Golf returns Inaugural Academy Course title for Kai
Andy and Jamie Murray will be “managed”by mum Judy at this week’s Battle of the Brits Team Tennis event at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.
Britian’s top players are playing in the Jamie Murray-orgnaised event with two teams of 13 chasing points in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
The younger Murray will not play singles because he does not want to“take any risks”with his fitness and his first appearance on court was scheduled for yesterday (Tuesday) when he teamed up with Jodie Burrage - who shocked British No 1 Johanna Konta on Monday in the singles - to play Joe Salisbury and Emma Raducanu..
Before the event, Jamie - who organised an inaugural Battle of the Brits event for the leading men last month said:“we want to bring the best British players together, men and women, in one event to showcase the best of British talent.
“It brings live and competitive tennis to the fans in the absence of major events at this time of the year.”
Eight matches a day will be played over two outdoor courts, with a 10-point tie-break replacing a third set. Points will be awarded on an increasing scale as the week progresses.
Prize money will be awarded and donations will also be made to charity.
The teams - Union Jacks and British Bulldogs - see the Murray brothers join forces with British stars Dan Evans, Heather Watson and Katie Boulter while Konta is in the British Bulldogs team alongside Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie.
Each team will have two captains - Judy Murray and Greg Rusedski take charge of the Union Jacks - with Leon Smith and Anne Keothavong leading the British Bulldogs.
On Monday’s opening day, Jamie Murray and Heather Watson lost 7-5 3-6 10-8 to Joe Salisbury and Harriet Dart as the British Bulldogs took a 9-4 lead.
There will be 60 singles, doubles and mixed doubles matches taking place across the seven days, with the first team to accumulate 60 points claiming victory.
Matches will be worth more points on the final day.
Jamie said he has some ideas to help create a good atmosphere in the absence of spectators.
“We’ve got team benches on each of the two match courts. The idea is to pack those out as best we can and get a lot of interaction between the players who are competing and those who are supporting.
“The captain element should make it good fun as well.”
STIRLING GOLF ACADEMY
Sixteen children took part in Stirling GC’S first Academy Course Junior Championships on Saturday. It was open to any junior with an association with the club (lessons, member or relative of a member). They played 12 holes with a Shotgun start and there was lots of fun on the course with juniors playing and adults assisting amd spectating.
Results - 1 Kai Dickson 41; 2 Lewsi Cook 44 and 3 Murray Teasdale 46.
In the Junior Championships, Adam Smith beat Wallace Mcinnes 4&3; Cameron Henderson beat Euan Davidson 7&5 and Thomas Kelly beat Lorne Mcculloch at the 19th. Ben Wilson and Joshua Mcilwaine are still to meet.
STIRLING
A large field of 268 players competed on Friday and Saturday with the CSS 71 on both days.
Early Saturday morning players suffered the worst of the weather in heavy rain which dwindled away during the day.
David Kernohan - playing on Friday turned in three under par 33 and further gains came with an eagle three at the 13th and a birdie two at the 14th to sit at a remarkable six under par. However, a double bogey at 15 and bogey at 16 halted his progress and took a bit of a shine off a brilliant round which won Class 1.
Graham Wilson was second on net 67 beating Gordon Mackenzie on the better inward half (bih) Graham was back in one under par 35 with birdies at 12,13 and15 and a handicap reduction to seven. Gordon kept a clean card with a remarkable 18 straight pars for a level par 72.
Fifty year-old Philip Sneddon won the John Duncan Trophy by one shot on net 64. A two over par 74 - playing off 10 - was compiled with halfs of 37/37 with birdies at 1, 5 and 17. Philip secures his place at the Annual Prizegiving Dinner on Friday, November 20.
Robbie Robertson had a rollercoaster round - after an opening four pars he had to wait till the 13th for his next par then single putted the next three greens - all for birdies before closing bogey, bogey and net 68 to beat John L Kilgannon and Alex Hogg on the bih.
Past Captain Derek Anderson won Class 3 and the Queen Victoria Jubilee Vase (for players aged 55 and over) with a net 65. Derek had an inward half of 41 with four pars and five bogeys.
David Sharp - off at 8am on Saturday - had an ugly 10 at the first hole and closed the outward nine with a treble bogey seven for 47. However, a career best inward nine of 37 with birdies at 11 and 18 held off Barry Mckeown and Martin Mccluish on the bih.
Results: Class 1 - 1 David Kernohan 68 (3) 65; 2 Graham Wilson snr 75 (8) 67 bih; 3 Gordon Mackenzie 72 (5) 67. Class 2 - 1 Philip Sneddon 74 (10) 64 and John Duncan Trophy winner; 2
Robbie Robertson 81 (13) 68 bih; 3 John L Kilgannon 80 (12) 68 bih. Class 3 - 1 Derek Anderson 89 (24) 65 Queen Victoria Jubilee Vase winner; 2 David Sharp 84 (17) 67 bih; 3 Barry Mckeown 82 (15) 67 bih. Club Championship:
Heavy rain throughout Monday saw the opening ties postponed until last night (Tuesday) - James Donaldson v Neil Ramage; Chris Forsyth v Andrew Wilson; Thomas Moore v Sean Mcauley; Colin Brown v Dariusz Kunecki; John Colquhoun v Roger Moore; Stewart Mclellan v Ben Liddell; John Philliben v Greg Mclellan; Douglas Todd v David Oates.
Quarter-finals and semis continue this week with final on Saturday, August 1.
Club Handicap Championship quarter-finals were scheduled for last night (Tuesday)) - Barry Paterson v Alan Morrison; Allan Mcdonald v Jamie Tierney; John Kilgannon v Dominic Mcnally; Cameron Sneddon v Michael Tortolano..semi-finals are tomorrow (Thursday) and final on Saturday.
Club Seniors quarter-finals last night (Tuesday)- Alan Taylor v Scott Peebles; Murray Ferguson v Kenny Stewart; David Dryland v Ian Matthewson; Alan Watson v Kevin Brunton, semi-finals tomorrow (Thursday) and final on Saturday.
Club Seniors Handicap quarter-finals last night (Tuesday) - Les Davidson v Donnie Macleod; Hugh Waters v John Morrison; Andrew Ferguson v Iain Wallace; Gordon Robertson v Derek Gavin. Semi-finals tomorrow (Thursday) and final on Saturday.
DUNBLANE NEW
Saturday saw a break from the medal competition golf for the Captain/pro’s Day.
Despite a poor forecast and early morning rain it turned into a pleasant warm, sunny day to allow a full field of around 250 to enjoy a Stableford competition in teams of four with three scores counting for holes 1-6, two scores counting for holes 7-12 and then just the one score for holes 13-18.
Winners were Blair Paterson (3), Keir Paterson (6), Matt Morrissey (13) and Gordon Steven (13) with an impressive 96 points - 24 under par and runners up on 94 points were Steven Rennie (10), Campbell Geddes (19), Joe Clark (8) and Ben Clark (13). Third place went to Stuart Campbell (4), Sivan Isaacs (9), Hector Macmillan (10) and Gavin Denham (4) on 92 points.
Two teams then returned 91 points but fourth place with the better inward half went to Stuart Brown (19), John Kilby (20), Russell Clarke (16) and junior Finlay Alexander (20) with Gordon Foster (13), Douglas Wright (10), Craig Mcgann (0) and Bill Mcgahan (20) fifth.
Captain Joe Holden and professional Paul Jamieson provided welcome sustenance in the Pro Shop before play and again at the 9th tee.
Unfortunately heavy rain last Wednesday meant the course was closed until noon so the Stableford was cancelled.
There is a Yellow Tee Wednesday Stableford today and this weekend (Friday and Saturday) is the Monthly Medal and second round of the Old Club Trophy Qualifying and second round of the Handicap Stroke Play Championship.
BRIDGE OF ALLAN
The first month of the late starting season was completed last weekend and in the Senior Nine Hole Stableford, Jim Black continued his fine recent form winning by one point with a score of 19. Philip Howarth and John Wilson were second and third respectively both scoring 18 points.
Jim leads the way in the Senior Order of Merit along with Gordon Darlington with both players on 25 points; Gordon leads the way in the Senior Eclectic on 26 points.
In Saturday’s Strokeplay Shield second round, scoring was excellent with the competition standard scratch being reduced to 65.
Winner on the day was the in-form Simon Lyall who returned a net 61 with Trevor Kelly second on net 62 and Scott Mackenzie third with a net 64. Trevor also had the best scratch score of the day with his 66 that included a pair of twos, one being scored at the par four 4th hole.
Roberto Zanelli leads the way in the Saturday Eclectic on net 51.
The weekend closed with the Sunday White Tee Nine Hole Stableford where Phil Wallom got back in the winner’s circle scoring 19 points to pip Stuart Brown on a countback. Jim Black currently leads the Sunday Eclectic with 23 points..