8/31/2013

Walton Sixth as Monty Leads Travis

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Philip Walton slipped from fourth place on Saturday after two double bogeys undid the good work on Friday at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters. Having reached the turn on 34, -despite a double on the 5th on the Duke's Course - the Malahide man then dropped two more at the sixteenth to end the day on 73 - six strokes behind the outright leader Colin Montgoerie.

A stunning run of six consecutive birdies helped Colin Montgomerie surge into a commanding lead as the Scot searches for his maiden European Senior Tour win..

After trailing by one overnight, Montgomerie looked in imperious form in signing for a second superb 68 in a row to move three clear of two-time Senior Masters champion Carl Mason on eight under par, while Scotland’s Ross Drummond is a shot further back with 18 holes to play at Woburn Golf Club.

There were deceptive conditions for the second day’s play, with blanket blue skies and glorious sunshine belying a swirling Woburn wind and a fast and firm Duke’s Course that saw scoring conditions difficult and only ten men finish under par by close of play on Saturday.

But Montgomerie, this week making just his third appearance on the Senior Tour and chasing his first professional victory since the 2007 European Open, seemingly revelled in the challenge, bouncing back from an opening bogey at the par five first with six straight pars.

It was at the par four eighth, though, that his round caught fire, holing a 30-foot birdie putt to kick-start a run of six birdies in succession in what was a true masterclass in iron-play.

Montgomerie two-putted for a birdie at the long 11th but besides that the eight-time European Number One’s gains at the ninth, tenth, 12th and 13th holes all came after hitting his approaches to three feet or closer.

“I didn’t really have to make one putt in that run after holing that long one at the eighth,” said Montgomerie, who made a second bogey of the day at the 14th before parring his way in.

“So my irons are good, it’s just a question of getting into the right positions and then trying to take advantage. The fairways have firmed up a lot in the last few days and when that happens this course becomes difficult so it’s a question of managing your way around.

“It would mean an awful lot to win tomorrow,” he continued. “I haven’t won for a long time, six years, so it would be very special if I can go on and complete the job.”

The leader also took time out to send his best wishes to the hospitalised Bernard Gallacher, who captained Montgomerie in his first three appearances in The Ryder Cup.

He said: “All we can do, as everybody will, is wish him well. Our thoughts go out to him and his family and let’s hope he makes a speedy recovery.”

Mason, who won this event in 2006 and 2007, birdied three of the four par fives en route to a three under par 69 to finish three shots behind Montgomerie heading into the final round.

If the 60 year old were to triumph on Sunday then the Senior Masters would become the fourth Senior Tour event that Mason has won three times after the English Senior Open, the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship and the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open.

“I drove the ball beautifully today so I’m very pleased,” said 25-time Senior Tour winner Mason. “I managed to stay out of trouble and that is very important around here, it’s a real test of golf.

“It’s a deceptive course, it’s not one of those that is going to get eaten up – it never happens.

“If I can play like that again tomorrow then I will give myself a real chance.”

Drummond, meanwhile, briefly led earlier on Saturday after two birdies in his first six holes before his compatriot Montgomerie set off on his remarkable birdie run.

The 56 year old Prestwick man, who is still searching for a first title despite a highly consistent six seasons on the Senior Tour, found a third gain of the day at the long 11th but a three-putt at the last saw Drummond slip out of the tie for second as he signed for a two under par 70.

“It was quite testing today in the wind,” said Drummond, who finished tied fifth at Woburn in 2012. “I probably didn’t play quite as well as yesterday and I had some good bits of scrambling to keep the round together so it’s a case of so-far so-good.”

Overnight leader Luis Carbonetti struggled somewhat in the breezy conditions, posting a two over par 74 to finish the day in a tie for fourth place alongside Spain’s Miguel Angel Martin on three under par.

Defending champion Des Smyth carded a secodn round 80 and kies three strokes behind Denis O'Sullivan, who signe for a round of 73.


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Dutch Daan Takes Route 66


Dutchman Daan Huizing will take a six-shot lead into the final round of the Northern Ireland Open after producing a flawless 66 on Saturday.

Huizing kept a bogey off his card to be six ahead of Sweden's Jens Dantorp, England's James Heath and Germany's Bernd Ritthammer going into Sunday.

2008 Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson is in fifth spot seven off the pace.

Jonathan Caldwell is the leading Irish player in share of 12th place on five under after firing a 71 on Saturday.

Ballymena amateur Dermot McElroy lost ground as a disappointing opening 12 holes led to him carding a three-over 74 which dropped him back to a share of 36th on two under.

Derry man Michael McGeady, who was only one off the pace after his 65 on Thursday, also slipped back to two under after a 74 which included five bogeys in marked contrast to his nine birdies on day one.

Mourne amateur Reeve Whitson performed creditably as a one-over 72 left him on one under but the big talking point at the Ballymena course was Huizing's dominant performance in front of over 6,000 spectators.

The 22-year-old Dutchman has now gone 35 holes without a bogey at Galgorm Castle as his rounds of 65, 66 and 66 put in control of the tournament.

Huizing started his round with six pars on Saturday but four birdies in six holes from the seventh saw him pull away from the field.

Even a run of five straight pars from the 13th didn't see his advantage trimmed and for good measure, he birdied the last to put further daylight between him and the trio on 10 under.

"It took me a few holes to relax into the round today but once I did that I managed to play really well and take a few chances," said Huizing, who has produced four top five Challenge Tour finishes in just six appearances this season.

"To be six ahead is really good because I can probably be a little bit more conservative tomorrow."

Englishman Heath's six-birdie 65 moved him into a share of second place with Swede Dantorp (69) and first-round joint-leader Ritthammer (68).

European Ryder Cup star from 2008 Wilson showed that he is edging back to some kind of form as his 68 left him alone in fifth place on nine under.

"At the start of the year, I was playing absolutely terribly. I didn't know where the ball was going but it has been getting better over the last month or so," Wilson told BBC Sport.

Wilson's compatriot Sam Walker charged up the leaderboard after squeezing into the weekend action on the cut mark of one under as he equalled the best round of the week with his 64, which included an eagle at the ninth.

Clandeboye man Caldwell battled back well with two late birdies which helped undo some of the damage of three straight bogeys from the ninth as he signed for a 71.

Amateur McElroy opened with five pars on Saturday but a dropped shot at the sixth was then followed by three straight bogeys after the turn.

McElroy's lone birdie came at the last which left him on two under alongside McGeady.

Former Madrid Masters champion Ross McGowan, who shared second place overnight, tumbled down the leaderboard as a 76 dropped him to three under while three-time European Tour winner Nick Dougherty is on one under after a disappointing 73.


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Maybin Trails Leader Uhlein

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Gareth Maybin was unable to move up the field on day three of the Wales Open as his two-over 73 left him in joint 61st on six over par for the tournament.

Maybin lies 13 shots behind leader Peter Uhlein, who enjoys a three-shot lead over Thomas Levet and Gregory Bourdy, who are both four under.

Damien McGrane is tied for seventh on two under following a steady round of 70.

Europe Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley fell back to three over after a 77.

David Higgins remained on two over after a 71 which left him sharing 31st place.

Maybin, whose European Tour Card for 2014 looks safe with him currently lying in 80th position in the rankings, was in a share of 64th place.

Overnight leader Liam Bond slipped back to two over after a 78.

Meath man McGrane could do with a good finish this week as he is currently 111th in the Race to Dubai standings with only the top 110 assured of tour cards for next season.

Maybin struggled over his front nine on Saturday as a double bogey at the third was followed by further dropped shots at the fourth and eighth as he went to the turn in 40.

After dropping a further stroke at the long 11th, the Ballyclare man regrouped with three birdies in four holes from the 12th as he eventually signed for a 73.



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Waltz Masters Duke's at Woburn

Philip Walton fired a three under par round 69 on the Duke's Course on Friday to hold a share of fourth place after the opening round of the Travis Perkins plc Seniors Masters.  

The leader Colin Montgomerie suffered an unfortunate bogey at the last which halted his charge for a share of the lead following the first round at Woburn Golf Club.

The eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winning Scot played an unblemished 17 holes before failing to get up and down from in front of the green at the par four last to finish a sunny, fine first day with a four under par 68, one shot shy of Argentina’s Luis Carbonetti, the 2004 Senior Masters Champion.

Also at four under following were South African Steve van Vuuren, Mark James, and Englishman Andrew Sherborne,  all into the club house in three under par,.

With the Duke’s Course bathed in glorious sunshine, around 7,000 fans flocked to the venue which is this week hosting the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters for a 13th successive edition and Montgomerie, billed as the star attraction in just his third Senior Tour appearance, did not disappoint, firing four birdies in his first six holes to reach the turn in 33.

Driving superbly all day on the often narrow, tree-lined layout, a fifth gain of the day followed at the tenth to send Montgomerie top alongside morning starter Carbonetti, but seven straight pars preceded an unlucky conclusion as he bogeyed the last after missing his first fairway of the day at the 356-yard 18th hole.

“It could have been a lot better obviously,” said a philosophical Montgomerie. “I was five under after ten and didn’t make another birdie with two reachable par fives to come and it was the relatively easy 18th that I messed up.

“But it’s safe. You don’t win here in the first round, just get into a good position to move forward and that’s what I’ve done so all-in-all I’m quite satisfied.”

Montgomerie has had some excellent performances on the Duke’s Course over the years, having finished in the top ten on four occasions at Woburn in the British Masters between 1994 and 2000 and he said his straight-hitting had paid off once again.

“I think it is a golf course that suits my eye,” he continued. “I hit most fairways and if you do that then you usually score well around here.

“The conditioning of the course is superb, I’ve played here a dozen times or more and this is the best I’ve ever seen it.”

Carbonetti, who nine years ago completed a two-shot triumph at Woburn in this tournament, played in the opening grouping of the day and negated the chilly early conditions with some accurate striking of his own to sign for a five under par 67.

The 60 year old missed only one fairway all day – at the 16th where he made his one and only bogey – while all his five birdies, including an excellent effort at the last, came from within ten feet.

He said: “I was straight down the middle all day long, it’s one of the best rounds I’ve ever had at Woburn.

“Nine years ago was by far the best tournament of my life and hopefully after that start I can hope to try to repeat that.”

Van Vuuren, meanwhile, battled through a persistent elbow injury and a wayward driver to grind out his 68 for a share of second alongside Montgomerie, one behind Carbonetti, bouncing back from two bogeys in his first four holes with five birdies in nine holes – including a hat-trick to close the front nine.

“I changed the shaft of my driver yesterday and it wasn’t going so well,” said Van Vuuren. “But fortunately the course dried out so I was able to hit my three wood more.
“I managed to hole two putts from off the green at the eighth and tenth from at least 25 feet so they were bonuses and very enjoyable.

“It’s nice to see the ball go in the hole – you see it miss too often – so it’s great to see a couple drop!”

Two-time Senior Masters winner Carl Mason is three off the lead following the opening exchanges after a two under par 70.

Defending champion Des Smyth, also looking to complete a hat-trick of victories this week, struggled to find his best golf in a one over par 73.



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McIlroy Trails Mickelson 63

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Rory McIlroy was left frustrated after a topsy-turvy one-under-par 70 after the defending champion signed for six birdies and five bogeys.

"The mistakes are coming from missing it in the wrong spots," he said.

"It's a bit mental but I still made six birdies, so not that much is wrong, (but) it's the worst it could have been."

Graeme McDowell is two shots further back on one over par.

Up ahead it was Phil Mickelson who took a share of the lead on the opening day of the Deutsche Bank Championship after a sublime eight-under-par 63 - yet it could have been even better for the reigning Open champion.

Mickelson, fourth in the FedEx Cup standings, was well on course to card a magical 59 after starting his round on the back nine with seven birdies to reach the turn on 28.

Yet the front nine posed a different proposition for the left-hander, who found the bunker at the first for his only bogey of the round before bouncing back with an eagle on the next after landing his second shot to two feet from the pin.

However, a run of pars followed before the American finished his round birdie-bogey at TPC in Boston to share the lead with England's Brian Davis.

"I still felt I could have shot three or four under (on the finishing nine)," Mickelson told the PGA Tourwebsite. "I wasn't too worried about shooting 59."

Mickelson, who also opened with a round of 60 at the Waste ManagementPhoenix Open earlier this year, was satisfied with his round, however.

"I putted really well. There were a couple that didn't go that had every bit as good a chance to go as the ones that did and that's the sign that you're putting well," he added.

"There was only one putt the entire I should have made; the par putt on one that didn't go in and the other ones were really good."

Davis, 80th in the FedEx Cup and needing a good week to qualify for the BMW Championship for the fifth time in his career, joined Mickelson at the top of the leaderboard after an unblemished round.

The 39-year-old catapulted up the standings with five birdies in seven holes before finishing with back-to-back birdies to move to eight under, one shot ahead of Kevin Stadler, who made eight birdies and a solitary bogey on the 12th in his round of 64.

World number one Tiger Woods and Barclays winner and Masters champion Adam Scott were in the same playing group as Mickelson although they failed to take inspiration from the 43-year-old.

Woods, who on Thursday told reporters his back problem is not as bad as first feared, struck a 68 although Scott was well off the pace and is tied for 87th following a two-over-par round.

American pair Hunter Mahan and Roberto Castro, and Sergio Garcia were on six under par, while Englishmen Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were among 16 players on shot further back.


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