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**truebluefan** · 07-13-2008, 11:27 PM

England's Ross Fisher has maintained his brilliant run of form to move into contention for The Barclays Scottish Open title at Loch Lomond Golf Club.

Fisher won The European Open by seven shots from Sergio Garcia on Sunday, just days after securing his place in the Open Championship through the 36-hole qualifying competition at Sunningdale.

The 27 year old led from start to finish after an opening course-record 63 at The London Golf Club, and moved from 21st to 11th in the Ryder Cup standings.

Playing alongside World Number Two Phil Mickelson in the opening two rounds this week, Fisher outscored the American by a shot to lie five under par at the halfway stage.

And in testing, windy conditions on Saturday Fisher proceeded to overcame a slow start to move into a share of second place on a highly congested leaderboard.

After a bogey five on the opening hole, Fisher picked up birdies at the sixth and ninth to be out in 35, but it was a hat-trick of birdies from the 12th that really boosted his chances of back-to-back titles on The European Tour and a third overall.

At nine under par Fisher shared second with Miguel Angel Jimenez and England's Simon Khan, one behind Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell.

McDowell also began the day on five under and after reaching the turn in 34, birdied the 11th and 12th and eagled the 14th, recording his only bogey of the day so far on the par-five 13th.

The clubhouse target had been set at seven under by Adam Scott and Ian Poulter, the duo carding matching 68s. That represented a superb recovery from Scott, the World Number Three, who began the tournament with a triple bogey seven on his opening hole and is playing with a broken bone in his right hand.

And playing partner Poulter was delighted to play himself into contention just one shot off a current six-way tie for the lead.

"It was a tricky day, the wind was swirling and a little bit stronger than the last couple of days," said Poulter. "The pins were also tucked away so to shoot three under was pretty good and I'm back in contention, which is nice.

"I've played this course well the last few years and if I can keep doing what I am doing and hole a few more putts I'm going to keep making my way up."

Scott was keen to forget his ordeal on the 17th. He said: "“Coming to the 18th, I knew I made the mistake, I just needed to focus. You have to leave those things behind you, which, you know, you've got to be a bit focused and obviously I wasn't on 17. But got to leave it there, and 18 is a tough hole, a lot of trouble if you are not focused.

"I feel like I do have a low one in me for sure. And you know, I might need it tomorrow."

**truebluefan** · 07-13-2008, 11:28 PM

Graeme McDowell scored a superb 66 to top The Barclays Scottish Open leaderboard on ten under par alongside Simon Khan going into the final round at Loch Lomond Golf Club.

The Northern Irishman, who has not been over par at any point in his 67-70-66 surge towards a fourth career win on The European Tour, took birdies on both the fourth and fifth holes before picking up another two strokes at the 11th and 12th.

A bogey six followed on the 13th, but an eagle two at the par four 14th and a birdie on the last nullified the effect of a dropped shot at the 17th.

Khan looked equally imperious in joining McDowell at ten under for the tournament, the Englishman collecting strokes at the first and fourth before a bogey six at the sixth temporarily halted his charge.

He recovered to pick up shots at the ninth, 13th and 14th to take the lead, but a dropped shot at the 17th ensured a clubhouse score of 203 and a tie going into the final day.

For McDowell the win would guarantee him a place in Nick Faldo’s side at The Ryder Cup.

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**truebluefan** · 07-13-2008, 11:29 PM

Stephen Gallacher produced a stunning round of 64 to surge into upper reaches of the leaderboard at The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond Golf Club.

The Scot, whose previous three rounds of 72-68-72 had left him at one under par and tied for 44th going into the final day, threw the form book into the Arn Burn by shooting the joint lowest round of the week to take a temporary share of fifth place on eight under par.

His run, which included no bogeys, started with him picking up shots on the third, sixth and seventh, before a run of three birdies from the 12th had him within striking distance of the top five finish which could qualify him for The Open Championship.

A seventh birdie at the 18th brought him into a tie for fifth place, though that is liable to change with the leaders barely into their rounds.

Spain’s Alvaro Quiros was equally impressive in his final round, claiming birdies on the first, sixth and eighth before picking up further strokes on the 13th, 14th, 16th and last to take a 64, seven under par overall.

Elsewhere, Francesco Molinari has fought his way into contention with four birdies and no bogeys on his opening nine, leaving him eight under for the tournament, while Scotland’s Paul Lawrie looked threatening early on, collecting four birdies and two bogeys in nine holes to move to eight under par overall.

Australia’s Richard Green picked up a stroke on the fourth to sit one shot adrift of leader Graeme McDowell, who remains on ten under par after two holes. Simon Khan, who held a share of the lead overnight, dropped a shot on the par four second.

**truebluefan** · 07-13-2008, 11:30 PM

James Kingston has played himself into contention for his second title on The European Tour this season after firing a superb final round of 66 at The Barclays Scottish Open.

The 42 year old, who won the South African Airways Open in his homeland last December, came into the fourth day in a tie for 13th on six under par, but surged to the upper reaches of the leaderboard on 11 under par after shooting six birdies and just one bogey.

Whether he is in the frame at the close remains to be seen as Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell is currently 13 under par towards the end of his round with Australia’s Richard Green and England’s Simon Khan two shots further back.

What is in no doubt, however, is the quality of his round. Kingston immediately picked up a stroke at Loch Lomond Golf Club’s first hole and added birdies at the third and ninth to go out in 33. Further birdies followed at the tenth, 15th and 17th, but a bogey four on the 11th could ultimately prove costly.

He said: “That’s probably as close to flawless golf as I have played. It felt like I hit almost every fairway.

“I really could not do much more. I had a great weekend to go from just making the cut to being in contention.”

Elsewhere, Stephen Gallacher produced a stunning round of 64 to surge into upper reaches of the leaderboard.

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**truebluefan** · 07-13-2008, 11:31 PM

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell has won The Barclays Scottish Open by two shots after a final round score of 68 took him to 13 under par at Loch Lomond Golf Club.

South African James Kingston was second with a clubhouse score of 273, while Australia’s Richard Green and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez were a shot further back in third.

The win, McDowell’s second on The European Tour this season after a victory at the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea in March, lifted the 28 year old from tenth to sixth in the standings for The Ryder Cup, but he was not the only one to qualify for a prestigious event.

England’s Simon Khan, who held a two-shot lead after 11 holes of the final round but double-bogeyed the 12th and 17th to finish fifth, secured the final place on offer at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Khan held his nerve to par the last when a bogey would have handed the spot to Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, who closed with a superb 64 to finish in a tie for sixth.

McDowell and Khan began the day tied for the lead and were still locked together at the turn on 12 under par.

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