MONTY (44) ADMITS THAT
THE OLDER HE GETS, THE
TOUGHER IT IS TO
COMPETE AT TOP LEVEL



FROM THE BBC SPORTS WEBSITE:
Colin Montgomerie says he is finding it harder than ever to compete for the top prizes in golf.
The eight times European Order of Merit champion says he is getting older and the competition is getting tougher.
The 44-year-old was speaking ahead of the first tour event of the season, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, which begins on Thursday.
"I'm getting older the wrong way, and the competition is getting better," said Montgomerie.
"I'm trying to keep up somehow, but as with most sports it's a young man's game and I'm doing okay at 44 to sustain my level.
"I don't know how long it will last, as long as possible, but hopefully to 50. I'm doing okay at 44 to hang on to my status, which is important to me.
"I'm trying as hard as ever this season."
Monty also took time to make assurances that he is on good terms with this year's Ryder Cup captain, Nick Faldo.
Faldo had criticised the Scot for being "difficult" at this year's Seve Trophy event in Ireland.
But the two have since settled their differences, with Monty - who wants to add to his eight Ryder Cup appearances - pointing out he was sent a Christmas card from Faldo.
Montgomerie did say he felt the American challenge at this year's Ryder Cup would be stronger than in recent years.
"I think Paul Azinger's a very tough captain for the Americans and I think Nick will have his job to win the Ryder Cup," he said.
"It'll be very, very close. Don't expect the 18½-9½ scoreline that we had last time. It'll be back to one shot on the Sunday afternoon.
"Someone's going to hole a putt, and let's just hope it's a European.
"We've had great success in the Ryder Cup, we've won five out of the last six and we'd love to make it six out of seven."
Montgomerie says he is also looking forward to moving back to Scotland after 17 years living in London.
"I feel a warmth, a hospitality, if you like in Scotland which I never quite found in the London area, even though I lived there for 17 years," he said.

MURRAY URQUHART (76) LOOKS OUT OF THE HUNT FOR IFQ PLACE
IN ROYAL BIRKDALE OPEN

Young gun Josh Cunliffe enjoyed a dream start to his Open championship qualifying campaign, but his ambitions may be thwarted by the experienced pack following behind on a jam-packed first round International Final Qualifying-Africa leaderboard.
Cunliffe opened his crusade with a superb six-under-par 65 for a one shot lead round the tough East Course lay-out at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, but swing tips from Alan Michell and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke may tilt the scales in favour of Warren Abery or Brandon Pieters in Wednesday's final round.
Abery, the winner in 2006, dropped only one shot on his way to five-under-par 66, while Benoni's big-hitting Pieters capitalized on a swing tip from Clarke to cruise home and join Abery and Justin Walters of England in joint second.
Lurking one shot further behind is 2007 joint winner Doug McGuigan, who entered from "Scotland" but may be changing that to "South Africa" shortly, and former number one South African amateur, Charl Coetzee.
Northern Open champion Murray Urquhart from Inverness has little or not hope of being one of the four leaders at the end of 36 holes, who will qualify for the Open championship. Urquhart, who has a player's card for the South African Sunshine Tour, had a five-over-par round of 76 and has only two players below him on the scoreboard with one round to go.
European Tour winner Darren Fichardt is fully recovered from a wrist injury and returned a three-under 68 to tie for seventh with, among others, Italy's Eduardo Mollinari and Terry Pilkidaris from Australia - a qualifier last year.
Twenty-three year old Cunliffe got off to a fast start with a 10ft birdie after a solid five-iron approach at the tough opening hole. He finished in style with an eagle 3, again setting up a formality putt with a five-iron approach from 250 yards after splitting the fairway from the tee.
"I never expected to be leading, that's for sure," said a surprised Cunliffe. "I birdied the first hole during the Johannesburg Open, but then messed things up for myself. Today I just wanted to get off to a good start and keep the momentum going."
Cunliffe made it through the first 12 holes without dropping a shot, enjoying a run of three birdies from eight to 10, but he ran into trouble after the turn.
He managed to squeeze a birdie between bogeys at the 13th and 15th and rebounded from a third dropped shot at the 16th with a birdie-eagle finish.
"It's just really nice to walk away knowing that I came to play well and I can walk away, knowing I've done a good job. Every guy I know on Tour dreams of playing in the Open and I am no different. It would be a dream come true."
Abery's turn of luck came from a swing tip from room-mate Michell, who has the reputation as one of the best technical advisers on Tour, while Pieters took advantage of playing with Clarke during the Johannesburg Open and a piece of advice offered to him by the former Ryder Cup player on Saturday.
"Alan (Michell) gave me a tip to stand taller, stay more level through the swing and it made a huge difference to my game today," said Abery, who tied for 11th with Walters after Sunday's final round of the European and Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned event at the same venue.
Abery faltered only once with a bogey at the second before posting loops of 34 and 32 for his 66. "I have been putting really well with the claw grip, but something was off all week. Even when I was putting the scores on the board, I couldn't get excited, because I felt uncomfortable with my swing."
Pieters, who joined Gavan Levenson's coaching school at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington, has seen a big improvement but playing with the Ulsterman has put things in a new perspective.
Employing Clarke's advice to hit the ball lower and change the shape of his bread-and-butter shot from left to right - hitting with a fade - Pieters spent the better part of Sunday getting his game ready for today.
"I also watched Darren closely when I played with him last week. These guys come onto the course with a game-plan and they stick to it, no matter what. They know exactly where they are aiming; they play to the safe side of the green and mostly, they stay out of trouble.
"I tend to get too aggressive but combined with the work I've done with Gavan, this is just the kind of start I needed."
South-African born Walters, who lives in the States but plays under the English flag, was frustrated to lose momentum for a third day running coming down the back-nine.
"I did the same for two rounds at the Joburg Open - starting fast and solid, then throwing it away on the back. I was really frustrated with myself after the back-to-back bogeys at 13 and 14, but at least I managed to erase the damage," said the former Palmer Cup player, who birdied 16 and 18 for his 66.
"The Open is really close to my heart and I would dearly love to tee it up at Royal Birkdale. Tomorrow I just have to come to terms with the holes after the turn to give myself a chance of gaining a spot."
IFQ - Africa will be decided over 36-holes of strokeplay - 18 holes today, Tuesday, and 18 holes on Wednesday, 16 January 2007 - with no cut. The leading four players will qualify for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale from July 17 to 20.
First round scores:
Players from South Africa unless stated.
Par 71 (only leading four players to qualify after 36 holes).
65 Josh Cunliffe
66 Warren Abery, Justin Walters (Eng), Brandon Pieters
67 Doug McGuigan, Charl Coetzee
68 Darren Fichardt, Keith Horne, Alex Haindl, Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Terry Pilkadaris (Aus), Ulrich van den Berg, Tyrone van Aswegen
69 Hennie Otto, Marc Cayeux (Zim), Adilson da Silva (Bra), Steve Basson, Peter Karmis, Trevor Fisher Jnr
70 Gareth Paddison (Nzl), Robert Wiederkehr (Swi), Dion Fourie, Peter Kaensche (Nor), Desvonde Botes, James Kamte, Vaughn Groenewald
71 Andre Bossert (Swi), Fredrik Widmark (Swe), Bradford Vaughan, Wallie Coetsee
72 Dean Lambert, George Coetzee, Steve Alker (Nzl), Chris Swanepoel, David Park (Wal)
73 Michiel Bothma, Magnus Persson (Swe), Albert Pistorius, Mark Murless, Alan Michell, Tongo Charamba (Zim), Martin Maritz, Wayne de Haas
74 Jaco Van Zyl, Neil Schietekat, Andre Cruse, Titch Moore, Ross Wellington, Olivier David (Fra), Ryan Tipping, Jean Hugo, Kalle Brink (Swe)
75 Edrich Jansen, Alessio Bruschi (Ita), Grant Muller
76 Nic Henning, Henk Alberts, Murray Urquhart (Sco)
77 Lars Brovold (Nor)
78 Divan van den Heever
Retired: Omar Sandys, Jake Roos

MIDLAND GOLFERS' ALLIANCE NEWS

From Lee Sutherland, PGA professional, Ballumbie Castle Golf Club.

After our mid-winter break the Midland Golfers' Alliance season resumes next week - Tuesday, January 22 - at Drumoig Golf Course. Tee reserved from 8.30 to 12.30.

Lee Sutherland can be contacted as follows:
Telephone (01382) 770028.
Fax (01382) 770251
E-mail - suds@ballumbiecastle.fsnet.co.uk

Press Release

WORLD'S BEST SIGN UP FOR BALLANTINE'S
CHAMPIONSHIP IN SOUTH KOREA

Seoul, January 15: Home-grown hero Choi Kyung-ju, Open champion Padraig Harrington and World Cup winner Colin Montgomerie will headline a stellar field at the inaugural Ballantine's Championship in South Korea in March.
The illustrious trio will be joined in the €2 million (US$2.96 million) showpiece by fast-rising American-Korean star Anthony Kim and newly crowned Asian Tour number one Liang Wen-chong of China.
The Ballantine's Championship, which will be held at Pinx Golf Club on the picturesque island of Jeju from March 13-16, is the first European Tour event to be held in Korea and is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korea PGA.
Korean star Choi - who won the Sony Open in Hawaii on Sunday for his seventh US PGA Tour victory - is relishing what promises to be a special homecoming.
“As someone who cares passionately about Korean golf I’m delighted that the European Tour is coming to my country for the first time,” said Choi, the highest ranked Asian in the world at number seven.
“The Ballantine's Championship will be a huge boost to golf in Korea and I’m very happy to be playing in the inaugural tournament.
“It will be an emotional experience for me to be teeing off in front of the Korean fans and they can be rest assured that I'll be doing my very best to produce a home win,” added the 36-year-old Choi, who is better known as KJ.
World No 9 Harrington will also be one of the favourites to win the inaugural tournament. “It's great news that the European Tour is hosting its first event in Korea and I'm delighted to be taking part in this historic tournament,” said the Irish ace.
“As players, we always look forward to new challenges and the Ballantine's Championship will be a tremendous opportunity to play in a different environment and meet new fans. It promises to be a fantastic event.”
Harrington, 36, joined golf's elite with his victory in the 136th Open Championship at Carnoustie in July 2007, in the process becoming the first Irishman in 60 years to lift the Claret Jug.
Flying Scotsman Montgomerie, meanwhile, will head to Korea looking to add to his impressive record in Asia. “I've always enjoyed playing in Asia and have been fortunate enough to win in Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China in the past, so I'm very happy to be returning to the region for the Ballantine's Championship,” he said.
“It's clear already that Ballantine's and the organisers are compiling an extremely strong field and all indications are that it will be a great addition to the European Tour schedule.”
Montgomerie, 44, the most prolific British winner in European Tour history, finished 2007 on a high by teaming up with Marc Warren to win the Omega Mission Hills World Cup for Scotland in China last November.
Fans at the Ballantine's Championship can be expected to show their backing for Kim, whose parents emigrated to the United States from Korea in 1971.
The talented 22-year-old from Los Angeles is enjoying a meteoric rise on the PGA Tour with five top-10 finishes to his name already and prize money of more than US$1.5 million in his first year.
“Playing in the inaugural European Tour event in the country of my parents' birth will be a great moment for me,” he said. “I'll be banking on plenty of support from the fans and hopefully I can give them something to cheer about.”
The Asian Tour's challenge at the Ballantine's Championship will be spearheaded by Liang, who will be looking to build on his successes of 2007.
Liang, China’s No.1, achieved his maiden Tour victory last March at the Singapore Masters and rounded off a brilliant year by becoming the first player from his country to win the Asian Tour's Order of Merit title.
“It's been a fantastic year for me and winning the UBS Order of Merit has allowed me to finish 2007 on a high,” said Liang, 29.
“And, now, to be involved in the very first Ballantine's Championship in Korea, together with some of the best players in the world, means 2008 could be even better.”
Simon Burley, marketing manager for Ballantine's, commented: “This is already an outstanding international field for the inaugural Ballantine's Championship. Ballantine's Scotch and golf share a tradition of excellence which we hope will be continued by a championship with stars of this calibre.”
The Ballantine's Championship will be an "international" event open to all professionals, meaning entries will be determined by the Official World Golf Rankings rather than a player's position on any particular tour's Order of Merit.
Given this criterion, organisers are confident of creating a world-class field and more star players will be announced in the coming weeks.
The tournament, promoted by Parallel Media Group, is backed by the Korea PGA, European Tour and Asian Tour, which agreed to co-sanction the event.
Ballantine's, the undisputed super premium whisky worldwide and in Korea, is the title sponsor and has committed to the event for a minimum of three years.
Tournament organisers have been overwhelmed by the response from sponsors and have today announced that the Ballantine's Championship will be officially supported by PCA Life and PCA Asset, Jeju Special Self-governing Province, Callaway, Korean Ginseng, Omega, BMW, Shilla Hotel and Global Tours.

Press Release

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR SCHEDULE
RELEASED: ONE EVENT IN SCOTLAND

The European Challenge Tour celebrates its 20th season with a Schedule that features six new tournaments, including an historic first visit to China, and culminating at the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final from October 23-26.
The inaugural Chinese Challenge, to be played at the stunning Qingdao Golf Club from September 11-14, will be followed by the richest single Challenge Tour event, the Kazakhstan Open, which now boasts a formidable prize fund of €430,000.
The new, three-year agreement to keep the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final at San Domenico Golf on Italy’s beautiful Adriatic Coast will see the prize fund for the Challenge Tour’s most significant event of the year increase to €280,000.
The Scottish Challenge - the only stop in Scotland for the Challenge Tour - will again by played at Macdonald Cardrona Hotel's course near Peebles from June 26 to 29.
With new tournaments in Argentina, China, the Czech Republic, France and Poland, a return to Morocco and further announcements to be made in the coming months, the 2008 Challenge Tour Schedule offers the Membership a diverse and international itinerary as they compete for the 20 available cards to The 2009 European Tour International Schedule.

THE 2008 EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR SCHEDULE
MARCH
06 – 09 Tusker Kenya Open Karen Golf Club, Nairobi, Kenya
27 - 30 Abierto del Centro Cordoba GC, Cordoba, Argentina
APRIL
03 - 06 Abierto VISA de la Republica Hurlingham Club, Buenos Aires.
10 - 13 Club Colombia Masters Country Club de Bogotá, Bogotá
17 - 20 Event to be arranged.
24 - 27 AGF-Allianz Open Cotes d'Armor Bretagne Golf Blue Green de Pleneuf Val André, France
MAY
01 - 04 Banque Populaire Moroccan Classic 2008 El Jadida Sofitel Golf Resort, El Jadida. 08 - 11 Open Mahou de Madrid TBC, Madrid, Spain
15 - 18 Event to be arranged.
22 - 25 Wroclaw Open Toya Golf & Country Club, Wroclaw, Poland
29 May - 1 Jun Oceanico Developments Pro-Am Challenge Marriott Worsley Park Hotel & CC, Manchester.
JUNE
05 - 08 Event to be arranged.
12 - 15 Aa St Omer Open Aa St Omer, Lumbres, France
19 - 22 Telenet Trophy Limburg Golf &CC, Houthalen, Belgium
26 - 29 Scottish Challenge Macdonald Cardrona G&CC, Peebles.
JULY
03 - 06 AGF-Allianz EurOpen de Lyon Golf du Gouverneur, Monthieux, France
10 - 13 Credit Suisse Challenge Wylihof GC, Luterbach, Switzerland.
17 - 20 MAN NÖ Open GC Adamstal, Ramsau, Austria
24 - 27 Ryder Cup Wales Challenge Vale Hotel Golf & Spa Resort, Wales
31 July - 3 Aug Challenge of Ireland Glasson Golf Hotel & CC, Athlone, Ireland.
AUGUST
07 - 10 Norwegian Challenge Moss & Rygge GK, Dilling, Norway
14 - 17 Trophée du Golf Club de Genève Golf Club de Genève, Genève, Switzerland
14 - 17 Vodafone Challenge Golf & CC An der Elfrather Mühle, Dusseldorf, Germany
21 - 24 Ypsilon Golf Challenge Ypsilon Golf Resort, Liberec, Czech Republic
28 - 31 ECCO Tour Championship Kokkedal GK, Copenhagen, Denmark.
SEPTEMBER
04 - 07 Challenge of Sweden Hills GC, Gothenburg, Sweden
11 - 14 Chinese Challenge Qingdao GC, Qingdao, China
18 - 21 Kazakhstan Open Nurtau Golf Club, Almaty, Kazakhstan
25 - 28 Event to be arranged.
OCTOBER
02 - 05 AGF-Allianz Open de Toulouse Golf de Toulouse Seilh, Seilh, France
09 - 12 Event to be arranged.
16 - 19 Toscana Open Italian Federation Cup Le Pavoniere Golf Club, Prato, Italy
23 - 26 Apulia San Domenico Grand Final San Domenico Golf, Italy