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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NO LATE BIRDIES FOR LAWRIE

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

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

POULTER AND ROSE SURVIVE HALFWAY
CUT IN BUICK INVITATIONAL

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

McGHEE BEST OF SCOTS IN

AS US COLLEGE SEASON

RESTARTS IN FLORIDA

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

DRYSDALE FIVE OFF THE
PACE IN SOUTH AFRICA


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

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

Curtain rings down on Florida's Orange Blossom Tour

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

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

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

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

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

Manager Neil Hobday says local golfers will not be forgotten

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

ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE By COLIN FARQUHARSON

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

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

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

By CAL CARSON

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

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

Goosen and left-hander Green share halfway lead

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

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

KRYSTLE CAITHNESS HAS

GEORGIA ON HER MIND:

OFF TO STATES IN

AUGUST FOR 4 YEARS

From COLIN FARQUHARSON

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

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

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


2007 European Seniors Tour Schedule

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

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

EDINBURGH & EAST OF SCOTLAND
ALLIANCE ORDER OF MERIT

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

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

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

LEE RHIND JT 12th FINISH
ON TIGHT LIES TOUR

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

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

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

RETIEF GOOSEN LEADS
QATAR MASTERS BY
ONE WITH A 65

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

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD

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

65 Retief Goosen (SAf).

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

67 Shiv Kapur (Ind).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

80 Iain Steel (Myn).

SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR SCORES

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

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

R&A TO ALLOW WOMEN’S

BRITISH OPEN COMPETITORS

TO USE CLUBHOUSE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2007 PGA EuroPro Tour Schedule:
First 12 tournaments announced

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

The current PGA EuroPro Tour schedule is:

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

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

SGU SENIORS ORDER

OF MERIT EVENTS

(for over-50s) TO TEE

OFF IN NEW SEASON

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

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

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

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

RAIN HITS TEXAS TIGHT LIES TOUR EVENT

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

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

Orange Blossom Tour finale at Hollywood, Florida

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

North-east Golfers' Alliance meeting at Buckpool

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Texas Tight Lies Tour Winter Series

LEE RHIND SALVAGES

A 73 FROM WRECKAGE

OF TRIPLE BOGEY 7

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

LEE VANNET WINS MIDLAND
ALLIANCE AT DRUMOIG

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

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

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

LEADING SCRATCH

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

Qualifiers for the Midland Alliance Championship at Scotscraig in April:

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

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

PGA EUROPRO TOUR ANNOUNCE
DATES, VENUES FOR 2007
QUALIFYING SCHOOL

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

WORLD AMATEUR GOLF

RANKING FROM THE R&A

GOES LIVE ONLINE

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

STEPHEN LEWTON WINS
IN NEW SOUTH WALES

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOP 20 IN EUROPEAN TOUR MONEY TABLE

+Money totals are in Euros.

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

TOP TEN IN US TOUR TABLES

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

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

GARY AND VIVIENNE PLAYER CHALK UP 50 YEARS OF HAPPINESS

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

RAMSAY HELD BUT

SCOTS BEAT FRANCE

IN MOROCCO MATCH

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

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

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

FIVE GB&I PLAYERS IN TOP
20 OF WORLD RANKINGS

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

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

SWANSON WINS AFTER
COUNTBACK AT TAIN
IN NORTH ALLIANCE

BY ROBIN WILSON

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

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

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

ENGLAND BOYS SECOND IN
SOUTH AFRICA MATCH

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

NO MOBILE PHONES AT
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fluctuating fortunes in last round of Bob Hope Classic

ROSE SHARING LEAD
WITH FIVE HOLES TO
GO IN HIGH WIND

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

FLORIDA INVITE FOR TORRANCE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SCOTS FINISH JOINT

4th AS PARAGUAY

WIN BY SEVEN SHOTS

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

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

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

300 Denmark 149 83 68, Japan 155 78 67.

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

308 Sweden 157 81 70.

313 Germany 165 73 75, Norway 160 75 78.

315 Ireland 160 80 75.

339 Kenya 169 91 79.

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Gary Orr is top Scot in United Arab Emirates event

CASEY SWOOPS WITH 65
TO WIN ABU DHABI
CHAMPIONSHIP

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

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

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Scot trails Pakistan Open winner by eleven strokes

HUME FINISHES 10th
AFTER INWARD HALF

BEATS HIM AGAIN

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

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

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

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

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

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