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 St Andrews Summer Birdie Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, drive to and then check into – Ardgowan Hotel, Standrews
• Day 2: Round of golf –  New Course
• Day 3: Round of golf – Lundin Links
• Day 4: Round of golf – The Kittocks
• Day 5: Round of golf – Jubilee Course
• Day 6: Round of golf – Scotscraig
• Day 7: Round of golf – Ladybank
• Day 8: Check out of Hotel and return to airport   

Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on two people sharing a standard twin room
• Golf: 6 rounds on the above named courses
• Extras: Tee Off in Scotland gift bags

Price for this package would be only £899 per person….Or why not upgrade to a superior room for only £120 extra per person

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Make Sure You Know The Rules Regarding Trees & Bushes…

What’s brown and sticky? You’ve guessed it, a stick - and there are usually plenty of them on the course. Trees and bushes form a vital part of course design – they help to shape the route of many layouts and in some cases; strategically placed hazards.

So the chances are your going to come across them every so often. But do you know all the rules that apply to these sticky situations? Here are three of the most common foliage-related predicaments – and what you can and can’t do to get out of them…

1. Swinging In The Trees…Rule 13-2 states that a player is allowed to break a branch “in making a stroke or the backward movement of his club for a stroke and the stroke is made”. However, if the stroke is not completed after breaking a branch during the backswing then the player would receive a penalty. This rule also states that knocking down leaves with a practise swing incurs a penalty only “if a player has improved the area of his intended swing”
2. Taking Your Stance…Rule 13-2 states you’re not allowed to “move, bend or break anything growing or fixed” to improve your stance, swing or lie. Doing so would incur a penalty. But you can do what is “reasonably necessary to take a stance… without unduly improving the position of the ball or the lie”. So it’s a grey area, but common sense suggests that a golfer being careful to get a stance without unduly disturbing his surroundings is fine.
3. Moving Loose Branches…You’re allowed to move loose twigs, branches and pine clones lying around your ball under rule 23-1, providing it does not disturb or move your ball. If you accidentally touch your ball but it doesn’t move you’re not penalised but if it moves through directly touching it or the removal of loose twigs then a penalty is incurred. You are not allowed to move any loose impediments if your ball is in a hazard.

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  “I’ll always remember the day I broke ninety. I had a few beers in the clubhouse and was so excited I forgot to play the back nine.” - Bruce Lansky
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• It takes longer to learn to be a good golfer than it does to become a brain surgeon. On the other hand, you don’t get to ride around on a cart, drink beer, eat hot dogs, and pass gas if you are performing brain surgery.
• A pro-shop gets its name from the fact that you have to have the income of a professional golfer to buy anything in there.
• It’s amazing how a golfer who never helps out around the house will replace his divots, repair his ball marks, and rake his sand traps.
• If your opponent has trouble remembering whether he shot a six or a seven, he probably shot an eight.
• It’s easier to get up at 6:00 AM to play golf than at 10:00 to mow the lawn.
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WORLD GOLF NEWS

EUROPEAN TOUR: Omega European Masters
Five of Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup side have now won since the start of August after Miguel Angel Jiménez survived a late scare to take the Omega European Masters in Switzerland. The 46 year old Spaniard, six clear with seven to play, saw his lead slashed to one by Celtic Manor Resort team-mate Edoardo Molinari and then hit a tree with his tee shot to the short 16th. But the Italian was the one to bogey there, while Jiménez got up and down from a fairway bunker for a critical par and followed it up with a birdie on the next to maintain the three shot lead he held overnight. The Spaniard’s triumph follows wins by Ross Fisher at the 3 Irish Open, Martin Kaymer in the US PGA Championship, Peter Hanson at the Czech Open and Molinari in last week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. Jiménez, making his 22nd successive trip to Crans-sur-Sierre, finally got his hands on the trophy with a four under par 67 and 21 under total of 263. He becomes the eighth oldest winner in European Tour history and the first to record three victories this season. In fact not since Paul Casey in 2006 has a European taken three European Tour titles in one year. Incredibly, 11 of his 18 titles have come since he turned 40 and he has earned more money in that time than in his previous 22 years as a professional. “I made a good recovery at the 16th - that was probably the key to the day,” said Jiménez after being sprayed with champagne and then being encouraged to jump in the pond by the final green. “I love to come here. It’s not only my two times second, it’s the amount of times I have finished top ten and been in contention, so it means a lot.” He was not the only one celebrating, however, in front of record crowds at Crans-sur-Sierre. Molinari’s 17 year old compatriot Matteo Manassero came third on 16 under following a 68 and with a cheque for €125,200 has secured a European Tour card for next season in six starts as a professional. “Mission accomplished ” he beamed. “I am a full member for the first time. It was my goal and what I wanted to do and now I am here,” said last year’s British Amateur Champion. Molinari himself now heads off for a three-week break before The Ryder Cup, having finished first and second in his last two events, while Jiménez has come seventh, third and first in his last three. Three ahead overnight, Jiménez doubled that by going to the turn in 32 with birdies at the first, sixth, seventh and ninth. He did not have a bogey on the front nine all week. But Molinari birdied the 12th and with another at the long 14th was back to only three behind as Jiménez, bunkered off the tee, went over the green for three and took six. With the pendulum swinging his way Molinari then hit a marvelous six iron to two feet on the 516 yard next and made eagle to Jiménez’s par. Just a week earlier, of course, he stood two behind with three to play in Scotland and birdied them all, but this time he failed to get up and down from sand at the 16th and parred the last two. This is the second time this season Jiménez has won an Omega-sponsored title after landing the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. “I am always on time and never late,” he quipped.

• This week’s schedule – The KLM Open. Hilversumsche GC, Hilversum, Netherlands. Purse: €1,800,000. 09thSep – 12th Sep

PGA TOUR: Deutsche Bank Championship (Monday Finish)
Prior to entering the 2010 season, Charley Hoffman — like any good pro with lofty aspirations — thought about the part of his golf game needing the most improvement. It didn’t take him long to figure out the answer: Bunker play. It had been a sore spot during his winless 2009 season. Hoffman ranked 130th on the PGA TOUR in sand-save percentage. “Borderline horrendous,” he said. And he was not good enough in other areas to compensate for his poor play out of the bunker. So Hoffman found a short-game specialist, James Sieckmann from Omaha, Neb., who has coached several other TOUR pros. They went to work. It was a furious pace. Hoffman logged endless hours in the sand, practicing his bunker shots, striving to get better. He worked hard. Maybe too hard. Hoffman’s left wrist was so sore that he had to take five weeks off in the spring to let it heal. The diagnosis? The injury was caused from practicing too much on his bunker game. But in the final round Monday of the Deutsche Bank Championship, with Hoffman tied with Luke Donald for the lead, all those hours in the sand paid off. Standing awkwardly in the greenside bunker at TPC Boston’s 13th hole, the ball below his feet, Hoffman kept his knees flexed and committed to the shot, powering through the sand. The ball popped up nicely, landed halfway to the pin that was 48 feet away, then made a beeline right to the cup. Birdie. He hadn’t just saved par, he gained a stroke. He was now the outright leader — and no one would catch him When you shoot a breathtaking 9-under 62 in the final round to win a PGA TOUR event, there are many great moments. Hoffman had plenty to choose from in his five-stroke win; after all, the California native with the long blonde hair made 11 birdies Monday en route to tying the tournament’s 72-hole record of 22 under set by Vijay Singh in winning here two years ago. But that bunker shot has a significant back story. To think that what once was a weakness, then was a cause for pain, and now had turned into a strength when the heat and the pressure was at its greatest … well, maybe that’s a bit of poetic justice. “A little ironic, yeah,” Hoffman said after his second TOUR win jumped him to the No. 2 spot in the FedExCup standings behind Matt Kuchar. Hoffman left no doubt that working with Sieckmann — who had come recommended by fellow TOUR pro Tom Pernice Jr. — was the turning point in his improved play. This year Hoffman now ranks 70th on TOUR in sand saves, a jump of 60 spots from a year ago. And few players this year can claim a bigger shot out of the bunker than the one at the 13th on Sunday. “I can tell you right now — if I wouldn’t have met that guy (Sieckmann), I wouldn’t have won this golf tournament,” Hoffman said. “I could barely get it out of the bunkers before, pretty shocking. “He’s helped tremendously with my short game and my bunker game, and I appreciate all the help he’s given me and all the knowledge he has.” That shot at the 13th gave Hoffman the outright lead for good, but his bunker shot at the 14th was nearly as important. With playing partner Geoff Ogilvy in birdie position, Hoffman found the greenside bunker again. But he blasted out to within five feet to save par. Meanwhile, Ogilvy missed his birdie putt from inside seven feet. Had he made it, and had Hoffman bogeyed, Ogilvy would’ve been just one shot off the lead, able to put some pressure on his playing partner. Instead, he remained three behind and would ultimately finish tied for second with Luke Donald and Jason Day. In the end, as Hoffman steamrolled through the back nine with six birdies, all the Australian could do was stand back and admire the show. “I had the best seat in the house to watch that,” Ogilvy said. “He hit great shots all day … and as soon as he got himself in trouble, he’d go and hole a bunker shot or something like that.” Ogilvy said he knew after about three holes that this might be Hoffman’s day. That was right in the middle of an early streak of four consecutive birdies that Hoffman posted to climb into contention after starting the day four shots off the 54-hole lead held by Day. “You can tell when you look at a guy and it just looks like his day,” Ogilvy said. “… I think everyone is going to be pretty happy because he’s a pretty popular guy out here.” Like Hoffman, Day was seeking his second win on the PGA TOUR. Unlike Hoffman, Day is 22 years old and has his entire future ahead of him.  At 33, Hoffman is at the point where he should be starting the prime of his career. Maybe this will jumpstart it. Day was disappointed not to seal the deal on Monday, but it’s hard to kick yourself when the other guy shoots 62. “You can only go out there and try your hardest and give it 100 percent, and at the end of the day if you’re walking back with a trophy, then that’s great,” Day said. “But if someone comes and shoots a score like that, you really can’t do anything about it.” Indeed, there was nothing anybody could do to stop Hoffman on Monday. And now that he’s turned a weakness into a crunch-time strength, there may be no stopping him in the future.

• This week’s schedule – BMW Championship. Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Illinois. Purse: $7,500,000. Sep -9th – Sep 12th     

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: ALLIANZ Europen Strasbourg-Golf de la Wantzenau
Teenager Romain Wattel became the second amateur to win on the European Challenge Tour this season after a nerveless final round 67 in the ALLIANZ Europen de Strasbourg-Golf de la Wantzenau. The Frenchman, who is the World Amateur Number Four, finished on 17 under par, three strokes clear of American Ryan Blaum, Italian Lorenzo Gagli, Englishman Steve Tiley and Spaniard Alvaro Velasco, after a hugely impressive display at Golf de la Wantzenau. Starting the day four shots behind overnight leader Gagli, 19 year old Wattel pounced when the Italian carded two double bogeys and two bogeys on the front nine. Cheered on by the sizeable home support, Wattel was flawless to the turn, picking up a shot on the second before firing three consecutive birdies on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes. His first mistake of the day came with on the 12th hole, which allowed Velasco to lead briefly, but he responded magnificently to that mistake, posting another hat-trick of birdies from the 13th to pull clear of the field. He then showed maturity beyond his tender years to close out the victory, despite bogeying the last hole, to become only the fifth amateur to win on the Challenge Tour, just three weeks after Danish amateur Andreas Hartø won the ECCO Tour Championship. “I’m delighted- this feels amazing and so exciting,” said Wattel. “It is a great moment for me. It is the biggest tournament I’ve won. I’m almost dreaming. “This morning I was just focused on making a good start.  That was important as I was four shots behind so I had to recover those quite quickly and that’s what I did. “I played really solidly and missed only a couple of shots today.  I putted really well and that gave me so much confidence. “It was special to win in France. The public were fantastic this week and really got behind me and encouraged me.” Wattel is the first French winner of the season and the first Frenchman to win on home soil since Alexandre Kaleka at the 2009 ALLIANZ EurOpen de Lyon.  Despite securing a Challenge Tour exemption, he intends to stick by his decision not to turn professional until after representing his country in the Eisenhower Trophy. “I don’t think I’ll change my plans despite the win,” he said. “I’ll play the few tournaments I have to play in the rest of the season and I’ll talk to my coach and see what the best thing for next year is and whether to go to Qualifying School. “Hopefully this will be a big victory in my career and I can go on to achieve more.” Joint runner –up Velasco, who won the Fred Olsen Challenge de España earlier this year, was attempting to become only the second multiple winner of the Challenge Tour season after Martin Wiegeles’ two victories in the Karnten Golf Open by Markus Brief Foundation and SAINT-OMER OPEN presented by Neuflize OBC. He had to settle for a share of second place after a costly double bogey on the 13th hole effectively ended his challenge and the 29 year old signed for a round of. However he will be consoled by his move from 12th to sixth in the Challenge Tour Rankings. Blaum, who carded a 68, will also be buoyed by his performance after he continues his comeback to the game following more than six months out with glandular fever.  Gagli eventually signed for a round of 74 to join the tie for second, while Tiley carded a 68.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Mylan Classic Presented by CONSOL Energy
Kevin Kisner didn’t know. Kisner rolled in a four-foot par putt on the final hole of Sunday’s Mylan Classic to close out a bogey-free 67 and didn’t know he was suddenly leading the tournament. Kisner rolled in a four-foot par putt on the final hole of Sunday’s Mylan Classic to close out a bogey-free Kisner finished at 13-under 271 and didn’t know that 54-hole leader Geoffrey Sisk had stumbled to a double-bogey on the 17th right behind him to flip-flop the lead. Sisk fell from 14-under to 12 and lost his grip on an elusive first-career title. When the 45-year-old New England native failed to birdie the 72nd hole at Southpointe Golf Club, Kisner stepped into the winner’s circle for the first time in his short career. “I didn’t know I was going to win even when I made that last putt,” he said. “I was kind of in shock. I thought I might have been one short or maybe could get into a playoff. My whole world turned upside down there in a minute.” Kisner’s Georgia Bulldog-determination had him focused during Sunday’s finale, which was essentially a three-man race that included local favorite Steve Wheatcroft, who also suffered a late double-bogey to ruin any chance for his victory. “I played solid all day. I made a lot of the four and five-footers that you need to make,” said Kisner after hitting 15 of 18 greens. “I just stayed in my own game. I was as calm as I’ve ever been in that situation, which is odd considering this was probably the biggest stage I’ve ever been on. I didn’t look at a board all day.” If he had looked he would have seen Sisk’s name holding steady at the top with Wheatcroft in hot pursuit. “I thought I had to get to 15-under today to have a chance,” said Kisner. “That was my goal.” After three straight 3-under 68s, Kisner’s four-birdie effort Sunday was all he needed to collect the $108,000 winner’s check that vaulted him from No. 50 to No. 14 on the money list. The 25 leading money winners at the end of the season will earn their PGA TOUR cards for the 2011 season. “This game is so much about winning and you have to beat 155 great players in order to have a chance,” said Kisner, who is in his first full season on Tour. “This is pretty special.” The day and week appeared to belong to Sisk, who shared the first-day lead and held two-stroke advantages after the second and third days. Sisk temporarily lost possession of the lead when Kisner birdied the short, par-3, 14th hole but regained a share of the lead with a birdie of his own. Two holes later, Sisk took back the outright lead with a birdie at No. 16. Then, disaster struck at the 367-yard, 17th . Sisk’s yanked a pitching wedge from the middle of the fairway into a back bunker. “I overcooked it on 17,” he said. “I was trying to hit it right and I shut it down and pulled it left. I was dead.” Facing a perilous downhill bunker shot on a slick green, Sisk blasted it back across the green for his third. His chip shot for par came up 18 feet short and two putts later, the lead was gone. “I played well. I have no complaints,” said Sisk, who was solo second for his best career finish. Chris Nallen closed with a 5-under 66 and wound up at 10-under 274, tied for third place with Wheatcroft, who closed with a birdie for an even-par 71 to match his career-best effort. Patrick Sheehan (67) finished fifth, four back of Kisner and Dicky Pride (68) was alone in sixth, five shots behind the winning total.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR: Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters
Ireland’s Des Smyth won the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters to win for a fifth successive decade and deny England’s Carl Mason a record 24th Senior Tour victory. The Irishman carded a three under par 69 on a blustery Sunday at Woburn to win for the first time in three years , while overnight leader Mason faltered on the back nine, coming home in 40 to card two over par. The Englishman looked odds-on to enter the record books through nine holes as he extended his lead to three, but a disastrous four-putt double-bogey on the par five 14th to Smyth’s birdie turned things on their head and saw him trail by two. Smyth took advantage and although he bogeyed sixteen to set up a tense finish, he rubber stamped his victory on the 18th with an emphatic closing birdie that left him feeling like Seve Ballesteros. He said: “I felt like Seve today as he was the best at making it happen and it was one of those rounds where it did happen today. I putted much better this week having changed my putting style slightly and I could see the lines much better and that gave me the confidence to hit the putts. “It was fantastic to win in front of these crowds and it is my fifth decade of winning, from the 70s to now and that was a goal of mine. I am really pleased to have got that.” Smyth won his first professional title in 1979 when he won the Sun Alliance Match Play Championship, winning every decade since and still holds the record as the oldest winner on The European Tour. Mason will hope that there will be plenty more opportunities to break the record he holds with Tommy Horton after a final round that never really got going. He said: “Four putts on the 14th was not good. That made me unsteady on the greens unfortunately. I had some good chances out there, a couple of horseshoes but pleased with the way I played. It is a tough course and under pressure it is real tough, doesn’t get any tougher. “Des got a couple of nice breaks and made some nice saves and I can’t complain. Normally, putting my best I would have been way ahead but just wasn’t one of those days. You can’t win them all. In a share of third place with Argentine Adan Sowa, was England’s Gary Wolstenholme on his Senior Tour debut who picked up the biggest check of his life having been a career amateur for so many years. “I’m delighted to have done so well this week,” said England’s most capped amateur, now a professional. “My goal at the start was to finish top ten so I could get into Casa Serena in two weeks, and I’ve done that.” It was a tough day for the other big names on the leaderboard, with particularly disappointing rounds from David J Russell (76), Bill Longmuir (79) and Ian Woosnam (75). The popular Welshman gave his many followers little to cheer about in the final round with three doubles alongside three bogeys – although the biggest cheer of the day may have come when he pulled his driver out on 18 to have a pop at the green and close with a birdie three.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Home Care & Hospice First Tee Open At Pebble Beach
Ted Schulz won the Homecare & Hospice First Tee Open on Sunday for his first Champions Tour title, holing a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach en route to a 2-under 70 and a one-stroke victory over Tom Pernice Jr. The 50-year-old Schulz — in the field on conditional status in his 12th start on the 50-and-over tour — finished at 14-under 202. It was his first victory since winning the 1991 Nissan Open for the second of his two PGA TOUR titles. “It’s huge,” said Schulz, who had an eagle, birdie and two bogeys. “I played pretty solid most of the day. I didn’t hit is as close as yesterday and I figured I would win if I shot four under. It turned out, two under was enough.” Schulz, who quit the PGA TOUR in 2000 and is the director of golf at the University of Louisville, earned $315,000, the biggest payday of his career and nearly twice what he earned for his Nissan Open title. “I was pretty nervous. I got up four times last night,” Schulz said. “But once I got it going, I was pretty solid the whole day.” Pernice finished with a 67. “I didn’t know Ted had birdied 17 behind me,” Pernice said. “I would have played 18 differently. I hit a terrible layup. But I’m happy for Ted. He hasn’t been there in a while.” Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Kite closed with 69s to tie for third at 12 under. Fred Couples (68) followed at 11 under. Jeff Sluman, the 2008 and 2009 winner, shot a 71 to finish at 6 under.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: Uniqa Ladies Golf Open Presented By Raiffeisen
English star Laura Davies won the Austrian Ladies Open on Sunday for her 75th worldwide victory, closing with a 2-under 70 to beat France’s Virginie Lagoutte-Clement by a stroke. Davies, also the winner at Golf Club Foehrenwald in 2007 and 2008 and second last year, finished at 11-under 205. She won with a birdie on the final hole after hitting a shot from a greenside bunker to 6 feet. “I was shaking,” Davies said. “Over that bunker shot, with all the water behind, my legs were a bit shaky on that and over the putt, but I guess that’s just the adrenaline and you’re just excited about trying to win a golf tournament.” At 46 years, 11 months, she broke her own record as the oldest winner in Ladies European Tour history. The four-time major champion also won LET events this year in New Zealand and Germany. Lagoutte-Clement shot a 68.

• This week’s schedule – Open de France, Féminin Paris International Golf Club,18 Route du Golf, Baillet-en-France, France. Purse: € 250,000.  Sep 09th – Sep 12th     

Golf news supplied courtesy of - Golfalot.com

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 St Andrews Summer Birdie Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, drive to and then check into – Ardgowan Hotel, Standrews
• Day 2: Round of golf –  New Course
• Day 3: Round of golf – Lundin Links
• Day 4: Round of golf – The Kittocks
• Day 5: Round of golf – Jubilee Course
• Day 6: Round of golf – Scotscraig
• Day 7: Round of golf – Ladybank
• Day 8: Check out of Hotel and return to airport   

Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on two people sharing a standard twin room
• Golf: 6 rounds on the above named courses
• Extras: Tee Off in Scotland gift bags

Price for this package would be only £899 per person….Or why not upgrade to a superior room for only £120 extra per person

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TIP OF THE WEEK

From Bad Skier To Long Flyer…

If your drives often end up soaring upwards rather than flying forwards, you need to change your angle of attack…

The skied shot occurs because the head of the driver slips underneath the ball causing only the crown to make contact with the ball. This glancing contact causes the ball to go practically nowhere and can leave a nasty mark on the top of your driver.

The skied drive only has two causes; it could be as simple as teeing the ball too high so the driver is sliding underneath it – or it could be you are swinging into the ball on an overly steep angle of attack.

Here’s how to cure both faults…

• Fault 1…If the ball is teed up to high the driver can slide under the ball, hitting it off the crown rather than the sweetspot.
• Fix 1…Adjust tee height so you can only see half the ball above the crown (top) of the driver; then practise sweeping shots away.
• Fault 2…The club attacks the ball on the overly steep angle, causing it to pop up into the air. The driver needs to sweep not chop.
• Fix 2…Shallow out by moving the club back slowly and low. Feel the club follow the same sweeping path on the way down.

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 ”If you think it’s hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball.” - Jack Lemmon
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• A ball you can see in the rough from 50 yards away is not yours.
• If there is a ball in the fringe and a ball in the bunker, your ball is in the bunker.
• If both balls are in the bunker, yours is in the footprint.
• Don’t buy a putter until you’ve had a chance to throw it.
• You probably wouldn’t look good in a green jacket anyway. A sweatshirt will do just fine.
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WORLD GOLF NEWS

PGA TOUR: The Barclays
American Matt Kuchar hit a spectacular recovery shot to win a playoff against Martin Laird of Britain at the first hole to claim the Barclays title on Sunday in the opening leg of the FedExCup playoffs. After hitting his drive into heavy rough on the left side, Kuchar punched a low approach shot that landed short of the firm green, hopped on and rolled to the back before turning left and following a slope down toward the cup. Kuchar, 32, sank the three-foot putt for a winning birdie at the 470-yard par-four 18th and raised his arms in triumph. “That shot came out beautifully,” said Kuchar. “That was an exciting way to cap off this tournament.” Kuchar came from five strokes behind to reach the playoff, posting a bogey-free five-under-par 66, while overnight leader Laird shot level-par 71 at Ridgewood Country Club for his 12-under-par 272 total. Laird had opened the door for his rival when he bogeyed the final hole of regulation, three-putting from 23 feet after missing a seven-footer for par. Kuchar, who claimed his third U.S. Tour win, guaranteed himself a place in the 30-man Tour Championship with a victory that moved him to the top of the FedExCup list. “There’s nothing like the feeling of winning a PGA Tour golf tournament,” said Kuchar, who succeeded Tiger Woods as U.S. Amateur champion in 1997. “You feel like you are the best player in the world for this week.” Americans Steve Stricker (66) and Kevin Streelman (68) tied for third place on 10-under-par 274, while Woods ensured his place in next week’s FedExCup Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston by shooting 67 for 277 and a tie for 12th. The top 100 in the FedEXCup standings advanced to next week. The overall leader at the end of the series will pocket a $10 million bonus. The 27-year-old Laird, who led by three strokes after the third round, looked on his way to victory when he birdied his first two holes on Sunday before falling back with double-bogey at the par-five third hole and another bogey at the next. The Scot two-putted for birdie at the par-five penultimate hole to reclaim a one-stroke lead over Kuchar before his bogey at the last hole of regulation. “Obviously not the finish I was looking for,” said Laird, who won last year’s PGA stop in Las Vegas, and vaulted from 95th place to third in the FedExCup standings. “But I’m very proud of the way I played today. I didn’t feel like I had my best game.” It was the first win of a sterling season for Kuchar, who will make his U.S. Ryder Cup debut after registering 10 top 10 finishes this year, including a tie for sixth at the U.S. Open and for 10th at this month’s PGA Championship. “It’s been an awesome year,” said Kuchar. “I knew if I kept putting myself in contention that I would break through.”

• This week’s schedule – Deutsche Bank Championship. TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts. Purse: $7,500,000.  Sep 03rd – Sep 06th 

EUROPEAN TOUR: Johnnie Walker Championship
Edoardo Molinari birdied the last three holes to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. The 29 year old Italian was two behind Australian Brett Rumford with three holes to play. He then two-putted the long 16th, sank a curling 30 footer at the 194 yard 17th and then hit a chip to within 18 inches of the final hole. “Playing on 16, I thought I was one behind, and I had two par fives to play and thought that I still had a chance to win the tournament if I make two birdies in the last three,” said Molinari. “So I was playing very well and I knew I could do it and when I got on to the 16th tee and hit a great second shot   I thought I had a great possibility.  “I knew I had to do two birdies on the last three at least to tie him and I had a big putt on 16, I think that was very important. And I hit it safely on the green on 17, and just before I hit the putt, Colin, my caddie told me I was owed a putt, because I hit a lot of good putts today that didn’t go in, and he was right, because it went right in the divot and it was a difficult putt, as well. “And then playing the last, I played a nice second shot, and made a great chip, again. Colin, he is the winner this week, not me, because we spent probably more time this week on the chipping than in the last six months. I started working with him three tournaments ago, at Bridgestone in the States, and I think he’s the best caddie.” Molinari, who won the Barclays Scottish Open and with his brother Francesco gave Italy their first-ever Omega Mission Hills World Cup victory last year, was then handed one of Captain Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup wildcards. Molinari’s latest triumph, which left him an agonising one point short of gaining automatic selection off the world points list, came with a one under par 71 in the windy conditions. In the past year the Turin golfer has climbed from The Challenge Tour into the top 20 of The Official World Golf Ranking, took the €282,773 first prize with a ten under par total of 278. Rumford was second and then two shots further back were Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez, Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Molinari’s brother, who had been the overnight leader and was still in with a chance until he closed with a bogey six. Jiménez and Swede Peter Hanson were able to start celebrating without waiting for Captain Montgomerie’s decision an hour later. They did what they had to do to clinch the final two automatic spots for The Celtic Manor Resort on October 1-3, while Simon Dyson, who began the week hoping that a win would get him into the side, finished sixth. Jiménez needed a top nine finish to make sure and was joint third, while Hanson required top 43 and was 19th.

• This week’s schedule – Omega European Masters. Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans, Switzerland. Purse: €2,000,000. 02nd Sep – 05th Sep 

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: SWALEC Wales Challenge
Sweden’s Oscar Floren captured his maiden Challenge Tour title on a dramatic and demanding final day at the SWALEC Wales Challenge. After 36 energy-sapping holes Floren, who began the day with a four shot advantage, signed off with a round of 75 to finish on eight under par, just one shot clear of the fast-finishing Raymond Russell of Scotland. But the bare figures alone only tell half the story. Having compiled a third round of 71 in the morning, half an hour later Floren embarked on his fourth and final round with a one shot lead over his compatriot Joel Sjöholm.  That slender advantage disappeared in the blink of an eye, as he promptly double bogeyed the first hole and then suffered the same fate at the fourth. Some nerve-settling pars steadied the ship, but a bogey at the 14th hole – allied to five successive birdies on the back nine for Russell – appeared to have put pay to his chances. But Floren drew on all his reserves of energy and strength to birdie the tough 17th hole, and after Russell had closed with a bogey having found the trees to the left of the green, the Swede stood on the 18th tee needing a birdie to take the title. A fearless drive and a pinpoint approach set up a 12 foot birdie chance, and he duly found the middle of the cup to collect the €24,000 winner’s cheque, which saw him depose England’s Robert Dinwiddie at the top of the Rankings. Floren – who also collected the first prize after finishing runner-up at last week’s ECCO Tour Championship, which was won by an amateur – can now prepare for a debut campaign on The European Tour. The tired but triumphant Swede said: “I certainly did it the hard way, but I’m so relieved, and a little emotional. I couldn’t have got off to a worse start on the first, where I hit a terrible approach shot. I thought I was out of the tournament at that point, but everyone else was struggling so I knew I just had to hang in there. I played solid golf on the back nine, and then down the stretch I played some of the best golf of my career, because I was under pressure. I hit a great five wood on 16, got a bit of a lucky break on 17 but then made a great birdie on the last. My legs were tired towards the end but my mind wasn’t, which is the most important thing. So I’m really proud of myself.  “This secures my card for next season, and the Number One spot has to be my goal now – it was about time someone took Dinwiddie down! I’ve got a week off now, so I might have to have a few drinks to celebrate, then get ready for Kazakhstan. It’s been a great season, and I have my coaches to thank for that but mostly it’s been down to a change in my attitude. I’m much more focused now on and off the course, and it’s paid off. I can’t wait for next season now.” Sjöholm’s closing round of 77 saw the Swede drop back to a share of third place on five under par alongside Chile’s Mark Tullo, who signed off with a round of 71.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Knoxville News Sentinel Open
It was tongue-in-cheek but Tahnee Kirk was semi-serious about how she wanted to celebrate her first wedding anniversary. If she was going to watch husband Chris play the final round of the Knoxville News Sentinel Open, he’d better figure out a way to win the tournament. Kirk, the 54-hole leader, came through with flying colors for his wife, who arrived in town Saturday night from their home in Georgia. The Knoxville-born Kirk fired a back-nine 31 to finish at 20-under 268 and earn his second Nationwide Tour title this year. Kirk broke out of a late afternoon tie with back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to win by two shots over Travis Bertoni (67). North Carolina’s Matt Davidson (64) and 48-year old Kirk Triplett (69) tied for third place, three shots behind Kirk, who joins Tommy Gainey and Martin Piller as the Tour’s double-winners in 2010. Kirk, who lost a playoff here in 2008 to Jarrod Lyle, collected $90,000 for his efforts and vaulted from No. 4 to No. 1 on the money list, becoming the first player to go over the $400,000 mark this season. “It can’t get any better than this,” said Kirk afterwards. “My wife flew in last night and for her to be here, with so many of my family members, it’s just tremendous.” Kirk began the final day at Fox Den Country Club at 15-under par and armed with a one-stroke lead over Triplett. He struggled with an even-par 36 on his opening nine. “Playing with the lead can be difficult mentally at times,” said Kirk, whose first win came in June at the Fort Smith (Ark.) Classic without his wife in attendance. “I made the turn and I wasn’t happy with the way I was playing. I tried to stay patient but I knew even-par wasn’t going to win this tournament, not on this Tour. I knew making the turn that I wasn’t going to be leading anymore. I knew I had to get after it on the back nine. I figured four birdies would put me right where I wanted to be.” Kirk followed through, finally breaking through with birdies at Nos. 11 and 12 to reach 17-under. Just about that time and some 80 minutes ahead on the pairing sheet, Davidson was polishing off an 8-under 64 to take the clubhouse lead at minus 17. Playing alongside of Triplett, a three-time PGA TOUR winner, Kirk grabbed a one-stroke lead with a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-4, 11th. Bertoni was one group in front of the final twosome and one stroke back when he dunked his second shot on the par-5, 18th into the water that covers the entire front of the green. “It was a bad shot at the wrong time,” he said of his 6-iron that came up short. “I wanted to try and force his (Kirk’s) hand and make him make birdie to win. I hit a natural fade and I just came out of it. I was begging for it not to kick into the water. I was trying to get it in there about 20-25 feet. If I could have that shot back I’d hit the exact same shot with the exact same club.” Bertoni got up and down for par, finishing at 18-under 270. Kirk’s closing tee shot was down the right side of the fairway and he had 210 yards to a middle right pin position. He aimed left but pushed his 5-iron a little too close towards the water before it drew back and settled 12 feet behind the cup. “I wanted to hit it up there close and end it,” he said. “It was nice to see that ball land on the green.” He had three putts to win but needed only two for a birdie and his final winning margin. “This win was a lot harder than the first one,” he said. “In Fort Smith I was felt like I could have made every putt one-handed if I wanted to. This one was tough. I had to work for this one and it was a lot more rewarding in that respect.” And it made for a pretty good anniversary celebration.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Boeing Classic
Bernhard Langer might want to start campaigning for more Champions Tour events in the Pacific Northwest. Langer pulled off a Seattle sweep with a final-round 69 as he pulled away from Nick Price down the stretch to win the Boeing Classic on Sunday. Langer finished at 18-under 198 to earn his fifth Champions Tour victory this season, and the second in the greater Seattle area this year after winning the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash., a month ago. In his last three events in Washington state, he’s won twice and finished tied for third at the Boeing Classic last year. His score under par matched Loren Roberts’ tournament record from last year. “I think right now I’m playing almost as good as I’ve ever played,” Langer said. “I think my golf swing improved. The technique is better. My caddy said he hadn’t seen me drive the ball as well as the last few weeks ever.” Leading by two shots after a bogey at No. 11, Langer made consecutive birdies at Nos. 15 and 16 to stretch his lead to four strokes with just two to play at the TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge. “My lead was only two at that point with seven holes to go, so we still had a lot of golf left,” Langer said. “My caddy came over and gave me a pep talk and said ‘let’s play 2-under here the last five holes,’ and I was able to go 3-under on the last few and increase my lead and have a (three-shot) lead coming into 18, which is a nice lead to have.” Price (71) wasn’t able to find enough birdies on Sunday to keep up with the Charles Schwab Cup leader. “In retrospect, I’m really happy with the way I played this week cause I played so poorly last week,” Price said. “He’s tough. I needed my ‘A’ game to beat him today and I didn’t have it.” Langer gave Price opportunities early as Langer missed the first three fairways of the day. Langer drove his tee shot into a bunker on the uphill 439-yard third hole, opening the door for Price to apply some pressure trailing by just a stroke. But Price’s drive found the same bunker as Langer. Langer was able to clear the lip easily and put his second shot just through the green while Price was forced to layup. Price couldn’t save par and made bogey. Price found the sand again off the tee on the fourth hole and his second shot caught the lip upon contact and landed in a greenside bunker. Price couldn’t get up and down and made bogey, leaving a 6-footer short to save par. “It was strange today actually because it was probably the best I drove the ball all week because I’d been struggling a little bit with my driver,” Price said. “I missed my lines by probably 10, 12 yards on both of those holes and I paid the penalty.” After a big drive at the fifth, Price chunked a wedge and barely trickled on to the front edge of the green and three-putted from 50-feet for his third straight bogey. But Langer allowed Price to hang around. A massive drive at the downhill 484-yard, par-4 11th left Langer just 86 yards out, but his second shot flew close to 20 feet past the hole and he three-putted for bogey. Price birdied the eighth and 11th to pull within two of the lead but couldn’t get any closer to the methodical Langer. “My hat’s off to Bernhard,” Price said. “He played super solid today. He’s a tough, tough competitor.” Hometown favorite Fred Couples closed with a 67 to finish in third at 9 under. He struggled down the stretch on Saturday, shooting 4-over par on Nos. 15, 16 and 17 to fall out of contention. The Seattle native received a huge ovation after making birdie at No. 18 to close out his weekend. “I don’t come back to Seattle much at all, but to come back and play (here) two weeks has been truly remarkable,” Couples said. Mike Reid and Hal Sutton finished tied for fourth at 8-under par.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: Finnair Masters
England’s Florentyna Parker has earned her first win on the Ladies European Tour with a two-shot victory at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in the Netherlands. The German-born Parker, who is 21 in a fortnight, carded a final round of two-under-par 70 to finish on nine under, ahead of Scotland’s Krystle Caithness. Parker went out in level par and won it with two birdies on the back nine. “I’ve fulfilled my goals for this year and I hope I keep playing well,” Birkdale-based Parker said afterwards. Laura Davies finished in a tie for seventh place at three under par.

LPGA TOUR: CN Canadian Women’s Open
Michelle Wie closed with a 2-under 70 Sunday for a three-shot win at the CN Canadian Women’s Open, her second career victory on the LPGA Tour. Wie, who was 12 under for the tournament, earned the winner’s check of $337,500 in the $2.25-million event at the St. Charles Country Club — the LPGA’s only stop in Canada. Wie had five birdies, including three in a row on the 13th, 14th and 15th holes. “I made a lot of crucial putts today,” said Wie, who at 10 years old was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championship. Jiyai Shin of South Korea shot a 73 and tied for second with Kristy McPherson (66), defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway (69) and South Korea’s Jee Lee Young (69). Wie led wire-to-wire after an opening 65 and was tied with Shin for the lead entering the final round at 10 under. “My shot was really good, but my putting was so bad,” said Shin, who has four victories since joining the LPGA Tour last season. “I (had) lots of chances for birdies, but I couldn’t make it just a couple times.” Ai Miyazato (69) of Japan, the No. 1-ranked player heading into the Open, finished tied for 15th, while No. 2 Cristie Kerr (69) tied for eighth. After the 20-year-old Wie ended her round on the 18th green, her longtime friend and fellow American player Christina Kim sprayed her with champagne. “I was trying to run away from her,” Wie said with a laugh. “All I was thinking in my mind was I’m wearing white pants, please be nice Tina.” Wie’s first career win came in November at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational during her rookie season. Her opening round this week featured the second hole-in-one of her pro career. Wie said she’s heading back to school at Stanford after the LPGA’s next event — the P&G NW Arkansas Championship beginning Sept. 10. Next year’s tournament will be played in Montreal and then Vancouver in 2012.

THE US AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
The top ranked amateur in the world now has a title worthy of his lofty ranking. Oklahoma State’s Peter Uihlein also has quite the 21st birthday celebration awaiting. Uihlein won the 110th U.S. Amateur on Sunday, holding off yet another back-nine charge from Stanford’s David Chung for a 4 and 2 victory at Chambers Bay and the biggest in Uihlein’s young career. Ranked No. 1 in the world by the Royal & Ancient, Uihlein has been considered one of the top young players in the world for many years, but had yet to capture a major championship until now. And on his 21st birthday. “It’s definitely the best birthday present I’ve ever had in my life,” Uihlein said. “I’m looking forward to going back home tonight and seeing the boys and having a good time.” Uihlein was leading by two following the first 18 holes in the morning, then held on during the afternoon 18 holes as Chung once again tried to make a charge on the back nine. Seeing a four-hole lead cut to two, Uihlein made a 20-foot birdie putt to win the 14th and nearly ended the match at No. 15, leaving his putt on the lip. Uihlein finally managed to finish off Chung on the 34th hole when Chung’s tee shot on the drivable par-4 16th hole went into the deep, fescue grass. Chung tried to flop his second shot near the pin, but caught too much grass and sent the shot flying over the back of the green. Chung took off his white Stanford cap and conceded the hole, and match, when his third shot out of the deep grass came up short. “I came basically this morning expecting Peter to play really good golf and he did. I just didn’t really come with everything back at him today. I was a little flat out there and I couldn’t spark any momentum.”Uihlein, the son of Wally Uihlein, CEO of golf equipment company Acushnet, was a junior star who struggled to find consistency as he moved up the amateur ranks. He went 4-0 in the Walker Cup a year ago, but his best victory as an amateur arguably came last month when he won the Sahalee Players Championship. Now, he’s taking the Havemeyer Trophy back to Karsten Creek in Stillwater as validation of his world ranking. “It’s just one of those things you’ve got to keep trying to get better, keep trying to work hard and hopefully it will all click,” Uihlein said. “Chambers set up great for my game and I got lucky in a couple of my matches.” Along with the victory, the Oklahoma State junior earned a trip to the U.S. Open and British Open and an invitation to the Masters. Chung dominated the back nine at Chambers Bay all week and rallied from 3 down at the turn to beat defending champion Byeong-Hun An in the semifinals. But Uihlein finally got the best of the Stanford star after dropping his previous two stroke play matches to Chung, including at this year’s NCAA championships. Chung was 3 down after the first nine holes on Sunday morning, but cut the deficit to just one after nearly making a hole-in-one on the par 3 17th. Chung rolled through the back nine of his first 18 shooting 5 under, yet was only able to make up one hole with Uihlein matching nearly every charge. Uihlein took any momentum Chung gained from his near ace by chipping in for eagle from just off the green on the 18th. In the afternoon, Uihlein’s lead grew to four holes after winning the eighth, even with Chung making par when he holed his fifth shot from 120 yards. Chung won the 10th and 11th to cut the lead in half and had a chance on the 12th, but saw his 12-foot eagle putt slip past. Uihlein knew he got lucky with the miss, and Chung realized making a late charge was going to be difficult. “If I made that putt on 12 for eagle I think I could have made a run at it,” Chung said. Chung was the hottest amateur in the United States entering this week, having already won the Western Amateur and Porter Cup. He was ranked fourth in the world entering this week, and with the difficulty of Chambers Bay, it was little surprise that two of the top amateurs in the world reached the final. “The way Chambers was set up and how difficult it was, I think it exposed a lot of players’ weaknesses,” Uihlein said. “It’s just one of those courses that is so difficult you really need every shot. … It’s just one of those surviving courses and it just so happens that I happened to.”

Golf news supplied courtesy of - Golfalot.com

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 St Andrews Summer Birdie Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, drive to and then check into – Ardgowan Hotel, Standrews
• Day 2: Round of golf –  New Course
• Day 3: Round of golf – Lundin Links
• Day 4: Round of golf – The Kittocks
• Day 5: Round of golf – Jubilee Course
• Day 6: Round of golf – Scotscraig
• Day 7: Round of golf – Ladybank
• Day 8: Check out of Hotel and return to airport   

Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on two people sharing a standard twin room
• Golf: 6 rounds on the above named courses
• Extras: Tee Off in Scotland gift bags

Price for this package would be only £899 per person….Or why not upgrade to a superior room for only £120 extra per person

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Chip In…

Want to chip in from in the short rough 30 feet away, to close out a match?

Here’s how…

1. Ball Position…The rule of thumb is left for loft and right for roll. Moving the ball slightly left of centre in your stance allows the club to strike the ball with maximum loft, adding height and a bit of stop to this chip shot.
2. No Glove…This helps give you more feel for the shot. Make sure you also keep your grip pressure fairly light. Gripping too tightly will add tension to your arms so you won’t swing freely. Finally, practise the shot from tricky lies as well as good ones to prepare you for any scenario.
3. Be Creative…You need great imagination to play these tough shots. Picture the ball pitching on a small coin sized landing area on the green and then rolling out like a putt to the pin. Don’t just visualise the ball rolling close, try to picture it going in.
4. Aggressive Action…Even though you don’t have far to the pin, you must be aggressive with this shot. Commit to the hit and the ball will pop out high and land softly before rolling out to the pin.

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“Talking to a golf ball won’t do you any good. Unless you do it while your opponent is teeing off.”  - Bruce Lansky
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• For most golfers, the only difference between a two-dollar ball and a six-dollar ball is four dollars.
• You can put “draw” on the ball, you can put “fade” on the ball, but no golfer can put “straight” on the ball.
• The frequency with which balls are lost increases as the available supply decreases.
• No putt ever got longer as the result of a ball being marked.
• An extra ball in the pocket is worth two strokes in the bush.
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WORLD GOLF NEWS

EUROPEAN TOUR: Czech Open
Peter Hanson produced a brilliant putt to claim victory in his Czech Open three way play-off against Gary Boyd and Peter Lawrie, moving into the all important top nine of the European Ryder Cup team rankings in the process. After all three players shot par on the first hole of the play-off, the Swede holed an 18 footer when they played it again - the 18th hole of the Prosper Golf Resort course in Čeladná - to secure the €333,330 prize money and give himself a great chance of playing in Colin Montgomerie’s team. There is just one event remaining for his rivals to secure a place in the top-nine, with Hanson, who was not even in the penultimate event of the year long race until he received an invitation last Monday, looking comfortable at eight. “It was really tough day and I was a bit tense coming out,” he said. “It turned out in the end that both me Miguel (Angel  Jiménez) and Simon Dyson who had so much to play for didn’t play our best, but I managed to scrape it round the back nine and make that birdie on 16 to get into the play off. “It means so much to get in the top nine. Coming here on a late invitation and coming here on Monday. “I knew if I was going to have any chance I need to win and it is so hard knowing that you have to win.”I put myself in a great position yesterday and I’m feeling absolutely great that I managed to do it.” The play-off was set up by brilliant performances from Englishman Boyd and Irishman Lawrie, who carded 68 and 66 respectively to unexpectedly put themselves into contention. Their performance was so good that, going into his last three holes, Hanson, who was the overnight leader on 12 under par, was one shot behind them. However, the 32 year old held his nerve to birdie the 16th and move level with the duo, setting up the exciting finale. Hanson, who had not bogeyed in 29 holes prior his final round, produced three in a row on the par four second, par three third and par four fourth as he made a shocking start to his final round. However, he showed great heart to birdie the fifth and move into the joint lead in the process, before Boyd birdied eight. Determined not to be beaten, Hanson birdied the tenth to claim the outright lead on 11 under par, before a double bogey on the 12th allowed Lawrie to leapfrog him. But after his birdie on the 16th, he went into the final hole knowing another would win him the tournament. A poor second shot meant he could only shoot par, though, setting up a thrilling finale. Lawrie started the day six shots behind Hanson but went on to produce a scintillating round to fire himself into the shake-up. He had a magical run of four birdies and an eagle around the turn ensured he finished on ten under. Little known European Tour rookie Boyd, aiming to become the youngest winner of the event at 23 years and 322 days, was six shots behind going into the final day, but produced a brilliant display, especially on the front nine, to move into the joint lead. He birdied five of his first eight holes to turn in 31, before three putting the 11th as the tension built. He repeated the mistake, three putting again on the short 15th to hand the outright lead to Lawrie just as he made a three foot par putt on the last for a ten under target. However, he showed character which defies his years to produce the birdie he required to tie the lead on the 18th. Meanwhile, Dyson and Jiménez, who went into the final round with hopes of boosting their own chances of earning a place in the European team, were unable to mount any pressure on the leaders, finishing on eight and seven under respectively.

• This week’s schedule –  Johnnie Walker Championships at Gleneagles. The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland. Purse: £1,400,000. 26thAug – 29th Aug 

PGA TOUR: Wyndham Championship
Many players came to the Wyndham Championship for a push into the PGA TOUR’s Playoffs for the FedExCup. Not Arjun Atwal. He was playing for his spot on TOUR. Atwal won by a stroke Sunday at Sedgefield Country Club, becoming the first Monday qualifier to win on the TOUR in 24 years. After leading or sharing the lead after each of the first three rounds, Atwal shot a 3-under 67 in the final round. He finished at 20-under 260 and earned $918,000 — or, more than double the amount he previously earned this year, the reason why his future on TOUR had been in jeopardy. “I told my caddie, ‘We’ve got nothing to lose this week. Just go out there and try and win it,’” Atwal said. “Guys are going to be out there trying to secure their FedExCup spots or whatever. We’ve got nothing. I don’t have a card. I don’t have anything. Just go out there and free-wheel it, and that’s what I did this week.” He’s the first Indian-born player to win on TOUR and the first to win both the qualifier and the tournament that follows since Fred Wadsworth at the 1986 Southern Open. David Toms (64) was 19 under. John Mallinger and Michael Sim shot 62s to match John Rollins (65) and Justin Leonard (65) at 18 under. For a few dizzying moments late in a low-scoring day, seven players shared the lead at 18 under. Atwal, who carried a three-stroke lead into the final round, was at 19 under for most of the day but bogeyed the par-3 12th a few minutes before Lucas Glover bogeyed 14 and Toms, Rollins and Leonard all birdied No. 16. “It just kept changing,” Atwal said. “Everybody’s tied for the lead at a certain point.” Atwal reclaimed the lead with a birdie on No. 14, Leonard birdied No. 17 and Toms birdied No. 18 to join them at 19 under. Leonard dropped back a stroke after running into trouble on 18, while Atwal still had three holes to play — giving him more than enough chances to settle things himself. Atwal made his move on the par-3 16th, plopping his tee shot 6 feet from the flagstick and sinking his birdie putt to move to 20 under. He followed that with consecutive pars, sinking a 7-foot putt on No. 18 before dropping his putter and extending his arms upward in jubilation after closing out his first tour victory. “I was thinking about going to the (driving) range, but when he got to 20 under and they said he had a 15-footer on 17, I just went in the clubhouse and tried to cool off,” Toms said. “I was ready to go to the range, if need be, but good for (Atwal). I know it’s tough to get that first victory. … I’m sure that he was battling some nerves, and to pour it in from 6-8 feet on that last hole was pretty impressive.” Glover (67) finished at 17 under, and Webb Simpson (63), Chris Riley (64), Scott Piercy (68) and second-round co-leader Brandt Snedeker (69) were one stroke behind him. Atwal, who has won on the European, Asian and Nationwide tours, certainly has been through plenty during the past few years. The player perhaps best known for his practice rounds with Tiger Woods is ineligible for the Playoffs and lost his TOUR card last month because he was too low on the money list when his minor medical exemption ran out. That came after he said he returned too soon following weightlifting injuries to both shoulders. Three years ago, a driver trying to race him down an Orlando street died in a crash. Atwal was cleared of any wrongdoing, although the yearlong investigation took an emotional toll. Glover made five consecutive birdies, sinking four putts from 14 feet or beyond, to catch Atwal, then briefly had the lead all to himself with a birdie on No. 9 that put him at 20 under. That didn’t last long: He sent his drive on No. 10 into the rough and three-putted for bogey, and slipped out of contention after he was 3 over on the back nine. “I didn’t make anything coming in,” Glover said. “Don’t win doing that.” The Wyndham marked the last chance for players to pick up points for the Playoffs that begin next week in New Jersey. Michael Letzig, who arrived at Sedgefield at No. 125 on the points list, finished 14 under move to 118th place, solidifying his spot in The Barclays. “The goal is to give myself another tournament to play,” he said. “I’m in, so (I’ll) see what happens.” Others weren’t so fortunate. Mallinger started at No. 163 on the points list, but initially figured a final round that included six birdies and an eagle was good enough to propel him into next week. But when others joined him in a tie for third on the leaderboard, he slipped to 132nd place in the standings and finished roughly 40 points out of the playoff picture. Jeff Quinney, who arrived at No. 127, only moved up one spot on the list and finished about 3 points shy of making the postseason field with his 12 under. “I could have taken care of my own business today,” Quinney said. “The goal is to give myself another tournament to play,” he said. “I’m in, so (I’ll) see what happens.”

• This week’s schedule – The Barclays. Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, New Jersey. Purse: $7,500,000. Aug 26th – Aug 29th      

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: ECCO Tour Championship
Andreas Hartø hailed “the greatest day of my life” after birdieing the final hole to become only the fourth amateur to win on the European Challenge Tour. The 22 year Dane displayed all the courage and determination of a seasoned Tour professional to smash a three iron 222 yards onto the final green to capture the ECCO Tour Championship by one shot from Sweden’s Oscar Floren. He now follows Francis Valera (1993), Eric Carlberg (1994) and Roope Kakko (2004) as the only amateurs to succeed on the Challenge Tour – and he had to play a couple of  vintage strokes to get there. Hartø’s modest fourth round score of 74, one over par, secured the title with an eight under par total of 284 over one of Europe’s longest golf courses. However it was enough to spark joyous scenes of celebration on the 18th green after the 6ft 4in amateur sank a nasty four footer for victory. The new champion sank to his knees in a mixture of elation and relief and was smothered by his father, Kasper, and the Danish national coach, Anders Christiansen, as the enormity of his achievement slowly sank in. Just getting down in two putts from 60 feet was a remarkable feat in itself and Hartø exclaimed: “You have no idea how badly my knees were shaking over that final putt. I’ve won the amateur championships of Denmark and Wales in the past, but this win beats those by a considerable distance. “This is without doubt the greatest day of my life and it feels crazy. I can’t believe it. It was so great that my dad managed to get here to watch the final day and when I spoke to my sister on the phone I was burst into tears. This is all just amazing.” Although the golf was not always electrifying – Floren finished runner-up with a two over par 75 for 285 and Australian Matthew Zions third a further stroke behind after closing with a 72. Hartø  is the second Dane to win this season, following Thorbjørn Olesen at The Princess in Sweden earlier in the season and the 11th first-time winner on the Challenge Tour. As the battle at the top of the leaderboard intensified during the afternoon, Hartø delivered the hardest blows when it counted, firing a three iron onto the green at the par three 14th and draining the 40 foot putt for a birdie two. A birdie four at the 15th for Floren coupled with a dropped shot for Hartø, who put his second shot into the water and made a bogey, saw both players approach the final hole level on seven under par. While Floren elected to play safe with a three iron off the tee, Hartø displayed the impetuosity of youth by taking a driver and hitting his three iron second shot to the right side of the green. He added: “I had my heart in my mouth when the ball was in the air but when the crowd started to clap, I could breath again.” Compensation for Floren – runner-up for the second time this season – came in the form of first place money of €28,800 with the new champion, as an amateur, unable to accept the winner’s cheque. That prize hoisted Floren to fourth on the Challenge Tour Rankings behind Robert Dinwiddie, Floris  De Vries and Olesen, with a European Tour card for 2011 all by achieved. The Swede admitted: “I am disappointed to have come so close again, but it was one of those days when I couldn’t really get going. I felt a bit stressed out there and it was unfortunate at the last that my second shot went into a divot and I didn’t have a chance to get close to the pin in three. However good luck to Andreas for winning the a birdie.” Zions, who took the brave route at the last, was rewarded with a two putt birdie from long range to finish in third place and his cheque for €19,800 moved him into sixth place on the Rankings.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR: Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open
Barry Lane secured his maiden European Senior Tour victory at the Cleveland Golf / Srixon Scottish Senior Open at Fairmont St Andrews to complete a unique Scottish double – 22 years after making his European Tour breakthrough in the land where golf was born.  Lane’s first Senior win in his fourth appearance on the circuit, after a final round 72 for a four under 212 winning total, secured the 50 year old Englishman the top prize of £37,500 and took him to 17th on the Senior Tour Order of Merit. With strong winds buffeting the Torrance Course throughout the final round at Fairmont St Andrews, Lane produced a wonderful display of ball control over the demanding links lay-out as his nearest challengers struggled.  Going into the back nine, Lane was tied on four under with defending champion Glenn Ralph and DJ Russell, but he soon found himself four clear after Ralph and Russell were caught out by a combination of tough pin placements and powerful westerly winds.  “I’m delighted, really pleased,” smiled Lane. “It was very difficult out there today and it was just a case of going out there and trying to hit fairways and greens and I putted beautifully from long distance and didn’t really have any trouble on the greens. I duffed a chip on 16 but when I looked at the scoreboard I was four ahead at that point so it didn’t really matter. “It’s always nice to win and this one is special – it has been 22 years since my first European Tour victory in Scotland and now I have won my first Senior event in Scotland so the country has been very, very good to me and I am delighted.“I have always liked links golf and I was happy this morning when I saw the conditions because it meant that nobody could run away with it. The front nine wasn’t too bad but the back nine was treacherous. I got a little bit lucky on the 12th hole when it pitched in the bank of the bunker and stayed up there but other than that I actually played fantastically. “I think this is just as good as my first win on The European Tour. I came out here and there was a bit of expectation on me. I came here and was told that I was the favourite and I think that is the first time in my life that I have been the favourite to win anything. It’s nice to win – I finished second in my first Senior event so I am happy to win here.”Lane was the only man in the 78-strong field to finish the tournament under par, with Ralph eventually sharing second place with 64 year old Jim Rhodes on level par in what was a valiant defence of his title. Russell took fourth spot on his own, but the day was all about Lane who left Fairmont St Andrews celebrating as the only player to win European and Senior Tour titles in the Home of Golf.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Jeld Wen Tradition
The JELD-WEN Tradition is leaving Sunriver Resort’s Crosswater Golf Club in central Oregon after a four-year run. No one is going to miss it more than Fred Funk. The 54-year-old Funk won the tournament — the fourth of the five Champions Tour five — for the second time in three years, closing with a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Michael Allen and Chien Soon Lu. “I really like this golf course, and I really like this area. Obviously, it’s been good to me,” said Funk, 47 under in four Tradition tournaments at Crosswater. Funk, also the 2009 U.S. Senior Open winner, has six Champions Tour victories. He won eight times on the PGA Tour. The former Maryland coach took the lead for good with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 598-yard, par-5 16th, then two-putted from 40 feet for par at 18 to finish at 12-under 276 on the Sunriver Resort’s Crosswater Golf Club course. Allen shot a 67, and Lu had a 69. Eight players were tied or had the outright lead at some point on the back nine. When the final group had five holes left, 12 players were within two strokes. Funk, who won the third Champions major of his career, began the round two strokes behind third-round leader Tom Lehman. Funk was in contention throughout the day, at one point making seven consecutive pars before his birdie at 16. Funk’s 276 total is the highest winning score in the Tradition since 2002, when Jim Thorpe won at Desert Mountain at 11-under 277. “Nobody was taking off. I thought that Tom or Bernhard (Langer) would get to 13 or 14 under, but nobody did,” Funk said. “Guess it was a testament to how tough the golf course was playing.” Langer, attempting to become the second player in Champions Tour history to win three consecutive majors, shot a 73 to tie for 10th at 8 under. Lu had a chance to tie Funk at 18, narrowly missing a 40-foot chip shot for birdie.”I don’t know how he missed that shot,” Funk said. Allen reached 12 under with a birdie at 15, but bogeyed 16. Allen made a tournament-high 25 birdies, but it wasn’t enough to offset his play at the par-4 fourth, where he was 5 over for the week.”I was taking three steps forward and two steps back all week,” said Allen, the 2009 Senior PGA winner. Lehman (73) and Mark Calcavecchia (66) tied for fourth at 10 under. JELD-WEN is ending its relationship as title sponsor, and the Champions Tour is expected to announce its plans for the tournament this week.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open
Virginie Lagoutte-Clement from France shot a final round of 71 in difficult conditions to earn her third Ladies European Tour title at the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open. The 31-year-old from Montelimar came from four shots behind the overnight leader Jeehae Lee to clinch the title by a stroke from South African Lee-Anne Pace and Englishwomen Trish Johnson and Sophie Walker at Archerfield Links in East Lothian. Lagoutte-Clement, who won her last title at the 2006 Finnair Masters in Finland, felt that she was out of the title race after she came home with three bogeys in a row from the 14th. However the other competitors also suffered coming down the stretch in the windy and squally conditions. Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley held a two stroke lead on three-under par after 14 holes but took an eight on the par-four 15th, doubled the 16th and bogeyed the 17th, dropping seven shots in three holes. Johnson needed to birdie the par-five last for her 20th career win, but missed a 15 ft putt for par to force the play-off and took a six to drop one behind the leader. Lagoutte-Clement’s solid play over the front nine, which she played in three-under 33, paid off as she lifted the trophy and claimed the first prize of €30,000. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I’m so happy I don’t have the words to explain,” said Lagoutte-Clement, who was joined by her husband Sebastien, who is her caddie and her two-year-old daughter Victoria. “Normally I play badly on links. I’m happy to have battled my demons with the links.” She had struggled with her short game, missing the cut at the previous four tournaments, after finishing as the runner-up to Johnson in Tenerife. She was the second straight French winner of the Scottish title, following victory by Gwladys Nocera at The Carrick in 2008. Scot Vikki Laing, from nearby Musselburgh, shared fifth with Italian Stefania Croce and Jeehae Lee of Korea. Coakley ended tied for eighth with Stacy Lee Bregman on four over after a round of 75 and said: “Obviously I’m disappointed but more with my luck.” In the Pro Am format, Archerfield Links member Richard Slater and Caroline Afonso combined for a winning total of 19-under par. Samantha Donald and Jessica Ji finished second on count back, while Johnson and Alan Hansen were third. The Ladies European Tour continues to Finland next week, where Lagoutte-Clement is likely to be a strong contender, having won the title on the same golf course in Helsinki four years ago.

• This week’s schedule – Finnair Masters. Helsinki Golf Club, Tali, Finland. Purse: €200,000.  Aug 26th – Aug 29th

LPGA TOUR: Safeways Classic Presented By Coca-Cola
Ai Miyazato was in uncharacteristic territory to start the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic. She was nervous. While Miyazato normally appears composed, the jitters were evident when the Japanese star bogeyed the par-4 second hole on the Ghost Creek Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Then she bogeyed the par-4 seventh. It wasn’t until a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole that she steadied herself — and cruised to her fifth victory of the year. Miyazato, who also led after the first two rounds, closed with an even-par 72 to finish at 11 under. “Today was a really tough day,” she said. “I was really nervous on the front nine. But after nine holes I made a birdie and it gave me a gook kick.” With the win, Miyazato reclaimed the top spot in the world rankings, swiping that status from Cristie Kerr, who finished two strokes back along with Na Yeon Choi. Kerr chased Miyazato throughout the final round until hitting into the water on the par-4 18th. The American finished with a 70, while Choi shot a 71. Miyazato, ranked No. 1 for a week in June and again for a week in July, is among five players who have been jockeying for the top ranking, including Kerr, Jiyai Shin, Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng. The spot came up for grabs when Lorena Ochoa retired earlier this season. “My goal at the start of this year was to become Player of the Year. So I’m aiming for that,” she said. “Everybody is so close at the top, so I don’t really know what is going to happen. But it’s a good motivator for me. The Safeway Classic, in its second year at Pumpkin Ridge about a 20-minute drive west of Portland, was marred Saturday when veteran Juli Inkster, in strong position to contend in the final round, was disqualified. The 50-year-old Hall of Famer used a weighted training aid on her club to stay loose while waiting for 30 minutes to make the turn at the 10th hole. That broke rule 14-3, which meant disqualification. Miyazato and Kim, playing in the final pairing of the day, battled on the back nine holes after Kim pulled even with Miyazato with a jaw-dropping chip from under a tree to birdie the par-3 11th. But Kim dropped two shots with bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes. In the pairing in front of them, Kerr missed a chance to pull even with Miyazato by misjudging a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 17. Her chances slipped away with the shot into the water on the final hole. “I just said to myself, `How could you do that?’” she said. Kerr has won twice on the tour this season, at the LPGA Championship and the State Farm Classic. She won the Safeway Classic in 2008 when it was at Columbia Edgewater Country Club near Portland International Airport. “I’m not going to be far off as far as points, so this was an important week for me to finish up there even if I didn’t win,” she said. Pettersen (69) and Song-Hee Kim (72) finished at 8 under. Tseng, who the Women’s British Open on Aug. 1 for her second major victory of the season and third in three years, finished 2 over. M.J. Hur, the defending champion, was 4 over and did not make the cut. The Safeway Classic is her first and only title to date. Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Christina Kim were among those who also missed the cut. Inkster was in a three-way tie for second at 8 under with Kim and Choi after two rounds. But that was erased when she used the “doughnut” training aid to practice her swing before making the backed-up turn, and the image flashed on television. LPGA Director of Tournament Competitions Sue Witters said a viewer watching the broadcast brought the violation to the attention of tournament officials via email. By that time, Inkster was almost done with her round. “I had a 30-minute wait and I needed to loosen up,” Inkster said in a statement. “It had no effect on my game whatsoever, but it is what it is. I’m very disappointed.”

• This week’s schedule – CN Canadian Women’s Open. Winnipeg, Canada. Purse: $2,250,000. Aug 26th – Aug 29th

Golf news supplied courtesy of - Golfalot.com

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SPECIAL OFFER

Aberdeen Summer Mid-week Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, you will be driven to and then check in to – Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen
• Day 2: Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 3: Round of golf – Royal Aberdeen (tee-time A.M.)
• Day 4: Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 5: Check out of Hotel and return to airport

 Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on eight people sharing 4 standard twin rooms
• Golf: 5 rounds on the above named courses
• Travel: Return transfers for eight golfers, to and from Aberdeen airport and all golf courses

Price for this package would be from £679 per person. 

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Towering Iron Shots…

One of the keys to peppering the pin with approach shots is to hit long iron shots high, so that they fly all the way to the pin and land softly.

To play this shot successfully you need to make some slight changes to your set-up and attack…

1. Set Up To Launch…Start by moving the ball position slightly farther left in your stance and lower the right shoulder a touch so that it sits below the left. This pre-sets a high launch angle. This will help you strike the ball more on the upswing, lifting it easily into the air.
2. Wider Stance…To play this shot well you need more clubhead speed and to generate that you must hit the ball hard. Because you’re hitting it hard make sure you take a slightly wider stance to ensure stability in the feet.
3. Mirror L-Shape…The most important aspect of the swing for this shot is wrist hinge. Create an L-shape on the way back with the left arm and the shaft and then make sure you create a mirror image L-shape on the way through with the right arm and the shaft. This will generate more clubhead speed, sending the ball soaring high and landing softly on the green.
4. Curb Clubface Rotation…Keep your forearms strong through impact to prevent the club turning over in the grass and sending your ball hooking left. 

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Golf is a fascinating game.  It has taken me nearly forty years to discover that I can’t play it.  ~Ted Ray, Golf - My Slice of Life, 1972
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• Knowing the swing weight of your club is as indispensable to playing good golf as knowing the temperature of the grass in the fairway.
• There are two things you can learn by stopping your backswing at the top and checking the position of your hands: how many hands you have, and which one is wearing the glove.
• A two-foot putt counts the same as a two-foot drive.
• It’s a simple matter to keep your ball in the fairway if you’re not too choosy about which fairway.
• Hazards attract; fairways repel.
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WORLD GOLF NEWS

PGA TOUR: WGC Bridgestone Invitational
Hunter Mahan came from three shots back to win the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational after a battle with Ryan Palmer down the back nine. The American Ryder Cup star shot a six under par final round of 64 to finish two shots clear of Palmer at Firestone Country Club. Mahan, twice previously a winner on the US PGA Tour, did most his work on the front nine with five birdies in an outward 30. He picked up another shot at the 13th, before saving par on the 17th after a wayward drive and holding his nerve at the last with an approach to 12 feet. That left Palmer needing to birdie the closing two holes, but he pulled his 15 foot putt at the 17th. “I felt great - I hit a ton of fairways, was giving myself great looks,” said Mahan. “I left a couple of out there actually on the front nine, I was hitting it so good. I knew I had a chance - not making bogeys on a Sunday is a good feeling.” Halfway leader Retief Goosen was the best placed European Tour Member in a share of third at nine under. The highlight of the South African’s round came at the 15th when his tee shot lipped out at the par three. And afterwards the twice US Open Champion blamed a third round 74 for continuing a winless 2010. “Yesterday I needed to birdie 18 and I would have had a good chance today,” he said. “That’s why I have a top ten and not winning because I had one bad round in four rounds. “I was about five shots better in the first two holes than yesterday, so that was a positive note.” The majority of the field now move on to the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, and several European Tour Members appear to be hitting form at the right time. As well as Goosen, Swede Peter Hanson boosted his Ryder Cup hopes with an eighth place finish. “I was really up to compete this week and I am happy with my putting, holing out from six feet has been as good as it has ever been and that is good for next week,” said the three-time European Tour winner.  “I am driving well and it is a good build up for next week. I need to take it easy, play the course and try and get myself in position next Sunday.” Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen shot a bogey-free 65 to head in his first Major as a Major Champion in high spirits after a top ten finish. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy also finished tied for ninth after being only one of two players – along with Bo Van Pelt – to shoot four rounds in the 60s. And 2008 US PGA Champion Padraig Harrington closed with a 66 to join McIlroy and Oosthuizen in the group on five under. “I created a lot of chances again today,” said the Irishman. “I struggled on the greens, I’m happy.  “I really did create a bundle of chances out there. That’s nice going forward - happy with the game as I leave here.”

• This week’s schedule – US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP. Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin, USA. Purse: $7,500,000. 12thAug – 15thAug 

PGA TOUR: Turning Stone Resort Championship
Less than five years after Bill Lunde quit competitive golf, he earned a spot in next week’s PGA Championship by winning the Turning Stone Resort Championship on Sunday. Lunde shot 6-under 66 and rallied for the come-from-behind victory with a 17-under 271 total on the 7,482-yard Atunyote Golf Club layout. He earned $720,000, a PGA TOUR exemption through the end of 2012 and 250 FedExCup points for his first PGA TOUR win in 53 career starts. “I started driving it really well, hitting it down the fairway,” Lunde said. “So that kind of changed the whole game. I went from scrambling to make pars to having 9 irons that I could hit close. “All these guys out here, you’re never far from playing good. You can sit here and say, ‘I’m playing awful, I don’t know how I’m going to break 80 today,’ but you’re never that far off.” J.J. Henry finished runner-up at 16 under after he tied the course record with a 63. Jerry Kelly, Josh Teater, Michael Sim, Billy Mayfair and Alex Cejka tied for third place at 15 under. Cejka was the leader after the second and third rounds, but closed with an even-par 72. Lunde made the weekend cut by one stroke at 3 under and vaulted into contention with a 64 on Saturday. He still trailed Cejka by four shots heading into the final round. Lunde climbed to the top of Sunday’s leaderboard with six birdies and a 30 on the front side. He first reached 17 under with a birdie at No. 9. Lunde lost a stroke on the par-3 11th where he couldn’t get up-and-down from a greenside bunker. He remained stuck at 16 under until the par-3 16th. Lunde’s 6-iron from 177 yards stopped 4 feet from the pin and he made the short birdie putt to take the lead for good. He parred the last two holes to clinch the win. Less than five years after Bill Lunde quit competitive golf, he earned a spot in next week’s PGA Championship by winning the Turning Stone Resort Championship on Sunday. Lunde shot 6-under 66 and rallied for the come-from-behind victory with a 17-under 271 total on the 7,482-yard Atunyote Golf Club layout. He earned $720,000, a PGA TOUR exemption through the end of 2012 and 250 FedExCup points for his first PGA TOUR win in 53 career starts. “I started driving it really well, hitting it down the fairway,” Lunde said. “So that kind of changed the whole game. I went from scrambling to make pars to having 9 irons that I could hit close. “All these guys out here, you’re never far from playing good. You can sit here and say, ‘I’m playing awful, I don’t know how I’m going to break 80 today,’ but you’re never that far off.” J.J. Henry finished runner-up at 16 under after he tied the course record with a 63. Jerry Kelly, Josh Teater, Michael Sim, Billy Mayfair and Alex Cejka tied for third place at 15 under. Cejka was the leader after the second and third rounds, but closed with an even-par 72. Lunde made the weekend cut by one stroke at 3 under and vaulted into contention with a 64 on Saturday. He still trailed Cejka by four shots heading into the final round. Lunde climbed to the top of Sunday’s leaderboard with six birdies and a 30 on the front side. He first reached 17 under with a birdie at No. 9. Lunde lost a stroke on the par-3 11th where he couldn’t get up-and-down from a greenside bunker. He remained stuck at 16 under until the par-3 16th. Lunde’s 6-iron from 177 yards stopped 4 feet from the pin and he made the short birdie putt to take the lead for good. He parred the last two holes to clinch the win.

• This week’s schedule – US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP. Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin, USA. Purse: $7,500,000. 12thAug – 15thAug 

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open
Jhonattan Vegas had waited a full year to win the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open, a tournament he let slip away on the final day in 2009. So what was an extra 90 minutes of waiting time? Finishing eight groups ahead of the leaders after starting the day six strokes behind, Vegas took his 7-under 64 with him to the players’ lounge, where he ate a sandwich and talked to his caddie, hoping his 20-under clubhouse lead would be enough to get him into a playoff. “I just relaxed and didn’t pay attention to what was happening,” Vegas said. As it turned out, 20-under was enough to win, no playoff necessary. Vegas had seven birdies and no bogeys Sunday. Vegas said he didn’t think much about last year’s final round at Crestview Country Club, where he took a two-stroke lead into the final round only to shoot a Sunday 74 to tie for fourth. “Before the round today, I was talking to Fabian Gomez. We felt that if we got to 21 under, we would have a chance,” Vegas added. As 54-hole leader Roberto Castro and Steven Bowditch continued their rounds on the back nine, Vegas, a Venezuelan who lives in Austin, Texas, eventually left the players’ lounge and made his way to the range to chip, putt and hit a few balls — just in case. Castro and Bowditch headed to the par-5 18th hole one stroke behind Vegas. “Them coming to 18, I was 100-percent sure there would be a playoff with 18 playing the way it was,” Vegas said. Bowditch eliminated himself from contention by hitting his drive out of bounds. He double-bogeyed the hole and tied for fourth. Castro’s drive was in the left rough, and he short-sided himself with his second shot, with very little green to work with to a pin tucked on the right side. He couldn’t get up and down for birdie to force the playoff. Castro’s 20-foot putt slid by on the right. “I hit [the approach] a little right, and with that wind it was done-zo,” Castro said of his approach on the finishing hole. He faced a tricky flop shot to put himself in position on the green. “I told my caddie I have to get a look at the putt. I would make a 20-foot putt easier than I would if I flubbed the chip in the bunker and tried to hole out. “It wasn’t a putt I could rip in there,” continued Castro, who shot an even-par 71 Sunday. “The greens were baked out and stepped on. But the key was my second shot. That was the mistake.” “For those guys not to birdie 18, I had to have a little luck on my side,” added Vegas. For Vegas, the win moved him to seventh on the money list, with $208,959, and virtually assured him of his 2011 PGA TOUR card. “I feel really confident about myself to have this win. To have something like this to hopefully take to the PGA TOUR is special.” Although disappointed, Castro was happy to know he is in the field for next week’s Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Mo., based on his finish here. He also moved to 57th on the money list despite only playing three 2010 events. Most of his play this season has taken place on the mini-tours. “I haven’t been playing out here, and now I’m going to get some starts,” Castro said. “I’m excited I’m going to play some tournaments.” Also excited were Vegas’ family and friends in both Venezuela and Texas. “I don’t even want to look at my phone for texts,” Vegas said. “It will just explode.”

CHAMPIONS TOUR: 3M Championship
Midway through his final round, the only question was if David Frost could set a 3M Championship scoring record. He did so with his final stroke. Frost made a 25-foot putt for eagle on the 18th hole to finish an 11-under 61 on Sunday and win the title in record-setting fashion. “The hole got in the way, I guess, but it was really a nice way to cap it off,” he said. It is the first career Champions Tour win for Frost, whose 25-under 191 was two shots better than the previous tournament scoring record set by R.W. Eaks in 2008. His final-round score beat by one the tournament’s previous lowest round set by Dana Quigley in 2008. Frost also tied the Tour scoring record for a 54-hole tournament. His 191 total tied Bruce Fleisher’s mark at the 2002 Vantage Championship and matched by Loren Roberts at the 2006 MasterCard Championship at Hualalai and Bernhard Langer at the 2007 Administaff Small Business Classic. Roberts and Langer were 25 under; Fleisher was 19 under on a par-70 course. “Twenty-five under? That’s ridiculous. This course ain’t that easy,” said Mark Calcavecchia, who was tied with Frost for the 36-hole lead, but finished five shots behind in second after a 4 under 68 at the TPC Twin Cities. Frost shot a 7-under 29 on the front side to pull away from the field. He birdied the first two holes and eagled the par-5 third, knocking a 3-wood from 255 yards to about 3 feet from the hole. “I would say he was 110 percent your deserved winner,” said Calcavecchia, dripping in sweat after a round played in hot and humid conditions with little wind. The heat index was at or above 100 degrees for much of the round. After birdies at Nos. 6 and 7, Frost made an 8-footer on the ninth hole, the toughest on the course, to get to minus-21. He also birdied the first two holes on the back nine. Calcavecchia birdied No. 3 but bogeyed the next two holes to fall five shots back. That left Frost feeling pretty confident. “I thought it was hard for him to have his momentum swing the other way, and mine swing the other way,” Frost said. For Calcavecchia, who battled clammy hands and had the club fall out of his hands three times, the final 12 holes were about grinding it out for a high finish. “I’m super thrilled with second,” he said. He wasn’t alone in being satisfied with a spot up near top of leaderboard. “The rest of us were playing for second today,” said Nick Price, who shot a 64 and tied Tommy Armour III (65) and David Peoples (66) for third, eight shots behind. Frost last won on the PGA TOUR at the 1997 MasterCard Colonial when his son was with him. This weekend Frost used his son’s putter — one he’d used before — and he switched to a driver that wasn’t as stiff. He didn’t make a bogey all week, hitting 50 of 54 greens in regulation. “I suppose I tinker with my a game a bit too much,” said Frost, who twice finished second in his 20-event Champions Tour career. He has six top-10s this year, but was 62nd at last week’s U.S. Senior Open, including a final round 80. Known as one of the game’s better putters, Frost needed just 84 putts in the tournament. He did not three-putt a green. “It’s about the feel. You just want to roll the ball as softly as you can and hopefully the hole gets in the way,” he said. “Some weeks it jells and some weeks it doesn’t. When it doesn’t jell you can’t force it in. I just kept staying as loose as I could on the greens this week.” Off for the previous five weeks, Price, who is playing with a broken little toe on his right foot, was thrilled with his performance. “I could have gone really low today, I hit the ball really super all day,” he said. “There’s obviously a little bit of rust here, but today on the back nine I played about as well as I’ve played any part of this year. Jeff Sluman (67) and Kirk Hanefeld (68) tied for sixth, nine shots back, one better that Olin Browne (65) and John Cook (69). Battling the flu, defending champion Bernhard Langer shot 71 in the final round to finish at 8 under. No champion has defended his title in the event’s 16-year history. Fred Funk, who finished at 9 under, aced the 186-yard fourth hole with a 5-iron.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: AIB Ladies Irish Open
Sophie Gustafson enhanced her prospects of returning to Killeen Castle next September as part of Europe’s Solheim Cup Team as she won a thrilling AIB Ladies Irish Open. The Swede, who is a seven-time Solheim Cup player, shot a superb final round 66 on a day of perfect scoring conditions to card 12 under par and edge ahead of Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord and South Korean In-Kyung Kim. Gustafson showed her class by winning her fourth Irish Open following victories in 1998 at Ballyliffin, 2000 at Faithlegg and 2003 at Killarney. It was her sixth title on Irish soil as she also won the 2003 BT Open in Northern Ireland and the TSN World Cup partnering Carin Koch in 2000. “I love Ireland. This is my sixth win in Ireland if you count the time I won in Northern Ireland in 2003 and at the World Cup in 2000,” said a delighted Gustafson. “I think maybe it’s the people. They are all very friendly and easy going and they have always been very supportive of me.” The €75,000 first prize is Gustafson’s first winner’s cheque since the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup, which she won in April partnering Anna Nordqvist. It was her 24th individual win worldwide and has helped her bid to make Alison Nicholas’ 2011 team to take on the United States. When asked what she thought of The 2011 Solheim Cup venue, the 36-year-old said: “I think my win pretty much says it all: that I like it! I expect to play my way onto the team.” The 15,000 spectators that attended on the final day would have been impressed as they saw the drama unfold on the course that will host The Solheim Cup from 23-25 September, 2011. laying in the penultimate group ahead of the second round leader, Kim, Gustafson played a wedge from 130 yards to 10 feet at the par four closing hole in front of a packed gallery and rolled the ball straight down the hill into the hole to edge one shot clear. Kim had a chance to enter a playoff, but her long birdie putt on 18 finished just below the hole and she finished with a round of 70. Skarpnord, twice a winner on the Ladies European Tour, fired a 69. “Being able to make that putt was fantastic because I’ve been struggling with my putting, so that was very, very nice,” Gustafson added. “I think I’ve been playing better than my recent results have shown, so that was very pleasing being able to play so well.” Gustafson started the final round three shots adrift and was out in 34 but picked up the pace after rolling in a short birdie putt on the par-four ninth, which was playing as the toughest hole on the course. She came back in 32, with an eagle on the par-five 12th hole, where she hit a four-iron to 15 feet and then birdied holes 14 and 18. There were seven potential European Solheim Cup team members in the top 11 places and two American prospects. England’s Melissa Reid finished in fourth place on 10 under after a final round of 66. Australian Katherine Hull was the exception and fired a 64 to finish fifth. Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, who made her Solheim Cup debut in 2009, finished sixth at eight under par, with Brittany Lang, who made her debut on the United States side in 2009, a stroke back in seventh. Helen Alfredsson of Sweden, who has made eight Solheim Cup appearances as a player and captained the European team in 2007, fired a 67 to share eighth with two-time United States team member Brittany Lincicome (68), 2007 Solheim Cupper Linda Wessberg (74) and Spanish hopeful Azahara Munoz (70). First round leader Maria Hjorth of Sweden (73) finished a stroke back in a five-way tie for 12th. Rebecca Coakley was the leading Irish player in a tie for 17th place on four under par and 15-year-old Lisa Maguire from Ireland took the Philomena Garvey trophy as the leading amateur in a share of 40th place.

• This week’s schedule – S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe, Conwy GC, Conwy, Wales. Purse: £300,000. Aug 12th – Aug 15th   

Golf news supplied courtesy of - Golfalot.com

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SPECIAL OFFER

Aberdeen Summer Mid-week Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, you will be driven to and then check in to – Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen
• Day 2: Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 3: Round of golf – Royal Aberdeen (tee-time A.M.)
• Day 4: Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 5: Check out of Hotel and return to airport

 Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on eight people sharing 4 standard twin rooms
• Golf: 5 rounds on the above named courses
• Travel: Return transfers for eight golfers, to and from Aberdeen airport and all golf courses

Price for this package would be from £679 per person. 

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Power Driving…

To be able to hit the drive of your life when under pressure is a great shot to have in the bag.

When you are under pressure, whether it be in a matchplay situation or looking to nail a drive down the last in your weekly medal, follow these pointers…

1. Stick To Your Routine…Hitting a good golf shot under pressure is all about sticking to your routine. That means using the same pre-shot routine that you use on every shot.
2. Aim Accurately…Be very specific with your aim. To hit the centre of the fairway you need to aim at a point in the distance in line with that target. Aim small, not big, so use a branch on a tree rather than just the tree. Then pick out a spot on the ground on the tee just in front of the ball that is in line with your target to aim the club at.
3. Stay Calm…It’s easy to let nerves get to you under pressure. Control a racing heart beat by breathing in to the count of five and out to the count of five. A smooth, slow rhythm in your breathing will control your nerves and help you focus.
4. Visualise… Don’t be scared of the first tee shot. Be positive. Picture yourself hitting the perfect drive, on the perfect trajectory straight down the middle – even hear the sound of ball on club – and then take this thought on to the tee so that you make a positive swing.

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Golf is like a love affair.  If you don’t take it seriously, it’s no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart.  ~ Arthur Daley
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• If your ball disappears in the fairway of a blind hole, it’s probably because it rolled into an anti-divot and vaporized.
• Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe.
• It’s always winter somewhere.
• If you want to hit a 7-iron as far as Tiger Woods does, simply try to lay up just short of a water hazard.
• To calculate the speed of a player’s downswing, multiply the speed of his backswing by his handicap. Example: backswing 20 mph, handicap 15, downswing 300 mph.

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———————————————————————

SPECIAL OFFER

Aberdeen Summer Mid-week Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, you will be driven to and then check in to – Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen
• Day 2: Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 3: Round of golf – Royal Aberdeen (tee-time A.M.)
• Day 4: Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 5: Check out of Hotel and return to airport

 Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on eight people sharing 4 standard twin rooms
• Golf: 5 rounds on the above named courses
• Travel: Return transfers for eight golfers, to and from Aberdeen airport and all golf courses

Price for this package would be from £679 per person. 

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Precision Pitching…

Learn to hit precise pitch shots during matches to help crush your opponents and force them into making errors.

To play a pin-seeking pitch and knock your approaches pin high time after time before sinking the putts, you need to learn to spin and stop the ball…

1. Smart Contact…The key to generating spin is to strike the ball purely. That means crunching into the back of the ball before taking a divot. This compresses the ball on to the face allowing the wedge grooves to impart maximum friction on the ball.
2. Downward Blow…Strike down on the back of the ball. Position the ball centrally in the stance and keep your hands ahead of the ball with the butt of the club pointing just left of the belly button.
3. Need For Speed…Speed is another factor. You must hit the shot firmly if you want the ball to spin. Make a committed swing accelerating through the hitting area. Your main swing thought should be to hit down and into the back of the ball.
4. Attack Drill…A great drill to help improve your ball-striking is to place a second ball six inches behind the ball you’re going to hit. Then try to hit the front ball by missing the back ball. To do so you have to swing down steeply into the back of the ball.

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Golf is an ineffectual attempt to put an elusive ball into an obscure hole with implements ill-adapted to the purpose.  ~ Woodrow Wilson
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• It’s often necessary to hit a second drive to really appreciate the first one.
• There are two kinds of bounces: unfair bounces, and bounces just the way you meant to play it.
• You can hit a two-acre fairway 10% of the time, and a two-inch branch 90% of the time.
• A stroke does not occur unless it is observed by more than one golfer.
• 99.99% of all matter is empty space, but that last .01% will stop a golf ball dead.

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WORLD GOLF NEWS

EUROPEAN TOUR: Scandinavian Masters
Swede Richard S Johnson sank a 30 foot birdie putt on the final green to become only the second home winner of the Nordea Scandinavian Masters in the last 12 years. With a play-off looming against Argentina’s Rafa Echenique, the 33 year old looked to have played safe with his approach to to the 407 yard last at Bro Hof Slott near Stockholm. But months of putting problems in America - he is now based there, but has not had a single top-30 finish since February - were forgotten as he took his second European Tour title eight years after his first. Johnson, whose regular caddie Lance Ten Broeck went and played in The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard instead, earned €333,330 after a closing 71 gave him an 11 under par total of 277. “It’s one of the sweetest things I’ve ever done,” he said. “Just to come up the 17th and 18th is magical. “This is a huge tournament to win for a Swede and I’m speechless right now. It’s epic.” Italian Edoardo Molinari, winner of The Barclays Scottish Open two weeks ago, finished third thanks to a 20 foot last putt. That left Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen in a tie for fourth with Australian Brett Rumford and New Zealander Mark Brown. “I didn’t play well,” said Oosthuizen after his 73. “I didn’t drive well and it put everything under pressure. “I had to push it at the end, but Richard played brilliantly. I’m a bit disappointed, but after last week I was hoping to make the cut and I finished fourth, so I’m happy.” He now heads back home for a week off and a party at his home club to celebrate his Major victory. With joint overnight leader K J Choi hooking his opening drive out of bounds and then putting two balls in water for a nine on the 15th - the Korean eventually signed for a 78 - the day eventually developed into a battle with World Number 329 Johnson and World Number 371 Echenique. Others had chances, though. Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, five behind at the start, led when he turned in 32, but then came home in 40. Molinari, meanwhile, said after his 69: “I missed so many putts. I think I could have won easily to be honest. “But that’s golf sometimes. I’m still outside The Team [or The Ryder Cup], so I need to play well in the last two or three events.” A second place finish would have put him fourth in the standings and would have put Luke Donald out of the all-important top nine, although the English star had a chance to improve his hopes of a recall in Canada later in the day. Choi’s double bogey seven on the first gave Johnson a two shot lead, but he bogeyed the next two and after regaining a one stroke lead he bogeyed the short 16th to drop back alongside Echenique. The South American won The European Tour’s Shot of the Year for a closing albatross in Germany last season, but he finished runner-up in that event as well and this was his third second place finish. The 29 year old had a lot of positives to take from the week, though - just not as many as Johnson.

• This week’s schedule – 3 Irish Open, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, Killarney, Co Kerry, Ireland. Purse: €3,000,000. 29th Jul – 01st Aug 

PGA TOUR: RBC Canadian Open
Carl Pettersson rallied to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday for his fourth PGA TOUR victory, following his tournament-record 60 with a 3-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Dean Wilson. Pettersson, the 32-year-old Swede who went to high school and college in North Carolina, finished at 14-under 266 at hilly, tree-lined St. George’s. “I still can’t believe I won the tournament,” Pettersson said two days after making the cut by a stroke after opening rounds of 71 and 68. “I know it’s difficult to shoot another low one after a round like that, so I was just trying to downplay it. I just tried to stay calm and (said), `Whatever happens today, happens.’” The 40-year-old Wilson, playing on a sponsor exemption, shot a 72 after opening with three straight 65s to take a four-stroke lead into the final day. “If you would have told me before the week that I could be second alone, I would have been tickled,” Wilson said. “Being in the position that I was, I’m a little disappointed. But still, lots of positives.” Six strokes behind Wilson after seven holes and four back with seven to play, Pettersson made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th to pull within one, then took the lead with a 25-footer from the fringe on the 480-yard, par-4 14th. Wilson bogeyed 14, hitting into the thick rough to the right of the green, chipping through the putting surface to the opposite fringe and missing a 15-foot par try. “That was my bad swing of the day,” Wilson said. “I had a good yardage, good mindset on what I was going to do and I just didn’t execute. I caught that ball a little thin and it rolled through the green. And I paid the price in that rough.” Pettersson pulled away on the par-5 15th with his third straight birdie and fourth in five holes, hitting a wedge to 4 feet. Wilson’s approach trickled into the back fringe and his birdie try came up 2 feet short. Pettersson parred 16 and 17 and, with a shot to spare, bogeyed the 18th, missing a 5-foot par putt after Wilson putted out for his fourth straight par. “I felt like I handled it well coming in,” Pettersson said. “I know I bogeyed the last, but after Dean didn’t make birdie, I sort of ginched that putt up there.” Pettersson bogeyed the par-4 seventh to fall six strokes behind Wilson, then birdied Nos. 8 and 9 to cut the margin to four before seizing control on the back nine. “I was just the sideshow on the front nine,” Pettersson said. “I just love that back nine. It sets up great for me.” The former North Carolina State player earned $918,000 for his first victory since the 2008 Wyndham Championship. He also won the 2005 Chrysler Championship and 2006 Memorial. Luke Donald (66) was third at 12 under. Matt Kuchar (67), Bryce Molder (70), Bob Estes (71) and Tim Clark (71) were part of a large group that finished at 10 under.

• This week’s schedule – The Greenbrier Classic. The Old White Course, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Purse: $6,000,000.  Jul 29th – Aug 01st      

EUROPEAN SENIORS: Seniors Open Championship
Bernhard Langer held off the challenge of Corey Pavin to become the first continental European win The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard at Carnoustie. The German kept his cool to compile a closing round of 72 for a five under par total, one better than the US Ryder Cup Captain, who finished his first Senior Major with a round of 70. Langer has enjoyed a glittering career since turning 50 and joining the Champions Tour almost three years ago, where he has won consecutive Money Lists and finished in the top ten in seven of his 12 Senior Majors, but incredibly this was his first Major since winning the second of his Green Jackets at Augusta National in 1993. “This ranks very high,” said Langer. “Obviously it was pretty close to my two US Masters championships and some of The Ryder Cup stuff I won - it’s a thrill to finally hold this trophy.  “Corey played very well all day, he’s a beautiful ball striker and bends the ball both directions and he has a great short game. I knew he wouldn’t go away.  “You still get nervous, and especially a Championship that means something to you. As you know, I’ve always wanted to win The Open Championship and this is the next best thing. I probably will not win The Open Championship, but I’m very pleased to win The Senior Open Championship on a great golf course like this. “Carnoustie is a wonderful, tough links course, maybe the toughest I’ve ever played. The set-up was very good and I want to congratulate the people who set up the golf course from the European PGA, and also I want to thank MasterCard for their title sponsorship and support of this tournament.” Langer started the day three clear of his playing partner and by the time they teed off it was quickly becoming apparent that the rest of the field were going to be unable to challenge the final pair. Pavin trimmed the gap to two with a birdie at the 459 yard second before Langer responded at the fifth.  And the former Ryder Cup Captain’s lead was up to four strokes when Pavin dropped a shot at the seventh, only for Langer to experience a wobble and bogey the eighth and ninth. Pavin was within one when he birdied the 11th, before both players tapped in for birdie at the par five 14th. The turning point came at the 471 yard 15th - Pavin appeared to hold all the aces when he found the fairway with his drive and Langer hit his tee shot into thick rough. But the former US Open Championship winner pulled his second into a greenside bunker and bogeyed while Langer chipped his third to six feet and saved par. Pavin almost chipped in at the 17th for birdie, but needed a two shot swing at the last. Langer drove right but his ball stopped short of the water, although he could only fire his second to the fairway 130 yards short of the green. Pavin found the fairway off the tee, but left his approach just short of the green and when Langer pitched his third to 12 feet, Pavin needed to hole his lengthy birdie putt from off the green to stand any realistic chance of a play-off but it came up five feet short. “It’s tough when you almost win,” he admitted. “It’s almost harder when you just finish second and not win - it’s disappointing.  “I played well, and Bernhard didn’t play his best golf today I would say, but he did what he needed to do to win, and that’s what it’s about. I just came up one shot short, that’s all.” Australian Peter Senior carded a final round 68 to finish in a tie for third on one under, alongside American trio Fred Funk, Jay Don Blake and Russ Cochran.

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: English Challenge
Australian Daniel Gaunt took advantage of a final hole bogey by amateur sensation Tommy Fleetwood to secure his maiden Challenge Tour title at the inaugural English Challenge.  Gaunt, who only got into the €150,000 event through his position at the top of the EuroPro Tour Order of Merit, benefited from Fleetwood’s costly slip-up to take the title by one stroke. The duo reached the par three 18th at Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa level on 17 under par, and when both men found the middle of the green with their tee shots, a play-off seemed the most likely outcome.  But when Fleetwood rushed his birdie attempt four feet past the hole and missed the return, Gaunt was presented with a par putt from three feet to capture the title, which he duly took.  The reward for the man from Melbourne was a cheque for €24,000 and a one-year exemption on the Challenge Tour, whilst Fleetwood – who dropped back into a tie for second place alongside Scotland’s Craig Lee – will return to the amateur ranks at next week’s English Amateur Championship. Gaunt, who became the ninth first-time winner of the 2010 Challenge Tour season, said: “I’m not sure whether it’s sunk in just yet, but I’m absolutely delighted – it’s probably the biggest day of my career so far. Trailing by four shots overnight I knew I had to put pressure on Olesen, and three birdies to start was a pretty good way to do that! I couldn’t have asked for any more, and it probably upset his rhythm a little bit. After that it was just a matter of sticking in there, because nobody seemed to be coming from a long way back and chasing the leading pack down. That made it a little easier, but winning’s never easy!  “When I got to the 16th tee I started feeling the nerves a little bit, because you’re faced with two tough driving holes. I got lucky on the 16th because I hit a terrible drive, had to chip it out and then ended up making a really good par. Obviously Tommy played really well, it was just unfortunate that he missed that putt on the last, for him and probably for the tournament also. But he’s going to have a massive career ahead of him, so I don’t feel too sorry for him!” For his part, Fleetwood expressed disappointment at having not become only the fourth amateur to triumph on the Challenge Tour, but he could at least take solace from the fact that he had exceeded all expectations.  He said: “I can’t really dwell too much on that final putt – having missed a short one for birdie yesterday, I think it’s fair to say that the 18th green wasn’t too kind to me over the weekend! All I was thinking of was holing that first putt to win the tournament, and I ended up running it past. I putted really well all day, but I guess you’re going to miss a short one sooner or later, and it’s just a shame it had to come at the last. I made enough birdies to win the tournament, but just didn’t manage to keep the doubles off my card. At least I now know I can compete with these guys out here, which obviously gives me a lot of confidence.  “Credit to Daniel, because he started like a train – after seven holes, it looked like he was going to shoot a 60! But I managed to chase him down, and ended up losing by one shot. I wasn’t even meant to be playing in this tournament, because I got in through an invite, so to finish second was pretty pleasing. Hopefully I can go one better at the English Amateur next week – if I play as well as I did here this week, I’ll be tough to beat. Then I’ll start preparing for life as a professional, and hopefully start earning some money. I’ve obviously missed out on a fairly tasty cheque here, but hopefully there will be other days.” Lee’s round of 68, which was sealed with a closing birdie, saw the Scotsman join Fleetwood in a share of second place on 16 under par. He will now turn his attentions back to the EuroPro Tour, where he will no longer have Gaunt to contend with.  Lee said: “I think a few of the guys on the EuroPro will be pretty pleased to see the back of Daniel! He’s been exceptional this season, so that’s one less hurdle to overcome. I was very pleased with how I played today and this week in general, so whilst I would’ve loved to have won, I’ve got no complaints. It’s only one week, but I’d like to think I’ve proved I’m more than capable of holding my own on the Challenge Tour, and I’m confident of doing myself justice on the main Tour, if and hopefully when I get back out there.” Overnight leader Thorbjørn Olesen endured a day to forget, as a round of 74 saw the talented Dane slip back to fourth place on 15 under par. But Olesen could at least console himself with a cheque for €10,500, which saw him close the gap on Rankings leader Robert Dinwiddie of England to €9,608. Frenchman Alexandre Kaleka shot a round of 67 – the joint lowest of the day – to take fifth place on 14 under par, one shot ahead of the English duo of Ben Evans (71) and Matt Ford (70), and Welshman Stuart Manley (69).      

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational
D.J. Brigman trusted his gut Sunday. The 34-year old New Mexico native figured he needed to get to 10-under par to have a chance to win the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational. When early morning rains softened the famed Scarlet Course at the Ohio State University, Brigman knew he could start firing at flags in an effort to make up some ground on leader Nick Flanagan and a host of challengers. Brigman fired a 7-under 64 to reach 10-under par, good for a one-stroke victory and a big enough check that just might land him back on the PGA TOUR in 2011. Brigman collected $144,000 from the purse, vaulting him from No. 47 to No. 6 on the money list with 13 tournaments to go in the 2010 season. “This is the best of the best,” said Brigman, whose first win came nearly seven years ago at the 2003 Permian Basin Open. “This reinforces that I’m on the right path and I questioned that for a long time.” Brigman’s 10-under 274 total was one better than rookie Jamie Lovemark, who birdied the final hole for a 5-under 66 and sole possession of second place. David Mathis, playing with Brigman, fired a 66 to reach 8-under and share third place with 2007 champion Daniel Summerhays (68), Won Joon Lee (69) and third-round leader Nick Flanagan (70). William McGirt made some early noise during the rain-delayed final round, posting his own 64 for a 7-under total some two hours before the final groups. McGirt and rookie Trevor Murphy (67) tied for seventh place. “I wasn’t thinking about winning,” said Brigman, who was T11 before the round and four back of Flanagan, who stood at minus-7. “I knew if I could shoot a good number I could really move up on the money list. It just kind of came together.” It came together for Brigman with three consecutive birdies starting at No. 8, putting him at 7-under par and giving him a legitimate chance to win. While the golf course was playing a bit easier than it had the previous two days, the trio of Flanagan, Lee and Alistair Presnell (73/T12) had trouble gaining momentum. “My goal going in was 10-under. I felt with the rain this morning and conditions being what they were, 10-under would be a good outcome,” said Brigman. “I had a hunch 10-under was going to be good. Double digits was going to be a good score, that’s what my gut was telling me. You’ve got to trust your gut.” It helped that the former New Mexico Lobo was hitting plenty of fairways because lift, clean and place conditions were in effect. Morning rains dumped almost an inch of rain on the course that had begun to firm up as the week progressed. “If you got it in the fairway you have a really clean lie going in,” said Brigman, who hit 10 of 14. “That was huge. And I putted really well on top of it.” Brigman made only one long birdie putt, a 35-footer at the par-3, 13th hole that got him to 8-under and challenging Summerhays for the lead. The 26-year old Summerhays had taken the lead at 9-under with a flawless front nine and was looking to add a professional title to the one he captured here as an amateur in 2007. “When I saw the rain and everything, I thought 10-under was going to be the number,” said Summerhays. Back and forth they went. Brigman rolled in back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 to become the first player to reach double digits during the week. “I told my caddie on 18 that we should go get one more,” said Brigman, whose cousin Ted Vernon of Chicago had driven down to help for the week. Brigman had to within 15 feet for birdie on the final hole, but there were still a dozen players behind him. “I got over it and I looked at the board and saw that I had a two-shot lead and my mind changed focus from process to outcome,” he said. “I thought that I’d like to make it but I also didn’t want to leave myself something big coming back. It was a little bit of a wishy-washy putt.” Fortunately, it didn’t matter. Brigman went the range and waited to see if anyone could catch him and force a playoff. Summerhays birdied No. 16 to get within one. “I knew I was close,” he said. “I knew I needed a bird on one of the last two. I gave myself two pretty good tries on 17 and 18. I’m happy with my finish. I’m a little disappointed, I thought today was the day. My day will come. D.J. played an incredible round but my day will come.”

EUROPEAN LADIES TOUR: Evian Masters
Jiyai Shin of South Korea birdied the 18th hole to win the Evian Masters on Sunday, shooting a 5-under 67 to finish at 14 under and one stroke ahead of Morgan Pressel, Na Yeon Choi and Alexis Thompson. Shin’s fifth birdie in the final round put her one stroke clear of overnight leader Pressel, whose putt to force a playoff then rolled agonizingly over the hole without dropping in. “On the final holes I realized I really could win. I became nervous and I put pressure on myself,” Shin said. “I did not manage a birdie on the 18th all week and I started to pray that I would do it today. I hit the last putt well and it went in.” The 22-year-old Shin became the first South Korean to win the Evian Masters and earned $487,500 for the win. She now has seven LPGA Tour victories in two years, winning her first at the British Open in 2008. “I hope to be the first of many (South Korean winners),” she said. “I love this tournament, it is my favorite one and the place I like best so I am really happy to have won it.” Shin held the No. 1 world ranking for seven weeks after Lorena Ochoa’s retirement earlier this season. She had an emergency appendectomy just six weeks ago, and only recently returned to competition. “I have completely recovered because I don’t feel any more pain,” Shin said. “The break did me a lot of good because I needed to rest, to stay at home and watch others play.” Pressel (70), who started the final round two strokes clear, walked over and hugged Shin after missing her putt. Pressel’s downhill putt from the right of the green gathered speed, and she sank to her knees when it rolled over the hole — giving her a share of second with Na Yeon of South Korea (66) and the 15-year-old Thompson from the United States (67). “It was close. It looked like it was going in and it just sneaked out,” Pressel said. “I hit a lot of good putts on the back nine. I had one birdie and all I tried to do was hit aggressive putts and not leave them short.” Suzann Pettersen of Norway (66) was fifth at 12 under. Defending champion Ai Miyazato (68) finished tied for 19th at 5 under. Americans Michelle Wie (71) and Criste Kerr (72) were tied for 31st at 2 under.

• This week’s schedule – RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN. Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, UK. Purse: €1,704,500. Jul 29th – Aug 1st

Golf news supplied courtesy of - Golfalot.com

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SPECIAL OFFER

Aberdeen Summer Mid-week Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, you will be driven to and then check in to – Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen
• Day 2: Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 3: Round of golf – Royal Aberdeen (tee-time A.M.)
• Day 4: Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 5: Check out of Hotel and return to airport

 Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on eight people sharing 4 standard twin rooms
• Golf: 5 rounds on the above named courses
• Travel: Return transfers for eight golfers, to and from Aberdeen airport and all golf courses

Price for this package would be from £679 per person. 

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Holing Out From Distance…

There is not a nicer feeling when you’re on a green, 40 – 50 feet away from the hole, your playing partner quietly smirking as they think you’ll do well to three putt and then… you sink it!!

To hole long putts you need great imagination… and a lot of trust.

1. Judge The Breaks…Slope assessment is the main skill needed. Long putts take longer to analyse so take your time and read the green from every angle. Prowl around the hole to get a good look from every side. Remember that pace can dramatically affect the line, so take into account if you are putting uphill or downhill and not just the lateral break.
2. Visualise…After analysing the lie of the land it is important to trace the imaginary path the ball needs to take to the hole. Then rehearse the stroke you need to make to roll the putt down the path.
3. Build Rhythm…Great rhythm is essential. You must not hit the putt harder, just because it is longer. Instead, find the extra force through a longer but very smooth, even-tempo stroke. Count one and two as you rock the putter back and through to help you keep your pace even.
4. Go With It…Finally trust your instincts and commit to striking the putt on your chosen line. Keep your head down!!!

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It’s good sportsmanship not to pick up lost balls while they are still rolling.  ~Mark Twain
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• The statute of limitations on forgotten strokes is two holes.
• Your playing partners love hearing you say those three famous words - “it’s still you “
• Always limp with the same leg for the whole round.
• Nothing straightens out a nasty slice quicker than a sharp dogleg to the right.
• The shortest distance between any two points on a golf course is a straight line that passes directly through the center of a very large tree.

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WORLD GOLF NEWS

EUROPEAN TOUR: The Open Championship
Louis Oosthuizen marked Nelson Mandela Day in exactly the way he dreamed of - by becoming only the fourth South African ever to win The Open Championship. The 27 year old did it at the venue every player wants to most, the Home of Golf at St Andrews, and he did it by lapping the field as he finished the week with a seven shot gap. Oosthuizen had no need to get too animated as he turned his four shot overnight lead into an almost unbelievable seven stroke triumph over Lee Westwood. Paul Casey, triple bogeyed the 12th and by coming home in 40 for a 75, slipped to joint third with 21 year old Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy and Swede Henrik Stenson - Retief Goosen ensuring all of the top six were European Tour Members. Since 1913 there has been only one bigger victory in the event - Tiger Woods by eight over the same Old Course ten years ago.  And this from a 200/1 outsider who had missed the halfway cut in seven of his previous eight Majors and came last in the other. With a closing 71 and a 16 under par total of 272, three more than Woods in 2000, he followed in the footsteps of Bobby Locke, Gary Player - four and three-time winners respectively - and 2002 champion Ernie Els, whose Foundation gave him his career lift-off as a teenager. His first Major title earned him €1,011,840 and moves him up to 15th in the Official World Golf Ranking. “It’s unbelievable - just amazing,” said Oosthuizen. “It’s probably going to hit me tomorrow or the week after. I felt like I played well all week and the biggest goal for me was to stay cool. “I’d like to have kept the record of not going in the bunker (like Woods in 2000), but I went in one on the 14th. “It became a bit difficult having a big lead, but I’m glad I had all those shots in hand on the 17th.” Westwood, who lost by one after a closing bogey at Turnberry last year and was runner-up to Phil Mickelson at The Masters Tournament in April, is not going to beat himself up too much over this one. “I know what I’ve got to do - improve,” he said after his 70.  “I’m showing a lot of consistency, but it’s not quite good enough. I’m not sure what it is quite. I keep putting myself in position and in contention - that’s all I can do. “I didn’t get off to a quick enough start today. I thought if I could turn in five under anything was possible, but it was difficult out there. “The pin positions were tough. This is not an easy course when there’s a 20mph wind blowing. And Louis is obviously playing really well.” Casey will probably spend more time than his Ryder Cup teammate thinking what might have been - and so will McIlroy after starting with a Major Championship record-equalling 63 and following it with an 80 in Friday’s 40mph gusts. The youngster came back with rounds of 69 and 68, but the damage had been done. After a superb approach to five feet on the first, Casey missed the chance to cut the gap instantly to three. He then came up short of the second green and, after chipping 20 feet past, bogeyed to fall five back. Meanwhile, Oosthuizen showed no sign of frailty as he calmly parred the first five holes. However, although he added another at the next, Casey birdied from four feet and when the leader failed to get up and down from just off the green at the short eighth the difference was down to three. Both drove the green on the 352 yard ninth, but when Oosthuizen holed from over 40 feet for an eagle two the tournament was back in his firm grip. With Casey making birdie it was still between the two of them, but even with The Road Hole 17th to come the outcome was effectively decided by the 348 yard 12th, innocuous by comparison. Oosthuizen reduced it to a drive, a pitch and a 15 foot birdie putt. Casey, on the other hand, went in gorse, took a penalty drop, was short in three, long in four and with a seven his Claret Jug hopes were buried barring a total collapse from the man he was playing with. It was his second triple bogey of the week. The other, at the 17th in round two, was one he could come back from - this one will stick far longer in the memory. Oosthuizen’s only mistake on the back nine came when it did not matter, a five at the 17th.

• This week’s schedule - Nordea Scandinavian Masters, Bro Hof Slott GC, Stockholm, Sweden. Purse: €2,000,000. 22nd Jul – 25th Jul 

PGA TOUR: Reno-Tahoe Open
Matt Bettencourt will play in the PGA Championship for the first time thanks to an excellent eagle, pristine putting and a caddie who kept him calm. That he shot 1-over on the back nine just made it dramatic when Bob Heintz missed a three-foot putt on No. 18 that would have forced a playoff in the Reno-Tahoe Open. Instead, Bettencourt won for the first time on TOUR, shooting a 4-under 68 on Sunday that earned him a $540,000 check and an invite to Whistling Straits next month. “I made some great up and downs,” Bettencourt said. “I feel like I’m as good of a bunker player as anybody in the world.” After Bettencourt’s eagle on the par-5 11th, he closed with a birdie and two bogeys, including on No. 18. He also bogeyed the par-4 14th at Montreux Golf & Country Club. The best putter at Reno all week, Bettencourt had 12 one-putts and only 24 total on Sunday. Bettencourt said a lot of the credit for keeping him calm down the stretch went to Matthew Achatz, his caddie on loan from Rocco Mediate while Mediate was working as a TV analyst at the British Open. “Thank you, Rocco, for letting me use him,” Bettencourt said. “He made me believe in myself.” Heintz, who shot a 69 Sunday, started the week trying to qualify for a Nationwide Tour event in Ohio before he was notified he’d qualified for Reno and hopped plane to Nevada on Tuesday. “You hate to see somebody miss one like that at the end but at the same time I played well enough all week to win and didn’t feel like I was really getting the bounces I needed until today,” Bettencourt said. “I’m just so excited, I’ll take it any way you can.” Heintz, a 40-year-old graduate of Yale with a degree in economics, was pleased to come away with $324,000 for finishing second. “I think it’s my biggest check ever,” Heintz said. “I kind of played like the Bob of old where my survival instincts kicked in and my short game was just shy of brilliant all day. I holed out three times from off the green.” John Merrick and Mathias Gronberg each shot 69 and tied for third at 9-under. Robert Gamez (68), Kent Jones (68), Alex Cejka (69), Kevin Stadler (70) and Craig Barlow (72) all finished another stroke back at 8-under. Bettencourt won the money title on the Nationwide Tour in 2008 and tied for 10th at the U.S. Open last year. He finished 111th on the PGA TOUR money list with $740,037 that year. Bettencourt had a three-stroke lead with five holes to play Sunday but failed to get up and down out of a greenside bunker on the 491-yard 14th. He drove into the rough left on the 477-yard par-4 15th and had to hook his approach around a tree 165 yards to just right of the green. He chipped up to 6 feet and made the par putt and scrambled his way to another par on the par-3 16th when he missed the green off the tee, but chipped up to 8 feet. On the 636-yard, par-5 17th, Bettencourt hit his second shot into a greenside bunker but blasted out to 5 feet and rolled in the birdie to get to 12-under, two strokes ahead of Heintz, who made an 8-foot birdie putt on the 17th to set up the drama on the final hole. Earlier, Bettencourt chipped in from 10 feet away in the rough at the par-5 ninth for his third birdie of the day to make the turn with a one-stroke lead over Heintz. On the 584-yard 11th, he hit his second shot 276 yards onto the edge of the green and made a 7-footer for eagle. Scott McCarron, a former Reno resident and Montreux member who served as the tournament host, started the day at 10-under with a one-stroke lead over John Mallinger and Robert Garrigus. But he fell to a tie for 35th at 1 under with five bogeys and two double bogeys on the way to an 81. Mallinger had a quadruple-bogey 9 on the 616-yard 9th — dropping twice from unplayable lies after driving wide left into the trees and sage brush — en route to a 77 and a tie for 21st.

• This week’s schedule – RBC Canadian Open. St. George’s G&CC, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. Purse: $5,100,000.  Jul 22nd – Jul 25th   

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: Credit Suisse Challenge
The recent success story of Italian golf had another chapter added to it in Switzerland when Alessandro Tadini clinched a dramatic victory in the Credit Suisse Challenge. A week after Edoardo Molinari captured The Barclays Scottish Open on The European Tour and in the wake of Italy’s triumph in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup last November, Tadini grabbed his first Challenge Tour victory of the season at Golf Sempachersee near Lucerne. In the end the statistics show that the 36 year old from Borgomanero finished with a final round 65 for a 22 under par total of 266 to beat Norway’s Marius Thorp and Stuart Manley of Wales by a shot. But that did little to underline the drama of the closing holes. One shot behind Thorp with two holes to play, Tadini produced a grandstand finish to clinch the €24,000 first prize which moved him up to 13th on the Challenge Tour Rankings. Firstly a two putt birdie on the long 17th took him level with the Norwegian before he holed a 15 foot putt for a winning birdie three on the final green. “My caddie had a look at the line, we agreed on it and I hit it and it was just great to see the ball drop into the hole,” he said. “This is a fantastic win for me especially because my form up to now this season has been a bit patchy and I even missed the cut last week in Lyon. “But I found something in my game in the pro-am and although my first two rounds weren’t spectacular, they were solid. Then I really played well on Saturday for a 64 and today’s 65 was excellent too. I’m now in the top 15 of the Rankings and I want to push on to try and get as high a card as possible for next year’s European Tour.” Tadini admitted the recent emergence of Italian stars in the professional game had been a massive encouragement to everyone in his country. “It has been a wonderful two years or so for everyone connected with Italian golf,” he said. “We have had both Francesco and Edoardo win on The European Tour as well as the World Cup and we’ve had Matteo Manassero come through. Now I’ve won as well which is great for me….and Italy too!” Sharing second, both Manley and Thorp battled hard all day but came up one shot shy of Tadini’s total following respective final rounds of 69 and 66. Thorp, looking for his first Challenge Tour victory, was particularly unlucky having produced a spectacular run for home. At level par for his round through ten holes, the 22 year old looked an unlikely candidate for success but four birdies and an eagle between the 11th and 17th set the target which Tadini eventually bettered. Manley, who entered the final round in a share of the lead with Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen, struggled to get his game going in the early stages and was one over par for the day after ten holes. The 31 year old from Aberdare recovered gamely with five birdies in his closing eight holes, including at the 17th and 18th, but a bogey four at the short 16th proved his ultimate undoing. Further down the final leaderboard, Italian teenage sensation Manassero himself produced his best round of the week, a six under par 66, to move up to a share of tenth place. He will now travel to next week’s English Challenge at Stoke by Nayland – alongside Tadini, Manley and Thorp – with renewed confidence.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Chiquita Classic
Maybe he’ll change his nickname from “Two Gloves” to “Two Trophies.” Tommy Gainey hit it “right of right” during Sunday’s final round of the Chiquita Classic but at the end of the day he had hit enough straight and made enough birdies to keep his challengers at bay and become the Nationwide Tour’s first two-time winner this year. “When you win one you want to prove to everybody that it wasn’t a fluke,” said Gainey, who earned his first title at the Melwood Prince George’s County Open last month. “It’s been a long week and definitely a long day.” The 34-year old South Carolinian began the final day with a four-shot lead and needed only a 3-under-par 69 to win for the second time in his last four starts. Gainey finished at 27-under 261, three shots better than Joe Affrunti (65) and five in front of Geoffrey Sisk (66) and former U.S. Amateur Champion Colt Knost (70). The win was worth $99,000 for Gainey and pushed him to No. 1 on the money list with $306,307. THE 25 leading money winners at the end of the year will earn PGA TOUR cards for 2011 and Gainey has more than enough to guarantee him a return trip to the TOUR. “I know I’ve got doubters. Everyone does,” said Gainey, who made only 6 of 24 cuts during his rookie season on Tour in 2008. “It’s very reassuring that I won the first time and that I was able to back it up. Save for the top-25 (on the PGA TOUR) I feel like I can compete with anyone. ” Gainey’s rollercoaster round at TPC River’s Bend perhaps would have been a better fit had it taken place five miles down the road at the Kings Island Amusement Park. After opening with a bogey at No. 1 to give the field hope, Gainey added four more pars before he started a wild ride that lasted 10 holes. He strung together six birdies and three bogeys on his next nine holes to give everyone hope for a late-afternoon collapse. “I hit it awful the whole day,” he said after hitting only eight of 14 fairways. “I could have let it get away from me. I’m proud of the way I hung in there. I hung in there and got the job done.” It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. After a short birdie putt at the par-5, 11th put him at 27-under, Gainey made back-to-back bogeys and opened the door again. “Two bogies in a row and I don’t feel like I hit a bad shot,” he said. He was heading in the wrong direction and found himself staring at a difficult third shot from a greenside bunker at the par-4, 14 th hole. That’s when the ride reached its zenith. Gainey then did what champions do - he pulled a shot out of nowhere when he needed it most. He pitched in for a birdie. “The round-saver was me holing out of that bunker,” he said. “I could have easily made bogey there. That one really got me going in the right direction. That one got my momentum back.” Gainey promptly hit his tee shot on the next hole into a hazard down the right side and after taking a penalty drop, stuffed his third shot to within eight feet and canned that putt for par, essentially slamming the door. “I learned a great lesson on the PGA TOUR in 2008 and that is you never give up,” he said. “You never know. It doesn’t matter how good you hit it or how bad you hit it because you’ve always got that next shot.” Up by three with three to go, the man who signs autographs “2 Gloves” played it safe and aimed at the middle of the greens. Affrunti made a run early on with a 6-under 30 on the front side to reach 23-under but didn’t make another birdie until 17. Playing in the group directly in front of the leader, Affrunti settled for a par-5 at the final hole. “It didn’t really set in that I was going to win until I saw Joe putt out on 18 and not make birdie,” said Gainey. “Once he putted out I knew it was mine to lose.” Or win. Gainey added a two-putt birdie to make the final margin three strokes and get him to 27-under par, matching the second-lowest sub-par total in Tour history.

Golf news supplied courtesy of - Golfalot.com

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SPECIAL OFFER

Aberdeen Summer Mid-week Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, you will be driven to and then check in to – Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen
• Day 2: Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 3: Round of golf – Royal Aberdeen (tee-time A.M.)
• Day 4: Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 5: Check out of Hotel and return to airport

 Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on eight people sharing 4 standard twin rooms
• Golf: 5 rounds on the above named courses
• Travel: Return transfers for eight golfers, to and from Aberdeen airport and all golf courses

Price for this package would be from £679 per person. 

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WORLD GOLF NEWS

EUROPEAN TOUR: The Barclays Scottish Open
Italian Edoardo Molinari joined his brother Francesco as a European Tour winner at The Barclays Scottish Open. With Francesco looking on all the way - he finished joint fourth - the 29 year old from Turin won his duel with Darren Clarke to become champion at Loch Lomond. Edoardo, one ahead after his dazzling third round 63, closed with a 74 in the much tougher conditions and, with a 12 under par total of 272, took the €601,599 first prize by three. The compensation for runner-up Clarke was that, with Molinari already exempt for this coming week’s Open Championship, he took the one St Andrews spot up for grabs. The 41 year old was always fighting an uphill battle from the moment he tried to play his ball out of the mud and water by the third green but needed three attempts at it and ran up a double-bogey seven. No brothers have played together in The Ryder Cup since Bernard and Geoffrey Hunt in 1963, back in the days when it was just Great Britain against America. But Francesco, who a week ago lost a play-off for the Alstom Open de France to Miguel Angel Jiménez, moves up from eighth to fifth in the points race. And winner Edoardo, who first hit the headlines by winning the US Amateur Championship title five years ago, is up from 11th to sixth on the world list from which the first four members of Colin Montgomerie’s Europe Team will come. With Francesco having won the 2006 Italian Open, Edoardo’s victory makes them the third brothers to lift European Tour titles - and this just eight months after they combined to win the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China. Seve and Manuel Ballesteros did it and so did their fellow Spaniards Antonio and German Garrido. Molinari was five clear after five holes, bogeyed the next two but then regained that advantage when Clarke dropped a shot on the short 11th and he made a 15 foot birdie putt three holes later. Five ahead with four to play looked a done deal, but a mishit drive down the 415 yard 15th led to a double-bogey six. The gap then came down to two when Clarke made a five foot birdie putt on the short 17th, but he was the one to bogey the last. By then, though, he knew he had edged The Open place from France’s Raphael Jacquelin, who came through for third with a joint best-of-the-day 68. Molinari, back ahead of his brother on the Official World Golf Ranking now, said: “This is very special. On Tuesday we were talking about the fact that we had never played well in the same week and finally it’s happened. “Now I hope Francesco wins next week! “I was very nervous to be honest. The last few holes are very difficult and Darren hit a great shot on 17. My five iron there was probably my best shot and the drive on 18 was great.” Clarke said: “My second to the third was five feet from being good, but I ended up making seven and was on the back foot. “I told myself to just keep going and just wait for something to turn around, but I couldn’t get close enough. I didn’t play well enough. “The Open is a consolation prize, but if somebody had said at the start of the week that I would finish second I think I would have taken it.”Hopefully I can reproduce more of my first three rounds than the last one.”

• This week’s schedule – THE 139th OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Old Course, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Purse: £4,200,000. 15th Jul – 18th Jul 

PGA TOUR: John Deere Classic
Even with a big lead, Steve Stricker knew he could be in for a rough final round at the John Deere Classic. And that’s exactly what he got. Stricker led by seven strokes with 17 holes to play. With five holes to go, the lead was down to just two. But he maintained that margin the rest of the way Sunday and won the tournament for the second straight year, closing with a 1-under par 70 that was just enough to beat Paul Goydos. “It’s a position you want to be in, with a big lead, but you know you have everything to lose,” Stricker said. “This is the exactly the same way I felt at Northern Trust. It was difficult. It’s a hard round to play.” Stricker had a six-shot lead in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera in February and had to scramble to win by two. On Sunday, he found himself doing the same thing. He played it safe and his putting wasn’t sharp. The shot-making that had allowed him to record the lowest 54-hole total in PGA TOUR history wasn’t there. But he came through with a critical birdie after driving into the trees on No. 17 and finished with a 258 — 26 under and a record for the tournament. “You don’t want to give shots away and then you end up playing a little safer than you normally do and it leads to tougher birdie putts,” Stricker said. “Then they creep in closer because they were playing some good golf.” Goydos, who dazzled the golf world with his 59 in the opening round, shot a solid 66 but still fell short of dethroning Stricker, who won for the ninth time in his career. Jeff Maggert shot a 70 to finish six strokes back. Stricker started this final day with a six-shot lead and quickly bumped it to seven with a 7-foot birdie putt on the first hole. But he had to battle through the rest of the round before essentially sealing his victory at 17. After driving into the trees right of the fairway for the second straight day, Stricker punched out to 91 yards, right in front of the green, then knocked a sand wedge to six feet. Measuring the putt carefully, Stricker tapped the ball and as fans yelled “Get in the hole,” it dropped. “I told myself you can make this and you need to make this,” he said. “I look back at some of the big putts that I’ve made and there’s nothing to be scared of and I rolled it in. So that was a big putt. To go into the last hole with two shots instead of one was huge.” Goydos also birdied 17 to stay two behind, but his last hope ended when he hit into the water on 18. Stricker bogeyed the hole after laying up and hitting into the left rough, but it didn’t matter — he was a champion again. “Strick was hard to catch,” Goydos said. “I tried and kept pushing and chipping and grinding and biting at him and doing what I could. But in the end, the putt he made on 17 was a world-class putt. That’s what top five players do, that’s what Ryder Cup players do.” With the championship sown up, Stricker hit a safe shot to the green on 18 and happily took his bogey. The world’s fourth-ranked golfer doffed his cap and hugged his caddie and Goydos after tapping in his final shot. Goydos, who had been trying for his first win since 2007, qualified for the British Open with his second-place finish. John Deere Deere Classic officials arranged for two charter jets to fly the players direct to Scotland on Sunday night. “I competed reasonably well today,” Goydos said. “There are dozens of things I’m excited about and the perk is I get to go over and play at St. Andrews.” The final groups started three hours early because rain was forecast and they played in threesomes instead of pairs. And it was just in time — it began sprinkling as Stricker, Goydos and Maggert played the 18th. Maggert drew within four strokes of Stricker on the back nine, but fell back when he bogeyed 13. Stricker also birdied the second hole on Sunday to match those by Goydos and Maggert. But things got tougher when he missed the green at No. 4 and took a bogey after leaving his 8-foot putt for par 3 inches short. That changed the whole atmosphere of the round, he said. “I was aggressive, feeling good,” Stricker said. “I hit a good drive at 4 and then just walk off with a bogey. And (Maggert) makes birdie and all of a sudden my lead is five.” After dominating the TPC Deere Run course for three rounds, Stricker had a shot at the PGA TOUR scoring record of 254 and the record of 32 birdies for 72 holes. He fell four strokes and one birdie short of matching those numbers, but he got a victory and that will make the long flight to St. Andrews seem a whole lot shorter. “This is why we’re playing right here,” Stricker said, pointing to the trophy on the table in front of him, “to win tournaments. I wouldn’t trade anything for this.”

• This week’s schedule – Reno-Tahoe Open, Montreux G&CC, Reno, Nevada. Purse: $3,500,000.  Jul 15th – Jul 18th       
• This week’s schedule – 139th Open Championship. St. Andrews Links (Old Course), Fife, Scotland. Purse: $7,000,000.  Jul 15th – Jul 18th      

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: ALLIANZ Golf Open de Lyon
A course record round of 62 – the lowest of his career – helped Austrian Bernd Wiesberger to his maiden Challenge Tour title at the ALLIANZ Golf Open de Lyon.  Wiesberger came into the week on the back of his highest Challenge Tour finish, a tie for second place at The Princess, and duly topped that with a 17 under par aggregate total at Golf du Gouverneur near Lyon, France, to take the title by two shots from the fast-finishing Joel Sjöholm of Sweden.  The win was the third by an Austrian on the Challenge Tour this season, following the victories of Martin Wiegele at the Kärnten Golf Open by Markus Brier Foundation and the SAINT-OMER OPEN presented by Neuflize OBC. Wiesberger closed his third round with a three-putt bogey, but promptly banished that memory with gains at the first, third, fifth, sixth and eighth holes to go out in just 31. Another birdie at the 12th hole duly followed, before “the best two iron shots of my career” – a six iron to three feet for eagle on the 15th hole, and a seven iron to two feet for birdie at the next – effectively sealed the victory. Wiesberger’s cheque for €24,000 moved him up 12 places to fourth in the Rankings, and put him within sight of a return to The European Tour at the first time of asking. He said: “It’s just unreal – to shoot 62 on the last day to win the tournament is unbelievable. You don’t get many days where everything goes right, but today was definitely one of those days. I played well on the front nine for the first two days, then played well on the back nine on the third day. So I told myself that if I could combine the two today, I’d have a great chance of winning – and that’s how it worked out.  “The 15th and 16th holes were where I won the tournament – to hit those two shots at that time was pretty special. After that I knew that if I kept calm and played steady golf for the last two holes, the trophy would be mine. It helped that I was in the second last group last week, so I brought a lot of confidence and momentum with me this week. Now after the win, my confidence has gone up to another level again. “I have to thank Branden Grace and his caddie, who did a great job for me today. For the first three days I didn’t have a caddy, and in this heat it’s hard enough to stay fresh and focused without having to carry your own clubs around as well. So it was really good to have Shane, and he helped me enormously on the greens. He asked for €70 before the start of the round, but I think I’ll tip him generously – he’ll be well looked after! “I’m sure I’ll buy him a drink, then when I get back to Austria tonight, I’ll be hitting a few bars with my brother and friends to celebrate. Then I’ll rest up for a day and get ready for the Credit Suisse Challenge on Tuesday. It’s obviously hard to keep your energy and motivation levels up after a win, but if I want to get back on the main Tour again, I need to keep going. I don’t feel I did myself justice last year – my short game and putting just weren’t good enough. It’s always difficult to keep your card in your rookie season, but I’m confident that if I get back there, I’ll be much better prepared.” Sjöholm, seeking his maiden Challenge Tour title, also went out in 31, but despite matching Wiesberger’s eagle at the 15th hole,  the Swede was unable to maintain his momentum after the turn, and eventually had to settle for second place on 15 under par. One shot back, his compatriot Fredrik Henge shot a round of 64 to finish in a three way tie for third place alongside England’s Adam Gee (66) and Denmark’s Thørbjorn Olesen (67). Were it not for an opening round of 73, when he had to play with borrowed clubs after his set failed to make it to Lyon from Frankfurt, Henge might have been celebrating his sixth Challenge Tour title. But the 35 year old could at least console himself with a cheque for €9,000 which moved him up to 44th place in the Rankings. The English duo of Paul Dwyer and Charlie Ford finished in a tie for sixth place on 13 under par after both men posted rounds of 67.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic Presented by Samsung
Peter Tomasulo fired a 10-under-par 61 Sunday to come from eight shots behind and win the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic by one. The 28-year old Californian rallied on the final day, racing by the leaders to finish with a 24-under par total at the Georgian Bay Club, a shot ahead of Vermont rookie Keegan Bradley. Bradley birdied the final hole for a 6-under 65 and solo second. Kevin Chappell, who had a five-stroke lead after three days, managed only an even-par 70 to wind up at 22-under and in third place. “To be honest, I thought he (Chappell) was uncatchable because of the way he played the first three rounds,” said Tomasulo, who won for the second time in his career, both coming in Canada. “I thought we might be able to get something going and think about second place. I wasn’t expecting to shoot 10-under.” Bradley, who started the day in second and five back of Chappell told the media Saturday that somebody could shoot 61 on Sunday, considering he’d done it on Friday and Chappell had done it in Thursday’s opener. “I felt like I played great all week and I was close to a really good round,” said Tomasulo, who also shot a second-round 61 in his first win, the 2005 Alberta Classic. “I just tried to stay patient. All of a sudden I started making putts and hitting it close today. I just got on a roll early and kept it going.” Tomasulo birdied two of his first three holes to reach 16-under and added another before the turn to get to -17, but still a long way from Chappell, who held the outright lead after every round had been setting Nationwide Tour scoring records in the process. “I kept my chin up and just plugged along and then all of a sudden good things happen pretty quick,” he said. The former California Golden Bear kept attacking pins and leaving himself short birdie putts. He made seven of them and carded a 29 on his inward nine to reach the clubhouse 30 minutes in front of Chappell and Bradley. “My brother, Nick, was caddying for me this week and we talked before the start of the round about not looking at a board at all,” Tomasulo said. “I accidentally did on 15. I looked and saw I was only one back and Chappell hadn’t been doing anything and then I hit it close on the last three.” Tomasulo’s last three birdie putts came from 3, 2 and 6 feet. “The last one was a big one to make,” he said. “When I birdied 17 I saw I had a one-shot lead because we crossed paths with them coming down 16. I knew 16 and 17 were tough holes to make birdie on but 18 is a birdie hole. I knew a one-shot lead isn’t much on that hole.” After signing his scorecard, Tomasulo had to wait to see if either of the two could catch him. Both made a pair of pars and reached the uphill, 608-yard closing hole needing eagle to tie. Bradley laid up and his wedge stopped five feet from the pin and he would roll that in for second place. Chappell hit two monster shots to reach pin high but was 90 feet from the cup. His first putt came up short and he wound up missing his 10-footer for birdie and settling for third place. “There wasn’t much that was good,” said Chappell, who was looking for his second win of the year. “It was just sloppy all day. I never got into a rhythm. I was really searching on the back side to find it. I hit some good shots down the stretch and had a chance to catch Pete and I just couldn’t do it. The putter let me down this weekend. It’s disappointing.” The victory was worth $144,017 for Tomasulo and moved him from No. 97 to No. 9 on the money list.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR: Van Lanschot Senior Open
Englishman George Ryall fired a closing round 66 to capture the inaugural Van Lanschot Senior Open by one stroke and become the first non-exempt winner on the European Senior Tour in four years. The 51 year old from Portishead, who only sealed his place in the field after finishing tied fifth in last week’s Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open,  held off the challenge of 2001 PGA Championship winner Andrew Oldcorn  at Royal Haagsche Golf and Country Club to land his maiden Senior Tour victory. Oldcorn had started the final round with a two stroke lead but after Ryall birdied the 18th to set the clubhouse target of ten under par 206, the Scot’s 25ft birdie putt lipped out on the 17th hole and he could only manage par on the last to sign for a 72 and finish on nine under par. That meant Ryall became the seventh first time winner on the Senior Tour in 2010, sealing both a two year exemption on the Senior Tour and a place in the field at Carnoustie for The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard. “I’m delighted really,” he said. “I had different goals for this week – to get in the top ten to keep playing and top five to get in the top 40 on the Order of Merit for the re-rank so I could get more starts. “I didn’t really expect to win, ever. I didn’t look at any leaderboards until the 17th when it frightened me to death and I left my putt halfway.  “The turning point was really the putt on the last when I thought I’d missed it left and it turned back into the hole. “I get two years exemption now and I don’t have to pre-qualify for The Senior Open so it opens up so many doors for me. I’d been sending letters to sponsors all year trying to tell them I was quite good and now they might realise I’m not that bad!” Ryall finished 63rd on the Senior Tour Order of Merit last season after gaining a conditional card at the Qualifying School but despite having to rely largely on invites, he has now finished inside the top 20 in all but two of his eight appearances so far in 2010. His victory, which came courtesy of six birdies and one bogey in the final round, saw him become the first player not fully exempt on the Senior Tour to win since Spaniard Juan Quiros triumphed in the 2006 Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open. “It’s just such a rollercoaster ride golf,” said Ryall. “I’m trying to get used to playing on the Tour so this is a bit of a shock. It’s nice to join guys like Gordon Brand Jnr, Kevin Spurgeon and Glenn Ralph as winners. They are all big friends of mine so it’s nice to be part of that. I’m going to be here on Tour every week now so they’ll get sick of the sight of me! “I struggled a bit last week in Bad Ragaz being in the final group as it was all a bit new to me but I played very well today and I guess I’m a quick learner!” With the Dutch facing Spain in the World Cup Final just hours after his victory, Ryall also had a special message for the home spectators in The Hague. “Of course I’ll be supporting Holland tonight,” he said. “You’ve all supported me all week so I’ll be supporting you tonight.” Oldcorn’s runner up finish continued his fine run of form since joining the Senior Tour, with his fifth top ten finish in seven starts moving him up to sixth in the Order of Merit. Former Ryder Cup player Gordon J Brand carded a 68 to finish in third, with Scotland’s Ross Drummond in fourth.  Ryder Cup winning captains Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance finished in tied 48th and tied 68th respectively

LPGA TOUR: US Women’s Open
Paula Creamer held on to win the U.S. Women’s Open on Sunday and claim her first major tournament victory. Creamer, only 23 but long considered the best women’s golfer to not win a major, went into the final round at sunny Oakmont Country Club with a three-shot lead that never dwindled below two shots. She played 23 holes on the final day with a sore left thumb, including the final five holes of the weather-delayed third round. Her final-round, 2-under 69 gave her a 3-under 281 for the tournament. Na Yeon Choi of South Korea and Suzann Pettersen of Norway tied for second at 1-over 285. Limited to 40 practice shots before each round by a still-healing hyperextended left thumb that required surgery in February, the 23-year-old Creamer found the best possible way to limit the pounding on her hand: take as few strokes as possible. Creamer, known as the Pink Panther for all-pink attire, improved on the 75 she averaged during previous Women’s Open final rounds. She faded badly near the finish the last two years, and missed the cut at last week’s Jamie Farr Classic won by Choi. But this time she was as strong as her thumb is weak. “I was in pain, but I was trying to do everything to not think about it,” Creamer said. Lifting the silver trophy that goes to the winner? That was easy, too. Her lead briefly down to two strokes after four holes, her two biggest confidence-building shots of the day might have been long, par-saving putts on No. 7 and 8 — even as Choi was charging with the tournament’s second-best round. Song-Hee Kim had a 65 on Sunday and finished 13th. Creamer had two bogeys — laying up out of a bunker on the par-5 12th during the second — only to all but wrap it up by hitting to within 10 feet out of the thick rough on the par-4 14th. She then dropped a 10-footer for one of her four birdies. Flashing a bit of a smile for the first time, she hit another exceptional mid-iron to 4 feet on the 442-yard 15th and made that, too. Right about then, she knew a major was finally hers. Two weeks after Cristie Kerr won the LPGA Championship by 12 shots with domination, Creamer won with determination. “Without a doubt, I’ve matured over the last couple of months,” said Creamer, so bored during her layoff she attended the Masters as a spectator. “It was hard. I’ve prepared for this for the last three months and it makes everything so much better.” Creamer played only her fourth tournament since that operation forced mechanical changes in her game because her right side is much stronger than her left. After playing 29 holes Saturday, she feared unwrapping her throbbing thumb because “it might explode.” Her game certainly didn’t, even if she worried back in February the injury might prevent her from regaining the form that has allowed her to win nine times as an LPGA golfer. Don’t think she wanted this tournament, this title? She first studied DVDs of Oakmont Country Club a year ago, watching the 2007 U.S. Open won by Angel Cabrera. A valuable lesson it was, as Sunday’s pin placements were exactly the same as three years ago. Creamer stayed poised as most of the contenders around her kept tumbling. Two years ago, Creamer shot a 78 after starting the final round down one to leader Stacy Lewis. Last year, a third-round 79 at Saucon Valley put her out of contention before she recovered with a 69 to tie for sixth. Brittany Lang, the first-round leader with a 69, was within two shots before bogeys on the 15th and 16th dropped her six back at 287 despite her final-round 69. Lang, Yang and former world No. 1 Jiyai Shin tied for fifth at 286, one behind In Kyung Kim of South Korea. Wendy Ward, in second place when the final round began, took a triple-bogey 7 on No. 1 and was gone from contention. Kerr, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, tried to charge with consecutive birdies on No. 2 and No. 3, but fell back with four bogeys in the next six holes. She tied for 17th. Alexis Thompson, the 15-year-old Floridian who is the successor to Michelle Wie as the next potential big star in women’s golf, trailed by five before taking a double bogey on No. 1. She was the second-longest hitter during her fourth Women’s Open, but was held back by a series of three-putts while tying for 10th. Only Choi didn’t fold but, down seven before the final round began, she couldn’t pull off the biggest comeback in tournament history. No golfer has rallied from more than five down in the final round. All nine of Creamer’s LPGA victories came as she led going into the final round. Creamer is the 12th first-time winner among the last 15 majors. Until Kerr won the LPGA and Creamer won the Women’s Open, the United States had won only eight of the last 39 majors. Creamer joins 2007 winner Cristie Kerr as the only Americans to win this tournament in the last six years.

Golf news supplied courtesy of - Golfalot.com

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SPECIAL OFFER

Aberdeen Summer Mid-week Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, you will be driven to and then check in to – Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen
• Day 2: Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 3: Round of golf – Royal Aberdeen (tee-time A.M.)
• Day 4: Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 5: Check out of Hotel and return to airport

 Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on eight people sharing 4 standard twin rooms
• Golf: 5 rounds on the above named courses
• Travel: Return transfers for eight golfers, to and from Aberdeen airport and all golf courses

Price for this package would be from £679 per person. 

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Low Spinner…

Punch a wedge into the green on a windy day to add control and accuracy…

There are few shots in golf more impressive than a wedge that spins and stops on demand. The top Tour Professionals are the best proponents of this skill, and while we would all love to stop our approaches on a sixpence, few achieve it with any consistency.

Punching an approach into the pin offers two main benefits – you’ll keep the ball flight down, so it won’t balloon and get affected by the wind, and it will stay on a much straighter flight, adding that all-important accuracy to your repertoire.

1. Ball Goes Back, Hands Ahead…Starting with your feet together, aim the leading edge of your wedge at the hole. Plant your feet so that the ball is at least two- thirds of the way back in your stance, keeping the clubface aimed at the flag. Lean the shaft forward so the hands sit ahead of the ball at address.
2. Shorter Swing, Less Hinge…The swing is a little different from a normal pitch shot, yet it is also not just the punching action so often talked about in windy conditions. Keep your swing length short, but also reduce the amount of wrist hinge in the back swing. This will encourage a controlled attack.
3. In-To-Out Angle Of Attack…Bring the club back to the ball on an in-to-out path. The result should be a crisp ball-turf strike, which starts the ball low a little to the right of target with a small draw shape. The ball should skip forward on landing and bite hard on the next bounce, stopping dead on the green.

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My swing is so bad I look like a caveman killing his lunch.  ~ Lee Trevino

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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

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SPECIAL OFFER

Aberdeen Summer Mid-week Break

• Day 1: Depart airport, you will be driven to and then check in to – Atholl Hotel, Aberdeen
• Day 2: Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Cruden Bay (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 3: Round of golf – Royal Aberdeen (tee-time A.M.)
• Day 4: Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time A.M.)
• Round of golf – Murcar Links (tee-time P.M.)
• Day 5: Check out of Hotel and return to airport

 Your Itinerary:

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast, based on eight people sharing 4 standard twin rooms
• Golf: 5 rounds on the above named courses
• Travel: Return transfers for eight golfers, to and from Aberdeen airport and all golf courses

Price for this package would be from £679 per person. 

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TIP OF THE WEEK

Five Putting Drills…

Practice the part of the game that will save you the most shots…

If you think about it, the average round of golf for a mid-handicapper is in the 90’s. Of these 90 or so shots, 36 or more are made with your putter; that’s over one-third of your score. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you can cut that number by three putts on each nine holes, you will seriously reduce your scores.

Use these five simple putting practise tips to see your putts per round figure drop…

1. Aim Made Easy…Peg a piece of A 4 paper on the green at right angles to the target line. Line up your putter with the edge of the paper closest to the hole, square to the target line.
2. Perfect Your Posture…Bend forward from the hips with a little knee flex, so that your eyes are directly over the ball. The top of your back should be parallel to the ground and your spine flat enough to rest a ruler across it.
3. Ball Position Is Key…The ball should be two inches ahead of the centre of your chest. Check this by resting the grip end of your putter against the centre of your chest, the shaft will point down at the ground Place the ball two inches ahead of it.
4. Prayer Position… The easiest way to control the distance of your stroke is to rock from your shoulders. Practise this by placing the palms of your hands facing one another on the outside of the putter grip, press them together lightly then make your stroke.
5. Eyes Down…Point your head straight down, eyes over the ball. This allows you to rotate your head so your eyes track down the target line. Imagine there’s a laser beam running from eyes onto the top of the ball.

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If you call on God to improve the results of a shot while it is still in motion, you are using “an outside agency” and subject to appropriate penalties under the rules of golf.  ~Henry Longhurst
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ADDITIONAL RULES OF GOLF

• The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all your errors.
• Golfers who claim they never cheat also lie.
• Everyone replaces his divot after a perfect approach shot.
• A golf match is a test of your skill against your opponent’s luck.
• A good golf partner is one who’s always slightly worse than you are…have you ever wondered why you get so many calls to play with friends?

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WORLD GOLF NEWS

PGA TOUR: Travelers Championship
Bubba Watson really wanted to play well at the Travelers Championship to impress U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin. He did. Watson overcame a six-stroke deficit Sunday to force a playoff with Pavin and Scott Verplank, then beat Verplank with a par on the second playoff hole. Watson, the long-hitting left-hander from the Florida Panhandle, closed with a 4-under 66 to match Verplank (64) and Pavin (66) at 14 under. Pavin dropped out on the first extra hole. After making a 3-footer on the par-3 16th to win, Watson hugged wife Angie and began crying. He said he was so nervous, he could not feel his arms on the final putt. “I’m a very emotional guy,” he said. “I cry all the time. When I go to church on Sunday, I cry at church. I couldn’t get the ‘Yes’ out of ‘I do’ at my wedding. The pastor said, ‘You got to say it. You can’t just nod. You can’t nod.’ “Everybody has issues. My family had some issues. My dad is battling cancer. My wife last year thought she had a tumor in her brain. We got lucky with that one, and now, we’re battling with my dad. It’s emotional.” It was largest comeback on the PGA TOUR since Padraig Harrington also came from six back to win the 2007 British Open. Verplank left his tee shot short and left of the green on the second playoff hole and missed an 8-foot par putt. Watson, who had a 48-footer for birdie, was able to steady his nerves enough to get it close. The 50-year-old Pavin, who was taking a break from the Champions Tour to scout players for the Ryder Cup, was eliminated on the first playoff hole after hitting his tee shot just 219 yards (101 yards shorter than Watson) and putting his approach into a bunker short of the 18th green. He chipped to 3 feet, earning a standing ovation. “The playoff was a little disappointing to me,” he said. “I kind of popped up a three-wood there and left myself in a pretty precarious spot.” “Now, it’s just time to go back and play with golfers my own age,” he added. Justin Rose, coming off his first PGA TOUR win this month at the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley, had a three-stroke lead entering the round. But the 29-year-old Englishman shot a 75 to tie for ninth at 11 under. “It was obviously my tournament to lose,” Rose said. “I could have shot 1-over par today and won the golf tournament. It’s disappointing. It wasn’t overly difficult today.” Watson almost won on the first playoff hole, hitting a sand wedge within an inch of the cup from 128 yards out. But Verplank made an 8-foot birdie putt to extend the playoff. Verplank started the day in 13th place, eight strokes behind Rose, while Pavin and Watson were both six back. Verplank eagled the 13th and 15th holes to move into contention. But a birdie try on 17 lipped the cup. “When I holed it on 15, I looked at the leaderboard, and I wasn’t that far back. I needed to birdie one of the last couple holes,” Verplank said. The crowd began chanting “USA! USA!” after Pavin made a 32-foot birdie putt on 17 hole that broke sharply from left to right and put him into contention. He said he wouldn’t put himself on the Ryder Cup team, even if he had won. “Being captain is pretty tough, just to do that,” he said. “Arnold Palmer was the last one to do that, and that was a different era, a different time. I wouldn’t have played.” Watson had led briefly after four birdies on the back nine put him at 15 under. But he hit his tee shot on 17 into a bunker, and topped his second shot into the water on the way to a double bogey. But he didn’t quit. He hit his tee shot 396 yards off the cart path, and made a 6-foot birdie putt to get into the playoff. “I guess you can’t say I choked, because I came back and birdied the next hole and now I’m the champion,” he said. No player in the first three groups made it into the playoff. Rose held the lead until he missed a 10-foot par putt on 10th and moved into a three-way tie with playing partner Ben Curtis and Verplank. Rose lost the lead after a bogey on the 12th hole, then hit his tee shot on 15 into the water on his way to a double bogey. Curtis, who bogeyed just two holes in the tournament coming into Sunday, hit his tee shot on 12 out of bounds to the left, and made a double bogey. Both he and Rose bogeyed 16. Curtis finished with a 73 to tie for 13th at 10 under. Chris Riley began the day at 8 under, but eagled the par-4 14th from 155 yards and was 5 under on the back nine. He finished a stroke out of the playoff at 13 under. “I bogeyed my first two holes and, I was like, ‘Ho, hum. Here we go,’” he said. “I was in something like 45th place. What makes this course so great is you can make up ground.” Watson ended Europe’s tour winning streak at three. Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell won the big prize last week at the U.S. Open. The Memorial was Rose’s first tour win, and fellow Englishman Lee Westwood won the St. Jude Classic presented by Smith & Nephew. Watson earned $1.08 million and moved into eighth place in the FedExCup rankings.

• This week’s schedule – AT&T National. Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Purse: $6,200,000. Jul 01st – Jul 04th

EUROPEAN TOUR: BMW International Open
Unlike in South Africa it was a case of England 1 Germany 0 in Munich when 25 year old David Horsey came charging through from five behind for his first European Tour victory. Just when it looked as though local hope Alex Cejka might be in a play-off for the BMW International Open Horsey birdied two of the last three holes to grab the €333,030 first prize, although his day was not quite perfect as England’s footballers were thrashed by Germany. And it ended up an English one-two when Ross Fisher eagled the par five 18th to take the runners-up spot one shot behind his compatriot. The finish of the event was brought forward to avoid a clash with the World Cup showdown in South Africa and Manchester United fan Horsey, who stayed on to watch the game, commented: “Now I hope we can win and top the day off.” That was not to be, although there was the consolation of his bogey-free closing round of 67 gave him an 18 under par total of 270, but as he celebrated Welshman Bradley Dredge and Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal were left wondering what might have been. Both double-bogeyed the 319 yard 16th when leading, whereas Cheshire-based Horsey, a teammate of Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup, pitched over the water to eight feet and made the birdie putt. He was trying to avoid the leaderboards at that stage and laying up on the 568 yard last might have cost him dear, but instead he played another superb approach and holed from six feet for another birdie. With Fisher finishing as he did Dredge, Cejka and Larrazabal had to settle for a share of third place with another Englishman, Kenneth Ferrie, and another Spaniard, Rafael Cabrera-Bello. Dredge had led from the opening day and had only one bogey in his first 63 holes, but it all started to go wrong for him when he three-putted the tenth. He did the same on the short 12th, missing from under 12 feet, and  Larrazabal, who had eagled the 11th, took over at the top with a birdie on the 15th. First the Barcelona player pitched into the edge of the lake, splashed out over the green and duffed a chip - as he did on the 17th to drop another shot. Then Dredge, suddenly back in front, missed his pitch to the 16th as well. He was lucky to avoid the water, but also went over the green and his chip back almost ran into the hazard. His six left him needing an albatross on the last to tie. Argentina’s Rafa Echenique got one on the hole last year, but the best Dredge could do was birdie. Horsey, winner of The Challenge Tour in his first full season as a professional, said: “It’s unbelievable and it’s not sunk in yet.” “Coming down the last I didn’t know what was going on. I just wanted to concentrate on what I was doing. “The last few weeks have been a bit of a struggle (having missed three cuts in a row) and I just wanted to relax this week. “This win is what I’ve been trying to get for over a year. I felt I was good enough coming out on Tour, but maybe I put a little bit too much pressure on myself.” Larrazabal blamed poor preparation by himself and his brother - he caddies for him - for his blunder on the 16th. He said: “I thought I had only three or four metres (of green) behind the flag, but I had eight. These things you do in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. “I lost the tournament there. It was a big mistake from us.”

• This week’s schedule – Open de France ALSTOM. Le Golf National, Paris, France. Purse: €4,000,000. 01st  Jul – 04th Jul 

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: Fred Olsen Challenge de Espana
Alvaro Velasco ended a Spanish drought as he sprinkled six birdies into a closing round of 65 to become the first home winner of the Fred Olsen Challenge de España in 11 years.  The Spaniard surged through the field to finish on 18 under par 266, two strokes clear of overnight leader Eliot Saltman, who signed for a final round 69 in second place. Velasco was bogey free in his final round at Tecina Golf, La Gomera, to as he gave the home support only their second winner of the Fred Olsen Challenge de Espana after Carl Suneson in 1999. It is Velasco’s first victory on the European Challenge Tour, beating his previous best of a tied second at the 2007 Open Mahou de Madrid. He also becomes the sixth first time Challenge Tour winner of the season. He said: “It was a fantastic round and I played very solid from tee to green. I stayed concentrated and I knew exactly what I needed to do to win. I have had many second place finishes and have stayed patient and I guess it is better late than never. “It is always great to play in your home country and to have your first win there as well is even more special.  I have learned a lot since turning professional and now feel comfortable playing the Tour and am starting to compete very well. Velasco will now hope to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Rhys Davies who has gone on to be a huge hit on The European Tour.  He said: “It is great to win the Challenge de España seeing as last year’s winner has achieved so much. You think why not me? I will definitely try to follow in Rhys’ footsteps and those of every other winner of this tournament who has gone on to play on Tour.” No one could argue that Velasco didn’t fight hard for the victory, as Saltman pushed him all the way in an effort to claim his own maiden title. After the third round, Saltman believed that two or three under would be enough on Sunday – something that he achieved courtesy of five birdies and three bogeys – however Velescao proved just too hot.  Scotsman Saltman will hope that his performance proves a stepping stone to further success this season having smashes his best Challenge Tour finish – tied 21st in the 2008 Reale Challenge de Espana and the 2009 SWALEC Wales Challenge He said: “Obviously I am sad, but I played very well for three days and if someone had told me at the start of the week I’d finish second I would not have believed it. I’m pleased for Alvaro, he played great and this week I proved my golf is good enough to contend and my mental side is also working well. “Now I’ll be turning my attention to Open Championship qualifying on Tuesday as me and my brother Lloyd try to qualify for the second year running. We were the first brothers to qualify last year and it would be fantastic if we could do it again. I will be taking a lot of positives from this week.” Dutchman Floris de Vries, winner of the Mugello Tuscany Open last month, posted a 67 to finish third on 15 under par. Mark Laskey of Wales was a further shot back following a 68 while English pair Jamie Little and Jamie Moul shared fifth place with George Murray of Scotland.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Mexico Open Bicentenary
Rookie Jamie Lovemark fired 4-under par 68 on Sunday at El Bosque Country Club to emerge from a packed leaderboard and finish regulation play at the Mexico Open Bicentenary tied with third-round co-leader B.J. Staten at 12-under 276. Lovemark and Staten went back to the 18th hole where Lovemark would only need three strokes to seal the deal and capture the $108,000 first-place check. Both players found the fairway off the tee but Lovemark hit his second shot on the 567-yard, par-5 finishing hole to three feet left for eagle. Once Staten’s second shot came up short in the hazard and scrambled for par Lovemark only needed two-putts to close him out but he rolled it in anyway to claim his first win on the Nationwide Tour. “It was definitely the best shot I’ve hot in a really long time,” he said. “My caddy and I figured the ball would go twelve percent farther due to elevation and another eight percent because of adrenaline. I hit a perfect six-iron from 235-yards. I think it was half luck, half skill.” Lovemark jumped from No. 10 to No. 2 on the money list with $246,351, which should be more than enough to guarantee him his 2011 PGA TOUR card by finishing among THE 25 leading money winners. “I haven’t won since 2007 so I can’t tell you how special it is for me to win out here,” said the 22-year old who turned professional in 2009. “I’ve knocked on the door a few times this year and to seal the deal feels so good.” Guanajuato residents Efren Serna, Jr. (69) and Jose Rodriguez (68) gave the locals something to cheer about as they lurked at the top of the leaderboard all afternoon. Serna, Jr. had an eagle and five birdies on Sunday but two bogies on the final three holes left him one shot back of the playoff and solo third at 11-under. Rodriguez reached 11-under par by the tenth hole but a bogey on the par-3 12th hole and six closing pars put him two strokes back in fourth place. Lovemark started the final-round one shot back of co-leaders Staten (69) and Peter Tomasulo (65) but quickly grabbed the lead with a birdie on the first hole and an eagle on the driveable par-4 second hole. When he birdied number eight and nine to reach 13-under it appeared the tournament was his for the taking. “This is a great course where you can make a lot of birdies but you have to stay patient out here,” said Lovemark. “I knew it was going to be tough out here today but I had to try really hard to not let any bad thoughts come into my head.” Lovemark has experienced a plethora of success in his young career. In 2007, he won the 2007 NCAA Individual Championship as a freshman at the University of Southern California, becoming the eighth freshman to ever accomplish the feat. At the Frys.com Open in October of last year on the PGA TOUR he posted weekend scores of 65-64 to finish at 18-under par and get into a three-man playoff with Rickie Fowler and Troy Matteson. He appeared to be headed for elimination on the first extra hole when his approach shot landed in the water but the ball bounced out and into the greenside rough. Lovemark got up and down for par to continue but eventually lost when Matteson birdied the second extra hole. “On Friday night I started thinking about what might have been,” said Lovemark, who is having Lasik eye surgery next week. “Obviously it would have been nice to win the Frys.com Open but I’m not sure I’d be the player I am today. Losing that playoff motivated me to get better. It was for the best because now I am going to be on the PGA TOUR next year with a better swing and more experience. This is the second best Tour in the world and there’s no substitute for playing at this level of competition.” It’s hard to see why he’s having eye surgery since he saw himself going to the PGA TOUR next year all along.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR: De Vere PGA Seniors Championshiop
A relieved David J Russell, who has finished runner up nine times on the European Senior Tour, survived an almighty scare around the turn to finally land his maiden title in The De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship.  Russell, who started the final round with a four stroke lead, looked to be cruising to victory after three birdies and just the single bogey in his opening seven holes to open up a six shot cushion but his advantage suddenly evaporated in the space of three incredible holes.  The Englishman ‘hit an iceberg’ on the Hunting Course at De Vere Slaley Hall when he triple bogeyed the eighth hole, followed by a double bogey on ninth when he was forced to take a penalty shot after his wayward approach landing in greenkeeper’s cuttings.  His title challenge then appeared in treacherous waters when he bogeyed the tenth hole to drop six shots in three holes and fall one stroke behind Angel Franco.  Remarkably though, Russell’s challenge did not sink and he steadied the ship with back-to-back birdies on the 11th and 12th to move back into the lead when Franco dropped a shot on the 13th hole.  The 56 year old bogeyed the 15th and then received a huge slice of luck when he rattled the pin on the last but he managed to hold on to sign for a final round 75 and finish on five under par 283, two strokes clear of Paraguay’s Franco, Senior Tour debutant Barry Lane and South African Chris Williams.  “That was the most traumatic day I’ve ever had on a golf course,” admitted Russell. “It was incredible. You go out, when you are leading a tournament, to do the best you can and I got off to a lovely start and holed some good putts early on to get to ten under par. “All I needed to do then was be sensible so, of course, I lost my ball on the eighth and made a triple bogey and had a terrible second shot on the ninth and ended up in cuttings for a double bogey and suddenly I’d handed the tournament to somebody else. “It was incredible really. You try to keep going and be positive and luckily I managed to just about stumble over the line.” Russell’s nine second place finishes – including behind Sam Torrance in The 2005 De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship – is a Senior Tour record and, after three years in the relative wilderness since the last of those runner up places, he conceded that he was relieved to finally get the monkey off his back. “I must admit I was looking at the leaderboard to see what second place would be and at one stage I would have taken it I think, when I dropped those six shots,” said Russell. “It was amazing and surreal to go through an experience like that and still come out on top at the end. It shows how well I must have played, most of the time.” Russell, who won two times on The European Tour and was a Vice Captain under Ian Woosnam in The 2006 Ryder Cup, said the victory – achieved on his 113th Senior Tour appearance – was possibly the highlight of his professional career. “Winning on the regular Tour is obviously a massive thing, and my first win was huge in terms of my career, but the Senior Tour is a wonderful opportunity for us to stay competitive and this is right up there as it’s a wonderful tournament,” he said. “It’s the oldest Senior event and it’s great to have my name on the trophy with so many fantastic players.” Franco and Williams, who posted rounds of 71 and 69 respectively, has to settle for a share of second place for the second consecutive year after the pair also shared the runner up spot to Carl Mason 12 months ago. They were joined by Englishman Lane, the five-time European Tour winner who turned 50 on Monday was making his European Senior Tour debut. Lane also finished on three under par after posting a final round 69 that included a superb eagle on the 15th hole.  He said: “I played really nicely all week and made some silly mistakes in the first couple of rounds and I did that today, starting with a double bogey and then you’re out the tournament. I just carried on though, trying to hit some nice shots and I made a couple of birdies then drove it to a foot on the par four 15th for eagle.  “All in all then it’s been a great week. I’ve really enjoyed coming to play on the Senior Tour and seeing all the guys again.” Former Ryder Cup player Gordon Brand Jnr, who fired a final round 71, was the only other player under par in fifth place two strokes further adrift. Former Masters champions Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam finished in a share of 12th place on four over par.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Dick’s Sporting Goods Open
Loren Roberts birdied the final hole Sunday for a closing 7-under 65 to win the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open by one stroke over Fred Funk. Roberts hit a pitching wedge to 6 feet and made birdie at the 18th hole at En-Joie Golf Club to finish at 15-under 201 and edge Funk, who also shot a 65. It was the 12th victory on the Champions Tour for the 54-year-old Roberts, who rallied from five shots behind with eight holes to play. Local favorite Wayne Levi (69) tied for third at 13-under with Zimbabwe’s Nick Price (68) and Dan Forsman (71), who bogeyed three of the final five holes to lose the lead he held for most of the day. Mark Calcavecchia, who turned 50-years-old two weeks ago and was bidding to win his tour debut tour, never mounted a charge and finished at 12-under and tied with Brad Bryant (71) and Bill Glasson (69). It was Forsman’s tournament to win, but after making just one bogey over the first two rounds he self-destructed at the end. Forsman made a pretty 8-foot putt that broke left-to-right and into the hole for birdie at No. 11 to vault into sole possession of the lead at 15-under. Moments later, Roberts chipped in from the rough for eagle at No. 12 to begin his late surge, and followed that with birdies on the next two holes to move into contention. Forsman reached 16-under with a birdie putt from inside 2 feet at No. 12 that he nearly missed. He then made bogey at the par-3 14th hole, running his 25-foot putt to within 2 feet of the hole but missing the easy par putt to give Roberts new life. “My putting has been a little bit of an issue,” Forsman said. “I think that’s what happened down the stretch. I just wasn’t popping the putter as well.” It was the second straight bogey at the 14th for Forsman, and his struggles continued at the next hole when he hit a poor drive, hit his second shot into a greenside bunker and made bogey again. Roberts birdied No. 16 to gain the lead by a shot but returned the favor at the par-3 17th hole when he drove the rough behind the green and was unable to get up and down. The five-shot lead Forsman had held over Roberts had vanished in a span of five holes, and when he went to the tee at 16, Forsman was in a three-way tie for the lead, with Price and Levi just a shot behind. Price began the day three shots off the lead and quickly moved into contention with eagle at the 554-yard, par-5 3rd hole. He followed with birdies at Nos. 6 and 7 to move to the top of the leaderboard. Forsman had a chance for eagle at No. 8, but he was poor with a chip-and-roll from the fringe above the pin and had to settle for birdie. Price’s surge halted in dramatic fashion at the par-5 12th hole, statistically the easiest on the narrow the 6,974-yard course. He drove the trees lining the right side of the fairway and pulled his third shot onto a cart path, where it rolled up against a retaining wall lining a water hazard. Price nearly saved par, but hit his long putt too hard and it bounced off the edge of the cup and stayed out. “I’ve got to make birdies, I need three maybe four birdies,” Price said as he walked up the 13th fairway after his second shot had landed eight feet from the pin. “I’m going to try.” Moments later, his birdie try lipped the left edge of the cup and didn’t drop, and he never recovered, making par at the final six holes.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: Portugal Ladies Open
Australian golfer Karen Lunn has won her first tournament in nearly thirteen years and continued her resurgence in 2010 with a narrow one shot victory over Trish Johnson and Iben Tinning at the Portugal Ladies Open at Campo Real near Lisbon. Lunn’s final round of 65 was highlighted by a fast start where she picked up five shots in her first five holes. Two birdies in her final three holes were also important as she faced challenges from the experienced Johnson and Denmark’s Tinning. For 44 year old Lunn, the 1993 Womens’ British Open Champion at Woburn Golf and Country Club, this was her 9th Ladies European Tour title, the first coming in 1992 at the Slovenian Open.  In 2010 she joined forces with Karrie Webb to finish runner up at the European Nations Cup and finished 4th at the recent German Open. Lunn’s victory was worth €30,000 and moves her to 10th on the 2010 Ladies European Tour money list. Lunn has also played a role in the administration of the Ladies European Tour having been appointed their Chairman in 2004.

• This week’s schedule – Tenerife Ladies Open, Buenavista Golf, Buenavista del Norte- Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spain. Purse: €275,000.  Jul 1st – Jul 4th     

LPGA TOUR: LPGA Championship
Cristie Kerr soared to a 12-stroke victory at the LPGA Championship on Sunday in one of the most lopsided wins at a major, leaving her in position to become the first American to be ranked No. 1. Kerr closed with a birdie for 6-under 66, finishing at 19-under 269 and leading all four rounds. This was her second major title, the other coming at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open. “It’s been such an amazing week,” she said. “To play here well on a golf course this tough and to win by that many shots in a major championship — that’s just unreal.” Kerr began the final round with an eight-stroke lead on a humid, overcast day at Locust Hill Country Club. She opened with six straight pars before birdieing three of her next four holes. By winning the $337,500 purse at the $2.25 million tournament, Kerr was projected by the LPGA to overtake Japan’s Ai Miyazato when the world rankings are released Monday. Miyazato needed to finish second to remain No. 1. Kerr is the first American to win the LPGA Championship since Juli Inkster in 2000. She becomes only the fifth player to hold the No. 1 spot since the rankings were introduced in 2006. “There are no words,” Kerr said. Miyazato opened the day at 1 over. She mounted a big rally with seven birdies before closing with a bogey-5 after hitting her tee shot into the rough. The four-time winner on the LPGA tour this season shot 66 to finish at 5 under in a tie for third with Jiyai Shin (71), the world’s No. 2 player. Song-Hee Kim (69) finished second. Kerr’s margin of victory beat the previous LPGA Championship record by one stroke set by Betsy King in 1992. Among all LPGA majors, the 12-stroke advantage is tied for second on the list with Babe Zaharias’ victory at the 1954 U.S. Open. Louise Suggs holds the record with a 14-stroke victory at the 1949 U.S. Women’s Open. Kerr began celebrating while walking up the 18th fairway, having stuck her approach shot within 5 feet. She raised her arms, broke into a wide smile and hugged playing partner Jimin Kang. After sinking her birdie putt, Kerr pumped her fist and raised her arms before breaking into tears. She was then doused by champagne by friend and fellow LPGA Tour player Natalie Gulbis. This was Kerr’s 14th win in 14 years on the tour. It’s also her second victory — and fourth top-three finish — this season after winning the State Farm Classic two weeks ago. Kerr opened her final round with flawless efficiency, hitting most of her fairways and shooting for the middle of the greens to protect her lead. Then came her run of birdies, which she began by sinking an uphill 18-foot putt on the par-3 seventh. As a big cheer arose from the gallery, Kerr punched the air and flashed her first big smile of the day. Emboldened by her birdie, Kerr went for the green off the fairway on the uphill par-5 eighth and two-putted from 30 feet to go to 15 under. After a par on the par-3 ninth, she closed with four birdies on the back nine in her second bogey-free round of the week.. Kerr opened with a 68 to sit in a three-way tie for the lead Thursday. She then took control with a 6 under in the second round to open a five-stroke margin. With a 69 Saturday, she extended her lead to eight to set the LPGA Championship record for largest 54-hole lead. The only question was whether she would be pass Miyazato in the rankings. Miyazato matched Kerr in carding the day’s low round despite the bogey on No. 18. “It was a little disappointing on the last hole, but I played really good, and didn’t expect I could shoot like 6 or 7 under,” Miyazato said. “I did my job, so it makes me feel good.” What blew her away was Kerr’s dominance. “That’s almost too good,” Miyazato said, figuring 8 under would be good enough to win the tournament. “She’s just amazing. I played really good, too, but she is just better than me.” Kerr’s rise comes with women’s golf going through a changing of the guard. In April, Lorena Ochoa followed Annika Sorenstam into retirement, leaving a vacuum at the top.

• This week’s schedule – Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger. Sylvania, OH. Purse: $1,000,000. Jul 01st – Jul 04th 

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