Russell Knox wins $34,306 first prize

on eGolf Tour opener

Inverness exile Russell Knox came off the Hooters Tour to pick up his biggest ever first prize cheque as winner of the opening event of the eGolf Tour season on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Knox had rounds of 73, 68, 69 and 70 for a total of eight under par 280 to win by three shots from Americans Matt Cannon and David Sanchez.
Knox scooped the first prize of $34,306. Cannon and Sanchez divided the second and third prizes of $18,019 and $14,161.
Wallace Booth from Comrie finished joint 42nd on 294 with scores of 76, 69 74 and 75 to earn approximately $1,549.
Joel Hendry, the twice past Scottish youths champion from Elgin but a long-time resident of America, finished joint 64th of 305 with scores of 73, 73, 82 and 77 to earn $1,126.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
280 Russell Knox (Scotland) 73 68 69 70.
283 Matt Cannon 69 76 70 68, David Sanchez 71 69 74 69.
284 Joe Daley 67 73 73 71.
285 Brian Harman 71 72 72 70, Chris Epperson 74 69 74 69, Ryan Gildersleeve 66 74 71 74, Jason Kokrak 70 71 70 74, Alex Hamilton 7 0 75 73.
Selected scores:
294 Wallace Booth (Scotland) 76 69 74 75 (jt42nd).
305 Joel Hendry (Scotland) 73 73 82 77.

Scottishgolfview sent a message of congratulation to Russell Knox. Here is his reply
"Thank you very much. Great feeling. Biggest cheque ever. I played great from tee to green and putted pretty well. Ball striking was solid. I like winning. Ha ha! Hope all is well."

Ian Poulter through to final with big win over Sergio Garcia

Arizona semi-finalists struggle as desert weather worsens

FROM THE GOLFWEEK.COM WEBSITE
By Jim McCabe
MARANA, Arizona – We came to watch the Accenture Match Play Championship and the British Open broke out.
It might sound funny to you, but to those trying to compete here at Dove Mountain, it’s no laughing matter. With cold winds whipping at 20-25 miles per hour and a steady rain pounding down, it sure feels like Carnoustie.
But all the signage assures us we’re at the Accenture and all the cacti shows us that we haven’t left the desert. Until this morning, it had been a pristine week, warm temperatures and endless blue sky. Forget all that, however, because with the semifinals barely under way, play had to be halted.
With Sergio Garcia vs. Ian Poulter through two holes and Camilo Villegas vs. Paul Casey through one, players were put into vans, kept out on the course, and allowed to let the worst of the wind and driving rain blow by.
We’re back to golf here and while the wind has subsided, it’s still cold and wet.
It’s also ugly golf – though you can’t blame the players. Conditions are just brutal.
Garcia needed five strokes at the 445-yard, par-4 first – and still didn’t finish the hole. He conceded to Poulter, but coming along next, Casey could commiserate. The Englishman had made a birdie and three pars at the first in his previous matches, but against Villegas he made a double-bogey to fall 1 down.
Play isn’t getting any better, either.
At the 209-yard, par-3 third, Garcia shanked his shot dead right into water, while Poulter hooked his shot into a bunker 30 yards left of the green. He hit his second into another bunker, blasted on to 5 feet and won the hole, with a bogey.
Nasty stuff.
Gotta love it.
SCOREBOARD
QUARTER-FINALS
I Poulter bt T Jaidee 1 hole.
S Garcia bt O Wilson 4 and 3.
C Villegas bt R Goosen 4 and 3.
P Casey bt B Gay 5 and 4.
SEMI-FINALS
Poulter bt Garcia 7 and 6.
Villegas and Casey all square after 13 holes

Ross Kellett only Scot to qualify for fourth round

Portuguese amateur championship Scoreboard
Aroeira 1 course, near Lisbon
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS (before end of play)
Leading 40 and ties qualify for final round
204 Alexander Levy (France)65 68 71.
207 Ross Kellett (Scotland) 68 69 70.
208 Steven Brown (England) 70 68 70.
209 Manuel Alexandre Violas (Portugal) 70 68 72, Romain Wattel (France) 69 73 67, James Watts (England) 70 70 69.
Selected scores:
210 Tom Lewis (England) 71 68 71 (jt 7th).
212 Chris Lloyd (England) 68 66 78 (jt 13th).
213 Matthew Southgate (England) 72 69 72, Nicholas Grant (Ireland) 72 70 71 (jt 18th).
214 Jack Senior (England) 74 69 71 (jt 22nd).
215 Jamie Abbott (England) 68 71 76, Paul Cutler (Ireland) 71 72 72 (jt 27th).
216 Eddie Pepperell (England) 76 71 69 (jt 32nd).
217 Jonathan Bell (England) 77 70 70 (jt 37th).
MISSED THE CUT (Scores of 217 or better qualified)
Other Scots' scores:
218 Philip McLean 74 72 72 (jt 41st).
220 James White 76 69 75, Glenn Campbell 71 76 73 (jt 49th).
221 David Law 77 76 68 (jt 53rd).
222 Gordon Yates 73 76 73 (jt 60th).
225 Greg Paterson 74 74 77, Mark Bookless 76 74 75 (jt 74th).
231 Kris Nicol 76 79 76 (jt 97th).

Palmetto Hall Championship Scoreboard
Palmetto Hall Plantation Club, South Carolina.
LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
(one round to go)
Par 216 (3x72)
210 Russell Knox (Scotland) 73 68 69, Matt McQuillan 66 69 75.
211 Ryan Gildersleeve 66 74 71, Jason Kokak 70 71 70.
212 Alex Hamilton 67 70 75.
213 Joe Daley 67 73 73, Andy Bare 71 73 69.
Selected scores:
219 Wallace Booth (Scotland) 76 69 74 (jt 33rd).
228 Joel Hendry (Scotland) 73 73 82 (65th)

European Challenge Tour Scoreboard
COPA ANTIOQUIA
Club Deportivo El Rodeo, Sede La Macarena
SECOND-ROUND LEADERS
Par 142 (2x71)
135 Oscar Alvarez 71 64, Francisco Ojeda 64 71.
136 David Vanegas 67 68, Nathan Smith (US) 71 65, Marcus Higley (England) 67 69.
Selected scores:
141 Jack Doherty (Scotland) 70 71 (jt 23rd).
142 George Murray (Scotland) 74 68 (jt 32nd).
PROJECTED CUT: 146 (+2) or better
152 Scott Jamieson (Scotland) 78 74.

United States PGA Tour Scoreboard
MAYAKOBA CLASSIC
El Camaleon GC, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
SECOND ROUND LEADERS
Players from US unless stated
Par 142 (2x71)
130 Joe Durrant 64 66.
132 J P Hayes 65 67.
133 Cameron Beckman 65 68.
134 Tom Pernice junior 66 68, Brian Stuard 67 67
135 Mark Hensby (Australia) 67 68, Chad Collins 67 68, Briny Baird 65 70.
136 Shaun Micheel 66 70, Charles Warren 67 69, Matt Weibring 69 67, Thomas Levet (France) 66 70, Kevin Stadler 69 67, Chris Rile 69 69, Chris Tidland 67 69.
Selected scores:
137 John Daly 68 69.
MISSED THE CUT (141 or better)
142 Nick Dougherty (England) 73 69.
145 Pablo Martin (Spain) 75 70.
150 David Duval 71 79.

Three English players in last eight in Arizona

Accenture World Match-play Championship Scoreboard
Dove Mountain, Tucson, Arizona

ROUND OF THE LAST 16

BOBBY JONES BRACKET
T Jaidee bt R Ishikawa 5 and 4.
I Poulter bt J M Singh 5 and 4.

BEN HOGAN BRACKET
S Garcia bt T Clark 2 and 1.
O Wilson bt L Donald at 19th.

GARY PLAYER BRACKET
R Goosen bt N Watney 1 hole.
C Villegas bt B Crane 3 and 2

SAM SNEAD BRACKET
S Cink bt C Schwartzel at 19th.
P Casey bt B Gay 5 and 4.

Scot Ross Kellett lying second at halfway stage

Portuguese amateur championship Scoreboard
AROEIRA 1, nr LISBON
SECOND-ROUND LEADERS
Par 144 (2x72)
135 Juan Francisco Sarasti (Spain) 67 68.
137 Ross Kellett (Scotland) 68 69.
138 Steven Brown (England) 70 68, Manual Alexandre Violas (Portugal) 70 68.
Selected Scores:
139 Clement Sordet (France) 72 67, Tom Lewis (England) 71 69, Jamie Abbott (England) 68 71 (jt 8th).
140 James Watts (England) 70 70.
141 Niclas Carlsson (Sweden) 72 69, Joel Stalter (France) 74 67, Matthew Southgate (England) 72 69.
142 Jerome Lando Casanova (France) 73 69, Clement Lemaire (France) 69 73, Romain Wattel (France) 69 73 (jt 13th).
143 Alexander Knapper (Germany) 69 74, Jack Senior (England) 74 69, Johann Lopez-Lazaro (France) 71 72, Ben Herbert (England) 72 71, Paul Cutler (Ireland) 71 72 (jt 29th).
144 Joshua White (England) 72 72, Dara Lernihan (Ireland) 72 72 (jt 29th).
145 James White (Scotland) 75 69 (jt 36th).
146 Philip McLean (Scotland) 74 72, Michael Bedford (England) 69 77 (jt 40th).
147 Glenn Campbell (Scotland) 71 76, Jonathan Bell (England) 77 70, Eddie Pepperell (England) 76 71 (jt 45th).
148 Greg Paterson (Scotland) 74 74, Chris Nugent (Wales) 72 76, Robert Cannon (Ireland) 76 72, James Robinson (England) 74 74 (jt 53rd).
149 Gordon Yates (Scotland) 73 76, James Frazer (Wales), Cian Curley (Ireland) 72 77 (jt 65th)
150 Darren Wright (England) 77 73, Alan Dunbar (Ireland) 78 72, Oliver Farr (Wales0 76 74, Mark Bookless (Scotland), Reeve Whitson (Ireland) (jt 74th).
151 Steven McEwan (Scotland) 79 72 (jt 83rd).
152 Richard Bentham (Wales) 76 76, Scott Campbell (England) 73 79, Ian Winstanley (England) 79 73 (jt 93rd).
++The leading 40 players and ties after the third round will contest Sunday's final round.

ALPS TOUR TEES OFF IN MOROCCO

Gavin Dear runner-up to Lawrence

Dodd after 17th hole double bogey

FROM THE ALPS TOUR WEBSITE
Englishman Lawrence Dodd has achieved his maiden victory with a three-stroke margin in Morocco today.
He shot a third-round 67 for a 54-hole final total of 17 under par 199 on the beautiful course of Golf de Mogador at Essaouira.
Scotsman Gavin Dear from Scone, Perthshire finished second at 14 under par 202 after a closing 70. Dear, who earned 5,797 Euros compared with Dodds' 8,534 Euros payslip, finished six shots ahead of the third-placed pair.
Dear and Dodd were in the last group. Dodd birdied the first two holes and it seemed that he was on an easy road to win.
But Dear closed the gap and showed ahead after the fifth. Dodd had to wait until the ninth hole to draw level again.
On the 12th hole, with both players at 14 under par, Dear missed a short putt which would have given him the lead again.
On the par-3 13th, they both missed the green. Dodd did a beautiful bunker shot, and Dear a great chip and run for both to save par and remain tied.
Dodd revealed later the confidence-boosting effect that bunker recovery had on him.
“At the beginning of the last round, I was nervous. I did not feel very confident until my bunker shot at the 13th. Then I birdied the 14th and 15th to go two shots ahead - and, for the first time, I felt relaxed.”
Dear was still playing very solidly, but could not get the birdies he needed to close the gap again. The Scot drove the 15th hole perfectly over the forest, but could do no better than par. On 16th, a short par- 5, it was an easy birdie for both.
Dodd was leading by two strokes with two holes to play.
Dear, who had only dropped one shot in 52 holes, pushed his drive at the 17th and landed in the woods. As usual, Dodd found the fairway – he only missed two tee shots in three rounds.
Dear's recovery shot touched the top of a tree and stayed short of the green in a bunker. He finally three putted for a double bogey at this so-costly hole for him..
“As I felt a bit sick this morning I did not eat any lunch. I think I missed the energy that would have given me, on the 17th tee shot. That is not an excuse but it might explain the situation," said Dear.
Dodd parred the 18th for a 67 and his first win.
Dear's Perthshire colleague Steven Hume finished joint 31st on level par 216 with scores of 76, 70 and 70. He earned 702 Euros.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
199 Lawrence Dodd (England) 68 64 67 (Euros 8,534).
202 Gavin Dear (Scotland) 68 64 70 (Euros 5,797).
208 Damien Perrier (France) 70 69 69, Matteo Delpodio (Italyy) 69 73 66 (Euros 3,433 each).
209 Richard Kilpatrick (Northern Ireland) 68 71 70, Nicolas Joakmides (France) 74 66 68 (Euros 2,678 each).
210 Xavier Poncelet (France) 71 72 67, Carlos Balmaseda (Spain) 71 72 67 (Euros 2,089 each)
Selected totals
212 Ricki Neil-Jones (England) 72 70 70 (jt 9th) (Euros 1,354).
213 Jason Palmer (England) 70 72 71 (jt 14th) (Euros 1,047).
214 Mark Hooper (England) 72 71 71, Matthew Cryer (England) 74 71 69 (jt 19th) (Euros 877 each).
215 Sam Robinson (England) 71 69 75 (jt 28th) (Euros 759).
216 Steven Hume (Scotland) 76 70 70 (jt 31st) (Euros 702).
217 Matthew Baldwin (England) 72 75 70 (jt 36th) (Euros 671).
MISSED THE CUT (147 or better)
149 Farren Keenan (England) 78 71.
150 Nicholas Murtagh (England) 76 74.
151 Peter James (England) 74 77.
153 Max Brackley (England) 74 79.

No date for comeback to golf ... 'it could be this year'

Tiger says he is 'deeply sorry' for his

'irresponsible and selfish behaviour'

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By ANDY HOOPER
Tiger Woods has made his first public statement three months after he became enveloped in a sordid sex scandal, saying he is "deeply sorry" for his "irresponsible and selfish behaviour".
Delivering a televised statement to a group of invited guests that also included his mother, Woods admitted for the first time that he had been unfaithful repeatedly to his wife, Elin. "I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated," he said. "What I did was unacceptable."
But the world No 1 vehemently denied that any violence had taken place between him and his wife.
"Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night.
It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that," said Woods, his voice rising. "Elin never hit me that night or any other night.
"There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever."
He said: "Many of you in this room are my friends, many know me. Many have cheered for me, worked with me or supported me. Now everyone of you has good reason to be critical.
"People want to find out how I could be so selfish and stupid, how I could have done these things to my wife and children."
Of his marriage, Woods said that he and his wife "have a lot to discuss ... but what we say will stay between the two of us. I understand people have questions. I understand people want to know if Elin and I will stay together. Every one of these questions and answers are between Elin and me.
"I am aware of the pain my behaviour has caused you in the room. I have let you down and let down my fans. To those who have worked for me I have let you down personally and professionally."
Woods would not put any date on his return to professional golf. "I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don't know what day that will be. I don't rule out that it could be this year."
In the meantime, Woods, who has been attending a sex therapy clinic, said he would continue to address his personal problems with the help of a Buddhist faith which he admitted having "lost track of."
He said: "I recognise I have brought this on myself and recognise that I am the one who needs to change. I have a lot of work to do and intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of this is Buddhism….
"Buddhism teaches me to stop following every impulse and to know restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught."
Woods, in a longer-than-expected, 14min address, also issued a strong denial that he had ever used performance-enhancing drugs.
He said: "Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance-enhancing drugs. That is completely and utterly false."
Having earlier spoken about continuing to promote the work of his charitable foundation, Woods pointedly sent a message of goodwill to Accenture, the first of his corporate backers to drop him after the scandal broke.
The company is the title sponsor of the World Match Play event in Arizona currently taking place, where a growing number of players has been critical of the timing of today's statement.
He signed off by saying: "I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course. There are many people in this room and many people at home who believed in me. Today I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again."
With that, he moved forward from a podium to embrace his mother, Kultida.
Earlier a leaked letter from PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem explained why Woods chose today to make his first public comments.
"As we understand it, Tiger Woods' therapy called for a week's break at this time during which he has spent a few days with his children and then will make his statement before returning," Finchem said in the letter to the US PGA Tour policy board and other officials. "Accordingly, there was very little flexibility in the date for the announcement."

Five missed cuts, then a win for Switzerland's

Fredrik Svanberg on Gateway Tour

FROM THE GATEWAY TOUR WEBSITE
Missed Cut, Missed Cut, Missed Cut, Missed Cut, Missed Cut, WIN.
The script to the next uplifting sports movie? No, Fredrik Svanberg’s 2010 Gateway Tour season to date.
After missing the first five cuts in the Desert Winter Series, 27-year-old, Fredrik Svanberg, from Davos-Dorf, Switzerland, shot rounds of 68/66/69-203 (13-under) to lock horns with Matt Marshall (64/72/67-203) through 54 holes of Winter Series No. 6, before beating him on the first hole of sudden-death to win.
Talk about a way to turn your season around. “I guess I’m relieved, more than anything else, because I was kind of in a slump and it was pretty frustrating to be missing cuts,” Svanberg said in reaction to his $17,000 victory.
“Still, though, I was taking a chunk of good shots out of each week and I was wasn’t playing all that bad coming into this event.”
Linking together most of those in the same event this week, then, Svanberg made an impressive 19 birdies to just six bogeys on The Wigwam’s challenging Gold Course. But, perhaps more impressive than that, the former University of California at Berkley golfer birdied the final hole of regulation to tie Marshall, who was already in with 13-under.
“I had actually just lipped out a birdie putt on (No.) 17 and, after hitting a perfect drive on (No.) 18, I had 88 yards to the pin and hit a lob wedge to about five feet just short and straight up the hill,” referenced Svanberg of his finish. “And I finally made that one to tie him.”
The pair headed straight back to the 18th for extra holes, where Svanberg felt his best opportunity stood to win before the playoff would potentially extend on to other holes.
“We were playing (No.) 18 first, but then going to back to (Nos.) 16 and 17 if we needed to,” said Svanberg. “So, because I just had birdied (No.) 18, I felt confident playing it again, and felt that was going to be my best chance.”
As it played out, he was right. Svanberg hit another fine approach into the 440-yard closer to about 12 feet, and with just a two-putt par this time, he took the first stroke play victory of his professional career, as Marshall three-putted from just off the back of the green for bogey. A win he admits to being thankful for, it’s one he actually attributes to an improved knowledge of his clubs’ yardages from a recent visit to the Ping factory.
“I have to thank Christian Pena at Ping because about three weeks ago, I basically got a whole new set of clubs with conforming grooves,” Svanberg said, “but just last Thursday, we measured out how far each club goes and I think it just really helped me to know that and have confidence with knowing my yardages now.”
Playing for the Swiss National Team, Svanberg will play the remainder of the Desert Winter Series before heading back to his native land this spring, hoping to get into as many European Challenge Tour events as possible.
As it were, he just narrowly missed an opportunity to play in one this week; an opportunity he’s certainly now pleased to have been denied.
“I was actually hoping to get into a Challenge Tour event this week in Colombia (the Abierto Internacional de Golf II Copa Antioquia), but I’m obviously glad now I didn’t get in,” joked Svamberg.
“But, I’ll go back to Europe after this Series is over and try to play as many of them as possible. And it will definitely help to take the confidence from this week back with me now.”
Click here for full field results of Desert Winter Series No. 6 and stay tuned as the Tour takes a week off before resuming again, March 3rd-5th, at Southern Dunes GC in Maricopa, Arizona.

Jimmy Gunn from Dornoch shot 71 and 73 for a par total of 144 in this latest Gateway Tour event - but so high is the standard of play on this circuit that he missed the cut by one shot.
Gunn has made $8,054 from the six Gateway Tour Winter Series events, having missed the cut three times now.
Russell Knox from Inverness took this week off rather than play in the Hooters Tour event.
Irishman Niall Turner finished joint fifth in this week's event, earning $3,925 for a total of 208, made up of rounds of 68, 67 and 73.

Midland Golfers’ Alliance
Scotscraig Pro Am, sponsored by Hi-Tech Acoustic Services Ltd

Tee times for Thursday, February 25
8.30 M. Pirie D. Cameron D. Spaven A. Mackie
8.38 K. McGowan D. West J. Scally J. Edmiston
8.46 R. Walker M. Fraser S. Herd
8.54 A. Lockhart S. Cargill E. Rae C. Brunton
9.02 G. McLeod D. Wilson A. Saunders N. McLeod
9.10 J. Paisley D. Mason A. Mason I. Mason
9.18 D. Herd D. Anderson T. Watson G. Mitchell
9.26 T. Melville J. Black J. Rankin N. Henderson
9.34 J. Stevenson M. Gilmour J. Stevenson J. Brown
9.42 C. Mackie R. Ford B. Liddle D. Roberts
9.50 G. Abel M. Niven P. Rhind A. Glass
9.58 P. Brookes C. Westland I. Butchart J. Wilson
10.06 S. Knowles D. Mitchell D. Tully G. Paton
10.14 G. Brown C. Marr R. Wallace J. Strathie
10.22 R. Stewart R. Barton M. Scobbie A. Douglas
10.30 R. Malcolm J. Barnet J. Rennie G. Aitkinson
10.38 S. McLaren P. Callander D. Ritchie E. Starritt
10.46 G. Jenkins W. Crosbie S. Miller G. Gillespie
10.54 K. Harper J. Leddy R. Lamont D. Black
11.02 C. Mackie F. MacKay J. Milne J. Milne
11.10 P. Jamieson J. Crawford C. Gribble K. Smith
11.18 A. Webster K. Bruce A. Smith I. Milne
11.26 C. Mathieson H. Salmond J. Irwin G. Wilkie
11.34 M. Rae D. Hutchieson I. McMurray A. Farquharson
11.42 K. Hutton T. Anderson S. Marshall D. Morrison
11.50 S. O’ Donnell G. Milne C. Wallace J. Craig
11.58 R. Taylor
12.06 C. Nugent B. Black R. De Rose T. McKenna
12.14 I. Henderson W. Smeaton D. Vicary J. Gray
12.22 R. Bell D. Sievwright G. Taylor A. Aitken
12.30 G. Finlay S. Harrod G. Stuart M. Watkins
12.38 R. Taylor A. MacDairmid R. Lauchlaw
12.46 J. Gray A. Mitchell K. MacKenzie A. Lindsay
12.54 N. Cameron L. Irving W. Farquharson A. Cameron
1.02 L. Sutherland I. Thompson G. White
1.10 J. Breen W. Herron E. Sherry
1.18 D. Adams J. Ward A. Herd A. McEwan
1.26 M. Brown R. McDonald F. Hutcheon G. Cant

Lee Sutherland, PGA Professional, Ballumbie Castle Golf Club, Old Quarry Road, Dundee
Tel 01382 770028
Fax 01382) 770251
email leesutherland@btconnect.com

Carton House, Co Kildare to host 2010 Irish Senior Open

NEWS RELEASE
The Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland returns to the European Senior Tour schedule this year when Carton House, in Maynooth, Co. Kildare, hosts the 14th edition of the tournament from June 11-13.
Fáilte Ireland, which has supported the Senior Tour event since its inception at St Margarets Golf Club in 1997, continues its long term association with the tournament and is joined by a new title sponsor for 2010, the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS), represented by Founding Chairman, Dr.Haruhisa Handa.
In addition to the Irish Senior Open, Fáilte Ireland also supports The 3 Irish Open on The European Tour, which Carton House hosted in 2005 and 2006, tournaments won by Stephen Dodd and Thomas Björn respectively.
The leading Senior Tour players will tackle the stunning Montgomerie Course at the Kildare venue, designed by 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie, which is one of two Championship courses at Carton House created in conjunction with European Golf Design.
They will be looking to join an illustrious roll call of former champions, including Tommy Horton, winner of the inaugural event in 1997, two-time winner Seiji Ebihara (2001 and 2002), Carl Mason (2004), Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance (2005) and Costantino Rocca (2007).
Ian Woosnam, who led Europe to victory in The Ryder Cup in Ireland in 2006, returned to the Emerald Isle last year to add his name to the list, staging a remarkable comeback to defeat American Bob Boyd in a play-off at Ballybunion Golf Club having started the final round six shots off the pace.
The 2010 edition of the Irish Seniors Open sees , Japanese philanthropist Dr Handa, the Chairman of the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS) - the title sponsor - extend his growing relationship with the Senior Tour.
It is the third tournament so far on the 2010 Senior Tour schedule to receive the backing of Dr Handa and ISPS; the other two being the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum and the Chang Thailand Senior Masters 2010 presented by ISPS.
Charles Perring, Deputy Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, said: “The Irish Senior Open is one of the cornerstones of the European Senior Tour and I’m delighted that its legacy continues in 2010 with the patronage of Dr Handa and our long term partner Failte Ireland, with Carton House hosting us for the first time at their wonderful facility.
"The honour roll of former champions speaks volumes of the player quality on show and with close proximity to Dublin, we hope to showcase the best of Senior golf to an enthusiastic Irish gallery.”

Stuart Wilson to skipper

Scotland boys in Biarritz

quadrangular

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Former Amateur Champion and Open Silver Medallist Stuart Wilson will pass on his knowledge to Scotland’s next generation of golfers when he leads a team of six to the annual Boys Quadrangular match in France next month (March 4 to 6).
Editor's note: Stuart Wilson is the secretary of Forfar Golf Club. Pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency at work.
Wilson, who shot to fame in 2004 with a win at St Andrews in the Amateur Championship before playing clinching the leading amateur prize in the Open at Royal Troon later that summer, has taken a step back from the competitive scene in recent years and the Scottish Golf Union have called on his experience to work with the Boys Development Squad this year.
A strong team of six have been selected for the first international outing of the season at the Chiberta Golf Club in Biarritz, with Scottish Boys Stroke Play Champion Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock, Barassie) and European Young Masters runner-up Calum Stewart (Brora) in the side. They are joined by former and reigning Scottish Boys U16s champions Ian Redford (New Club, St Andrews) and Grant Forrest (Craigielaw).
Jack Scott (Deeside) and Scott Gibson (Southerness), who boasted an impressive three wins out of three as a foursomes pairing in last year’s Boys’ Home Internationals, complete the line-up.
National junior coach Spencer Henderson welcomed Wilson’s appointment as non playing captain:
“It will be great having Stuart on board this season and he’ll be with us for this event as well as the European Boys Team Championship and Boys’ Home Internationals later this year. Stuart knows what it takes to compete at the highest level of amateur golf and his knowledge will be invaluable.”
“We have selected a strong team from a good group of youngsters and the players will certainly benefit from having Stuart around to pass on his advice. The Boys Quadrangular is a great event from a preparation point of view and it puts the players up against some of the top juniors in Europe.”
Scotland has won two out of the last four Quadrangular Match series, with Ross Kellett, James Byrne and David Law among the victorious players from recent outings who have progressed well onto the senior stage. The Scots will be up against Italy, Sweden and host nation France.
Scotland Team for the 2010 Boys Quadrangular, Chiberta GC, Biarritz, France (4 – 6 March):
Calum Stewart (Brora)
Grant Forrest (Craigielaw)
Jack Scott (Deeside)
Scott Gibson (Southerness)
Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock, Barassie)
Ian Redford (The New Club, St Andrews)
Non-Playing Captain:
Stuart Wilson (Forfar)

United States PGA Tour Scoreboard
MAYAKOBA CLASSIC
Riviera Maya-Cancun, El Camaleon GC, Mexico
FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 71
Players from US unless stated
64 Joe Durant.
65 Cameron Beckman, Briny Baird, Jarrod Lyle (Australia), J P Hayes.
66 Shigeki Maruyama (Japan), Tom Pernice junior, Jason Gore, Jeff Maggert, Thomas Levet (France).
67 Jay Williamson, Brian Stuard, Chris Tidland, Matthias Gronberg (Sweden), Dean Wilson,
Mark Hensby (Australia), K J Choi (South Korea), Boo Weekley, Charles Warren, Steve Wheatcroft, Erik Compton, Chad Collins.
Selected scores:
68 John Daly, Henrik Bjornstad (Norway) (jt 23rd).
69 Alejandro Canizares (Spain) (jt 35th).
70 Jorge Campillo (Spain), Carl Pettersson (Sweden) (jt 47th).
71 David Duval (jt 66th).
73 Nick Dougherty (England) (jt 100th).
75 Pablo Martin (Spain) (jt 117th).

Donald, Casey, Wilson and Poulter in last 16

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
English golf was on the march in Tucson, Arizona on Thursday as Luke Donald, Paul Casey, Oliver Wilson and Ian Poulter all reached the last 16 of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Donald had the biggest win, but the best was probably the one achieved by Wilson, who defeated fourth seed Rory McIlroy at the second extra hole.
Late in the second round there was even a chance that second seed Lee Westwood and last man in Ross McGowan would make it six out of six, but Westwood lost 2&1 to American Nick Watney and McGowan, conqueror of top seed Steve Stricker, went down on the last to 18-year-old Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa.
Westwood has still to go beyond this stage in 10 visits to the event and as a result misses the chance to go to world number two for the first time in his career.
Last year's runner-up Casey, still recovering from the torn rib muscle he suffered last summer after reaching third in the world rankings behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, crushed Canadian left-hander Mike Weir 5&4.
But Donald, returning to form following wrist surgery in 2008, went one better than that with a 6&5 drubbing of Australian Robert Allenby.
The 32-year-old, runner-up on the US Tour two weeks ago, had opened with an eight-birdie victory over Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell and commented: "(It was) another solid day.
"Five birdies, no bogeys. I picked off the par-fives and Robert didn't quite have his game. He didn't put too much pressure on me.
"I'm drawing on the confidence of the last few weeks. This is my fourth in a row, so to finish as quickly as possible is good for me."
SCROLL DOWN TO READ THURSDAY'S SECOND-ROUND RESULTS

Tiger Woods going back to therapy after public statement

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (AP) -- Tiger Woods is to return to therapy after he speaks publicly for the first time about his infidelity, according to a letter from US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem that was obtained by The Associated Press.
Finchem's letter to the PGA Tour policy board and other officials explained why Woods chose Friday to make his first public comments, which are to be televised live by the major networks.
Woods' statement comes during the Match Play Championship, sponsored by Accenture, the first company to drop Woods as a pitchman.
"As we understand it, Tiger's therapy called for a week's break at this time during which he has spent a few days with his children and then will make his statement before returning," Finchem said in a letter Thursday. "Accordingly, there was very little flexibility in the date for the announcement."
Woods is to speak at 11 a.m. EST from the clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass, home of the US PGA Tour.
The letter shed no light on whether Woods plans to return to the tour anytime soon.
Ernie Els was among players who were upset to learn that Woods had chosen the week of a World Golf Championship for a public appearance that was sure to take attention away from the tournament. "It's selfish," Els told Golfweek magazine.
Finchem told reporters in Marana, Arizona, earlier this week that he didn't think Woods' appearance would undermine Accenture, and that Woods' handlers "have their own reasons for their schedule."
In the letter, he said the tour discussed the timing with Accenture and "they understand that the PGA Tour was not involved in determining the timing of the statement."
Finchem also noted that Woods' comments would be over well before television coverage of the third round from Dove Mountain.
The US PGA Tour made available its sprawling, Mediterranean-styled clubhouse for the announcement, and is helping set up adjacent ballrooms at the nearby Sawgrass Marriott for media, where they can watch Woods on closed-circuit TV.
Finchem said in the letter that Woods' management asked for the facilities, and "we agreed as we would for any member of the PGA Tour."

European Challenge Tour Scoreboard

COPA ANTIOGUIA
Club Deportivo El Rodeo, Sede La Macarena,
Colombia

FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 71
64 Francisco Ojeda.
67 Robert Dinwiddie, Marcus Higley, David Vanegas.
68 Joaquin Esteves, Cesar Monastero, Raul Sanz, Jan-Are Larsen, Magnus Carlsson, Julio Zapata, Ryan Blaum, Vince Covello, Peter Gustafsson, Julien Xanthopoulos.
Selected scores:
70 Jack Doherty, John Morgan (jt 24th).
71 Jamie Moul (jt 32nd).
72 Daniel Brooks (jt 45th).
74 George Murray (jt 86th).
75 Lloyd Kennedy, Ben Evans (jt 99th).
77 Paul Eales, Paul Dwer (jt 135th).
78 Scott Jamieson (jt 146th).

Accenture World Match-play Championship Scoreboard

RITZ-CARLTON GOLF CLUB, DOVE MOUNTAIN, MARANA, ARIZONA

SECOND-ROUND

BOBBY JONES BRACKET
R Ishiwa bt R McGowan 1 hole.
T Jaidee bt R Karlsson 4 and 3.
J M Singh bt M Kuchar 1 hole.
I Poulter bt A Scott 2 and 1.

BEN HOGAN BRACKET
T Clark bt M Kaymer 3 and 2.
S Garcia bt A Hansen 2 and 1.
O Wilson bt R McIlroy at 20th.
L Donald bt R Allenby 6 and 5.

GARY PLAYER BRACKET
N Watney bt L Westwood 2 and 1.
R Goosen bt E Els at 20th.
B Crane bt Y Yang 3 and 2.
C Villegas bt G Ogilvy 2 and 1.

SAM SNEAD BRACKET
C Schwartzel bt J Furyk 3 and 2.
S Cink bt S O'Hair 1 hole.
P Casey bt M Weir 5 and 4.
B Gay bt Z Johnson 2 holes.

Top Scots in the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings

The top eight Scots in this week's R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings are:
47 (-1) Ross Kellett (Colville Park).
52 (-3) James Byrne (Banchory).
151 (-2) Glenn Campbell (Murrayshall).
168 (+9) Mark Hillson (Craigielaw).
192 (+19) Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck).
241 (-8) James White (Lundin).
281 (-1) David Law (Hazlehead).
326 (-4) Steven McEwan (Caprington).

+Matteo Manassero (Italy) and Victor Dubuisson (France) continue to be No 1 and 2 in the rankings.

Sean O'Donnell wins Midlands Alliance at Drumoig

By LEE SUTHERLAND (Ballumbie Castle GC head pro)
The Midlands Golfers Alliance was played at Drumoig Golf Course, Fife yesterday. The weather was very kind and the scoring was good also.
Leading the way in the scratch was Balbirnie Park assistant pro Sean O’Donnell with a two-under-par 71. James Gray (Craigie Hill), playing off 12, won the handicap section with a net score of 67.
LEADING SCRATCH
69 S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap.
70 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
71 G Brown (Montrose) ap.
72 K Harper (Carnoustie), M Brown (Monifieth), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle).
73 M Rae (Alyth) ap.
75 G Jenkins (Crieff).
76 G Milne (Aberdour).
77 D Hutchieson (Murrayshall), I Henderson (Craigie Hill).
LEADING HANDICAP
67 J Gray (Craigie Hill) (12).
68 I McMurray (Downfield) (12).
71 G Milne (Aberdour) (5), D Hutchieson (Murrayshall) (6), D Ritchie (Crieff) (9), I Henderson (Craigie Hill) (6), J Wilson (Dunfermline) (12), A Herd (Scotscraig) (11).
72 G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), K Harper (Carnoustie) (scr).
73 J Milne junior (Blairgowrie) (9), J Milne senior (Blairgowrie) (14), K Thomson (Alloa) (14), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) (+1).
74 G Wilkie (Tulliallan) (10).

Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links
G Jenkins (Crieff) (3)
D Ritchie (Crieff) (9)
I McMurray (Downfield) (12)

Next Weeks Meeting: Thursday, February 25
Scotscraig pro-am, sponsored by Hi-Tech Acoustic Services Ltd.
Tee reserved 8.30am to 1.30pm

Portuguese international amateur championship Scoreboard

AROEIRA COURSE 1, Nr LISBON
FIRST ROUND LEADING SCORES
Par 72
65 Alexander Levy (France).
67 Juan Francisco Sarasti (Spain).
68 Chris Lloyd (England), Jamie Abbot (England), Tiago Carneiro Rodrigues (Portugal), Ross Kellett (Scotland).
69 Michael Bedford (England), Romain Wattel (France), Alexander Knappe (Germany), Clement Lemaire (France).
70 James Watts (England), Carlos Pigem (Spain), Alexis Szappanos (Germany), Tapio Pulkkanen (Finland), Steven Brown (England), Manual Alexandre Violas (Portugal), Alexandre Abreu (Spain), Antonio Hortal (Spain).
71 Niccolo Quintarelli (Italy), Adrian Otaequi (Spain), Antoine Schwartz (France), Paul Cutler (Ireland), Jean-Pierre Verselin (France), Tom Lewis (England), Glenn Campbell (Scotland), Johann Lopez Lazara (France), Peter Baunsoe (Denmark) (jt 19th).
Selected scores:
72 Dara Lernihan (Ireland), Ben Herbert (England), Chris Nugent (Wales), Cian Curley (Ireland), Joshua White (England) (jt 28th).
73 Scott Campbell (England), Gordon Yates (Scotland) (jt 43rd)
74 Reeve Whitson (Ireland), Jack Senior (England), Philip McLean (Scotland), James Robinson (England), Andrew Hogan (Ireland), Greg Paterson (Scotland) (jt 53rd).
76 James Frazer (Wales), Richard Bentham (Wales), Eddie Pepperell (England), James White (Scotland), Robert Cannon (Ireland), Oliver Farr (Wales).
77 David Law (Scotland), Jonathan Bell (England), Darren Wright (England), Joe Vickery (Wales) (jt 90th).
78 Alan Dunbar (Ireland) (jt 102nd).
79 Steven McEwan (Scotland) (jt 111th), Ian Winstanley (England).
Field of 118 players.
+The leading 40 and ties after 54 holes will qualify for Sunday's fourth and final round.

Three in running for England's Club of the Year award

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
After the final round of judging, the top three clubs who will be contesting the GolfMark Club of the Year Award have been named.
Chapel-en-le-Frith Golf Club in Derbyshire, Paultons Golf Centre in Hampshire and Stoke by Nayland Golf Club in Essex will all be attendance when the final result is announced at the English Golf Union’s (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association’s (EWGA) County Development Conference on February 23.
This year the Award is being sponsored by Cobra Golf who will be presenting the top accolade plus prizes to the winning club during the evening’s ceremony.
EGU and EWGA Golf Development Manager, Richard Flint said, “We have been extremely impressed with the quality of clubs nominated for this year’s award. It is clear that everyone who was nominated has shown both dedication and creativity in the work they do in welcoming both juniors and beginners to the game and they are all great ambassadors for golf.”
The three clubs came through a tough judging procedure which saw them initially compete against nominations from each County Golf Partnership to then reach a short list of eight clubs that were finally assessed by a panel from the EGU, EWGA, PGA and Golf Foundation.

Unbelievably bad weather in Morocco for Alps Tour event

FROM THE ALPS TOUR WEBSITE
The weather in Morocco this week is kind of unbelievable. As far as residents can remember, it has been a long time since Morocco had to suffer from such awful conditions.
All players in the Alps Tour's Mogador Open were ready to start at 9.45am, but unfortunately the wind was too strong for balls to stay still on the greens.
The area of Golf de Mogador was lashed by heavy rain and huge gusts of wind. Players came to clubhouse to be safe and waited for information.
At 11am, the organising committee decided on suspending the play for the day. Tuesday's play was also "lost."
It is hoped that the second and third rounds can be played on Friday.
The plan - weather permitting - is for the second round to be completed on Friday morning with an 8.30am start.
That should finish the second round about noon. The qualifiers after a second-round cut will go out again in a shotgun start about one hour later for the third and final round.

Hitch in plans for new Baberton clubhouse

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
An Edinburgh golf club has been granted planning permission for a stunning new clubhouse – but hopes of it being built are in limbo due to uncertainty over an agreement with a property developer.
Baberton Golf Club in Juniper Green got the go-ahead last week for a development that includes a contemporary clubhouse and 30 executive-style apartments. The apartments are to be built on the site of the existing clubhouse and the club has an agreement with a property developer for that to happen.
However, fears are growing about the deal after club officials have been unable to make contact with the company.
"At this particular stage the proposed development is in limbo," said club secretary Bernard Flockhart."We now have approval to build the new clubhouse and flats but need to find out from Southplace Homes if they are proceeding. We've pushed them over the last month or so but have not been able to contact them."
Plans to replace the existing Baberton clubhouse, which was built when the club was inaugurated in 1893, have been in the pipeline for the past six years. Outline planning permission for the project, which is on a green belt site, was originally rejected before being approved on appeal by the Secretary of State.
At that time, the club had an agreement with a different developer, Cruden Homes, for the land where the current clubhouse sits but that fell through.
In securing detailed planning permission, Baberton's members have at least moved a step closer to seeing their club get a modern new clubhouse but the project won't be able to go ahead unless a developer comes up with the money for the land to build the flats.
"It has always been our intention that this (the new clubhouse) would be done at no extra cost to members," added Flockhart. "It's unfortunate that there seems to be no finance for the development of the flats at the moment due to the recession but it was in our interest to get planning permission as we can try and get another developer if this one walks away. We now have an asset that is worth something to us when the financial climate is right."
The proposed clubhouse is to be built beside the first fairway and will enjoy views across the course to the west. It will have facilities to match new clubhouses built at the likes of Prestonfield, the Merchants and Swanston New in recent years.
"The proposals tie in with the character of the conservation area and are sympathetic to the green belt location," said Gordon Beaton, design director of Edinburgh-based Susan Stephen Architects.
"The clubhouse design responds to current day golfers' needs with panoramic views over the golf course and large, open fully-glazed public spaces. Both the clubhouse and apartments are attractively designed in a contemporary Scottish vernacular style with traditional finishes."
+The full article above appears in the Edinburgh Evening News newspaper today.

Stevie Gray Wins West Alliance at Irvine Bogside

A total of 63 amateurs and 17 professionals competed over a frosty Irvine Bogside Golf Club course in yesterday's West of Scotland Alliance competition.
The start was delayed initially by an hour. However,play got underway half an hour after our original start time. The frost eventually lifted and the sunshine came out.
All players were impressed by the James Braid-designed and one time Open Qualifying course.
James Smallwood, on two under par, took an early lead with a 69. However he was pushed into second place by a creditable 68 by Stevie Gray, which included four birdies and one bogey.
Despite finishing with two birdies, recent winner Barry Hume could not overtake the leaders and he had to settle for third place later in the day.
The amatuer prize went to senior John Greene (12) who finished with a net 67, including a hole in one at the par-3 16th (156yd).
Many players found the conditions difficult and there was a record number of No Returns. The only other under par score came from Brian Robertson (11) with a score of 70.
The Seniors' prize went to Brian Byrne with a net 76 off five.
PRIZEWINNERS
SCRATCH
68 Stephen Gray (Hayston) p £110.
69 James Smallwood (Fereneze) p £80.
71 Barry Hume (Haggs Castle) p £60.
73 Stewart savage (Dalmuir) p, Ewan Grimes (Cardross) p £20.00 each
HANDICAP
Prize Vouchers
67 John Greene (Cowglen) (12) £80.
70 Brian Robertson (Forrester Park Resort) (11) £50.
72 Shahid Majid (Forrester Park Resort) (6) £35.
73 John Carrell (Torrance House) (12), David Ferguson (Paisley) £12.50 Each
SENIORS
Prize Vouchers
76 Brian Byrne (Bonnyton) (5)
78 William McCallum (Kirkhill) (9), John Mansfield (Troon Merchants) (15), Bob Cherry (Caldwell) (9) £7 each
Our top three handicap winners also shared the sweep money.
With only two par 3s on the course, no 2's were returned on the day. However John Greene's hole in one earned him the total amount of the 2s' money. A great day for John indeed, winning the handicap, sweep and all the 2s' money.

Fraserburgh player is still targeting European Tour card

Jordan Findlay has +2.3 of a handicap and

-

he still can't get into Portuguese and

-

Spanish amateur championships!

-

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay, who appeared in back-to-back British boys' championship finals as a teenager, still has the confidence to pursue his ambition to become a European Tour player.
But, even with +2.3 of a handicap, the 21-year-old Buchan Loon could not get into the field for this week's Portuguese amateur championship nor the upcoming Spanish equivalent.
"The standard is so high these days in the big amateur events that you had to have a handicap of at least +2.5 to get into the 'Portuguese' and the Spanish championship organisers decided their field on the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings," said Findlay (pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency at Murcar Links yesterday).
"My world ranking is just not high enough these days to get me in to events like that."
Winner of the British boys' title in 2004 and beaten finalist in 2005, Jordan's four years as a student at East Tennessee State University latterly did nothing for his golf.
He has been a full-time amateur golfer since he returned from the States. He failed to get past Stage 1 of the European Tour Qualifying School last autumn but is determined to keep trying until he makes it. If it is any encouragement to Jordan, didn't it take Major-winner-to-be Ian Woosnam seven years to gain pass marks at the Q School many years ago?
"I did think of going to the EuroPro Tour Qualifying School at the end of March but changed my mind in favour of having a full season on the amateur circuit. To be a European Tour player has been my ambition for a long time and I won't be happy until I get there."

Winning a place in the Scotland team this season would be a positive sign that his career is back on track.
There will be a lot more rivers to cross for Jordan to get a European Tour card but at 21 he has youth on his side. And the skill that once made him the best in Britain as a teenager must still be there, waiting to be brought to the surface again.

Four birdies in his first nine holes of yesterday's North-east Alliance at Murcar Links suggests that he is on the way back.

Any comments? You can E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

World-class control freak Tiger is picking

-

up again where he left off ... in charge

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
By Michael Bamberger, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated
Tiger Woods' people have made an announcement: On Friday at 11 am (local time) he will conduct a non-press conference!
Woods is expected to discuss his future plans, and to say something about his "indiscretions,” likely in the gentlemanly terms suitable for the setting, the obscene 77,000-square-foot clubhouse, with its baronial fireplaces and framed artwork, of the TPC Sawgrass, at the PGA Tour's headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Woods's agent, Mark Steinberg of IMG — yep, still on the scene — told the AP that "a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates” will join Woods, and that a half-dozen reporters will be allowed to attend the non-press conference. But there will be no questions.
Got that Vartan Kupelian? Kupelian came by his invite to the non-press conference by virtue of his position as the president of the Golf Writers Association of America. One peep and you're out, kid.

Now, it so happens, Kupelian writes for the Detroit News, where he's been since ‘71, meaning his job is to report about Tiger's recent past and future plans for a readership in a city that has 28 percent unemployment. Kupelian might have some insight into what his readers want to know about Tiger's mindset. He might have some good questions to ask. Not now, Vartan. You'll be told the appropriate time for that. (That is, never.)
Tiger Woods is a world-class control freak, and in his re-entry into public life — which has showered him with wealth and opportunities and trappings that we can only imagine — he is picking up right where he left off. He controls all. He's the same way with his golf ball. He tells it exactly what he wants it to do.
A guess is that Tiger is very angry. Angry at the National Enquirer for breaking the story of his infidelity. Angry at NBC — one of the Tour's most reliable media partners! — for trotting out one of his babes on the Today show with golf buff Matt Lauer. Angry at the mainstream golf press for writing oh-that-Tiger-is-a-fraud stories.
(Yes, it's possible that he'll do something totally radical, announce his retirement or something like that. But would he go to PGA Tour HQ to do it? Doubtful.)
And you know what he'll do with that anger? He'll take it out on his golf ball, whether he's at Arnold Palmer's tournament at Bay Hill in March, the Masters in April, the Players in May, the U.S. Open in June, the British Open in July or the PGA Championship in August. Come September, when the American Ryder Cup team jets off to Wales for a nothing-but-pride team competition? The guess here is he'll be back on hiatus. Of those tournaments how many could he win? Pick a number between one and five.
Another guess is that Woods will do everything he possibly can to keep his marriage to Elin, and to keep his young son and daughter all under one roof. Woods reportedly spent nearly half of his three months in seclusion in a clinic in Hattiesburg, Miss., that specializes in sex addiction. Like other world-class athletes — the elites of the elite — Woods never acknowledges any vulnerabilities. It seems unthinkable that he would actually consider himself to be a sex addict. What is realistic is that he would spend five weeks or so in therapy because his wife felt that was a necessary starting point to reclaiming their marriage.
One more guess for what Woods might say at his non-press conference on Friday, in front of his small group of friends, colleagues, close associates — and the half-dozen seen-but-not-heard reporters He will be seriously cutting back on his off-course activities. (Note to self: Avoid bad joke here)

Some sponsors have cut him loose or reduced his role. Woods will take that in stride and devote more time to his family and to his foundation. The most impressive thing Woods ever said came in 2006, at the opening of the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim, near his boyhood home. He called it the single most important thing he'd ever done. Bill Clinton was standing at his side. Clinton got his second act. Woods will, too. He'll win tournaments, money will come flowing in again and everybody will feel good.
But in the meantime, he's getting off on the weakest of notes, with this non-press conference in a ridiculous palace that pays homage to all the excessiveness Tiger's gaudy Phase I brought. On his first step back, he's showing that he has all the cards, and you and I and all the people who like golf and are fascinated by what he's done in the game, well, we have none. Don't blame Steinberg for this move and don't blame the high-priced polo shirts at the PGA Tour.

This move has Tiger Woods written all over it.
Arnold Palmer played for his fans, but Woods never has, and nothing's likely to change. It's arrogant and offputting, the whole idea of this most public of people, one of the best known faces in the world, stepping back into public life without taking so much as a question.
It's also brilliant. He's reminding us, and his opponents, too: he's still in charge.

Any comments? You can E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

WGC-Accenture World Match-play Championship

Ross McGowan KOs top seed Steve

Stricker at 19th hole in first round

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
England's Ross McGowan, only playing because Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson chose not to, knocked top seed Steve Stricker out of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona yesterday.
With a 25ft par putt on the first extra hole, McGowan, pictured, grabbed the biggest possible scalp on a day which also saw Rory McIlroy come from four down to win, but Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher were among those beaten at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain venue.
Stricker went to world number two when he won the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles two weeks ago, but his defeat opens the door for Lee Westwood to move into that spot this weekend.
Westwood would have to win the title for that, but he made a good start by overcoming fellow Englishman Chris Wood 3 and 1.
McGowan was little known until he finished runner-up to Westwood at the Dubai World Championship in November, and was a massive underdog against Stricker.
He becomes only the second 64th seed to beat the top seed in the history of the event. Australian Peter O'Malley eliminated Tiger Woods in 2002.
McIlroy, meanwhile, pulled off a brilliant victory from the jaws of defeat.
He lost four of the first six holes to American Kevin Na early on and was still two behind with only four left.
But the 20-year-old fourth seed eagled the next and won on the final green as Na, ranked 61st in the world, crumbled.
It was just the sort of thing that would have hugely impressed Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, who earlier this week said: "I want to see guys who show guts and determination, guys who are maybe two or three down with four or five holes to play but who battle back to win."

SCROLL DOWN TO READ ALL 32 FIRST-DAY RESULTS

Fairways Target League Week 3 Report

By Neil D. Hampton
Golf & Marketing Director, Loch Ness Golf Course
www.golflochness.com

MONDAY LEAGUE
It was a good night for scoring in the Monday league with the all teams putting in a good performance. Orion were the stars of the night with a top score of the 73 against the Specialists who acquitted themselves but couldn’t quite match the Orion fire power.
BM Trucks were not far behind with 67 and their opponents the Royal Swingers found some of their early season form but could quite match the Trucks.
The Neverwillbees were also victorious against the Happy Gilmour’s who are settling in nicely and putting in some consistent scores. The Parahandies had the easiest game on the night as the Sainties were otherwise engaged. The top of the table remains the same with BM Trucks and Orion still unbeaten, closely followed by the Parahandies just two points behind.
At the bottom the Sainties are yet to get off the mark but they are only two points behind three teams so a lot could change in just one week.
RESULTS
The Neverwillbees 51 – 28 Happy Gilmour’s
Royal Swingers 43 – 67 BM Trucks
Parahandies 32 – 0 Sainties
Orion 73 – 46 Specialists.

TUESDAY LEAGUE
The Tuesday night teams were presented tougher scoring conditions and the high scoring target was the furthest away so best score was from King Kenyon’s Klan who amassed 54 in the game with Fairhurst Fore. Nest highest was the Muirton Marvels who compiled 42 but their opponents were supposed to be the Mad Drivers but they had called earlier to say they were stuck in a layby! The Coastguards grabbed a rare victory with the Senior Moments their victims and home team Fairways struggled against the Luckless Leadbetters who themselves were below par but still did enough to win. This leaves three teams tied at the top, Marvels, Leadbetters and Kenyon’s Klan with three tied at the bottom, Senior Moments, Mad Drivers and Fairways who are propping them all up.
RESULTS
Mad Drivers 0 – 42 Muirton Marvels
Senior Moments 20 – 26 Coastguards
Fairhurst 27 – 54 King Kenyon’s Klan
Fairways 19 – 31 Luckless Leadbetters.

Royal Dornoch member Ellis becomes

president of English Golf Union

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Elwyn Ellis, a past President of Cheshire, has been installed as President of The English Golf Union at its annual general meeting at Woodhall Spa.
In succeeding Norman Forrest at the helm of the EGU, Elwyn is looking forward to spreading the word both at home and abroad while hoping to see English teams complete a string of successes during his year in office.
“I haven’t any particular schemes or targets to see happen in 2010 apart from England successes on the fairways,” he says. “I will support all the teams but I’d particularly like to see victories in the European men’s team championship and the Eisenhower Trophy, while I’m really looking forward to visiting the Masters.”
Elwyn, pictured by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography, was born in Stockport in 1927 and spent most of his early years in Lytham St Anne’s, being educated at the King Edward VII School. He learned to play at Lytham Green Drive but his business career in the textile industry took him to Manchester.
He joined Prestbury Golf Club in 1956 and is now an Honorary Life Member, having been captain in 1979 and president in 1980. He is also a member of Royal Lytham and St Anne’s and Royal Dornoch Golf Clubs.
Elwyn joined the Cheshire Executive in 1985, was County President in 1989 and Chairman of the Northern Group of the EGU from 1996-98. He spent a long spell on the EGU Council representing Cheshire and is now a vice president and trustee of the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs.
Elwyn has been married to Dorothy for 57 years and they have two sons, Roger and Richard, and a daughter Nicola.

Accenture World Match-play Championship

THE RITZ-CARLTON GOLF CLUB, DOVE MOUNTAIN, MARANA, ARIZONA

ALL THE FIRST ROUND RESULTS

BOBBY JONES BRACKET
R McGowan bt S Stricker at 19th
R Ishikawa bt M Sim 2 holes.
T Jaidee bt R Fisher 5 and 4.
R Karlsson bt R Sabbatini at 20th.
J M Singh bt P Harrington 3 and 1.
M Kuchar bt A Kim 3 and 2.
I Poulter bt J Leonard at 19th.
A Scott bt A Cabrera 3 and 2.

BEN HOGAN BRACKET
M Kaymer bt C Campbell 4 and 2.
T Clark bt VJ Singh 1 hole.
A Hansen bt L Glover 2 and 1.
S Garcia bt D Thoms 2 holes.
O Wilson bt M A Jimenez 3 and 2.
R McIlroy bt K Na 1 hole.
R Allenby bt P Hanson 4 and 2.
L Donald bt G McDowell 2 and 1.

GARY PLAYER BRACKET
L Westwood bt C Wod 3 and 1.
N Watney bt Y Ikeda 4 and 3.
E Els bt R Moore 4 and 3.
R Goosen bt S Hansen 3 and 2.
B Crane w.o. H Stenson retired after 1 hole.
Y Yang bt S Kjeldsen 2 and 1.
G Ogilvy bt A Noren 7 and 5.
C Villegas bt D Johnson 4 and 3.

SAM SNEAD BRACKET
J Furyk bt S Verplank 2 and 1.
C Schwartzel bt H Mahan 2 and 1.
S O'Hair bt S Dyson 3 and 1.
S Cink bt E Molinari 2 holes.
P Casey bt S Ames 5 and 4.
M Weir bt A Quiros 8 and 6.
B Gay bt K Perry 2 and 1.
Z Johnson bt F Molinari at 21st.

Tiger to talk on Friday: Choice of date may be

getting own back on ex-sponsors Accenture

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By MARK REASON
Tiger Woods will make a public statement at the US PGA tour's headquarters in Florida on Friday morning.
It will be the first time the world has heard from Woods since he went into hiding following his car crash at the end of November last year and the subsequent revelations of his extensive sex life.
A message from Woods's management company said: "Tiger Woods will be speaking to a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates at 11:00am EST Friday at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Tiger plans to discuss his past and his future and he plans to apologise for his behavior."
It seems strange that the US PGA should sanction such a 'conference' in the middle of a World Golf Championship event. The Woods' statement will immediately suck publicity out of the Accenture Match Play Championship, currently taking place in Arizona and the sponsors will be justifiably furious.
Accenture used to sponsor Woods, but were among the first to pull out following the scandal. Is this Woods getting back at them? The thought certainly occurred to Rory McIlroy after he had completed a brilliant comeback victory over Kevin Na in the first round of the Accenture.
McIlroy said: "I suppose he (Tiger) might want to get something back at the sponsors. He's got to come back at some point. It's just gone on for so long. I'm sick of hearing about it and I'm looking forward to when he's coming back on the golf course."
How the world has changed in a year. Twelve months ago McIlroy was a kid making his debut on the big American Tour and Woods was making his return to competitive golf at the Accenture Match Play after undergoing knee surgery.
On Friday Tiger will make another return, but in staggeringly different circumstances.
The old Accenture advertisement showed Tiger looking down at his ball among the rocks, with the strap line: "It's what you do next that counts." It seems that Tiger is now going to throw Accenture's own line back at them.
The players are unlikely to be amused. Last month Geoff Ogilvy, the defending champion this week, urged Woods to make a public appearance before making his tournament return. That way, said Ogilvy, the tournament at which he returns would be less of a "circus."
It appears that Tiger has taken Ogilvy's advice, but only up to an extent. Woods is making a public appearance before his tournament return, but it is one that will detract from this week's tournament.
The brilliant start made by English golfers at the Accenture was almost buried by the news of Tiger's return - almost, but not quite. Luke Donald was the first to come in with a 2 and 1 victory over Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, a win that included no fewer than eight birdies.
McDowell said afterwards: "I ran into a buzz saw. Every time I had a sniff of a chance, he made a great putt. He is unbelievable with the wedges and the putter. He's old school. I like the way he plays, I have a lot of respect for his game, he's a fabulous player."
As morning turned to afternoon Paul Casey, last year's runner-up, concluded a 5 and 4 dusting of Stephen Ames, Oliver Wilson beat Miguel Angel Jimenez by 4 and 2 and Ian Poulter won a colossal match against Justin Leonard on the first extra hole.
Poulter had come back from a two-hole deficit to take a one-hole lead going up the 18th, but then Leonard birdied to take the match into extra time. As Poulter walked off the 18th green he said: "That was silly, Arsenal are kicking off in ten minutes." He needed a speedy birdie and he got it.
Casey will next play Mike Weir who had a stunning win over Spain's Alvaro Quiros, the Canadian left-hander birdieing nine of his first 10 holes. Casey said: "I hope he watches the Olympics tonight and gets tired."
Sweden's Henrik Stenson, winner of the title in 2007, conceded his first-round match after only one-hole to American Ben Crane. Stenson felt like death warmed up - flu-like symptoms - but played one hole to see if the fresh air made him feel any better. He didn't - and conceded.
Crane continued to play the course on his own - a familiarisation jaunt. Even if Stenson had withdrawn before starting the match, Crane would have advanced unchallenged to the second round because none of the alternates (reserves) had gone to Arizona.

Scott Larkin (Banchory) and Laura Murray (Alford), leading scorers at Murcar Links today (new images by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

Late Larkin 65 pips Laura for a place in

North-east Alliance winners' history

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Former US college circuit player Scott Larkin came in late in a field of 83 to deny Scottish amateur international Laura Murray an historic win in today’s North-east Golfers’ Alliance competition at Murcar Links.
The 23-year-old Banchory hotel worker, who spent four years at the College of Charleston, recovered from a four-putt double bogey 6 at the second to shoot seven birdies in a four-under-par 65 (33-32) over the shorter winter course with temporary greens.
Driving the ball particularly soundly, it was Larkin's third win of the NE Alliance 2009-2010 season, having already won at Peterhead and finished joint first at Inverallochy.
Until then, Laura Murray’s score of 66 (34-32), in which she three times holed from off the green, had looked like making the Alford player the first female to win the top scratch prize in the long history of the organisation.
Laura’s five birdies came at the seventh, eighth, 11th, 13th and 16th in halves of 34 (one under par) and 32 (two under par). She had a three-putt bogey at the second and a second bogey at the par-4 15th where she had to take a penalty drop out of a gorse bush at but single-putted to escape with a 5.
"I hit the ball well off the tee and my short game was very tidy which was very important on winter greens like these," said Laura who changed her mind about turning pro this year to have one more go at the amateur circuit. She sets off on Sunday for next week's Spanish women's amateur championship, having made the cut in the Portguese version two or three weeks ago.
Laura has an LGU handicap of +1 but she plays off the men's tees in Alliance competitions so secretary Ron Menzie, using a mathematical equation of his own, gives her an Alliance handicap of 4 so that she can compete on a level playing surface in the handicap prizelists.
Ron will probably have to cut her Alliance handicap because her net 62 won her first place in Class 1 by four strokes today!
Joint third scratch on 67 were former British boys champion Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), a full-time amateur since his US college days, Newburgh-on-Ythan pro Ian Bratton and Hazlehead amateur Chris Law, whose brother David won the Scottish boys’ and men’s championships last year.
Findlay, who felt it was "hit or a miss" winter conditions, particularly on the the temporary greens, had four birdies in an outward half of 31 while Bratton drove the green at the par-4 18th for a fifth birdie.

It was the first time the Newburgh pro had used his driver all day.

"I drove with a three-iron all the way before that. Why? Because I was hitting it well and it was all that was required on the shorter winter course. That's what course management is all about but some of the younger guys find it difficult to adjust to different courses, different conditions."
Law covered the last five holes in two under par, thanks to birdies at the 14th and 15th in an inward 33.
Former Walker Cup player Sandy Pirie finished joint seventh on one-over-par 70 after being out in two-under 33 and still being two under the card with four holes to play. But the Hazlehead veteran ran up a double bogey 6 at the 15th and dropped another shot at the last for 37 home.

You can say what you like but golf is still just about the most honest of sports. Secretary Ron Menzies received a call on his mobile phone late on in today's competition from a player who had been playing his round over in his mind on the way home by car - now is that an offence? - and realised that he had put down an 8 at one hole when it should have been a 9.

"The player shall remain nameless but he had a score in the mid-70s," said Ron. "I had to tell him he was disqualified for signing for a lower figure but he knew that. He just wanted to keep the record straight."
Leading scores (par 69)
SCRATCH
65 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
66 Laura Murray (Alford).
67 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), Ian Bratton (Newburgh), Chris Law (Hazlehead).
69 Anthony Bews (Murcar Links).
70 Chris Lamb (Newmachar), Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead).
71 Steven Sharp (Newburgh), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian), Adam Lindsay (Banchory).
72 Billy Main (Murcar Links), Brian Nicolson (Auchmill), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Fergus Bisset (Banchory), Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links).
73 David Naylor (Banchory), Scott Mackie (Kemnay), Fraser Milne (Fraserburgh), Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), Steven Chalmers (Banchory).
74 Brian Harper (Newburgh), Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Jim Murray (Banchory).
75 George Paterson (Northern), Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal), Richard Hyland (Craibstone), Clark Alexander (Murcar Links).
76 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Jim Scott (Peterculter), Robert Lamb (Newmachar), Joe Hopwood (Carnegie).
77 Andrew Campbell (Deeside), Craig Carnegie (Kemnay).
78 Albert Smith (Turriff), John Hamilton (Murcar Links), Hamish McNaughton (Cruden Bay), Norman Stewart (Northern), David McKay (Caledonian).
79 Steven Kennedy (Craibstone), Martin Forster (Cruden Bay), John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), Jackie Forrest (Northern), Willie Skene (Deeside).
80 Philip Morrison (Oldmeldrum), Chris Brindley (Banchory), Alistair Petrie (Oldmeldrum).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – Laura Murray (Alford) (4) 62; C Law (Hazlehead) (1) 66; S Sharp (Newburgh) (4), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (6), S Larkin (Banchory) (+2), J Murray (Banchory) (7) 67; B Harper (Newburgh) (6), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2), M Lawrie (Kemnay) (5) 68; J Findlay (Fraserburgh) (+2), S Mackie (Kemnay) (4) 69; B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), F Bisset (Banchory) (2), K Nelson (Murcar Links) (2), P McIntosh (Newburgh) (4), C Alexander (Murcar Links) (5) 70.

Class 2 – J Scott (Peterculter) (10), N Stewart (Northern) (12) 66; H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 67; S Kennedy (Craibstone) (11), J Kelly (Peterculter) (14) 68; M Rendall (Stonehaven) (13), B Lumsden (Northern) (14), M Rogers (Kemnay) (13) 69; C Brindley (Banchory) (10), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10) 70; J Penny (Huntly) (13), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14), R Alison (Deeside) (15), M Brown (Craibstone) (18) 71.

SCORECARD FOR MURCAR LINKS WINTER COURSE: Par 69
OUT: 4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4-4--35. IN: 4-4-3-4-5-4-3-4-5--34

SCOTT LARKIN 65
OUT: 3-6-3-4-3-5-4-3-3--33. IN: 3-3-3-4-4-5-3-4-3--32.

LAURA MURRAY 66
OUT: 4-5-4-4-3-4-3-3-4--34. IN: 4-3-3-3-4-5-2-4-4--32.

JORDAN FINDLAY 67
OUT: 3-4-4-3-3-4-4-3-3--31. IN: 5-3-3-4-4-5-4-4-4--36.

IAN BRATTON 67
OUT: 4-4-4-4-3-5-4-3-3--34. IN: 5-4-2-3-4-4-4-4-3--33.

CHRIS LAW 67
OUT: 4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4-3--34. IN: 5-3-3-5-3-3-3-4-4--33.

Remember, next Wednesday's NE Alliance fixture has been transferred from Turriff to Buckpool.

Gavin Dear up with Alps Tour leaders in Morocco

FROM THE ALPS TOUR WEBSITE
Frenchman Benoit Bozio took a one-stroke advantage after the delayed first round at Essaouira in Morocco today.
He shot a great, five-under-par 67 and overtook a group a four players who had been sharing the clubhouse lead.
Bozio, 27, won twice on the Alps Tour during the 2007 season. He played on Challenge Tour in 2008.
A gale-force wind on Tuesday forced the postponement for 24 hours of the opening round and today the weather conditions were still perfect for those native from windy countries such as the British Isles.
Richard Kilpatrick from Northern Ireland, shot 68 as well as Scot Gavin Dear from Scone in Perthshire, and so too did Englishman Lawrence Dodd. All these players are rookies on the Alps Tour.
Last but not least of the group was Frenchman Jérôme Forestier who signed for a 68.
The best amateur, Mervin Rocchi, only 20, made his coach Benoit Willemart smile. He shot 69 alongside Italian Matteo Delpodio.
As soon as the players had completed one round, they had time only for a brief bite before they were back on the course for Round 2 as the organisers tried to make up for Tuesday's "lost" day.
The projected cut mark is three over par for 36 holes.
Play was suspended at 6.10pm local time. Lawrence Dodd was in the provisional lead at 10-under-par overall, having played nine holes of his second round.
Play will resume at 9.45am. Heavy rain is forecast overnight.
Hopefully, the players will complete their second rounds on Thursday morning and the qualifiers will go out again for a third round.
FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
Par 72
67 Benoit Bozio (France).
68 Richard Kilpatrick (Northern Ireland), Laurence Dodd (England), Gavin Dear (Scotland), Jerome Forestier (France).
69 Matteo Delpodio (Italy), Mervin Rocchi (France) (amateur)
70 Jason Palmer (England), Jules Bordonado (France) (amateur), Damasco Carrera (Spain), Giorgio del Boca (Italy), Damien Perrier (France).
Selected scores:
71 Sam Robinson (England) (jt 13th).
72 Matthew Baldwin (England), Mark Hooper (England), Ricki Neil-Jones (England) (jt 23rd).
74 Matthew Cryer (England), Max Brackley (England), Peter James (England) (jt 34th).
76 Steven Hume (Scotland), Nicholas Murtagh (England) (jt 53rd).
78 Farren Keenan (England) (jt 70th).
SECOND-ROUND POSITIONS OVERNIGHT
-10 after 27 holes Lawrence Dodd.
-7 after 27 holes Gavin Dear.
-7 after 24 holes Jerome Forestier.
-6 after 24 holes Benoit Bozio.
-5 after 27 holes Sam Robinson.
-5 after 24 holes Mervin Rocchi.
-4 after 30 holes Richard Kilpatrick.
-4 after 24 holes Paolo Terrini
Selected score:
+5 after 24 holes Steven Hume.

Students' and Ladies' Festival golf on www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

News about students' golf, in Scotland and the United States, as well as the Hacienda del Alamo Women's & Girls' Festival .... all available by logging on to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

Be one in over a million

De Vere Collection extends PGA Seniors sponsorship to 2013

NEWS RELEASE
One of Europe’s most prestigious golf championships has been given a major boost by the De Vere hotel group agreeing a three-year sponsorship extension.
The deal will see the luxury golf resort company sponsor the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship until 2013.
The announcement comes ahead of this year’s £250,000 event, which will be contested over the Hunting Course at Northumberland’s Slaley Hall from June 24-27.
It will the third successive year the European Senior Tour’s longest-running event has been staged at the venue and Carl Mason, who won the title for a third time last summer, is expected to defend his crown.
The tournament was first staged in 1957 and, except for its four majors, is the only 72-hole event on the Senior Tour.
Past winners include former Open champions Max Faulkner and Kel Nagle, the legendary Christy O’Connor and, more recently, the reigning Senior Tour Order of Merit winner Sam Torrance who triumphed in 2005 and 2006.

Alps Tour opening round delayed in Morocco

The first round in the Alps Tour event in Morocco was postponed for 24 hours because of gale-force winds.

Ross-shire golfers score in North Alliance at Wick

By ROBIN WILSON
Members of the North Golf Alliance were a bit lethargic about facing their first fixture of 2010 at Wick last Sunday, just six home club members present in the overall entry of 43, and only home club champion Ronnie Taylor able to break into the fixture's prize list.
Without a fixture since November 29, due to two months of unplayable weather, last Sunday's was favourable and the Wick course in surprisingly good order but when it came to getting swings back into shape Ross-shire golfers, with perhaps fewer days snowed off, were quicker off the mark.
Tain's Alec Gunn led a clean sweep of handicap prize winners in Class 1. With halves of 38 and 36, Gunn's outward 38 was recovered by seven par figures and an opening birdie after he took a triple bogey 8 at the par-5 third hole.
He had two inward half bogeys - at the 10th and 15th - for an equal fourth gross score of 74 but a winning nett 68 in Class 1.
In his section, the south of the Ord golfers revelled. Tarbat's Dave Mackay came second with nett 69, off 6, followed by Seann Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay), also net 69, but relegated to third place on countback.
In fourth place was Andrew Watt (Tain), who went looking for a fourth score to complete his MacKintosh Salver requirement and found it with a net 71, off 7.
Scratch winner by one stroke was Thurso's course record holder, Jim Sangster, who after beginning his round with a birdie 3, proceeded to match the Wick par of 69 with par halves of 35 and 34.
Sangster let slip his early birdie advantage for an even lower score with a bogey at the fifth hole, then, heading home, went two under par with birdies at the the 13th and 15th holes, only to return them to the course by taking two bogeys over the last three holes.
Local master of the course Ronnie Taylor birdied the par-3 ninth hole for 35, then immediately went over par with a bogey on the 10th. His second inward half bogey for a closing one over par 35 and 70 came at the penultimate hole to finish in second scratch place.
With current scratch aggregate leader Bryan Ronald (Thurso) not in the field, Quaich Trophy holder Munro Ferries (Tain) did nothing to make up ground with a gross 77.
But Ferries's travelling clubmate Ally Melville became Tain's second winner when he topped the Class 2 returns by matching Gunn's net 68 from the higher handicap of 11. Melville fell into trouble at the second par-5 hole on the outward half, a double bogey 7 at the eighth, but he also birdied the opening hole for his first half 36.
Slipping back to take 43 for the next nine holes, his net 68 brought him a season's first place after a previous second at Thurso last October.
Weather permitting the fixture list takes the members to Brora this weekend where local professional Brian Anderson is offering a free “Spring Swing Check” to Alliance and other club golfers throughout the remaining days of February and all of March.
Book a check time at 01408 621473 or E-mail broragolfpro@tiscali.co.uk to get your swing and equipment checked over for the coming season by one of the North's leading teachers.
Alliance results:
SCRATCH
69 J Sangster (Thurso).
70 R W Taylor (Wick).
74 A Swanson (Thurso).
75 D Mackay (Tarbat), J Harper (Wick).
76 J Maciver (Invergordon), A Gunn (Tain).
77 S R Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay)
HANDICAP
Class 1 – A Gunn (Tain) (6) 68; D Mackay (Tarbat) (6), S R Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay) (8) 69; J MacKenzie (Invergordon) (7) 71.
Class 2 – A Melville (Tain) (11) 68; I Ross (Reay) (11) 70; C Mackay (Thurso) (13) 71.

Europe finalises Junior Ryder Cup

selection criteria for Gleneagles match

The selection criteria for the European team at the Junior Ryder Cup, the competition which helped launch the careers of Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy and Suzann Pettersen among others, have been finalised ahead of the contest at Gleneagles Hotel Resort on September 27-28, 2010.
The Junior Ryder Cup originated from an exhibition match between teams of boys and girls from Europe and the United States in 1995 before it was formally introduced in 1997. The match traditionally takes place just before The Ryder Cup and comprises six girls and six boys on each team.
Spaniard Garcia played in the first match in 1995 before qualifying for the full team four years later, while Northern Ireland’s McIlroy was part of the 2004 team. Pettersen, Norway’s top women’s professional, played in 1997 and 1999 before being part of five Solheim Cups.
For 2010, Europe’s selection criteria dictate that the team will feature three boys and three girls who were under 16 years on January 1, 2010, and three boys and three girls under 18 years on the same day.
The six under-16 players will be selected via the 2010 European Young Masters at Royal Balaton Golf Club, Hungary, from July 22-24 with the champion and runner-up from both the boys’ and the girls’ competition qualifying for the team.

Two more competitors in the European Young Masters field will be selected by the Captain, Gary Stangl, in the under-16s category.
All six under-18 players will be picked by a selection committee who will take into account performances in the European girls’ and boys’ team championships, national level junior championships and players’ standings in the European Amateur Golf Rankings (EAGR) and Ladies European Amateur Rankings (LEAR).
The complete European team will be announced following the European Young Masters on July 24.
In 2006 and 2008 Europe included under-16 players only, while the United States players were under 18, and Stangl believes the new criteria will make for an even match.
“Two years ago some of the American players were nearly 18 years old and were playing against Europeans who were under 16,” he said. “This year it will be more even in terms of ages and it promises to be an electrifying competition.”
The European youngsters will travel to Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, the venue for The 2014 Ryder Cup, on September 23 with the aim of regaining the Junior Ryder Cup, having lost to the United States at The Club at Olde Stone in Kentucky two years ago.

Prior to that Europe won the matches in 2002 and 2004, at The K Club in Ireland and Westfield Group Country Club in Ohio respectively, and the 2006 contest at The Celtic Manor Resort was tied.
Both the European and United States Junior teams will visit Celtic Manor after the Junior Ryder Cup has finished to play a nine-hole Friendship Match and to meet the players from Colin Montgomerie’s European Team and Corey Pavin’s American Team ahead of The 38th Ryder Cup.

Click on the image to enlarge it and try to work out what's what. The golf course will be through the dunes (dark green) on the strip between light green (practice areas?) and the beach.

Trump International submits detailed masterplan

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE TRUMP ORGANISATION
Following the Scottish Government’s decision to grant outline planning permission on December 16, 2008, Trump International – Scotland submitted its detailed masterplan for the entire site and designs for its championship golf course to Aberdeenshire Council today.
Commenting on today’s submission, Donald J. Trump, president and chief executive officer, The Trump Organisation, said “This is another significant step towards our goal of building the world’s greatest golf course and resort in Aberdeenshire.”
The culmination of more than twelve months of intensive analysis and input from a wide range of specialist consultants, working under the direction of Trump International – Scotland and project master-planners, Gareth Hoskins Architects, the application sets out the detailed masterplan for the land at Menie and establishes a framework for the overall phased development of the site.
The masterplan provides direction on how the project should be built and outlines the positioning, scale and materials of its buildings and spaces, and addresses landscaping, environmental and infrastructure requirements. As part of the master-planning process a large number of surveys and plans have been commissioned which form part of the submission. These include detailed environmental, landscaping, construction and infrastructure plans.
Gareth Hoskins, director, Gareth Hoskins Architects, said “The past 14 months have seen a huge amount of work and engagement with Aberdeenshire Council and both local and national consultees such as Architecture & Design Scotland.
"This has involved input from a wide range of specialist consultants to create an overall design strategy that works carefully with the different types of landscape setting found within the overall site.
"Importantly the masterplan establishes a framework for both the resort and residential community that is about creating well designed places and ensuring ease of movement and accessibility both for the surrounding communities and the wider public. The team is now looking forward to taking forward the detailed design of the different elements of the development.”
The first phase of the development is the championship golf course designed by Dr. Martin Hawtree, the detailed plans for which were also submitted today. Commenting, Dr Martin Hawtree, stated:
"The golf course follows a classic pattern of two out-and-back loops of nine holes. All 18 holes thread their way engagingly through the dunes, rising here to find views of the sea and coastline, plunging there into secluded valleys, offering a sequence of superlative topographies, landscapes, alternating between spaciousness and enclosure, then panoramic views, and the whole time a rich texture of vegetation and wild-life habitats surrounding the golf holes.
"The golf course will lack for nothing. The landscape framework of the site comes close to an ideal. There is nothing missing and the layout as conceived would contain no weak holes. It will produce simply the most dramatic, stimulating, invigorating stretch of golf anywhere I have seen in my career.”
Featuring the detailed drawings and plans from today’s submission, Trump International – Scotland is hosting a masterplan and championship golf course exhibition at the Udny Arms Hotel, Main Street, Newburgh from March 12 – 13, 2010.
The exhibition is open to the public on Friday, 12 from 10am to 7pm and Saturday, 13 from 10am to 5pm, and provides an opportunity for members of the public to view the latest plans and to take part in the pre-application consultation process for the detailed golf course design developed by golf course architects, Hawtree Limited.
Trump International – Scotland’s application will be determined by Formartine Area Committee later in the year.
Detailed plans for the phase two and three of the development (hotel and resort accommodation, and residential village) are currently underway and will be released in due course.

Midland Alliance switched to Drumoig on Thursday

The Midland Golfers Alliance meeting scheduled for Aberdour Golf Club meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) has been moved to Drumoig Golf Course and put back a day to Thursday, February 18 (tee reserved 8.30am to 12.30).

North-east Alliance definitely on at Murcar Links tomorrow

North-east Golfers' Alliance secretary Ron Menzies reports that tomorrow's competition at Murcar Links is not in doubt. Any snow that has fallen in the Aberdeen area has not affected Murcar Links.

Royal Liverpool will

host Open in 2014

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
The R&A has announced that Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open Championship in 2014. It will be the 12th time the Hoylake links has hosted golf’s oldest Major.
The venue has witnessed a string of unique Open Champions: in 1907, Arnaud Massy became the only Frenchman to have won the title; Fred Daly became the first Irishman to do so, in 1947; and Argentine golfer Roberto De Vicenzo became the first South American to win a Major when he lifted the Claret Jug in 1967.
When The Open returned to Hoylake in 2006 after a 39-year absence, Tiger Woods became the first back-to-back Open Champion since Tom Watson in 1983 in front of 230,000 people, a record attendance for the Championship in England.
Two of the three amateurs to have won The Open were Royal Liverpool members: Hoylake-born John Ball junior, the first Englishman to win The Open, lifted the Claret Jug at Prestwick in 1890; and Harold Hilton, who, on his home course in 1897, won his second title at the first Open Championship to be staged in the north west of England.
The only other amateur winner is Bobby Jones, who won his third Open at Hoylake in 1930: the second of four steps to his unprecedented and unmatched Grand Slam.
In 1885, Hoylake hosted the inaugural Amateur Championship – the first of 17 to date – and, in 1921, it staged the first international match between Great Britain and the USA, a contest which would later become the Walker Cup Match.
“We are delighted that The Open is returning to Royal Liverpool after a relatively short period of time,” said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships. “In 2006, Hoylake showcased links golf at its best and players, spectators and officials were united in their praise for the course, and for the venue as a whole.
“We would like to thank the Club’s officials for their unfailing co-operation, which has enabled the Championship to come back to Royal Liverpool, a Club whose history is interwoven with both The Open and The R&A.”
Paul Cassidy, Captain of Royal Liverpool Golf Club added, “we are very proud of our Club’s rich heritage and the many memorable golfing moments staged at Hoylake since our founding in 1869 and are extremely thrilled to be again invited to host The Open Championship in 2014. We are thoroughly looking forward to working with both The R&A and Wirral Council in the planning, organisation and staging of another successful Major championship.”
With The Open Championship estimated to boost the local economy by £70m each time it is played in the northwest of England, the news has also been welcomed by Councillor Steve Foulkes, Leader of Wirral Council.
“This is fantastic news for Wirral. We look forward to getting ready to welcome new visitors to the Peninsula as well as returning golf fans who enjoyed themselves so much with us four years ago,” said Councillor Foulkes.
“The return of one of the world’s biggest sporting events to Royal Liverpool Golf Club is not only great for Wirral, but the whole of the North West. We are absolutely committed to ensuring local residents, businesses and golf fans alike benefit from this fantastic opportunity once more.”
Previous winners at Royal Liverpool
1897 - Harold Hilton (ENG) (am). 1936 - Alf Padgham (ENG)
1902 - Sandy Herd (SCO) 1947 - Fred Daly (NIR)
1907 - Arnaud Massy (FRA) 1956 - Peter Thomson (AUS)
1913 - J H Taylor (ENG) 1967 - Roberto De Vicenzo (ARG)
1924 - Walter Hagen (USA) 2006 - Tiger Woods (USA)
1930 - Bobby Jones (USA) (am)

New Zealander seniors lead at home against Aussies

New Zealand take a commanding lead into the final day of the Trans Tasman seniors golf international against Australia in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The New Zealand combination lead 8-1/2 matches to 3-1/2 after two rounds of foursomes and fourball play at Clearwater Resort.
New Zealand made a powerful start when they dominated the morning foursomes, winning 4-1/2 to 1-1/2.
New Zealand, who won the Sanctuary Cove Cup across the Tasman last year, rammed home their advantage with a 4-2 advantage in the afternoon four-balls.
The contest will be decided today with 12 singles matches, made in a special draw by Sir Bob Charles, with Australia requiring eight wins to take the cup back across the Tasman.
First day results (NZ names first)
Foursomes: New Zealand 4-1/2 Australia 1-1/2
Owen Kendall and Barry Shannon lost to Ross Percy and Brian Sams 2 holes.
John Sanders and Ron Olivecrona bt John Beaumont and Grahame MacDonald 1 hole.
Rodney Barltrop and Frank Borren halved with Stefan Albinski and Greg Corben.
Ian Donaldson and Eric Brodie bt Bill Banks and Ian Read 5 and 4.
Arthur Parkin and Andrew McKechnie bt Chris Coats and Denis Dale 5 and 4.
Phil Mosley and Murray Martin bt Tony Gover and Chris Tatt 2 and 1.

Fourball: New Zealand 4 Australia 2:
Sanders and Barltrop bt Beaumont and MacDonald 2 and 1.
Kendall and Borren lost to Percy and Sams 2 and 1.
Olivecrona and Shannon lost to Albinski and Corben 4 and 3.
Parkin and Martin bt Dale and Coats 2 and 1.
Mosley and Brodie bt Gover and Tatt 6 and 4.
Donaldson and McKechnie bt Banks and Read 1 hole.

End of First Day scoreline: New Zealand 8-1/2 Australia 3-1/2

David Drysdale has reasons to be cheerful

FROM THE SCOTSMAN.SPORT.COM WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Before anyone starts getting the wrong idea, David Drysdale definitely doesn't lack bottle. You don't bounce back from some of the knocks he has taken in his career without having the stomach for a fight.
He's now gone agonisingly close to recording a maiden European Tour win on four occasions in just over a year, the latest flirtation with success coming when he finished third in the Avantha Masters in India on Sunday after leading with seven holes to go.
Don't be fooled, though, into thinking that Drysdale is one of those players who becomes scared about the prospect of winning, as nothing could be further from the truth. It was only natural that he felt disappointed yesterday as he made the long journey home from New Delhi to Cockburnspath in Berwickshire via Dubai.
But, at the same time, the 34-year-old had cause to feel upbeat about the rest of his season. Scotland's leading light in the Race to Dubai last season, few players can have found it more difficult to adapt to the rule regarding club grooves that was introduced at the start of the year than Drysdale.
And, when you've played with the same trusty set of irons for five years, it can't be easy suddenly having a new set of tools thrust into your hands. It's been suggested by some people that the likes of Drysdale should have ensured they were better prepared for something they had known was going to happen for some time, but what was he supposed to do?
At a time when he was trying to stay in the top 60 in that Race to Dubai and therefore secure a place in the season-ending Dubai World Championship, is someone seriously saying he should have been practising with a new set of clubs?
Due to the fact his 2009 campaign crept into December as he tried to secure a first appearance in a WGC event through the Sunshine Tour, the first chance Drysdale got to look at his new clubs was when he arrived home from South Africa just before Christmas.
He hadn't had much chance to practise with them before he was back in action in the Joburg Open and, by the time he arrived in India early last week after stops in Abu Dhabi, Oatar and Dubai, the Scot had moved on to his third set of the year.
In truth, Drysdale surprised himself in New Delhi as he almost added to the successes of Martin Laird and Richie Ramsay in recent months before "a couple of poor shots and a few poorish putts" on the back nine saw him come up just short.
Last season, he finished second in the Andalucia Open and third in both the Joburg Open and the Madrid Masters. These are experiences that may knock the confidence of some, but not Drysdale. They'll help him develop into a better player over the next few seasons and, at the same time, make him all the more determined to secure that breakthrough.
As the European Tour prepares itself for a quiet spell by its manic standards, Drysdale's next chance is likely to come in Malaysia early next month before he heads for the Iberian Peninsula for events in Spain and Portugal, followed by a trip back out to the Far East to play in China and South Korea.
He'll keep knocking at that door and, before too long, there's an excellent chance it will finally open for him. One thing for sure is that he won't shy away from other opportunities like the one that he created in India.
Drysdale, partly due to all his visits to the Tour School, has become a tough cookie on a golf course. He's certainly not a bottle merchant.
+The full article above appears in The Scotsman newspaper today.

Gavin Dear tees off 2010

on the Road to Morocco


FROM THE SCOTSMAN.SPORT.COM WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
Gavin Dear, one third of Scotland's Eisenhower Trophy-winning team of 2008, has found out quickly that being a professional golfer is not necessarily as glamorous as some might think.
The Murrayshall man launches his 2010 campaign today on the Alps Tour in Morocco and has discovered that life on one of the third-tier circuits in Europe is a far cry from the main Tour. "Morocco is an interesting country to have travelled to and the drive down from Casablanca to Essaouira was different, it certainly wasn't like driving to Lytham Trophy," said Dear (pictured by Tom Ward Photography).
"A lot of people will think that it's a fabulous life being a professional golfer. It can be, but out here this week it's not particularly fabulous. Myself and Steven Hume, who also qualified for the Alps Tour, hired a car as there was no other way to get to the tournament venue.
"This car wouldn't pass an MOT back home and I spent the drive dodging horse and carts, chickens, sheep and dogs."
Dear, who won the Alps Tour qualifying school in November, has spent a month in Florida preparing for the new campaign and is looking to get off to a flying start in this week's £50,000 Open de Mogador.
The winner of the event gets in to the European Challenge Tour's Moroccan Golf Classic in April and the 25-year-old from Scone, Perthshire is hoping that can be one of a handful of appearances on the second-tier circuit.
"I have spent a lot of time with my management group working out strategies and finding out bits of information to help formulate a schedule," he said.
"For instance, I have entered the qualifying for the Allianz Tour, a French circuit run by the French Federation. At the Tour School, if you finish in the top five you receive an invite into the four Allianz Challenge Tour events in 2010."
While Richie Ramsay, for one, believes that a negative attitude has held some Scottish golfers back in the past, Dear, who is delighted to be representing Murrayshall House Hotel and Golf Courses this season, says that won't happen with him.
"The advantage of going to America (he went to Lynn University, Boca Raton in Florida) is that I became more of a positive person," he said. "I really have a 'can do' attitude these days. Most importantly, though, I expect more of myself these days. I am still able to remain level headed and that will undoubtedly be my biggest strength."

The Carrick on Loch Lomond links up with Woburn

NEWS RELEASE

The stunning Carrick on Loch Lomond golf course has quickly established itself as one of the leading new golf courses in the United Kingdom, and has added a strategic partnership with Woburn Golf Club to enhance its offer to members.

This partnership will see members of The Carrick receive preferential rates at the renowned Buckinghamshire course, and follows partnerships with two Canadian clubs where members of The Carrick receive reciprocal playing rights.

As well as aligning itself with leading golf venues, The Carrick has also re-defined its membership, which now offers members use of the luxury spa and leisure facilities and ‘Wee Demon’ course at no additional charge.

Joining fees have also been removed for new members as the exclusive resort looks to drives memberships forward in 2010.

Former Open winner ... former world No 1 ... runner-up on Sunday

Is this the David Duval of a new era?

FROM THE PGATOUR.COM WEBSITE

PEBBLE BEACH, California (AP) -- Minus golf's two biggest stars, the best are headed to the high desert of Arizona. Equally intriguing is what happens south of the border with David Duval, a player who has not been among the best for more than a decade.
The next few weeks could determine whether that can change.
Moments after his runner-up finish at Pebble Beach on Sunday, Duval climbed into a van with his wife and four of their children as they left one beach resort for another. Next up is the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun, a chance to build on a performance only he saw coming.
It had been more than eight years since Duval shot in the 60s every round of a US PGA Tour event. And while this is the not the first time he emerged out of nowhere to tie for second -- remember the US Open at Bethpage Black nine months ago? -- there was something different about Pebble Beach.
Duval opened with a 67 at Spyglass Hill, a course that used to give him fits even in the best of times. Asked if it was the first time he had broken 70 there, Duval responded in a text message, "Yes sir. Big things coming."
For the rest of the week, his name stayed on the leaderboard.
And for the first time since the 2001 -- the year of his last victory -- his name was atop the leaderboard as the final group came to the 18th hole of a tournament. That changed when Dustin Johnson made birdie from the bunker for a one-shot victory, joining an elite list of back-to-back winners at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Duval finished more than a half-hour ahead of Johnson and had his own chance at birdie. His wedge came up a few paces short of staying on the tiny shelf, instead rolling down the ridge to the bottom of the green some 30 feet away.
"Any time you're standing on the last hole with a chance to maybe get in the play-off or win a golf tournament, you have to look at it as a successful, competitive week -- period," he said.
The trick now is to keep going.
Perhaps because he had fallen so far, so much was made of Duval's tie for second in the US Open. Instead of building on that performance, he took the next two weeks off. In his final eight tournaments, Duval made only one cut and failed to keep his card when he finished 130th on the money list.
It was a small step forward, a big leap back.
At Bethpage Black, it was a matter of making several long putts to keep from sliding down the leaderboard. At Pebble Beach, it was more about the way he hit the ball so consistently over four days. Most putts at Pebble Beach, especially when the conditions are soft and bumpy in February, are almost made by accident.
"I got more satisfaction today out of hitting the golf shots through the course of 18 holes and controlling my golf ball in ... somewhat difficult conditions," Duval said. "Given the circumstances, to do that and to post a decent score, I feel good about that."
He closed with a 69, one of only seven scores in the 60s in the final round when the pins were tucked, the ocean breeze was stiff and players no longer could lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairway.
Perhaps the most satisfying part was heading to the practice green after he signed his card to stay loose in case there was a play-off, with his two youngest children, Brayden and Sienna, watching from the edge of the green.
Duval earned $545,600 and has essentially the rest of the year to build on a good week.
He is playing primarily on sponsors' exemptions this year, and while they should be readily available for a player who once was No. 1 in the world, Duval does not take them for granted.
"In a kind of strange way, it makes me proud," Duval said. "I feel like I have given the folks who have given me starts this year good fire power for why they did it. That makes me feel good, too."
More important was how he felt inside the ropes as the gap between Duval and the leaders kept shrinking on the back nine. Even as he hit a few errant tee shots down the stretch, Duval managed to escape with pars.
His best shot? A 7-iron to 10 feet on the par-3 17th for a birdie that put him in the game.
It felt like old times, yet when he finished the tournament, he kept his own expectations grounded.
"I feel like I'm getting back on top of everything how I want to," Duval said. "This is what I expect of myself. I expect to play well. With that said, that doesn't mean you're going to have a chance to win every week, but you expect to be in control most of the time with what you're trying to do.
"I'm just going to go try to hit a lot of fairways in Mexico and hit a lot of greens," he said. "It's really a simple recipe. Successful golf is a very simple recipe. I will try to do that again next week."

James Byrne (Banchory & Arizona State University) and Ross Kellett (Colville Park, Motherwell). Images by Cal Carson Golf Agency. Click on them to enlarge.

Byrne, Kellett chosen to play for Europe in India

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Two of Scotland’s leading amateur golfers have been selected for the European team to face Asia/Pacific in the biennial Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy in Bengaluru, India from April 21 to 23.
Banchory’s James Byrne and Colville Park’s Ross Kellett will be part of a 12-man defending the trophy won at Valderrama two years ago, made up of some of European golf’s hottest young prospects.
The Scots pairing follow in the footsteps of European Tour winners Marc Warren (2002) and Richie Ramsay (2006), both of whom have represented the continent in the prestigious event’s 12-year history.
Byrne, the SGU Junior Golfer of the Year back in 2007, is in his third year at Arizona State University and enjoyed a superb Scottish summer season last year which included back-to-back wins at the Tennant Cup and East of Scotland Championship.
He made his full Scotland debut at the 2007 European team championships and twice represented GB&I Boys at the Jacque L’Eglise Trophy. The 21-year-old was runner-up to Paul O’Hara in last season’s SGU Order of Merit and narrowly missed out on a place at the Open Championship, having led the final qualifying at Western Gailes.
Kellett is currently Scotland leading player in the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings, having recorded some notable finishes over the past 12 months on the international stage where he finished runner-up in the Argentine amateur championship, the New South Wales Amateur and the European individual championship in Paris.
The 22-year-old from Motherwell also helped Scotland to victory in the European team championship in Wales last summer and was a member of Scotland’s last two Home Internationals sides which finished runners-up to Ireland and England respectively.
The Scots duo will be joined by the English Walker Cup pairing of Matt Haines and Tommy Fleetwood, last year’s Scottish stroke-play champion whilst Ireland’s Paul Cutler is also selected.
French star Victor Dubuisson – the man who pipped Kellett to win the European individual championship - is also included alongside countryman Romain Wattel (who beat Kellett in the 36-hole final in Argentina) while Spain, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Germany all have one representative.
The teams will play in a Ryder Cup style format, with five foursomes and fourballs on each of the first two days, before 12 singles matches on the final day.
The European side will be led by Welshman Andrew Morgan, a former EGA President who will be the non-playing captain.

It is:

Knut Borsheim (Norway), James Byrne and Ross Kellett (Scotland), Paul Cutler (Ireland), Victor Dubuisson and Romain Wattel (France), Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Haines (England), Jesper Kennegard (Sweden), Max Kieffer (Germany), Carlos Pigem (Spain) and Kalle Samooja (Finland).

Scots are winners on United States college circuit

Scots students Scott Crichton (Western New Mexico University) and Sally Watson (Stanford University) were both winners on the United States college golf circuit on Sunday.
Read all about it by switching over to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

Scot stands down after 10 years with Royal Canadian Golf Association

Dean Spriddle becomes Puerto

Rico's Director of Coaching

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Dean Spriddle, a former Fife county champion and Pitreavie Golf Club honorary life member, has stepped down after 10 years as the Royal Canadian Golf Association's head national women's coach, during which time the Scot has established himself as one of the best coaches in North America
The Scot, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, wanted a new challenge and he has got it! Spriddle has quickly been snapped up to be National Golf Director of Coaching on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. He will continue to stay in Canada for most of the year but the new job gives him a chance to expand his many ideas on coaching programmes.
In his decade with the Royal Canadian Golf Association, Spriddle took a fledgling programme to credibility in women's world amateur golf with a runners up and fourth place finishes as a country at the world amateur championships. Spriddle was instrumental in recognizing that a strong coaching program which included the four disciplines of psychology, physiology, tactics and technique were the cornerstones to a successful programme.
Spriddle will now spend more time at home in Alberta, working at his own facility Evergreen Golf Centre, with both beginners and those aspiring to get better and he will continue to develop his highly successful junior and adult coaching programmes
Already a dozen or so boys and girls from his junior coaching programme have gone on to gain scholarships at North American universities.
Spriddle also now embarks on an exciting challenge to make Puerto Rico a world force in amateur golf. Spriddle thinks that with a little guidance and organisation Puerto Rico will be a new force within three to five years. As Director of Coaching, Spriddle’s task will be to find and develop competent coaches at all levels of player development.
"With constant near-ideal golfing conditions on the Caribbean island and excellent resources, the job at hand is both exciting and challenging. With the parents, players and coaches all backing the Puerto Rico Federation, the goal of the programme may indeed be very real," said Spriddle.
The goal is to win medals at the 2012 Women's World Amateur Championships (the Espirito Santo Trophy) in Turkey.
“I am excited about the possibilities in Puerto Rico and I am keen to see what the players and coaches can do and create a program that produces great coaches and players for years to come” said Spriddle as he embarked on what will be one of many journeys to his base at San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. Spriddle expects to spend a minimum of 30 days a year travelling to Puerto Rico or to wherever the job requires.
"For years", according to Sidney Wolf , President of the PRGA, " Puerto Rico has competed around the world with at times spurts of success. With Dean Spriddle's guidance leading up our high performance programme, our hope is to become more consistent as well as more competitive while improving our local golf development programme.
"Our goal is to prepare our teaching professionals to become the very best coaches as the game continues to grow on the island. We are confident and excited for this opportunity to work with someone like Dean who we have known for the past 10 years and are familiar with his dedication and success."
Spriddle, who lives at Lethbridge, Alberta, also hopes to continue to play and practise and to again compete in Canadian PGA events.
During his years as the Royal Canadian GA head women's coach he took his squad over to play in the Ladies' British open amateur championship every year and also took on matches for the Canadians while they were in Scotland.

Look out for Dean doing the same with the Puerto Ricans as he seeks to expand their experience on the world amateur stage.

John Campbell wins North Alliance at Lossiemouth

By ALAN COWIE
An outward half of four under par 30 was the platform to success for John Campbell (Grantown) in Saturday's North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth.
The third hole played as a par 3 due to recent flooding on the fairway.
His 67, which included a last-hole birdie, gave him a two-stroke victory from three players at the head of a field of 100.
Leading handicap winners were Ray Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) in Class 1 with a net 68 off five and Louis MacBean (Boat of Garten) in Class with a net 67 off nine.
LEADING SCRATCH
67 J S D Campbell (Grantown)
69 B Fotheringham (Forres), J Simpson (Forres), M L Macleman (Moray)
72 M Macdonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), A Cameron (Inverness), J R Mackay (Muir of Ord);
73 N McWilliam (Elgin), S G Milne (Elgin), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), S Wilson (Inverness), G Hay (Grantown), D Hexley (Inverness)
74 K Thomson (Moray), G McKenzie (Hopeman), J C Milne (Moray), J D Forbes (Inverness)
75 S Chisholm (Nairn), R McKerron (Forres)
76 S Mitchell (Moray), C. Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) p, L MacBean (Boat of Garten)
77 B Cruickshank (Garmouth & Kingston), J A Grant (Grantown), D F Sharp (Boat of Garten), A Cowie (Moray), W Hutchison (Inverness)
78 N D Hampton (Loch Ness), W R Duncan (Moray), J R Ingram (Boat of Garten)
79 B. Inch (Elgin), J Murdoch (Elgin), M. Mcdonald (Grantown)
80 A Imrie (Muir of Ord), R Crane (Moray), S Johnston (Elgin), R Proctor (Forres), M C Page (Moray), I Findlay (Grantown), S Duncan (Moray), R G MacPherson (Moray)
HANDICAP
Class 1 (eight and under)
68 R Stewart (Grantown) (5)
69 A Cowie (Moray) (8), G McKenzie (Hopeman) (5)
71 S Wilson (Inverness) (2), J C Milne (Moray) (3), S Mitchell (Moray) (5), W Hutchison (Inverness) (6)
Class 2 (nine to 14)
67 L MacBean (Boat of Garten) (9)
70 A Grigor (Boat of Garten) (14)
71 A Imrie (Muir of Ord) (9), R G MacPherson (Moray) (9), D M Macleod (Loch Ness) (11), A A Lees (Moray) 10)

Sunshine Tour Scoreboard
DIMENSION DATA PRO-AM
Montagu Golf Course, Fancourt, George, South Africa
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from South Africa unless stated
273 Darren Fichardt 66 68 71 68
274 Louis Oosthuizen 68 72 68 66
276 Daniel Greene 70 69 72 65
278 Tyrone van Aswegen 70 68 72 68, Branden Grace 68 69 68 73
279 Marc Cayeux (Zim) 70 72 69 68
280 Dion Fourie 74 73 64 69, Hennie Otto 71 71 68 70, Anton Haig 70 71 67 72
281 Louis Moolman 68 75 66 72
282 Jaco Ahlers 70 75 67 70, Justin Walters 72 74 63 73, Tjaart van der Walt 71 71 69 71
283 Andrew Georgiou 72 71 70 70, Shaun Norris 74 72 68 69, Jaco Van Zyl 74 72 66 71, Thomas Aiken 72 73 66 72, James Kingston 70 71 68 74
284 Alex Haindl 77 71 65 71, Andrew Curlewis 72 70 71 71, Jbe' Kruger 66 74 71 73, Theunis Spangenberg 71 77 70 66
285 Chris Swanepoel 68 69 76 72, Josh Cunliffe 72 69 74 70, Darryn Lloyd 74 69 68 74, Neil Schietekat 73 77 66 69, Neil Cheetham (Eng) 74 72 70 69, Anthony Michael 65 77 67 76
286 Michael McGrady 65 70 79 72, Dean Burmester 72 70 72 72, P G van Zyl 70 70 73 73, Albert Pistorius 72 68 76 70, Prinavin Nelson 71 71 74 70
287 Louis de Jager 70 79 64 74, Brandon Pieters 70 72 71 74, Scott Dunlap (USA) 72 73 69 73, Brett Liddle 72 70 72 73, Jean Hugo 73 72 69 73, Jake Roos 69 79 70 69, Dawie Van der Walt 72 77 69 69, Mohamed Tayob 74 76 68 69
288 Charl Coetzee 70 70 75 73, Ulrich van den Berg 73 68 74 73, PH McIntyre 69 76 71 72
289 Kevin Stone 70 78 67 74, Christian Ries 72 76 70 71
290 Mark Murless 77 74 65 74, Clinton Whitelaw 74 71 70 75, Oliver Bekker 75 70 73 72, David Hewan 77 72 70 71
291 Jacques Blaauw 72 71 72 76, Bradford Vaughan 71 69 74 77, Michael Scholz 70 73 73 75, Tyrone Mordt 68 78 71 74, Doug McGuigan 75 70 72 74, Chris Williams 76 71 70 74, Teboho Sefatsa 73 78 67 73, Le Roux Ferreira 75 72 72 72
292 Merrick Bremner 70 71 74 77, Andre Bossert (Swi) 69 74 75 74, Matthew Carvell 75 73 71 73
293 Jake Redman 74 71 74 74
294 Grant Veenstra 76 72 67 79, Ryan Cairns (Zim) 74 68 73 79, Michael Dreyer 71 69 76 78, Keenan Davidse 72 68 78 76
295 Wallie Coetsee 75 70 71 79
Retired: 218 Grant Muller 71 74 73

Couple's first seniors win as he holds off charging Armour

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
Fred Couples gave the attention-starved US Champions Tour a big boost.
The 50-year-old star won the ACE Group Classic on Sunday for his first victory on the 50-and-over tour, holding off Tommy Armour III by a stroke.
Couples closed with an 8-under 64 to finish at 17-under 199 at The Quarry, while Armour -- making his Champions Tour debut -- matched the tour record for lowest score in relation to par with an 11-under 61.
Couples made a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 17 and a tap-in par on 18 to wrap his first official victory since the US PGA Tour's 2003 Shell Houston Open.
"That's a long time," Couples said. "I am very excited that I won and I'll keep trying to win out here. I have a couple chances on the US PGA Tour to make the cut. That's really not the idea of fun."
Couples and Armour, friends since college, had some fun earlier in the week, exchanging text messages.
"I wasn't all that thrilled about the text when he was 11 under par after 53 holes," Couples said.
Armour started his charge with an eagle on the par-5 seventh, and birdied Nos. 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17.
"I wish he would've shot two shots higher," Armour joked about Couples.
Armour tied Couples with the birdie on No. 17.
"I hit an iron on the 15th green and I looked at the leaderboard and I was tied and seriously was shocked," Couples said.
After the second round was halted due to darkness Saturday night, Couples came back to play five holes Sunday morning to complete a 67 and take a two-stroke lead over Dan Forsman. Couples birdied four of the first five holes in the final round to push his advantage to five strokes -- six over Armour.
"I thought that would easily be enough," Couples said.
Armour's 11-under round tied Walter Hall (2002 AT&T Canada Senior Open) and Tom Purtzer (2004 Toshiba Senior Classic) for the lowest in tour history.
"Birdied half of them and then one more," said Armour, who made the decision to move to the Champions Tour this year after undergoing back surgery last June.
Armour said he never looked at the leaderboard, but had a number in mind.
"I figured 15 under was as high as he was going to shoot, so I figured I had to get below 15, and I did, but he's a pretty awesome player."
Couples was in contention in his Champions Tour debut last month in Hawaii, but Tom Watson birdied the last two holes to beat him by a stroke.
"I got to watch that," said Couples, who was in the same group as Watson. "That was easier, I think even easier to take."
Couples earned $240,000.
Scott Hoch, the 2008 champion, shot a 69 to finish third at 9 under. Bernhard Langer and Mike Goodes tied for fourth at 8 under. They also shot 69s.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
199 Fred Couples 68 67 64
200 Tommy Armour III 69 70 61
207 Scott Hoch 70 68 69
208 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 73 66 69, Mike Goodes 71 68 69
209 Dan Forsman 68 69 72, Ronnie Black 69 69 71
212 Joey Sindelar 73 70 69, David Frost (Rsa) 73 70 69, Hal Sutton 73 70 69
213 Loren Roberts 72 69 72, Tom Kite 70 74 69, Nick Price (Zim) 70 70 73, Peter Senior (Aus) 71 71 71, Eduardo Romero (Arg) 72 70 71, Larry Mize 71 73 69
214 Joe Ozaki (Jpn) 72 68 74, John Harris 73 72 69, Olin Browne 70 73 71, Bob Tway 76 68 70
215 Paul Azinger 71 74 70, Walter Hall 72 73 70, Fred Funk 70 73 72, Jay Haas 75 70 70, Bobby Wadkins 74 72 69
216 Bruce Fleisher 73 71 72, Gil Morgan 73 73 70, John Cook 73 70 73, Mike Reid 77 71 68, Mark McNulty (Irl) 72 72 72
217 Tom Jenkins 75 71 71, Des Smyth (Irl) 71 76 70, Craig Stadler 72 75 70, Jeff Sluman 74 69 74, Keith Fergus 75 73 69, Dana Quigley 71 76 70, Don Pooley 71 73 73
218 Steve Haskins 72 74 72, Fulton Allem (Rsa) 69 73 76, Peter Jacobsen 70 76 72, Tom Purtzer 76 71 71, Hale Irwin 73 71 74, Wayne Levi 73 74 71
219 Phil Blackmar 74 71 74, Bruce Vaughan 73 73 73, Ian Woosnam (Wal) 74 73 72, Bob Gilder 75 73 71, Tim Simpson 75 75 69
220 Gene Jones 72 72 76, Robin Freeman 81 69 70
221 D A Weibring 78 74 69, Russ Cochran 71 75 75, Morris Hatalsky 78 72 71, David Eger 77 72 72
222 Andy Bean 74 73 75, R.W. Eaks 73 77 72, Mark Wiebe 73 77 72, Scott Simpson 80 71 71
223 Robert L Thompson 73 78 72, Fuzzy Zoeller 75 76 72, Blaine McCallister 76 74 73
224 Mark James (Eng) 72 78 74
225 Bruce Lietzke 77 73 75
226 Graham Marsh (Aus) 75 77 74, Mike Hulbert 77 77 72, Gary Koch 79 78 69
227 Gary Player (Rsa) 77 78 72, Jay Sigel 76 77 74, Ben Crenshaw 76 75 76, Terry Burke 78 74 75
228 Bruce Summerhays 77 75 76, Curtis Strange 72 77 79, Larry Nelson 81 69 78
229 Allen Doyle 76 80 73
231 Jim Colbert 75 82 74, Jim Roy 78 77 76
234 Lanny Wadkins 81 77 76, Isao Aoki (Jpn) 77 79 78
236 Lee Trevino 82 77 77
240 J.C Snead 82 81 77

Pebble Beach National Pro-am

Dustin Johnson retains title with last-hole birdie

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS WEBSITE
Dustin Johnson retained his AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am title in a wire-to-wire victory courtesy of a birdie at the 72nd hole in California.
The 25-year-old lifted his third US PGA Tour title and second at Pebble Beach, sealing the win despite a final round 74 which completed a 16 under par total.
David Duval and JB Holmes were tied for second at 15 under, while Steve Marino was alone in fourth, two shots further back.
Johnson recorded scores of 64, 68 and 64 in the first three rounds to set up a final round shootout with Paul Goydos, with the duo four shots clear on 18 under.
But Goydos' challenge faltered and Johnson's was in danger of suffering the same fate.
The day began badly, with Johnson bogeying the par-four first before an eagle three at the sixth was cancelled out by a double bogey six at the ninth.
Further bogeys at the 12th and the 17th left Johnson in a three-way tie for the lead with Duval and Holmes and a play-off looming, but he coolly made a birdie four at the par-five 18th to finish on two over for the day and retain his title.
While Johnson survived a final round scare, the anticipated duel with Goydos did not materialise.
Goydos completed a six-over 78 to finish tied for fifth on 12 under, carding two birdies, four bogeys and a nine at the par five 14th which ended his challenge.
Duval carded six birdies and three bogeys in his three-under-par final round 69 and Holmes signed for a 71.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 286 (3x72, 1x70)
270 Dustin Johnson 64 68 64 74
271 J B Holmes 65 67 68 71, David Duval 67 68 67 69
273 Steve Marino 68 67 67 71
274 Paul Goydos 67 65 64 78, J.P. Hayes 68 71 63 72, Josh Teater 70 67 68 69
275 Phil Mickelson 68 67 69 71, Tom Gillis 69 68 69 69
276 Bryce Molder 67 65 68 76, Tim Clark (Rsa) 70 68 68 70, Alex Cejka (Ger) 65 67 69 75, Matthew Jones (Aus) 67 67 66 76, D.J. Trahan 67 67 69 73, Blake Adams 65 74 66 71
277 Bob Estes 69 68 72 68, Brian Gay 66 73 69 69, Luke Donald (Eng) 70 65 71 71, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 69 67 69 72, Steve Elkington (Aus) 68 67 71 71
278 Scott McCarron 70 66 71 71, K J Choi (Kor) 65 70 68 75, Jonathan Byrd 70 70 70 68, Tom Pernice junior 67 69 67 75, Greg Owen (Eng) 71 67 66 74, Brandt Snedeker 72 68 66 72
279 Nick Watney 71 66 70 72, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 69 70 67 73, John Senden (Aus) 67 71 68 73, Alex Prugh 68 68 69 74, Kevin Streelman 65 69 72 73, Charlie Wi (SKor) 68 74 66 71, Jeff Maggert 65 75 66 73, Matthew Every 73 69 68 69, Rickie Fowler 67 71 71 70
280 Pat Perez 68 71 71 70, Charley Hoffman 64 75 68 73, Jeff Quinney 70 71 67 72, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 76 66 65 73, Heath Slocum 71 67 71 71, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 69 72 64 75, Will MacKenzie 70 67 73 70, Vijay Singh (Fij) 65 71 70 74, Jim Furyk 68 69 69 74, Sean O'Hair 70 70 69 71
281 Spencer Levin 68 69 69 75, Cameron Percy (Aus) 69 70 69 73, Jason Day (Aus) 71 67 72 71, Webb Simpson 67 68 74 72
282 Michael Letzig 67 74 66 75, Robert Garrigus 72 70 66 74
283 Adam Scott (Aus) 73 71 64 75, Vaughn Taylor 69 69 68 77, Mike Weir (Can) 67 70 73 73, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 71 67 77
284 Kevin Na 71 65 74 74, Chris Wilson 72 67 70 75, Kris Blanks 72 72 66 74, Garrett Willis 68 68 71 77, Chez Reavie 75 65 70 74
285 Brett Quigley 69 69 71 76, Jay Williamson 70 70 69 76, Jason Gore 69 66 74 76
286 Hunter Mahan 70 73 66 77, Martin Flores 69 70 71 76, Kevin Johnson 70 70 70 76, Ted Purdy 70 69 71 76
290 Roger Tambellini 73 69 68 80
291 John Mallinger 67 72 71 81

AVANTHA MASTERS IN INDIA

Aussie Dodt wins after Drysdale loses

lead with bogeys at 13th and 15th

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
A birdie at the last saw Andrew Dodt claim the Avantha Masters in New Delhi, India by a stroke after the Australian posted a final round of 68 to lift the trophy with a winning total of 14 under par 274
With seven players entering the last day level at the top of the leaderboard, it always promised to be a thrilling and exciting day at DLF Golf and Country Club, and so it proved.
The lead changed hands several times - Scot David Drysdale leading by a shot until he had bogeys at the 13th and 15th -with Richard Finch's spectacular six under 66 at one point looking to have secured an unexpected triumph for the Englishman.
However, Dodt sank birdies at the 16th and 18th to claim his maiden European Tour victory ahead of Finch and Richard Bland, who carded a 71 to end on 12 under and miss out on his maiden European Tour title.
Dodt, whose previous best finish was a tie for ninth at last year's Barclays Singapore Open, began the day one shot off the pace but had picked up three strokes by the turn and was well placed with nine holes to play.
A bogey at the 11th threatened to derail the 24 year old's bid but he managed to recover over the final three holes to secure the trophy.
Finch, meanwhile, mounted his charge from down the leaderboard as the Hull golfer reached the halfway point in 32 having collected five birdies and one bogey.
But he could only pick up two more shots down the stretch to eventually finish 13 under.
For Bland, it was a case of so near yet so far. Saturday's 66 had catapulted him into contention and two early birdies saw him keep pace at the top of the scoreboard.
However, a bogey at the sixth set him back and although he recovered the shot at the 16th, he could not find the birdie he needed at the last to force a play-off, a bogey six condemning the 37 year old to a share of third as his search for that elusive first European Tour victory continues.
Scot David Drysdale also finished on 12-under-par 276, joint third, after a 70 following bogeys at the 13th and 15th effectively scuppering his hopes. Drysdale earned 71,259 Euros.
He was joined by Barry Lane, the 49 year old failing in his bid to become The European Tour's oldest winner as he could only manage a one under 71 after failing to get going on the front nine.
Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka completed the quartet. Having fired a new course record of 62 on Friday to move into contention, he like Lane could only muster a 71 despite sinking five birdies as a double bogey six at the fifth and a dropped shot two holes later hindered his progress.
Fredrik Andersson Hed took seventh on 11 under while Darren Clarke and Oliver Fisher finished in a group of six players on ten under following rounds of 71 and 70 respectively.
In terms of top-20 finishers, it was one of the best on the Tour by Scots for a long time.
Apart from Drysdale, Steven O'Hara (29,775 Euros) from Motherwell tied for eighth place with a 69 for 278; Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay (21,600 Euros) finished joint 14th with a 70 for 279, and Peter Whiteford (18,060 Euros) from Kirkcaldy had four rounds of 70 for a share of 18th place on 280.
Edinburgh-based Andrew Coltart signed off with a 71 for 285, a joint 38th finish that earned him 9,600 Euros.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
274 Andrew Dodt (Aus) 67 68 71 68 (250,000 Euros).
275 Richard Finch 69 69 71 66 (166,650 Euros).
276 Richard Bland 68 71 66 71, David Drysdale 68 67 71 70, Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn) 73 62 70 71, Barry Lane 67 67 71 71 (71,250 Euros each).
277 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 68 71 66 72
278 Yin-shin Chan (Tpe) 65 68 72 73, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 71 70 66 71, Darren Clarke 71 66 70 71, Steven O'Hara 69 73 67 69, Oliver Fisher 70 67 71 70, Jason Knutzon (USA) 70 67 72 69 (jt 8th) (29,775 Euros each).
279 Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 67 69 69 74, Richie Ramsay 71 68 70 70, Rick Kulacz (Aus) 68 67 74 70, Chih-bing Lam (Sin) 67 68 74 70 (jt 14th) (21,600 Euros each).
280 Sung Lee (Kor) 71 65 73 71, Peter Whiteford 70 70 70 70, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 71 70 68 71, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 72 67 71 70, Hideto Tanihara (Jpn) 71 69 71 69 (jt 18th) (18,060 Euros each).
281 Darren Beck (Aus) 70 65 70 76, Kwanchai Tannin (Hkg) 68 68 70 75, Marcel Siem (Ger) 64 73 70 74, Wen-hong Lin (Chn) 68 70 69 74
282 John Parry 67 67 75 73, Richard McEvoy 73 68 73 68
283 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 67 74 72 70, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 67 73 67 76, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 68 72 72 71, Angelo Que (Phi) 73 70 69 71, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 68 71 68 76, Clodomiro Carranza (Arg) 73 69 70 71
284 Joost Luiten (Ned) 69 74 70 71, Wen-chong Liang (Chn) 71 68 71 74, Rhys Davies 72 68 71 73
285 Seung-yul Noh (Kor) 72 70 71 72, Arjun Atwal (Ind) 72 69 71 73, Andrew Coltart 69 74 71 71, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 71 71 74 69, Digvijay Singh (Ind) 71 71 73 70, Adam Blyth (Aus) 74 68 70 73 (jt 38th) (9,600 Euros each).
286 Mark F Haastrup (Den) 72 71 72 71, Gareth Maybin 70 69 70 77, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 70 73 72 71, Udorn Duangdecha (Tha) 71 71 67 77, George Coetzee (Rsa) 72 70 71 73, Danny Chia (Mal) 74 65 73 74, Kunal Bhasin (Ind) 71 71 71 73, Gregory Havret (Fra) 71 71 69 75
287 Ashok Kumar (Ind) 70 72 75 70, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 69 74 73 71, Scott Hend (Aus) 76 67 72 72, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 76 65 73 73, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 72 70 72 73
288 David Howell 74 68 69 77, Lee Slattery 70 69 71 78
289 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 74 69 70 76, Shane Lowry 71 66 77 75, Ted Oh (Kor) 71 72 74 72
290 Ben Leong (Mal) 68 73 75 74
292 Julien Quesne (Fra) 73 70 77 72
293 Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 71 70 75 77
294 Anthony Kang (USA) 71 72 75 76, Scott Barr (Aus) 73 70 72 79

Couples three ahead with 23 holes to play in one day

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
Over-50s rookie Fred Couples is in the driving seat for his first US Champions (Seniors) Tour victory. All he has to do is hold on to a three-stroke lead in the ACE Group Classic at Naple, Florida for at least 23 holes today!
Big-hitter Couples sank a 48ft putt from off the green at the 12th for eagle, then made a 12-footer for birdie at the next to get to nine under par before Saturday's second-round play was called due to darkness.
Dan Forsman was in second place, three shots back at 6 under. The two shared the first-round lead at 4 under after finishing their first rounds earlier Saturday.
Couples is one of 38 golfers who must come back Sunday morning (local time) to complete their second rounds at The Quarry. The tournament was pushed back after high wind postponed the first round Friday afternoon.
When the first round ended early Saturday afternoon, Couples and Forsman both finished 4-under 68 to share the lead.
Bernhard Langer is the only one near the top of the leader board to have completed the second round. He's shot 6-under 66 and is tied for third, four shots behind Couples, along with Mike Goodes, Scott Hoch, Tommy Armour III and Ronnie Black. Langer moved up the leaderboard with an eagle on No. 12 and a birdie on No. 17.
Paul Azinger, a 12-time winner on the US PGA Tour and captain of the victorious 2008 Ryder Cup team, is making his Champions Tour debut at The Quarry, the tournament's third site in three years. He was even par with three holes left.
The 50-year-old Couples is coming off a 37th-place tie last week in the PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open at Riviera. He made two senior starts in Hawaii last month, teaming with Nick Price to finish third in the Champions Skins, then losing to Tom Watson by a stroke in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship.
Click on link for scores:
Leaderboard: ACE Group Classic

Presnell shoots closing 60 to win Victorian PGA title

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE
Victorian professional Alistair Presnell shot a Sandhurst course record of 60 and equalled the record for the lowest ever round in an Australasian Tour event on his way to claiming the 2010 Cellarbrations Victorian PGA Championship today at the Sandhurst Club.
Presnell shot an unbelievable round of 12-under par on the North Course at Sandhurst, smashing the previous course record by three shots and taking his four-day total to a massive 22-under par 262.
He won by a single stroke from the overnight joint leaders, Kurt Barnes and Davis Bransdon
“I’m ecstatic. To win a Victorian title means a lot to me,” said Presnell who now joins past champions Kel Nagle, Peter Thomson, Peter Senior and Stuart Appleby on the honour roll.
“It’s a great achievement and another big feather in my cap.”
Presnell’s 12-under round also put his name in the Australasian Tour record books alongside Paul Gow (2001 Cannon Challenge, Rd. 1) and Ernie Els (2004 Heineken Classic, Rd. 1) with whom he now shares the prestigious record.
“It’s a proud achievement. There are some unbelievable names (who have played in Australia.) I think just about everyone has played in Australia at some time, all of the greats.”
Throughout his round Presnell shot an amazing 12 birdies but missed a short putt on the par 5 17th hole that would have taken him to the magical 59.
“A few nerves crept in,” Presnell admitted post-round.
“But I’m stoked. I didn’t do a great deal wrong. I drove the ball pretty good all week and my putter worked on Friday and particularly today.”
“(Yesterday) I thought I was completely out of it with absolutely no chance. But a few putts dropped in late on the back nine and to turn at seven under I had thought it was still a tough ask.”
Sharing second place were overnight leaders Kurt Barnes (67, 67, 66, 67) and David Bransdon (67, 65, 68, 67) who were forced to finish their rounds in elevated wind conditions that whipped up around Sandhurst after Presnell had completed his round.
Bransdon and Barnes finished at 21-under par, while Paul Matantz (69, 69, 66, 65) saved his best to last shooting a 7-under round to finish at 19-under in outright fourth.
The win for Presnell is his second PGA Tour of Australasia title, with his first coming at the 2009 Moonah Classic with which he gained US Nationwide Tour status.
Today’s timely win comes only days before the Melbournian heads over the US to kick off his 2010 campaign.
“I head over to the Nationwide Tour on Thursday for a couple of events in South America so this is a fantastic way to start the season.”
For his win Presnell took home the first place cheque for $16,500. (Presnell’s win was the icing on the cake for what was a truly memorable Cellarbrations Victorian PGA Championship, highlighted by superb low scoring and Australasian Tour records.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from Australia unless stated otherwise
266 Alistair Presnell 71 65 70 60.
267 Kurt Barnes 67 67 66 67, David Bransdon 67 65 68 67.
269 Paul Marantz 69 69 66 68.
270 Steven Bowditch 68 70 65 67.
271 Andrew Bonhomme 70 67 67 67, Anthony Brown 68 66 67 70.
272 Martin Doyle 67 69 71 65, Scott Laycock 66 71 66 69, Gareth Paddison (New Zealand) 66 68 70 68, Aaron Townsend 66 71 66 69.

Martin Laird and Sandy Lyle miss cut in California

Johnson and Goydos tied for Pebble Beach lead

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
American Dustin Johnson's defence of his AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am title remains on track in California as he entered the final round tied for the lead and four strokes clear of the field alongside Paul Goydos.
Johnson and Goydos, who completed eight-under-par 64s, were in a share of the lead alongside four others at the halfway point, but moved to 18 under in the third round to tee up a final-round shootout at Pebble Beach.
Bryce Molder, J B Holmes and Matt Jones were leading the chase on 14 under, while Germany's Alex Cejka was alone in sixth place, five strokes off the pace, and three players were on 12 under and three more on 11 under.
The duo, both seeking their third US PGA Tour titles, had low-scoring rounds on the penultimate day.
Johnson carded two eagles and six birdies against two bogeys at Spyglass Hill during his second 64 of the week, while Goydos was blemish free as he made six birdies and an eagle at Pebble Beach.
Johnson opened with a three on the par-five first and was six under through seven holes after birdies at the third, fourth, sixth and seventh before completing his outbound nine in 30 strokes. The 25-year-old made a bogey 5 on the par-4 10th, only to immediately make amends with his second eagle and then birdies at the 14th and 17th before a closing bogey prevented him from taking the sole lead going into the final round.
Goydos, beginning on the 10th at Pebble Beach, was three under after six holes but his return nine - the front nine - featured an eagle at the second and birdies on holes four, seven and nine.
Molder and Holmes, who were playing at Spyglass Hill, and Jones - on Monterey Peninsula - carded four under rounds, while Cejka, who had also shared the halfway lead, made three under at Pebble Beach and was the leading European heading into the final 18 holes.
J P Hayes signed for a seven under 63 at Monterey Peninsula to join David Duval and Steve Marino on 12 under, while KJ Choi, DJ Trahan and Tom Pernice junior were one shot further back.
Martin Laird (213) and Sandy Lyle (222) were among those eliminated by the third round cut at 211 or better.
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 214 (2x72, 1x70)
Pebble Beach GC
196 Paul Goydos 67 65 64
201 Alex Cejka (Ger) 65 67 69
202 Steve Marino 68 67 67
203 Tom Pernice junior 67 69 67
204 Phil Mickelson 68 67 69
205 Blake Adams 65 74 66
206 Spencer Levin 68 69 69, Vijay Singh (Fij) 65 71 70, Jeff Maggert 65 75 66, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 69 70 67, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 71 67, Kevin Streelman 65 69 72
207 Michael Letzig 67 74 66, Charley Hoffman 64 75 68
208 Brian Gay 66 73 69
209 Hunter Mahan 70 73 66, Heath Slocum 71 67 71, Rickie Fowler 67 71 71, Webb Simpson 67 68 74, Jason Gore 69 66 74
210 Pat Perez 68 71 71, Jonathan Byrd 70 70 70, John Mallinger 67 72 71
211 Justin Bolli 70 71 70, Ryan Palmer 71 70 70, Bo Van Pelt 65 71 75, Christopher Baryla (Can) 68 73 70
MISSED THE CUT
212 Henrik Bjornstad (Nor) 71 70 71, Troy Merritt 68 75 69, Jason Bohn 72 74 66
213 Chris DiMarco 69 73 71, Corey Pavin 73 72 68, Kevin Sutherland 68 70 75, Greg Kraft 70 72 71, Nicholas Thompson 68 70 75
214 John Daly 69 73 72, Todd Hamilton 75 69 70, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 75 70 69
215 Brent Delahoussaye 69 76 70, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) 72 73 70
216 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 70 72 74, Rocco Mediate 69 74 73
217 Derek Lamely 69 78 70
218 Mitch Lowe 73 73 72, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 68 76 74, Tim Herron 73 71 74
219 Chris Stroud 73 76 70, Davis Love III 69 75 75
220 Tim Petrovic 72 68 80, Jerod Turner 68 73 79
222 Rich Barcelo 72 77 73
223 Stuart Appleby (Aus) 72 75 76

Spyglass Hill GC
196 Dustin Johnson 64 68 64
200 J B Holmes 65 67 68, Bryce Molder 67 65 68
203 K J Choi (SKor) 65 70 68, D J Trahan 67 67 69
205 Josh Tester 70 67 68
206 Jim Furyk 68 69 69, Luke Donald (Eng) 70 65 71, Steve Elkington (Aus) 68 67 71
207 Nick Watney 71 66 70, Scott McCarron 70 66 71, Garrett Willis 68 68 71
208 Charlie Wi (Kor) 68 74 66
209 Bob Estes 69 68 72
210 Martin Flores 69 70 71, Kevin Johnson 70 70 70, Ted Purdy 70 69 71, Jason Day (Aus) 71 67 72, Chez Reavie 75 65 70, Kevin Na 71 65 74, Will MacKenzie 70 67 73, Mike Weir (Can) 67 70 73, Matthew Every 73 69 68
211 Steve Lowery 73 64 74, Chris Couch 68 71 72, Johnson Wagner 75 70 66, Mark Wilson 71 68 72
MISSED THE CUT
212 Brian Davis (Eng) 71 68 73, Chris Riley 70 71 71, Kyle Stanley 71 71 70, Vance Veazey 70 69 73, Cameron Tringale 71 69 72
213 Omar Uresti 72 66 75, Jeff Gove 71 70 72, Lee Janzen 69 70 74
214 Francis Quinn 72 70 72, David Lutterus (Rsa) 72 68 74, Mark Brooks 75 67 72, Graham Delaet (Can) 75 69 70
215 Marc Turnesa 76 69 70
216 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 72 67 77, Jeff Overton 75 69 72, Craig Bowden 73 70 73, Michael Connell 70 73 73
217 Bill Lunde 73 68 76, Roland Thatcher 75 69 73
218 Jimmy Walker 74 66 78, Rich Beem 72 71 75, Brenden Pappas (Rsa) 72 73 73
222 Sandy Lyle (Sco) 78 72 72
223 Notah Begay III 71 76 76, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 73 72 78

Monterey Peninsula CC
200 Matthew Jones (Aus) 67 67 66
202 J P Hayes 68 71 63, David Duval 67 68 67
204 Greg Owen (Eng) 71 67 66
205 Nick O'Hern (Aus) 69 72 64, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 69 67 69, Alex Prugh 68 68 69
206 Vaughn Taylor 69 69 68, John Senden (Aus) 67 71 68, Tom Gillis 69 68 69, Brandt Snedeker 72 68 66, Tim Clark (Rsa) 70 68 68
207 Greg Chalmers (Aus) 76 66 65
208 Adam Scott (Aus) 73 71 64, Robert Garrigus 72 70 66, Jeff Quinney 70 71 67, Cameron Percy (Aus) 69 70 69
209 Chris Wilson 72 67 70, Sean O'Hair 70 70 69, Brett Quigley 69 69 71, Jay Williamson 70 70 69
210 Kris Blanks 72 72 66, Roger Tambellini 73 69 68
211 Sam Saunders 72 70 69, Parker McLachlin 68 75 68
MISSED THE CUT
212 Ricky Barnes 72 69 71, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 70 72 70, Billy Horschel 75 68 69, Scott Piercy 73 70 69, James Driscoll 70 72 70
213 Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 70 71 72, Martin Laird (Sco) 71 73 69
214 Brendon De Jonge 74 72 68
215 Mathew Goggin (Aus) 74 70 71, Joe Ogilvie 73 75 67, Marc Leishman (Aus) 70 70 75
216 Matt Bettencourt 74 73 69, Kevin Chappell 77 67 72
217 Jeff Klauk 78 71 68, J J Henry 72 69 76, Mark O'Meara 77 71 69, Garth Mulroy (Rsa) 70 75 72, Jerry Pate 71 75 71
218 Jamie Lovemark 75 74 69
219 Brad Faxon 71 77 71, Steve Wheatcroft 74 78 67
220 Woody Austin 74 71 75, Harrison Frazar 73 77 70
221 Brad Adamonis 75 70 76, John Huston 73 76 72
222 Brian Stuard 72 77 73