Donald Trump gets green light
for Balmedie links development
although private housing
restricted to 500

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
US tycoon Donald Trump has vowed to create the "greatest golf course in the world" after his plans for a £1 billion resort were given the go-ahead.
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney approved the proposals, saying there was "a significant economic and social benefit" in the project.
The proposals had been rejected in controversial circumstances by Aberdeenshire Council last year, before being called in by ministers.
Mr Trump welcomed the news and said the resort, proposed for the Menie Estate, near Balmedie, a few miles north of Aberdeen, would be a "tremendous asset" for the area.
He said: "As I have often said, because of the quality of the land we are given to work with, we will build the greatest golf course in the world."
The plans include proposals for two golf courses, a 450-bedroom hotel and housing as well as holiday apartments and golf villas.
The scheme faced strong local opposition, including from environmental groups, but won widespread support in the business community.
First Minister Alex Salmond said: "The economic and social benefits for the North East of Scotland substantially outweigh any environmental impact."
Mr Salmond, also the local MSP for Gordon, said he had been "cup-tied" from commenting publicly on the issue because of his government position. He said: "It is great to be able to finally speak my mind. In tough economic times, substantial investment of this kind is at a premium."
The scheme received outline planning permission, but a string of conditions rule that the environmentally sensitive sand dunes on the site must remain protected. The conditions also stipulate that no more than 500 houses for private sale should be built.

Pressure on Martin

Laird at final event

of 2008 US Tour

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Aberdeen-born Michael Sim finished joint 18th and Glasgow exile Martin Laird joint 32nd behind winner Ryan Palmer (who birdied the last hole) in the second last event of the US PGA Tour 2008 season, the Ginn Sur Mer Classic in Florida.

Sim collected $52,133 in only his seventh outing on the tour this year following the stress fracture to his lower back which put his golfing career on hold. The former world No 1 amateur, brought up in Perth, Western Australia, has won $269,864 this season - that's an average of $38,552 for each tournament in which he has played - but he is still way down the US PGA Tour money list for 2008, having climbed up only from 198th to 185th after the Ginn Sur Mer Classic.

Unless Sim can win this week's final tournament, he will have to go back to Tour School. I am not even sure if making the top 20 yesterday, gets him into this week's Children's Miracle Network Classic at Lake Buena Vista, Florida, just as his joint seventh finish the week before earned him a place in the Ginn Sur Mer Classic.

Alongside Sim on the three-under-par 285 mark was Kenneth Ferrie from the North-east of England. He had a definite winning chance going into the final round but blew it with a closing 75.

Sim's rounds were 72, 73, 70 and 70.

Laird (pictured above) is in a real pressure pot situation at the final event. His earnings on Sunday of $27,216 boosted his season's total to $803,072 and his money table ranking from 128th to 126th. But only the leading 125 next Sunday evening will keep their playing rights on the 2009 US PGA Tour.

Currently in 125th place is Jeff Overton with a total of $840,809. So Laird needs to win at least $38,000 in the last event and hope that Overton does not earn a cent.

Laird's rounds in the Ginn Sur Mer Classic were 72, 71, 72 and 72 for one-under-par 287.

Scroll down for all the final totals.

GOLFWEEK COMMENT ON MARTIN LAIRD

One would think three top-10s and 19 cuts made this year on the US PGA Tour would be good enough to squeak into the top 125, but the Scotsman sits precariously at No. 126 on the money list heading into Disney.

Laird posted three consecutive top-10s in August (T-4, Legends Reno-Tahoe Open; T-4, Wyndham Championship; T-7, The Barclays) and played in two more FedEx Cup events, yet he’s a little over $37,000 away from No. 125.

Though players often claim to focus on one shot at a time, it may be hard for Laird not to look back on a second-round 74 at Wyndham if he doesn’t make the top 125.

Laird made a triple-bogey 7 on the 18th hole (his ninth) after he incurred a two-stroke penalty for failing to replace his ball marker. He went 63-74-64-63 for the week and finished out of third by a shot.

Take away that triple and he would have tied as runner-up. Oh, what could have been!

US PGA TOUR MONEY TABLE

(Number of events played in brackets)

1 VJ Singh (23) $6,601,094.
2 T Woods (6) $5,775,006.

3 P Mickelson (21) $5,188,875.

4 S Garcia (19) $4,858,224.

5 K Perry (26) $2,663,794.

6 A Kim (22) $4,656,265.

7 C Villegas (22) $4,422,61.

8 P Harrington (15) $4,313,551.

9 S Cink (22) $3,963,661.

10 J Leonard (25) $3,943,542.

11 R Allenby (27) $3,584,930.

12 J Furyk (26) $3,455,714.

13 R Imada (25) $3,029,363.

14 M Weir (26) $3,0620,135.

15 G Ogilvy (20) $2,88,099.

16 K J Choi (21) $2,683,442.

17 B Curtis (22) $2,615,798.

18 K Sutherland (26) $2,581,311.

19 T Immelman (22) $2,566,199.

20 E Els (16) $2,537,290.

Selected totals

56 L Westwood (10) $1,550,880.

63 I Poulter (15) $1,488,214.

66 L Donald (11) $1,456,650.

92 B Davis (33) $1,151,558.

97 J Rose (15) $1,047,854.

123 M Allen (27) $847,863.

124 S Bertsch (28) $841,248.

125 J Overton (31) $8409,809

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126 M Laird (28) $803,072.

180 K Ferrie (24) $288,772.

185 M Sim (7) $269,864