Ian Brotherston is French Seniors Open Champion

French Open all ours in Granville

Ian continued his assault on continental titles with a great victory at Club Golf de Granville, Baule. His sub par first round 71 took him to the head of things. 2^nd and 3^rd rounds of 74 and 76 in increasingly tough conditions made an aggregate 221 and victory by 4 shots. He is the first Scottish name on the prestigious trophy.

Ian reports "The comp was played at Granville G C and is a true links. The course we played was just over the 6000 metre mark, sss74.5 if you can work that out! Fairways were narrow and hard, running off into long whispy rough with the usual revetted bunkers. The last 2 days were played in strong winds"

Our South of Scotland committee member has been flying the flag with distinction in a number of overseas national opens and looks to be in fine form for this season's domestic titles.

Leading Final Scores:-

221 Ian Brotherston (Scotland) 71 74 76.
225 Jean-Max Megroz (France) 74 75 76, Robert Messervy (England) 73 75 77
233 John Whitcutt (Wales) 77 82 74

SSGS Members to the fore in Spanish Seniors

The Spanish Seniors took place over Hacienda Riquelme, one of the venues for our recent Murcia Seniors Open. The Society was well represented and featured prominently on the leaders list.

In the doubles event regular tourist Basil Griffiths (Llanymynech) with  partner John Whitcott, won the doubles event after a sudden death play off with the Swedish pairing of Bob Backstedt and Per Hildebrand. The winning aggregate of 145 was chased home by two of our  pairings, SSGS Captain John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) with Keith Bruce (Edzell)  and Stuart Pond (Worksop) with Jim Johnston (Northumberland) on 146. John and Keith had the chance to join the play off but took three from the back of the treacherous 18th green- likened to putting down the bonnet of a VW Beetle.

On to the singles. Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County) recorded the only sub par round of the event with a brilliant opening 70 over this most severe of tests. However Riquelme has a habit of retaliating and subsequent rounds of 77,79 left Ian in a tie for second place to the steady golf of Spain's Angel Macias Romero. Nevertheless an excellent debut from our Ian who will no doubt go one better in years to come.

Scores from Hacienda Riquelme (SSGS Members in bold)

Doubles

 145        John Whitcott and Basil Griffiths (Llanymynech) (won after play-off)

               Bob Backstedt  and Per Hildebrand

146         John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) and Keith Bruce (Edzell)

               Stuart Pond (Worksop) and James Johnston (Northumberland)

Singles

Angel Macias-Romero (Spain)                      77  73  73    223

Ian Brotherston (Dumfries & County)        70  77  79    226

Adrian Morrow  (Ireland)                              76  78  72    226

Carlos Santana Martinez   (Spain)_              80  72  77   229

Bob Backstedt   (Sweden)                            80  76  74    230

Other SSGS aggregates

231  Basil Griffiths

232  Keith Bruce, Glyn Rees

235  James Johnston

237  John Johnston, Iain Stewart

238  Stuart Pond

240  Alistair Fiddes

243  Norman Cameron

245  Donald McCart

The second Marrakesh Festival of Golf will take place in October. Director of the event is our good friend Colin Farquharson and he would welcome a good Scottish representation for this mixed doubles tournament held over five different courses around the city. Full details can be found by clicking here.  

 By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
American professional golfers are not renowned for playing in foreign countries ... but more than 150 of them are playing two tournaments in Morocco, this week and next.
If they think it's safe to play golf in Morocco - and it certainly is! - then maybe you should be thinking of playing in one or maybe both events of a Morocco double-header this October.
This week the American pros from the eTour are playing the 72-hole Samanah Classic (all the scores are on http://www.scottishgolfview.com/) at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Samanah Country Club course.
That's just one of five courses around Marrakech being used for three separate competitions over five days at the 2nd MOROCCO GOLF FESTIVAL from October 8 to 15.
Age, young or old, doesn't matter for this week of golf as long as your handicap is 28 or below if you are male and 36 or below if you are a female.

IF YOU LIKE YOUR GOLF A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE AND YOU HAVE A LOW ENOUGH HANDICAP, THEN WHAT ABOUT THE INAUGURAL MOROCCO INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS AT AGADIR ON THE ATLANTIC COASTLINE (terrific beaches there for sunbathing when you are not golfing).

October 18-19-20-21 (two free practice rounds) at The Ocean Course.
MOROCCO INTERNATIONAL MEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP over 72 holes (max handicap 9). 500 Euros voucher to winner, 1,575 Euros prizefund
MOROCCO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP over 72 holes (max handicap 11). 500 Euros voucher to winner, 1,575 Euros prizefund.

UK Seniors Golf Association Events 2011

 
Entry Details see  http://www.uksga.co.uk/