Banchory player now has only four Scots ahead of him

James Byrne jumps 169 places in

R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings

James Byrne's seven-shot victory in the weekend Tennant Cup at Killermont, following hard on the heels of reaching the last 16 in the British amateur championship in Lancashire has worked wonders for the 20-year-old Banchory player's world amateur ranking.
In the latest R&A WAGR list, issued tonight, the Arizona State University student, not included in Scotland's six for the upcoming European team championship, has jumped up 169 places to No 204.
Craigielaw's Mark Hillson, the only Scot to reach the quarter-finals of the British amateur, has gone up 93 places to No 255.
The only Scots now ahead of James Byrne are:
Gavin Dear (Murrayshall), up two places to No 17.
Ross Kellett (Colville Park), down 22 to No 92.
Wallace Booth (Comrie), down 16 places to No 96.
Paul O'Hara (Colville Park), up 38 to No 190.

The only other Scots in the R&A WAGR top 500 are:
232 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), down 4 places.
245 Steven McEwan (Caprington), down 73 places.
255 Mark Hillson (Craigielaw), up 93 places.
275 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), down 30 places.
280 Scott Borrowman (Dollar), up 55 places.
348 James White (Lundin), up 51 places.
403 Philip McLean (Peterhead), down 17 places.
425 Gordon Yates (Hilton Park), up 3 places.
429 Greg Paterson (St Andrews New), up 62 places.
456 Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), down 39 places.
484 Lewis Kirton (Newmachar), down 77 places.

+Matteo Manassero, the 16-year-old from Verona, Italy, who became the youngest ever winner of the British amateur title on Saturday, improved from No 46 to eight in the R&A WAGR. Nick Taylor (Canada) remains the No 1, ahead of Morgan Hoffman (US) and Matt Hill (Canada). Kyle Stanley (US) is fourth and Stephan Gross (Germany) No 5.

Mark is King of the Castle at

Bonnyton pro-am with a 65

Mark King chalked up his first Tartan Tour win of the season with a sparkling round of six-under-par 65 in the warm June sunshine at the £7,500 Bonnyton Golf Club double shotgun pro-am at Eaglesham.
The Kingsfield Golf Centre pro, starting at the 10th in the morning session, had birdies at the 11th, 13th and 15th and followed that up with a terrific five-under-par run of birdies at the first, second, third, fifth and sixth.
Mark, 37, a pro for 17 years, had only one bogey, at his fifth hole, the 14th, in halves of 34 (one under) for holes 10 to 18 and 31 (five under) for holes one to nine.
He earned the £1,129 to prize by one shot from Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Links) who picked up a nice runner-up cheque for £903.
King's prize boosted his season's earnings to £8761 from 19 events and enabled him to leapfrog over Craig Lee (unatt) into second place in the money table behind leader David Orr.
Orr and Lee were among a group of five players who tied for third place on 68.
David Orr (East Renfrewnshire) led the amateur trio team, quaintly named "Three Shankers and a Pro," of Barry Chuwen (handicap 17), Johnnie Bennett (9) and Andy Smith (8) to victory in the team event with a net total of 19-under-par 123. They won by four shots from the "Andrew Hay" team of Nicky Gold (+1), Simon Gold (8) and Andrew Biggar (5), led by Mearns Castle pro George Boswells.
Leading pro scores
Par 72
65 Mark King (Kingsfield).
66 Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre).
68 Craig Ronald (Carluke), Chris Campbell (Grantown on Spey), David Orr (East Renfrewshire), Craig Lee (unatt), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills).
69 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle).
70 Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle), Colin Gillies (Perry Golf), Fraser McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle).
71 Stephen Gray (Hayston), Callum Nicoll (Prestwick).
72 Fraser Mann (Musselburgh).
73 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Kenny Walker (Castle Park).
74 Mark Loftus (Cowglen), Stephen McNally (unatt).
75 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Euan Cameron (Hamilton).
76 Peter McLachlan (West Kilbride), Andrew Marshall (Houston GR).
77 Alastair Forrow (Whitecraigs).
78 George Boswell (Mearns Castle), Ken Campbell (Machrihanish), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie).
80 Anthony Mackrell (East Kilbride), Kevin McAleer (Gleddoch), Greg Paxton (Ralston).
81 Matthew Naylor (Turnberry).
84 James Mooney (Kingscliff), Paul Morrison (Balmore).
85 Alistair Brown (Whitecraigs).
Disqualified - Graham Fox (East Kilbride).

Things you might not know about Lucas

Glover, the 2009 US Open champion

*Lucas Glover is ranked 1st in total driving for the year on the US PGA Tour.
*For the US Open Championship, Glover finished 8th in driving distance (291.12 yard average) and T13 in driving accuracy (71.43%).
*Glover is the first player to win a Major Championship using a square shaped driver, the SQ SUMO2 Tour 9.5 degree driver.
*Glover is the second Nike athlete to win this year with a full bag of 14 Nike clubs.
*Hitting 52 of 72 fairways during the tournament, Glover ranked 4th in the field for hitting greens in regulation (72.2%) statistics.
• Glover put the Nike prototype putter in his bag at the 2009 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, and his putting stats have improved from 107th in 2008 to 28th currently in putting average and from 116th in 2008 to 23rd in 2009 for putts per round.
*The US Open Championship victory is Glover’s first major championship victory and second PGA Tour career title since 2005.

ROYAL TROON IS VENUE, July 27-August 1

Thursday is closing date for entries to

Scottish amateur championship

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
A reminder to competitors that this Thursday 25 June is the closing date for entries to the 2009 Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Troon, which takes place 27 July – 1 August.
Entrance fee for the event is £62, which includes a practice round on the eve of the championship, whilst the maximum handicap is 3.4 at the time of entry.
To be eligible for the championship, players must have either been born in Scotland, have Scottish parentage, have been in permanent residency in Scotland for not less than five years and not have played international golf or competed in a closed championship for any other country than Scotland.
The Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship has a starting field of 256 players taking part in knock-out match play golf, with the opening round taking place on Monday and Tuesday and a 36-hole final on the Saturday.
Last year’s event was won by Callum Macaulay from Tulliallan, who went on to play in Scotland’s winning Eisenhower Trophy team before earning his full European Tour card and turning professional in November.
Other previous winners include Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie (1985), European Tour star Stephen Gallacher (1992) and current Walker Cup captain Colin Dalgliesh (1981).
This will be the sixth time Royal Troon has hosted the Championship, the last of which was back in 1977. Carnoustie staged the 2008 event, whilst Gullane No 1 is the venue for next year’s Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship.
For further information or to download an entry form, visit www.scottishgolf.org or contact the Scottish Golf Union Events Dept on 01334 466477.

Click here to download an entry form. http://www.scottishgolf.org/index.cfm?objectid=D383C561-0E3C-5D1C-A536996508402EF4&pageid=1047D490-E20C-A5B4-655687505D998196

Click here to view the current list of entries. http://www.golfbox.dk/livescoring/signups.asp?tour={D3BFFF31-426F-4763-A627-48539F0DDB9E}&clubOnly=1&color=1&lang=1033

Tiger was great to play with, says Michael Sim

Aberdeen-born Australian Michael Sim, leading money-winner on the US Nationwide Tour, tied for 18th in the United States Open at Bethpage - but his fondest memory of the event will probably be partnering Tiger Woods over the final round.
"Everyone's shouting for him and it was loud out there. I think if you don't enjoy it, you don't play well. But I have to say Tiger was very nice to play with. He acknowledged my good shots and I had fun," said Sim who emigrated with his parents from Aberdeen to Perth, Western Australia in the early 1990s when he was seven years old.

Alan White - the film stars' golf coach.

now Advanced Fellow of the PGA

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA
Lanark professional Alan White has written another chapter in his colourful career after being made an Advanced Fellow of the PGA.
The 47-year-old, who can claim to have danced with Ginger Rogers and coached James Bond and Burt Lancaster, is the latest recipient of the APAL (Accreditation for Prior Achievement and Learning) awards designed to recognise the Association’s highest-achieving members.
"I was surprised but delighted to get this award,” said White who coaches 19 other fellow pros including four young Scots gunning for their European Tour cards.
“It’s one of those things that you’re not really bothered about until you get one and then you think how great it is that someone has recognised the hard work you’ve put in over the years. I think the APAL awards are important because it can be easy to do the same thing year after year and fall behind the competition.
"APAL helps you realise what your peers are doing and perhaps what you don’t know and encourages you to keep on improving.”
White – head professional at Lanark Golf Club since 1996 and chairman of the Scottish PGA Region – began his career in 1982 under the tutelage of Gleneagles Hotel golfing supremo, Ian Marchbank.
He spent seven years crafting his teaching skills with Sean Connery and Burt Lancaster among those to benefit before moving to Murcar. For the last 12 years he has been head pro at Lanark Golf Club but is also a well-know voice on British Forces Broadcasting Service, covering football. His father Davie was manager of Rangers for two seasons from 1967.
The following PGA members have also been recognised in the latest APAL awards:

Fellows of the PGA
Gordon Niven University of Stirling
Chris Hall Rushcliffe
Karl Hayler Lilleybrook
Shane O’Grady Black Bush
Jimmy Pape Garforth

PGA Advanced Professional
Stephen Astle SA Golf Consultancy
Anthony Caira Kirkaldy
Des Lochrie Weymouth
Tim McSherry Yelverton
Iain Naylor Broke Hill
Steven Orr Cranfield Golf Academy
Chris Payne Hertfordshire G&CC
Robert Stewart Cruden Bay
Dean Halford Mill Hill
David Thorp Horsehay Village
Marc Warwick Elstree
Sarah Wilson Bramford
David Lee Braunchsweigh

Ross rises to the challenge - and wins

Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge

Grove Academy pupil, Ross Munro, 16, has won this year's Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge, thanks to a last-hole shot of which even Tiger Woods would have been proud.
Ross Munro returned a 73 - two over par in windy weather - to win the overall scratch prize.
He described his 18th hole shot on the Kittocks Course at Fairmont St Andrews as the best
he had ever achieved under pressure.
A member of Monifeith Golf Club and of the Scottish Golf Academy squad at St Andrews, Ross hit his shot 190yd into the wind and his ball landed within 15ft of the pin.
“I was two over par on the 18th tee which I knew was a good score on such a breezy day, so I didn’t want to take any chances," he said later.
“However I really connected and hit a perfect shot with a rescue club. It was a great way to finish.”
Ross also won the senior boys’ division with a net 68 off a handicap of five.
Kirkcaldy High School pupil Nicola Taylor, 15, won the senior girls' division with a net 77 off 11 - the day after she won the women's championship at her home club, Dunnikier Park.
Colin Hempseed (15), of Dunfermline High School, was the junior boys’ winner, with a net 67 off 21, while Carnoustie High School's Jessica Meek (15) was the winning junior girl with net 82 off nine.
Winners will be presented with their trophies at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October. As well as admission to the final day of the tournament on the Old Course, St Andrews, they will attend a golf clinic with coach Robert Baker.

Message from Paul Lawrie

Colin,
Whoever wrote the piece about Lucas Glover being another American no-hoper should be embarrassed with themselves.
Why can't Lucas Glover be US Open champion?
Typical journalism, thinking only the top 10 in world should be able to win majors.
Two of the players on the writer's no-hoper list have actually won it twice - Andy North and Lee Janzen
Cheers,

Paul Lawrie

Editor's Note: Scroll down to read the Daily Telegraph report that the 1999 Open champion has taken exception to.
If you agree, or disagree, with Paul, send your view on the US Open to Colin@scottishgolfview.com


FIRST RESPONSE
From "Alan McIntosh"

I fail to understand how someone can be a "no-hoper" when they have actually given their all to win a tournament or competition. Lucas Glover and Paul Lawrie should and have been given plaudits and rightly so. How can someone belittle them is beyond me. If you compete with your fellow golfers and come out on top, then you are the winner.
I know of many golfers who have never won a single thing in their lives but turn out every week, be it in monthly medals or professional tournaments or majors in anticipation of that illusive win. Well done the Lucas Glovers in the world of golf!

SECOND RESPONSE
From Stevie McIntosh, Muir of Ord GC

When honest golfers such as Paul Lawrie and Lucas Glover win the Open and the US Open, then get criticised by fellow golfers about supposedly not having a high enough profile to win these so-called elite championships, I think this criticism more often than not comes down to jealousy.
Lucas Glover is No 1 in the stats in total driving on the US Tour this year and I've seen Paul Lawrie play on many occasions and in my opinion his ability to strike the golf ball is up there with the best of them.
All any golfer can do is beat the players in front of them. Whether this means shooting 63 or 73, at the end of the day all that matters is having the lowest score at the end of the tournament.

Aberdeen Links boys' competition

starting times for Sunday, June 28

HANDS ACROSS THE SEA TOURNAMENT

Order of play (10min intervals):

Abbreviations – By, Banchory; BA, Bon-Accord; C, Caledonian; N, Northern; Nw, Newburgh; Nm, Newmachar; NB, Nigg Bay; RA, Royal Aberdeen.

08.00 C Lamb (Nm), K Watson (Nw), N McAndrew (RA); A Shand (Nm), C Kerr (Nm), M Beattie (C); J Duncan (Nm), C Watt (Nm), Z Clark (RA); D Irvine (Nm), S Thain (Nm), S Sharp (Nw); A Scott (Nm), R.McDonald (Nw), J Moir (Nw); C Smith (Nm), S Keith (Nm), L Ross (C).
09.00 M Considine (By), C McDonald (Nw), G Joss (RA); L Cheyne (Nw), G Smith (RA), E Moore (By); J Pressly (By), S.Bonnar (NB), S Stewart (N); W McPherson (By), B McPherson (N), J Sinclair (By); C Johnstone (N), R Stewart (NB), R Bisset (By); L Minty (N), O Duncan (NB), C Walker (By).
10.00 P.Stewart (N), Z.Wood (NB), D Henderson (C); M Murray (NB), G Walker (NB), A Davidson (C); L Michie (Nm), A Thomson (By), R Gray (Nm); A McManus (Nm), J
Flaherty (By), S Riley (Nm); C Cheyne (Nw), D Smith (N), C Saddler (NB); S Bennet (N), S.Beattie (Nw), D Ross (NB).
1100- G West (N), T Proctor (Nw), C Boyle (RA); A Paterson (Nm), N Law (Nw), Dan Ellis (Nm); A.Giles (Nm), R.Grieve (BA), S Don (Nm); Dar Ellis (Nm), M Clements (Nw), M Cormack (C); N Tough (Nm), A Donnely (By), D Baxter (C); A Samuel (Nm), H Milne (By), K.Gray (C).
12.00 S Bolton (M), S Duguid (Nw), G Smith (C); D Reid (Nm), R Kilgour (C), J Walker (C); M Rimmer (C), K Robertson (BA), C Goodbrand (Nw); C Black (C), C Murphy (BA), R Brady (NB).

CROMBIE TROPHY
(over six-hole course)
10min intervals

09.30 L.Strathie (m), T.Flaherty (by), R.Gray (c); S.Dickie (nm), R.Smith (c), R.Hanratty (nb); Gr.Morrison (n), C.Johnston (c), C.Somers (ba); A.Stewart (n), D.Finlayson (ra), Gl.Morrison (n); C.Angelo (n), L.Carnegie (c), T.Ogston (nb); M.Walker (n), A.Robertson (c), C.Proctor (ra); N.Taylor (n), B.Smith (c), C.Moore (ra); B.Reid (n), J.Seedhouse (ra).

Sir Bob Charles and Jim Hardie (right), the Aberdeen businessman/golfer who has done all the tour arrangements for the former Open champion with whom he plays golf with on his annual trips to New Zealand (both images by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

Sir Bob Charles makes whistle-stop

tour of Scottish links he has heard

so much about - but never played

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Sir Bob Charles, still the only left-hander to have won the Open championship, is coming to Scotland on a voyage of discovery - at the age of 73.

The 1963 Open winner at Royal Lytham – after a 36-hole play-off against American Phil Rodgers – contacted Aberdeen businessman and golfing friend Jim Hardie with a “wish list of Scottish links.”

Said Jim, who was one of Aberdeen’s leading scratch golfers in his own heyday: “I go to New Zealand every winter so that I can enjoy their summers! My holiday home is quite near to Sir Bob and Lady Verity’s farm and we play at least one round together every year at the Clearwater Golf & Resort Club near Christchurch.

“He sent me an E-mail recently with what he described as his ‘wish list’ of Scottish links – courses he has heard a lot about and wished he had played but had never got round to. He asked me to see if I could make contact with the clubs concerned and fix up tee times and playing partners.

“I've managed to do that, thanks to a lot of co-operation from the clubs and courses concerned, and I hope to make up the four at some of the venues. Bob is a very fit man at the age of 73. He would have to be because he asked me to line up seven rounds in almost consecutive days!”

The courses Sir Bob is going to play are:

June 29 – North Berwick.

July 1 – Montrose.

July 2 – Cruden Bay.

July 4 – Lossiemouth.

July 5 – Nairn.

July 6 – Conducted tour only of the yet-to-open Castle Stuart course, near Inverness.

July 7 – Brora.

July 8 – Tain.

At most of the courses, Bob will be partnered by people such as the host club professional, club

captain or club champion.

The tee has been reserved at noon for all the courses with the exception of the Moray Golf Club at Lossiemouth where the tee-off time will be 3pm.

Bob Charles first played in the North-east before he became famous – the Northern Open at Murcar in the early 1960s and he was back much more recently to play in the Senior British Open at Royal Aberdeen two or three years ago.

Born on March 14, 1936, he first came to the fore in New Zealand by winning the New Zealand Open as an 18-year-old amateur in November 1954. He resisted the temptation to turn pro immediately and remained a bank clerk for another six years before leaving the amateur ranks in 1960.

He has won more than 80 tournaments world wide, including 23 times on the US Champions (Seniors) Tour in only three seasons – 1988, 1989 and 1993, the world match-play title at Wentworth in 1969 and the British Seniors Open in 1993.

He was knighted for his services to golf in 1999 and has been inducted into the World Golf Hall o

of Fame.

Jim Hardie, who will help to make up the four at all the venues except Brora and Tain, says: "Bob is a great guy to play with. He puts you at ease right away and he has a dry sense of humour. Still hits an incredibly good ball and still putts (very well) with a Golden Goose Bullseye putter."

Sir Bob has beaten his age in tournament play over the last couple of years. He played in last week's Ryder Cup Wales Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl.

Pros, and others, lined up to play with Sir Bob:

North Berwick - Martyn Huish.

Montrose - Jason Boyd.

Cruden Bay - Robbie Stewart and John Crammond.

Lossiemouth - John Murray (new pro there).

Nairn - Club captain and two-handicapper George Asher.

Castle Stuart - Invited by club sec/manager Fraser Comarty to have a conducted tour (and maybe hit a few balls). Course opens on July 13.

Brora - Contact made with Brora's most famous golfing son - Jim Miller who, of course, beat Johnny Miller when the Brigham Young University team toured Scotland many moons ago. Miller is playing in four with Sir Bob who has heard so much abouot Brora from another former Open champion (five times) Peter Thomson who thinks Brora is one of the finest natural links courses he has ever played.

Tain - local pro Stuart Morrison who plays on the Tartan Tour and possibly star girl golfer up there, Sammy Vass.

+Lady Verity Charles will be taken on a visit to Fyvie Castle while her husband is playing Cruden Bay. It is hoped that other such visits to local highlights will be arranged for Lady Verity. Most of the clubs are laying on special luncheons to mark the visit of the 1963 Open champion.

HIGH-CLASS FIELD AT LUNDIN THIS WEEKEND

Solarsport sponsor East of

Scotland Open Stroke-play


NEWS RELEASE
Solarsport, the leading sports suncare company, is proud to sponsor the renowned East of Scotland Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship that takes place at Lundin this Saturday and Sunday.
The three-year deal seals a long-standing friendship between The East and Solarsport, and helps the organisers to continue to attract the cream of amateur players from all over the world to maintain the Championship’s high position on the List of Counting Events of the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking.
The East has attracted a high-class field, most of which are world ranked amateurs, and, as usual, there is an international flavour to this year’s event. Four competitors from Australia, Raphael Becker from Brazil, Arie Fauzi from Malaysia, the Hamilton brothers and Sean Riordan from New Zealand, Ryan Clatworthy from South Africa and three, from USA, including the highly rated Scott Pinckney, in the starting field.
The highest WAGRanked player is Bryden Macpherson, the current Australian Stroke Play Champion, who will be trying to emulate the 2008 East of Scotland Champion, fellow countryman, Rohan Blizard, who now holds his tour card on the Asian Tour. MacPherson equalled the Killermont course record of 63 during the Tennant Cup tournament last Sunday.
There are two past East Champions in the field, 2008 Standard Life Gold Medal and St Andrews Trophy winner, Keir McNicoll of Carnoustie, who will feel he has a point to prove this weekend, and 1997 Amateur Champion, Craig Watson, who, with Lundin member Peter Latimer (The New Club) lost in a three way play-off in 2008 to Blizard.
The Scottish selectors have picked a strong team for the European Team Championships in Wales next week and these players will not be at Lundin, but those players not selected are trying to prove their exclusion unjustified in the best way possible - performance.
A student at Arizona State University, James Byrne from Banchory won the Tennant Cup last weekend with record numbers, Craigielaw’s Mark Hillson reached the quarterfinals of The Amateur at Formby and Fifers James White (Lundin) and Greg Paterson (The New Club) made the match play stage.
Local interest will be intense with Fife Order of Merit leaders, White and Paterson, pitted against Latimer, Alex and Michael Main (Thornton), Fife Champion Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park), former Leven record-holder Barry McDermott (LGS), up and coming St Andrews man Danny Sommerville, Scott Stewart-Cation (Ladybank), Jim White (Leven Thistle) and Lundin’s Grant McNab, Steven Meiklejohn and James Ross.
The East and Lundie look forward to welcoming players and spectators to a weekend festival of fantastic golf at its beautiful links and to the clubhouse of Lundin Golf Club.

Special invitation for Wallace Booth to play at Loch Lomond

Eleven major winners among

big names confirmed for


Barclays Scottish Open

From the Herald website
www.theheraldco.uk/sport
By DOUGLAS LOWE
The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, with a total of 11 major winners confirmed, boasts the best field for the event since it was first held at Downfield in 1972.
The latest to be announced is the Australian Geoff Ogilvy while the others include Sir Nick Faldo, who has accepted one of 10 invitations available for the event on July 9-12, it was announced at a news conference at Loch Lomond.
Other major winners in the field are Angel Cabrera, the Masters champion from Argentina; the American John Daly, another invitee; the South Africans Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman; the Scots Paul Lawrie and Sandy Lyle; Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal; and the New Zealander Michael Campbell.
A total of 27 players in the world's top 60 are so far confirmed for the field for the £3m event, and there are also 10 past champions.
Martin Laird, the first Scot since Lyle two decades ago to be playing the US Tour, is still awaiting an invitation, but three have still to be extended and that will happen after close of entries on Friday. Laird is still under consideration for what would be his professional debut in Scotland.
A place will also be offered to Lucas Glover, who won rain-delayed US Open yesterday.
Callum Macaulay, who would have been invited as Scottish amateur champion had he still been in the unpaid ranks, has accepted an invitation, it was confirmed yesterday.
A special invitation to the Scottish Golf Union to nominate a player has resulted in Wallace Booth (pictured above), a member of Scotland's Eisenhower Trophy-winning team, joining the field.
Macaulay, who has made a bright start in his rookie year as a professional, said: "My experience of the tournament in 2008 as an amateur was unbelievable. It was one of the most special weeks of my life and I can't wait to play my first national open as a professional in front of my home support."
The sartorially ambitious Ian Poulter has promised he will surpass himself in front of the Scottish crowds.
"I am launching four new tartans in my own clothing line this summer so there is definitely a Scottish theme in there," said the 33-year-old Englishman. "They are all authentic tartans approved by the Scottish Tartans Authority and, hopefully, I will get a good reaction from the crowd. I have in the past to be honest."
Another Scottish Open debutant is the charismatic Colombian Camilo Villegas, who has taken up membership of the European Tour this year.
+This article from the Herald newspaper is published by permission of the Herald Sports Editor and golf writer Douglas Lowe.

US Open gets a humble champion - Lucas

Glover, second pro win in eight years

FROM THE BBC SPORTS WEBSITE
Lucas Glover said he hoped he would not "downgrade" the US Open title after his unlikely victory elevated him alongside the sport's most illustrious stars.
"I dreamed about it as a kid and pulled it off," said Glover, who came into the tournament ranked 71st in the world.
"It's an honour to be on the trophy with names such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods. I hope I don't downgrade it or anything."
Glover fought off a late charge from Phil Mickelson to win his first major.
A cool birdie at the 16th - his only hole below par in a three-over final round of 73 - enabled him to shake off the world number two, who was being roared on by the vociferous galleries at Bethpage before having to settle for his fifth runner-up spot at the US Open.
And Glover said he had been expecting a final-round charge from Mickelson and world number one Woods, who eventually finished tied for sixth, four shots back.
"We were waiting on it," he said.
"You knew Tiger and Phil were going to make a move, and they did. And Ricky [Barnes] and I started coming back. That probably motivated them more.
"But I was watching them. You have to. I just like to know where I sit and what I need to do."
The result was the 29-year-old's second tournament win in eight years as a professional, his only other victory coming in the Funai Classic at the end of the PGA Tour season in 2005.
"I'd be telling lies if I said I wasn't nervous [closing out the win]," he added.
"I had the knees knocking pretty good on 16, 17 and 18. But I pulled it off and executed some pretty good golf shots.
"Two pars at the end was tough but I managed to do it. I guess if I can win this one, I should be able to play all right every week.
"It will definitely be a big confidence boost."