Was Paul O'Hara right to criticise the SGU selectors?

COMMENT FROM ALASDAIR MALCOLM

Regarding the Scottishgolfview.com article on the non selection of Paul O'Hara for the European team (scroll down to read it).
The selectors have a difficult enough job in selecting the final six, a task made all the more trying due to the quality of the contenders this year. I have no doubt that the selectors will consider many factors in the performance of likely contenders before making the final decision.
It is no doubt extremely disappointing for Paul not to be selected as one of the first six. However his criticism of the SGU, and the selectors in particular, is unduly harsh, and his apparent refusal to be a reserve, if I read the article right, seems somewhat petulant.
I have no doubt that there are many excellent golfers in Scotland who would be honoured to be named as a reserve for the European team, and perhaps it would have been better for Paul to be a little more philosophical and accept the honour of the reserve place.
I fully expect that his outburst will not influence the selectors in any way in the selection of future teams and hope that Paul's talent will be called upon, and be made available, in future national sides.
I sincerely hope, as I am sure many others do, that the selectors' decision is proved to be the right one come the beginning of July, and the Scotland team enjoy success at Western Gailes.

Alasdair J. Malcolm
Prestwick

THE EDITOR'S VIEW
When I read Paul O'Hara's reaction to being classed as only the seventh best Scottish men's amateur player at the moment - he was invited to be first reserve to the squad of six for the European team championships, but turned it down - I thought he was being just a little too big for his golf shoes.
After all, can you remember Paul actually WINNING a tournament?
Then I saw the R&A World Amateur Rankings, updated today, and, according to the computer that analyses current form and recent past form, without bias, fear or favour, the Scotland team for Western Gailes should have been:
LLOYD SALTMAN (ranked No 7)
RICHIE RAMSAY (ranked No 13)
JAMES BYRNE (ranked No 40).
PAUL O'HARA (ranked No 70).
JOHN GALLAGHER (ranked no 79)
KEVIN McALPINE (ranked No 102).

So cack-handed John Gallagher from Swanston also has a bone to pick with the selection committee!
Keir McNicoll and Jonathan King, who have been selected, are ranked Nos 147 and 168 in the world respectively by the R&A.

You might not agree, and the SGU selection committee certainly wouldn't, but in this computerised age, where they can do everything but talk - and I believe some computers actually can talk - perhaps it is time to dispense with humans doing the selecting of teams from world-ranked golfers.
Leave it to the computers who do not have personal favourites or personal dislikes.
The R&A WAR has already decided who got in and who did not get into the field for this week's British amateur championship ... those who were too far down the rankings were left on the sidelines.
The next step, and I admit it may take another 25 or 50 years, is for the official world amateur rankings to decide any country's international line-up.
Remember where you heard it first - and if the SLGA and LGU ladies are reading this and thinking it doesn't really concern them, I've got news for them ... there will be R&A World Women's Amateur Rankings before the world of golf is very much older.

Colin Farquharson
Editor
Scottishgolfview.com

IS THE EDITOR SPEAKING THROUGH A HOLE IN HIS HAT?

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