Sandy Jones aims to leave Tartan Tour

(after 2014) with £1 million prize fund

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
Sandy Jones will walk away from his job as the PGA's chief executive after the 2014 Ryder Cup a happy man if he can help achieve a long-held ambition for the Tartan Tour.
Jones, pictured right, who still has a strong connection with the Scottish Region even though he has been based at the Belfry for nearly 20 years, is determined to see the prize fund for the country's home circuit hit the £1million mark and says he has made that known to the newly appointed secretary, Michael MacDougall.
"As I said to Michael, it is a good time to come in. It's like a greenkeeper taking over a bad golf course. He can only make it better and he will make it better," said Jones, who is determined to see the Tartan Tour boast the sort of schedule it had for established pros and trainees 20 years ago.
"If there's a bugbear for me in life, it's this. When I left (the Scottish Region] in 1991, we were sitting on £800,000 in prize-money and the plan was to get to the £1million mark. We were going to be the first £1million regional tour and myself and Peter Lloyd were focused on that. "Where I made a mistake was I put Neil Simpson into the job rather than Peter and we lost a couple of years at that time before Peter picked it up. Unfortunately, we've since let it slip – the prize fund this year was around £500,000 – but we will turn it around, I promise you. Getting to the £1million mark is something I'm determined to do between now and the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles – I will retire happy if that happens."
Jones reported that he believes progress is being made between the PGA and the SGU over putting a proper system in place to help promising Scottish players make a smooth transition from the amateur game to the paid ranks.
"There have been meetings with the SGU and we seem to be making some progress," he said. "I think there is a better understanding of what we are doing. One thing that slightly concerns me – and this is not a criticism of the SGU – is that the programme is all about their elite players making the transition and moving on.
"What about all the guys already in the professional game who might make it as well? What programme are we going to have for them? Paul Lawrie is the perfect example. He had a five handicap when he turned pro. But he had a great work ethic and that's why he has got to where he is today."