Bermuda, Hong Kong. 605 Russian Federation. 606 Pakistan. 607 Zimbabwe. 611 Turkey. 613 Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador.
614 Guatemala.
616 Namibia. 618 Tunisia. 620 Venezuela. 622 Fiji. 626 Uruguay. 628 Latvia. 630 Estonia. 634 Slovania. 635 Greece. 638 Egypt. 647 Honduras.
648 US Virgin Islands, Botswana. 655 Cote d’Ivoire. 657 United Arab Emirates. 659 Saudi Arabia. 673 Croatia. 699 Gabon. 702 Bulgaria. 704 Bosnia & Hersegovina.725 Nigeria.
774 Mauritius.

LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
275 (-13) Wil Besseling (Net) 69 70 66 70.
276 Julien Grillon (Fra) 72 68 69 67, Chris Kirk (US) 71 66 70 69, Richard Scott (Can) 69 68 71 68.
277 Oliver Fisher (Eng) 74 66 70 67.
280 Sung Hoon Kang (Kor) 73 67 68 72.
281 Pablo Martin (Spa) 73 71 70 67, Rory McIlroy (Ire) 73 69 72 67.
282 Nigel Edwards (Wal) 75 70 68 69, Joost Luiten (Net) 74 71 70 67, George Murray (Sco) 72 70 70 70, Richie Ramsay (Sco) 72 73 67 70.

SCOTLAND INDIVIDUALS

282 Richie Ramsay 72 73 67 70 (jt 9th).
Round 4: De Zalze 38-32.
Eagle: 16th (hole in one).
Birdies: 6-11-15.
Bogeys: 2-5-6.
282 George Murray 72 70 70 70 (jt 9th).
Round 4: De Zalze 38-32.
Birdies: 5-10-12-13-17.
Double bogey: 9
Bogey: 4
294 Scott Jamieson 78 72 74 70.
Round 4: De Zalze: 35-35.
Birdies: 1-14-15.
Bogey: 11.

WALES INDIVIDUALS

282 Nigel Edwards 75 70 68 69 (jt 9th).
Round 4: De Zalze: 33-36.
Birdies: 1-3-7-8-13.
Bogeys: 3-18.
284 Rhys Davies 73 76 64 71
Round 4: De Zalze: 39-32.
Birdies: 9-13-15-16-17-18.
Bogeys: 1-3-5-7.
289 Llewellyn Matthews 71 73 73 72.
Round 4: De Zalze: 35-37.
Birdies: 2-5-8-14.
Bogeys: 3-4-10-12.

ENGLAND INDIVIDUALS

277 Oliver Fisher 74 66 70 67 (5th).
Round 4: De Zalze: 33-34.
Birdies: 4-6-8-13-14-15.
Bogey: 12.
286 Ross McGowan 75-72-70-69.
Round 4: De Zalze: 34-35.
Birdies: 2-5-8-14-18.
Bogeys: 7-12.
293 Jamie Moule 75-74-74-70.
Round 4: De Zalze: 34-36.
Birdies: 4-8-10.
Bogey: 18.

IRELAND INDIVIDUALS
281 Rory McIlroy 73-69-72-67 (jt 7th).
Round 4: De Zalze: 34-33.
Birdies: 4-6-13-16-18.
288 Gareth Shaw 73 69 73 73.
Round 4: De Zalze: 37-36.
Birdie: 15.
Bogeys: 2-16.
292 Simon Ward 76 72 68 76.
Round 4: De Zalze: 38-38.
Birdie: 1.
Double bogey: 9.
Bogeys: 6-10-14.
==============================================================
+Scottish Golf View apologises to readers for our inability to post the Eisenhower Trophy article and scores on Sunday evening due to major technical difficulties.

UNITED STATES COLLEGE NEWS

GEMMA JOINT FIFTH IN LANDFALL
TRADITION TOURNAMENT
Glasgow girl Gemma Webster, a second-year student at Ohio State University, is still on course for one of her best finishes on the American women's college circuit.
She is in joint fifth place going into Sunday's final round of the Women’s Landfall Tradition college golf tournament at Country Club of Landfall, Wilmington in North Carolina.
Gemma, capped for Scotland in last year’s home internationals and a member of Hilton Park Golf Club, has had rounds of 74 and 76 for 150.
She had no birdies in her second round and is seven shots behind the leader Sara Brown (Michigan State) (74-69 for 143) but only three behind the second placed Leah Wigger (Virginia).
Ohio State (615) is sharing fourth place behind Virginia (596) in a team event being contested by 12 colleges.
First-round leader Jennie Arsenault (Virginia) plummeted to a share of 11th place after following up a 72 with an 81 for 153.
Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) from Catterick was in joint 17th place on 154 after a pair of 77s.
Jodi had double bogeys at the 11th and 17th in her second round. She had three double bogeys in her first round.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
143 Sara Brown (Michigan State) 74 69.
147 Lea Wigger (Virginia) 75 72.
148 Brianna Broderick (Michigan) 72 76.
149 Mandy Goins (Wake Forest) 77 72.
150 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 74 76, Giselle Claux (New Mexico) 75 75, Mikaela Backstedt (New Mexico) 77 73.
151 Dan Je (Ohio State) 72 79.
Other scores:
153 Jennie Arsenault (Virginia) 72 81.
154 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 77 77.
TEAM LEADERS
596 Virginia.
607 Michigan State.
611 New Mexico.
615 Michigan, Ohio State.
622 Wake Forest.
==============================================================
+Stirling Golf Club member Vicki Stevenson has finished sixth overall in the Volvo Amateur World Grand Final in Spain. See the full story on our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

Stage 2 starts Wednesday in Euro Tour qualifying process

TWENTY SCOTS IN
FIELD FOR EURO
TOUR QUALIFYING
Kings Links tour pro Scott Henderson, pictured right, Peterculter’s Greig Hutcheon and Murray Urquhart (Inverness) are among the 20 Scots who will be competing in this week’s European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 competitions at four venues in Spain.
The events, over 72 holes, tee off on Wednesday. It is expected that the leading 20 at each venue will go forward to the Final Q School at San Roque on the Costa del Sol from November 9 to 14.
Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) and George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle) are meantime in South Africa, competing for Scotland in the Eisenhower Trophy world men's amateur team championship.
They will head for Spain instead of flying home with team-mate Richie Ramsay who is delaying his bid to get on the European Tour for a further 12 months.
The venues and Scots competing are:

Costa Ballena – Scott Henderson, Graeme Brown, Chris Doak, David Patrick, Paul McKechnie, Doug McGuigan, Mark Kerr (amateur), Alasdair Hay, Peter Whiteford.
PGA Catalunya – Lloyd Saltman (amateur), Barry Hume, Paul Doherty.
Emporda – Jack Doherty, Eric Ramsay.
Sherry Golf – Greig Hutcheon, Murray Urquhart, Graham Fox, Scott Jamieson (amateur), George Murray (amateur), Jamie McLeary.