US Tour can wait, says Rory McIlroy

as he avoids a burn-out schedule

Rory McIlroy is concentrating on Europe rather than America because he wants to avoid burn-out.
The 20-year-old's meteoric rise up the world rankings this year entitled him to US Tour membership, but he has pledged his immediate future to his home circuit.
"I don't want to play 30 events a year and get burn-out," said McIlroy on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. "I had not planned on having a PGA Tour card for two or three years, so it was an easy decision to make in that respect."
He added: "I'm very happy in Europe. I'll play the majors and the World Golf Championships and I think the way my schedule has worked out is perfect."
The Dubai Desert Open champion missed the halfway cut on his PGA Championship debut last year after rounds of 74 and 77, but his hopes are much higher this time.
His earliest memories of the West Course are of being brought by his parents to watch the World Match Play.
McIlroy finished well down the field in last week's Irish Open and missed the cut in the Players Championship in Florida before that, but he added: "Golf's a very fickle game. You can come in and out of form very quickly."
Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez defends the title, but he has been having treatment for a shoulder problem that has been bothering him for months.
The Malaga golfer won the title at 44 in his 20th season on the European Tour. His first event was six years before McIlroy was born.

Shane Lowry to announce he's turning pro

at Dublin Press Conference tomorrow

Ireland's Shane Lowry, who on Sunday became only the third amateur to win on the European Tour, is expected to announce tomorrow afternoon that he is turning professional.
A press conference has been called for a Dublin hotel which will have everyone in the sport speculating that the new Irish Open champion is switching codes and will possibly make his debut for money in next week's European Open at the London Club in Kent.
Lowry, a 22-year-old plus-five handicapper, had to turn down the first prize of almost £440,000 at County Louth. That went instead to England's Robert Rock, whom he had beaten at the third hole of a play-off.
Britain and Ireland Walker Cup captain Colin Dalgleish said on Monday that he was hopeful the County Offaly golfer would stay amateur to play in September's match against the Americans.
But Lowry commented later the same day: "I can't see myself playing amateur golf after what's happened. It would be taking a step down."
He could have dived straight into this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, but instead announced he was taking time out to consider his future.
Until the Portuguese Open two years ago no amateur had won a Tour event. Spaniard Pablo Martin changed that and then three months ago New Zealander Danny Lee, winner last year of the US Amateur title, captured the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia.
Martin turned professional two months after his victory and so did Lee, who earned himself a place in The Masters at Augusta and could not take that unless he stayed amateur.
Lowry's appearance in the Irish Open was his first ever start in a professional event and in Friday's second round he fired an astonishing 10-under-par 62, matching the lowest ever round by an amateur on the circuit.
+There has been comment among the US golf media that the fact that THREE amateurs have now won on the European Tour against only one (Phil Mickelson just before he turned pro a few years ago) on the US PGA Tour is reflection on the respective strength in depth of the respective circuits.

Mickelson puts tournament schedule on

hold with news his wife has breast cancer

Phil Mickelson has indefinitely suspended his US PGA Tour schedule after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Mickelson was due to play at the Byron Nelson Championship, starting tomorrow and defend his title at Colonial next week, but has withdrawn to be alongside his wife, Amy, who faces "major surgery, possibly within the next two weeks", according to a report on the official US PGA Tour website.
The Mickelsons married in 1996 and have three children.
The news came as Mickelson was starting his countdown to next month's US Open at Bethpage Black, the New York course where he was runner-up to Tiger Woods in 2002 and where he was a real fan favourite.
It remains to be seen if his wife's health will allow him to take part in the championship.
Woods sent a message that he and his Swedish wife Elin "are deeply saddened to hear the news about Amy. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, Phil, the children and the entire Mickelson family".
On the European Tour there are regular breast cancer charity events in memory of Darren Clarke's wife Heather, who died just before the 2006 Ryder Cup.
Only last Friday at the Irish Open players were requested to wear an item of pink clothing to help raise awareness and Clarke's former caddie Billy Foster is walking from Loch Lomond to Turnberry in July to raise funds.
Mickelson was fifth at The Masters in April after a brilliant last-day charge in which he and playing partner Woods both moved from seven behind to one behind before slipping up late on.
He was also close to toppling his great rival from the world number one spot, a position he has never held in his career.

Justin Rose out .... Richie Ramsay gets

place in BMW PGA Championship

The European Tour's flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth today lost one of its top attractions when Justin Rose had to pull out because of a back injury.
Rose, runner-up to Dane Anders Hansen after a play-off two years ago and European No. 1 that season, had withdrawn from the eve-of-tournament pro-am in the hope that an extra day's rest might enable him to start.
But although he had a late tee-off time of 12.55pm on Thursday he informed officials this afternoon that he was out. His place at Wentworth has gone to Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay, winner of the US Amateur title in 2006 and now a Tour rookie.
Rose said on his website: "Being back in the UK always ends up being very hectic for me as commitments always get crammed into the one week that I am home.
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Justin Rose's official website
European Tour's official website
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"It has been even more hectic this year travelling back with Leo (his son born in February), where we have been taking him to meet all the extended family and friends.
"Maybe all this rushing around has resulted in my back flaring up again and I am really disappointed to report that I have just had to withdraw.
"This has been a tournament that I have always loved competing in and is the main reason we travelled back, so having to withdraw is very frustrating for me.
"My goal for the rest of the week is to get fit and prepare myself for the two upcoming tournaments in America before the US Open.
"My schedule has been very hectic, so even though I am injured I am going to try and use this time to recharge my batteries."
Rose, 22nd in the Players Championship two weeks ago, has battled with injury the last few years and worked hard on his fitness to try to improve the situation.

Home comforts for Edoardo Molinari in Turin tourney

From Paul Symes, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Italian Edoardo Molinari took advantage of home comforts to grab a share of the lead on the opening day of the Piemonte Open on the European Challenge Tour.
Playing at Golf Club La Mandria in his home town of Turin, the former US Amateur Champion opened with an eagle and carded a further five birdies to move to five under par, alongside fellow leader Jan-Are Larsen of Norway.
Molinari's round of 67 was a continuation of the fine form which saw him finish runner-up in the season-opening Club Colombia Masters presentado por Samsung on the Challenge Tour, and in a tie for 17th in the recent BMW Italian Open on The European Tour.
The Molinari family name was in the newspapers last week after elder brother Francesco set a new course record in The 3 Irish Open, only to be disqualified on the second day for signing for a wrong score.
But Edoardo is hoping to hit the headlines for the right reasons by adding the Piemonte Open to his two previous Challenge Tour titles, and so move a step closer to securing a return to The European Tour.
He said: “I play here nearly every day when I’m at home, so I know the course very well. It’s in great condition, and I feel like I’m playing well too. I’ve been working very hard on some changes to my swing over the winter, and I’m now striking the ball better than I’ve ever done. I’m now fading the ball instead of drawing it so it was a big change, but so far it’s working very well. Me and my brother are coached by Dennis Pugh, who’s been working with Colin Montgomerie for ten years, and it seems to be going well. All I need now is to hole a few more putts!
“I was obviously disappointed to lose my card last year, but I learned a lot from the experience and I’m sure I would feel more confident of keeping it next time. Hopefully I can get back on Tour to play again with my brother, who’s doing fantastically well at the moment. I played with him in the Italian Open, and from tee to green he was so good. Obviously he was really disappointed after what happened in The Irish Open, but it’s bound to happen once in your career.
"He’s been so consistent and he’s high up in the stroke averages, so I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before he wins another tournament.”
Molinari and Larsen are one shot clear of a quintet of players in a tie for third on four under par: England’s Robert Coles, Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, France’s Olivier David, Spaniard Carlos Rodiles and Italian Marco Soffietti, the head professional at Golf Club La Mandria.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
67 J Larsen (Nor), E Molinari (Ita).
68 C Rodiles (Esp), N Colsaerts (Bel), R Coles (Eng), O David (Fra), M Soffietti (Ita).
69 R Steiner (Aut), M Morris (Eng), A Butterfield (Eng), M Crespi (Ita), P Gustafsson (Swe) , C Suneson (Esp), C Günther (Ger).
70 A Ahokas (Fin), J Guerrier (Fra), P Whiteford (Sco) , B Hebert (Fra), J Zapata (Arg) , B Miarka (Ger), C Moriarty (Irl), A McLean (Sco), D Marmion (Eng), F Calmels (Fra) , L Brovold (Nor), C Carranza (Arg) ,
71 J Quesne (Fra) , F Fritsch (Ger) , C Russo (Fra) , M Laskey (Wal) , J Clément (Sui) , F Colombo (Ita), L James (Eng) , J Arruti (Esp) , A Willey (Eng) , G Boyd (Eng) , S Henry (Sco) , A Bossert (Sui) , N Joakimides (Fra) , A Marshall (Eng) ,
72 M Jurgensen (Den) , M Wiegele (Aut) , A Tampion (Aus) , J McLeary (Sco), R McEvoy (Eng) , S Robinson (Eng) , P Baker (Eng) , R De Sousa (Sui) , J Colomo (Esp), M Rodriguez (Arg) , A Bruschi (Ita) , J Billot (Fra) , G Molteni (Ita) , B Pettersson (Swe), M Tullo (Chi) , J Grillon (Fra) , M Korhonen (Fin) , A Hansen (Den) , T Schuster (Ger), S Jeppesen (Swe) , K Jorgensen (Den) , W Schauman (Swe) , R Kakko (Fin) , M Higley (Eng) ,
73 L Westerberg (Swe) , T Whitehouse (Eng) , I Giner (Esp), E Ramsay (Sco) , M Cort (Eng) , A Zani (Ita) , G Gresse (Bel) , N Lemke (Swe) , B Evans (Eng), C Brazillier (Fra) , L Kennedy (Eng) , A Grenier (Fra) , N Maestroni (Ita) , G Shaw (Nir), M Zions (Aus) , G Paddison (Nzl) , B Mason (Eng) , J Abbate (Arg) , J Wahlqvist (Swe) , T Cruz (Por), S Reale (Ita) , N Smith (USA) , G Hutcheon (Sco), G Murray (Sco), C Gane (Eng).
74 J Bjerhag (Swe) , L Bond (Wal) , V Riu (Fra), E Lattanzi (Ita), J Parry (Eng) , A Wagner (Arg) , P Bocian (Swe) , D Nouailhac (Fra), G Houston (Wal), M Delpodio (Ita) , A McArthur (Sco) , J Morrison (Eng) , A Gee (Eng) , G Vicente Elena (Esp) , M Haastrup (Den) ,
75 A Högberg (Swe) , A Mörk (Fra) , J Sjöholm (Swe), L Saltman (Sco), C Monasterio (Arg) , D Küpper (Ger) , N Fox (Irl) , E Canonica (Ita) , I Pyman (Eng) , G Tonelli (Ita) , T Feyrsinger (Aut) , A Grammatica (am) (Ita) ,
76 D Griffiths (Eng) , R Swane (Ned) , R Treis (Ger) , J Moul (Eng) , P Purhonen (Fin) , S Brizzolari (Ita) , M Rominger (Sui) , J Boerdonk (Ned) , F Svanberg (Sui) ,
77 D Olsen (USA) , B Parker (Eng) , B Etchart (Esp) , R Santos (Por) , N Cabrera (Par) , P Terreni (Ita) , M Gojcic (Slo) , N Meitinger (Ger) , J Ruth (Eng) , P Bronson (USA) , T Dykes (Wal) , M Kramer (Ger) , O Floren (Swe).
78 A Perrino (Ita) , J Altonen (Fin) , B Lecuona (Fra) , J Forestier (Fra) , M Reale (Ita) , A Zanini (Ita) , D Ulrich (Sui) , A Haindl (RSA).
79 R Hie (Ina) , M Bernardini (Ita), K Sullivan (Wal).
80 I Garcia Avis (Esp) , A Rota (Ita).
81 S Piaget (Mon), M Guerisoli (Ita) , E Sesia (am) (Ita).
83 A Bernadet (Fra).
84 A Garbaccio (am) (Ita).

B D Fraser Northern Counties Cup at Inverness

Holders Murcar Links v Cruden Bay

in Thursday morning quarter-final

By ROBIN WILSON
Brora Golf Club's second team, Ken Lorimer and Alister Matheson with Jimmy Murray and Bill Ballantyne upstaged their first team, twice previous winners of the B D Fraser Northern Counties Cup, in today's first round of the 2009 competition at Inverness Golf Club .
The Sutherland club's previous double-winning team went out in the first round to Nairn Dunbar by two holes while the second team, whose lowest handicap player is eight, pulled off the upset of the first round with a one-hole win over Elgin's first team squad.
Brora's second squad could not maintain their run against the holders, Murcar Links, going down by nine holes in the next round. Murcar now have an all North-east tie tomorrow morning against Cruden Bay's first team who only survived the first round with a second extra hole win over Elgin (2).
Home club Inverness's representatives, Fraser Urquhart, Jim Elliot, Bob McAdam and Jocky Thomson, safely progressed into the quarter finals with two 11-hole wins over Forres and Turriff.
Thomson claiming the star billing of the day, with a shot from a bunker at the 10th hole which just missed a postman on his bicycle on the road beyond the out of bounds wall behind the green.
RESULTS
First Round
Brora 2 bt Elgin 1 by one hole.
Cruden Bay 1 bt Elgin 2 at 20th.
Strathpeffer Spa bt Inverness 2 by three holes.
Moray beat Nairn Dunbar 2 by four holes.
Fortrose & Rosemarkie 2 bt Torvean by one hole.
Inverness 1 bt Forres by 11 holes.
Nairn Dunbar 1 bt Brora 1 by two holes.
Second Round
Murcar Links bt Brora 2 by nine holes.
Cruden Bay 1 bt Tain by four holes.
Strathpeffer Spa bt McDonald Ellon by six holes.
Moray bt Deeside by three holes.
Fortrose & Rosemarkie 2 bt Cruden Bay 2 by six holes.
Inverness 1 bt Turriff by 11 holes.
Nairn Dunbar bt The Nairn by 10 holes.
Royal Dornoch bt Fortrose & Rosemarkie 1 by one hole.

Scottish senior men's amateur championship

David Lane in action (image by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography).

Lane leads but it's not over yet ...

Overnight leader Ian Hutcheon has lost the pole position at Panmure to another twice former winner of the Scottish senior men's amateur championship, Englishman David Lane from the Goring & Streatley club, near Reading.

But Hutcheon is still in there with a definite chance going into the final round. In fac any one of half-a-dozen contenders could finish up holding the trophy aloft ... if they have the bottle!

Lane posted a 75 after his second-placed opening round of 70 but a five-over-par tally of 145 was good enough to push him a shot clear of three players - Monifieth's Ian Hutcheon (67-79), John Fraser (Royal Burgess) (78-68 and Robert Vallis (Bermuda) (76-70).

A shot behind is former Scottish and Spanish senior open amateur champion Gordon MacDonald (Callander) who posted a second-round 71 early in the day for 147.

QUALIFIERS

Par 140 (2 x 70)
145 David Lane (Goring & Streatley) 70 75.

146 John Fraser (Royal Burgess) 78 68, Robert Vallis (Bermuda) 76 70, Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth) 67 79.

147 Gordon MacDonald (Callander) 76 71.
148 Stephen Baker (Woodside) 74 74.
149 George Paterson (Northern) 76 73, Philip Slater (Sandiway) 75 74.

150 Francis Clark (Royal Aberdeen) 75 75, Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) 75 75, John Black (Scotscraig) 74 76.

151 Andrew Campbell (Kinross) 75 76, A;am Ferguson (Drumpellier) 77 74,. David Downie (Kirriemuir) 77 74, John Baldwin (Sunningdale), George Payne (Prestbury) 75 76, Glynn Rees (Fleetwood) 74 77, Donald McCart (Sherwood Forest) 73 78.

152 Robert Jack (Liberton) 78 74, Basil Griffiths (Llanymynech) 77 75, William Brown (Strathaven) 77 75, Martyn Temple (US) 76 76, Robert Gill (Gerrards Cross) 73 79.

153 Geoffrey King (West Essex) 81 72, John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) 78 75, J Scott Macdonald (Dunfermline) 78 75, Adrian Donkersley (Gerrads Cross) 77 76, Robert Stewart (Tulliallan) 77 76, Tony Patterson (Sunningdale) 76 77, Ralph Cowe (Kelso) 76 77, Andrew Wight Glencorse) 73 80.
154 Robert Wallace (Crosland Heath) 78 76, Norman Swenson (US) 77 77 Keith MacBryde (Stone) 74 80, Jim Watt (Edzell) 75 79, Jonathan Hubbard (Sunningdale) 80 74, Colin Halcrow (Windyhill) 75 79, Aidan Grounds (Falkirk Tryst) 75 79.

155 Alistair Brett (Northumberland) 81 74, Rich Tolly (US) 80 75, Richard Campbell (Kinross) 79 76, Paul Crellin (Prenton) 78 77, Bill MacIntyre (Harpenden) 77 78, Glyn Hughes (Church Stretton) 74 81.

MISSED THE CUT
156 Hugh MacKeown (Portmarnock) 78 78, Stephen Sander (US) 81 75, John Sim (Duff House Royal) 80 76, Alistair Fiddes (Deeside) 79 77, Scott Brady (Burntisland GH) 78 78, James Kinloch (Cardross) 77 79, Stephen Rhorer (US) 77 79.

Selected scores:
157 Bob Edgar (Blackpool North Shore) 81 76, Andrew Laird (Deeside) 79 78, Colin Christy (Kilmacolm) 78 79, Stephen Ellis (Heritage) 77 80, Iain MacDonald (Bruntsfield Links) 80 77.

158 Dominic McLaughlin (Crow Wood) 82 76.
160 Sandy Fairweather (Carnoustie Caledonia) 83 77, John McIntyre (Lundin) 821 78, Graham McGee (Erskine) 78 82, Gordon Doig (Southerness) 75 85.