E-mail from Andrew Crerar, Panmure Golf Club professional

Young stars who don't shine as pros: Sweden

had the answer ... and that was 18 years ago!

Dear Colin
It was with much interest that I read Martin Dempster's piece (scroll down a few items if you want to read it first) on your website tonight.
His question was how many golfers has Scotland produced with genuine talent over the years only for them to fall way short of their true potential? He highlighted many examples and is spot on with his analysis and asks the question why.
Having personally competed at the Tour School final stage five times and been a professional for 22 years now I feel I am qualified enough to give an opinion, so here goes.
My belief, which is shared by many of my fellow pros, is that until our country's governing bodies sort out the transition stage between amateur and professional ranks then we will continue to under achieve.
Eighteen years ago I played a practice round at the Tour School Final Stage with Ove Sellberg of Sweden by pure chance. During the round I was aware of several people at different stages who were watching/speaking to him. After a while I asked him who they all were?
He told me that the Swedish players (13 at final qualifying) had with them two coaches, a doctor, a physio, a nutrionalist who also became chef at night!, a phychologist (before they became fashionable) and 13 caddies who were all part of their TEAM.
He explained to me also that all their amateurs upon turning pro continued to receive this support from the Swedish Federation for a further three years (including finance).
At the other end of the scale at that Tour School were 13 Scottish players who, without exception, were all there as individuals, trying to deal with everything that was on their plate. Now I'm not saying that it was not possible to succeed. Alongside me that year were the very talented trio of Brooks, Coltart and Lawrie (who certainly cannot be accused of not fulfilling his potential) but 18 years on I'm sure that there will not be an equal ratio of players at the Tour School Final Stage next week.
There are many reasons for Scotland's players underachieving their full potential over that time, finance, dedication, self-belief to name a few but I believe that if the players that Martin Dempster mentioned had been better prepared and provided for, then maybe some more would have had more success than they did.
One thing is for sure. Nobody will ever convince me that Sweden (for example) has had more talented players than Scotland in that period but they certainly have had much more success! I believe that a body of people including many of the 'failed' names mentioned should be set up to advise and help our future stars and I'm sure some of the success stories would also take part too (Monty, Lawrie, Robertson, Orr, Drummond) to name a few.
I could go on, but to finish I'll add a few more names to Martin's list of players who I believe may have achieved more in different circumstances: Colin Gillies, Jim White, Lee Vannet, Gary Collinson, Alan Tait, Euan McIntosh, Murray Urquhart, David Thomson, Calum Innes, Craig Lee, Scott Henderson and Chris Kelly.
Best Wishes and kind regards
Andrew Crerar

I shouldn't have played in Hong Kong Open - Westwood

FROM THE TELEGRAPH.CO.UK WEBSITE
Lee Westwood admits that it was probably a mistake to play last week's Hong Kong Open.
Rory McIlroy was runner-up for the second year running and took over the European Tour Order of Merit lead with only this week's Dubai World Championship to play.
Westwood was down in joint 54th spot and so fell nearly £115,000 behind the 20-year-old Northern Irishman.
Victory on Sunday would still make him Europe's No 1 for the second time, but the Worksop golfer cannot now afford to finish outside the top seven to have a chance.
"In hindsight, I think it probably was a mistake," said Westwood before playing his first practice round at the Greg Norman-designed Earth course in Dubai.
"I obviously didn't know the course because I'd never been there, but looking back it definitely didn't suit me.
"It was predominantly a hooker's course, with a lot of shots off the tee where it suited somebody that drew it and hit a hard draw, which is not my shot.
"I've worked a lot this year on 60-100 yards out, but it's still not as sharp as everybody else and there were a lot of those shots last week.
"There were only two par-5s and no rough, which generally doesn't suit my game. I like harder course where there's a bigger premium on tee-to-green stuff.
"You occasionally get weeks where things are not in your favour and I had a busy week off the course too. I was a bit lethargic really throughout."
German Martin Kaymer and Westwood's fellow Englishman Ross Fisher could also top the "Race to Dubai" standings due to the first prize of £744,180.
Kaymer, unlucky to be put out of action for two months by a go-kart crash in which he broke toes, has to finish in the top four, while World Matchplay champion Fisher has to be first or second.

McDowell, Poulter, Fisher named in Shark Shootout line-up

FROM THE US PGA TOUR.COM WEBSITE
Tournament host Greg Norman has completed his annual puzzle of placing a collection of the best players in the world into two-man teams as the 21st annual Shark Shootout returns to Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida from December 9-13.
One of those players will be Naples native George McNeill, who finished second in a play-off at the Children's Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World last weekend. For McNeill, who resides in Fort Myers and has one US Tour career victory, it was his second play-off appearance in four weeks.
"The Shark Shootout is a terrific year-end tournament, and has always featured a group of the game's best players," said McNeill, who graduated from North Fort Myers High School and attended Florida State University.
"The course at Tiburon is not far from where I live, so it will be exciting to play in front of a home-town crowd and be part of this elite field of great players. Greg Norman created a fantastic event which has done a lot for the charities involved over the years."
Since the field was announced last month, multiple players have withdrawn due to injury. Greg Norman, who will not compete as he recovers from shoulder surgery, will be in attendance all week as he fulfills his duties as tournament host.
Scott Hoch, one half of last year's championship team, is out with a wrist injury and Fred Funk will not be able to play due to knee surgery.
Along with McNeill, another addition will be Rickie Fowler, a 20-year-old with an impressive amateur career. Fowler turned professional this fall and finished in the top 10 in two of the three US Tour events he played during the last four weeks. One of those was a play-off loss in the Frys.com Open. He will be the youngest player in Shootout history to compete.
"I am obviously thrilled to be playing in The Shark Shootout. Greg Norman is one of the most dynamic players in our game's history and it is very exciting to be invited to play in an event that he hosts," said Fowler.
"In addition, I have learned we will be helping raise awareness and funds for CureSearch. It will be a pleasure for me to assist this organization and the tournament as they both seek ways to benefit the lives of children not as fortunate as me."
Brad Faxon also joins the field. The eight-time US Tour winner has won The Shark Shootout three times.
"When I was putting the final pieces together, I realised what a great group of players we have this year," said tournament host Greg Norman. "Overall, these players are talented professionals who are generous both on and off the golf course, not to mention fun to be around. I am confident fans and our television audience will enjoy the competition and the entertainment.
"Of course, at the end of the day, they all will be trying to win. When you factor in that 12 US Tour tournament titles this year alone have been won by this group and the fact that 12 of them are highly ranked in the world, the spirit of competition will be intense."
Southwest Florida sports fans will be joined by an international television audience to watch a collection of talent and character as golf's best battle it out for three days all while raising funds and awareness for CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation and other worthy charities.
Here is a quick look at the 12 teams striving to earn this year's title:
Fred Couples & Dustin Johnson: Couples, a three-time champion of the Shootout and Captain of the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team last month, will join one of the hot young players on the US Tour. Johnson, a 26-year-old, has finished in the top 10 five times this year and captured the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for his second tour victory.
J B Holmes & Kenny Perry: These two Kentucky natives were 2008 Ryder Cup team-mates and huge fan favourites when the matches were played in Louisville. Together they hope to earn Perry a second-straight Shootout victory and certainly have the combined talent to do so.
Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker: This team is in place for the second straight year, following a tie for fifth in 2008. Both are from Madison, Wis., and have combined for four victories on the US Tour this year. Stricker, No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking, won three of those. Throw in the Shootout victory for Kelly with Rod Pampling here three years ago and this could be a dangerous team.
Ross Fisher & Ian Poulter: This pair of Englishmen each won international titles just a few weeks ago and both are ranked among the top 20 in the world. Fisher, who defeated Anthony Kim to win the Volvo World Match Play, is currently fourth on the European Tour's Order of Merit and finished fifth at the U.S. Open. Poulter, winner of eight international titles including the recent Singapore Open, was runner-up at the US Players' Championship this spring and was 4-1-0 in the 2008 Ryder Cup.
Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank: This formidable twosome is back together for the first time since 2006. That year they finished second, losing a playoff on the first extra hole to Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling. This team has a history in The Presidents Cup as well, with partnerships in Foursomes and Four-ball.
Zach Johnson & Nick Price: These two major championship winners will be partners for the first time. Johnson enjoyed another great year on the US Tour, adding two more victories to his career total of six. Price, a World Golf Hall of Fame member and winner of 18 US Tour events, won his first Champions Tour title earlier this year.
George McNeill & Jeff Sluman: This pairing features a Shootout veteran and a Shootout rookie who certainly will be a crowd favorite. Both were Florida State University standouts. McNeill finished the year strong with a pair of runner-up finishes in playoffs and is 57th on the final TOUR money list. For Sluman, it was his second full year on the Champions Tour and included his third title in September.
Mark Calcavecchia & Brian Gay: Gay has been one of the hottest players on US Tour the past two years. Since his first tour win at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in 2008, Gay added two more victories this year. While this will be Gay's first Shootout, Calcavecchia returns for a 15th start. The major champion winner, who has 13 US Tour titles to his credit, is also a two-time winner of The Shark Shootout. Both attended the University of Florida.
Chris DiMarco & Rickie Fowler: DiMarco, a three-time US Tour winner, has finished second in two major championships since 2005 and will provide experience for Fowler, who's playing in his first Shark Shootout. Fowler is certainly one of the hottest players coming into the week, with two top-10 finishes in three starts in the last month. The colourful Fowler, age 20, is the youngest player in Shootout history.
Chad Campbell & Tim Clark: This team could be the sleeper. Both have been playing well lately and will join forces for the first time at The Shark Shootout. Clark, a South African who lives in Arizona, was a top performer for the International Team in last month's Presidents Cup. Clark has five top-10 finishes on TOUR this year and is ranked fifth in scoring average. Campbell, a four-time winner from Texas, has been unlucky in two playoffs this year at the Masters and a month ago in Las Vegas.
Brad Faxon & Matt Kuchar: This pairing represents 10 career victories on the US Tour and a wealth of talent when it comes to putting. Kuchar is currently ranked 11th in that category and Faxon led in putting three times during his career. This marks the first time they will be paired together in any competition.
Graeme McDowell & Boo Weekley: These two individuals can be entertaining both on and off the golf course and should provide a good deal of interaction with the gallery. Both made their Ryder Cup debuts in 2008. McDowell, a former US college circuit player from Northern Ireland, had a 2-1-0 record for Europe and Weekley was 2-0-1 for the victorious U.S. team.
The Shark Shootout will once again feature a modified alternate shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble.
Tickets for The Shark Shootout are now on sale. Orders can be placed several ways - calling 888-66-SHARK, online at www.thesharkshootout.com or by visiting Alf's Golf Shop in Naples, Lumpy's in Fort Myers or The Golf Shop at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples.

Walker and Mathieson share Midland Alliance honours

By LEE SUTHERLAND, Ballumbie Castle pro & Midland Alliance secretary
This week's Midland Golfers Alliance was held at Crail Golfing Society's Craighead Links. In strong winds, two professionals led the way with level par scores of 72 -Eric Walker, Burntisland assistant pro, and Craig Mathieson, assistant at Falkirk Tryst).
Alistair Mason (Thornton), playing off seven, was top man in the handicap with a net score of 71.

LEADING SCRATCH
72 E Walker (Burntisland) ap, C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
73 K Harper (Carnoustie), G Brown (Montrose) ap.
74 M Brown (Monifieth).
75 S O’ Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap, A Crerar (Panmure) p.
76 G Abel (Alloa) ap, K Hutton (Downfield) p.
78 G Tough (Letham Grange), A Mason (Thornton).

LEADING HANDICAP
71 A Mason (Thornton) (7).
72 J Strathie (Milnathort) (11), I Mason (St Andrews New) (7).
73 K Harper (Carnoustie) (scr).
75 I Mitchell (Downfield) (8), W Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5).
76 M Brown (Monifieth) (+2), C Marr (Glenrothes) (13), J Rankin (Scotscraig) (9).
77 R McDonald (Monifieth) (4).
78 D West (Burntisland) (3), H Grant (Muckhart) (8), A Milne (Edzell) (13).

Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links
C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst), A Mason (Thornton), W Crosbie (Blairgowrie).

Next week's meeting
Tuesday, November 24 at Balbirnie Park.
Tee reserved: 8.30am - 12.00

North-east District name players for

Sunday get-together at Cruden Bay

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The North-east District of the Scottish Golf Union has arranged a players' get-together on Sunday at Cruden Bay. Committee member Mike Pocock explained the thinking behind the move:
"We are having a players' get-together on Sunday at Cruden Bay (at the players' request I might add) with a dual purpose - really to give us a chance to look at new names who have come to the fore and also to get the guys playing foursomes golf.
"With the new format in next year's Scottish area team championship it will be crucial to get off to a fast start in the only foursome. It’s also very important that you select the right two players for this without weakening the singles' line-up (captain's dilemma).
"We will have two more of these Sunday sessions, both early in 2010. We also intend to try and arrange a couple of inter-district eight or 10-man team matches to fill the void of the two lost area matches."
Scottish men's and boys' champion David Law (Hazlehead) is not available as he will not be home in time from playing in two tournaments in Argentina. The following players have been invited to the first of three sessions over the winter break:
Bryan Innes (Murcar Links), Anthony Bews (Murcar Links), Adrian Styles (Murcar Links), Mark Halliday (Royal Aberdeen), Philip McLean (Peterhead), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), Laurie Phillips (Cruden Bay), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Scott Larkin (Banchory), Martin Lawrence (Newmachar), Clark Brechin (Portlethen).

+Scott Larkin, a recent winner on the North-east Alliance circuit, is pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

European Seniors Tour Qualifying School on Algarve

Mann loses ground but Martin, Smith improve

By STEVE TODD, European Seniors Tour Press Officer
John Harrison established a one-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the European Senior Tour Qualifying School as he strengthened his chances of making it a family hat-trick on the Senior Tour.
Both of Harrison’s elder brothers Philip and Steve have played on the Senior Tour and a second consecutive 68 at Pestana Golf Resort’s Vale da Pinta course on Portugal's Algarve today gave the 49 year old an opportunity to follow in their footsteps.
Harrison, who turns 50 in May, had two birdies in his first three holes after starting on the tenth tee but dropped back-to-back shots on the 13th hole, when he plugged his ball in the bunker, and the 14th hole.
After a birdie on the 16th hole, and missed chances on the first and second holes, Harrison rolled in a confidence boosting 18ft par putt on the fourth hole before nearly acing the fifth when his tee shot landed a foot from the pin.
The Englishman, who played on The European Tour in the mid 1980s, tapped in for birdie and then picked up another shot on the next hole to move one shot clear of American Mike Donald and joint overnight leader Ricky Willison, of England, on six under par.
Harrison said: “I’m really pleased with two rounds of 68. I would have taken that before I started. It’s the first time that I’ve been to Qualifying School and there’s some pressure out there – it can be stressful. I had a couple of bad shots and you have to be careful to make sure you don’t let that affect you.
“I’ve always fancied coming on to the Senior Tour and I’ve been playing a lot more in the last couple of years to get ready for it,” added the club professional at Matfen Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne. “Both of my brothers have played on the Senior Tour and it would be great to do it too. I’ve been building up to it.”
An eagle 3 on the 534yd par-5 10th helped Donald to his three under par round of 68, while Willison carded four birdies and three bogeys in his up and down round of 70.
Both players are on five under par and, after his opening round 67 in Portugal, Willison was pleased to end his round with a morale boosting birdie.
“I holed a five foot putt for birdie on the last so it was good to finish like that after a tricky spell near the end of the round when I dropped shots on the fifth and seventh holes,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m swinging that well and I’m not playing too aggressively, which I will need to if I’m to make it into the top six, but I’m in a good position.”
Willison’s joint overnight leader Torsten Giedeon is one stroke further back on four under par after a level par 71, which included a double bogey 6 on the fourth hole. He is joined by Englishman Peter Allan and Canadian Graham Gunn, who signed for rounds of 68 and 67 respectively.
There will be a cut after Wednesday’s third round, with those players within eight shots of 14th place progressing through to the final round where they will compete for the 14 cards on offer, six securing full playing privileges and positions seven to 14 gaining conditional starts.
Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) is still the best placed of the six Scots in the field but he lost vital ground on the leaders with a second-round 74 for 143. Mann is lying 22nd which leaves him with a lot of ground to make up over the final 36 holes.
Dundee's Steve Martin improved considerably with a 68 for 144 but, like Mann, he will needed two further scores in the 60s to have a chance of making the top six or 14.
Peter Smith from Aberdeen was more like his old self with a 70 - an improvement of six strokes - but he is even worse placed than Mann and Martin. On 146, the former Northern Open champion has to aim even higher than Mann and Martin to close a big gap.
SECOND-ROUND SCORES
Par 142 (2x71)
136 J Harrison (Eng) 68 68,
137 R Willison (Eng) 67 70, M Donald (USA) 69 68,
138 G Gunn (Can) 71 67, P Allan (Eng) 70 68, T Giedeon (Ger) 67 71,
139 G Davies (Wal) 68 71, J Stuart (USA) 68 71, A Johnsson (Swe) 69 70, A Sowa (Arg) 68 71, J Gould (Eng) 71 68,
140 J King (Eng) 70 70, J Sallat (Fra) 68 72, G Banister (Aus) 71 69,
141 S Cipa (Eng) 71 70, G Towne (USA) 69 72, M Briggs (Eng) 72 69, B Hardwick (Can) 72 69, P Oakley (USA) 69 72, A Fernandez (Chi) 73 68,
142 G Ryall (Eng) 70 72, T Burgoyne (Swe) 69 73,
143 J Stansberry (USA) 74 69, I Mosey (Eng) 75 68, M Williams (Zim) 68 75, F Mann (Sco) 69 74, P Dahlberg (Swe) 69 74,
144 S Martin (Sco) 76 68, D Johnson (USA) 69 75, S Van Vuuren (RSA) 75 69, K Worm (am) (Den) 74 70, J Mills (am) (Eng) 73 71,
145 M Belsham (Eng) 73 72, J Davila (Esp) 72 73, C Acutis (Ita) 73 72, M Lord (Eng) 71 74,
146 M Gallagher (Eng) 72 74, J Seifert (Cze) 72 74, M Moreno (Esp) 73 73, P Smith (Sco) 76 70, M Aparicio (Esp) 68 78, V Bueno (Chi) 75 71, S Shields (am) (Eng) 74 72,
147 C Grenier (Aut) 72 75, R Morris (Eng) 71 76, M Kierstenson (Eng) 74 73, M Söderberg (Swe) 71 76, R Masters (Eng) 73 74, F Dhondt (Bel) 74 73,
148 J Hall (Eng) 73 75, D Narveson (USA) 75 73, B Stevens (Eng) 75 73, M Thomas (USA) 77 71, D Rios (Arg) 74 74, D Young (Eng) 72 76, D Williamson (Sco) 71 77, S East (Eng) (am) 76 72,
149 M Miller (Sco) 74 75,
150 B McColl (Sco) 75 75, J Laforce (Can) 78 72, T Planchin (Fra) 76 74, J Ackerman (RSA) 75 75, N Clarke (RSA) 74 76, F Regard (Fra) 75 75, D Regan (Eng) 77 73,
151 J Hoskison (Eng) 75 76, E Alessandrini (Ita) 76 75, T Price (Wal) 76 75, D Hammett (USA) 75 76, F Kiddie (Eng) 76 75,
152 L Cooper (USA) 79 73, T Jones (USA) 75 77, P Dugeny (Fra) 75 77, S Bennett (Eng) 78 74,
153 V Garcia (Esp) 73 80, S Stull (USA) 74 79, C Linstead (Eng) 80 73, R Uhlir (USA) 73 80,
154 M Deeley (Eng) 76 78,
156 G Krause (Eng) 76 80,
161 S Bonham (Eng) 78 83,

John Gallagher and Jordan Findlay both miss cut by one stroke

Dear, Hume and Zack Saltman qualify

for last day of Alps Tour Q School

The good news for followers of Scottish golf fortunes is that Murrayshall's Steven Hume and Gavin Dear - joint fourth on 136 - and young Zack Saltman (on the deadline of level par 143) made it safely through to the last day of the Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage at Bari in southern Italy where, you will be interested to know, it is continuing to be a quite warm November.
Zack Saltman is pictured on right.

The bad news is that former Scottish amateur champion, the cackhanded John Gallagher (Swanston) and former British boys champion Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh both missed the two-round cut by a single shot. Both were on the 144 mark, Gallagher slumped from a promising first round of 69 to a 75 while Findlay have two steady rounds of 72.

Two courses are being used, Metaponto and Riva de Tessali.
Spain had 17 players who beat the cut, France 16 and England 15. The top 35 players after third round will get full category rights to play Alps Tour for the 2010 season.

TWO-ROUND TOTALS
Par 143 (71 72)
132 Giorgio DEL BOCA Italy (am) 65 67.
134 Miguel PUJALTE SASTRE Spain 68 66.
135 Farren KEENAN England 68 67.
136 Steven HUME Scotland 69 67.
136 Gavin DEAR Scotland 65 71
137 Marc PEREZ GELMA Spain 68 69.
137 Kim JOON Italy (am) 69 68.
137 Agus DOMINGO HOSPITAL Spain 68 69.
138 Philipp GENEV Germany 70 68
138 Jason BARNES England 69 69.
138 Carlos AGUILAR Spain 67 71.
139 Ricki NEIL-JONES England 69 70.
139 Ivan IRAZUSTA Spain 72 67.
140 Giacomo TONELLI Italy 66 74.
140 Nicolo RAVANO Italy (am) 70 70.
140 Thomas TANTOT France 69 71.
140 Jordan SMITH England 68 72.
140 Lawrence DODD England 69 71
140 Juan BUENESTADO GALLEGO Spain 72 68.
140 Ignacio SANCHEZ PALENCIA Spain 69 71.
140 Edouard PENIN France 72 68.
140 Jason PALMER England 65 75.
140 Jose Manuel MANCEBO INNOVAT Spain 70 70.
141 Alexander MUNRO Australia 71 70.
141 Jamie HOWARTH England 68 73.
141 Richard KILPATRICK Northern Ireland 72 69.
141 Andy SMITH England 70 71.
141 Neil O'BRIAIN Ireland (am) 71 70.
141 Matthew MARSH England 69 72.
141 Mark HOOPER England 71 70.
141 Ismael CASTILLO Spain 72 69.
141 Nunzio LOMBARDI Italy (am) 74 67.
141 Max BRACKLEY England 70 71.
141 Alfonso CASTINEIRA MARCOS Spain 71 70.
141 Nicholas MURTAGH England 71 70.
141 Xavier RUIZ-FONHOF Netherlands 67 74.
141 Panagiotis KARANTZIAS Greece 71 70.
141 Olivier SERRES France (am) 70 71.
141 Matthieu BEY (France) (am) 70 71.
141 Mark DAVIES England 66 75.
142 Jean-Vincent DAUDIGNON France 68 74.
142 Alessandro GRAMMATICA Italy (am) 74 68
142 Luca GALLIANO Italy 70 72.
142 George LERICHE France 68 74.
142 Luca BENEDUCE Italy 71 71.
142 Sergio GONZALEZ GARCIA Spain 68 74.
142 Laurent PONCELET France 73 69.
142 Jason KELLY Norway 70 72
142 David ANTONELLI France (am) 68 74.
142 Vincent CACHERA France (am) 73 69.
142 Jann SCHMID Switzerland 66 76.
142 Pablo HERRERIA Spain 69 73.
142 Gerald GRESSE Belgium 72 70.
142 Peter JAMES England 74 68.
142 Adrian CARRETERO Spain 69 73.
143 Mathieu DELAY-TERMOZ France (am) 67 76.
143 Pierrick PERACINO France 70 73.
143 Jose Miguel ROSILLO Spain 67 76.
143 Simon FERNOUX France (am) 71 72.
143 Alexis WEIZMAN France 75 68.
143 Niccolo GIUSTI Italy 68 75.
143 Romain SCHNEIDER France (am) 68 75
143 Mathieu BOZIO France (am) 69 74.
143 Pol BECH Spain 74 69.
143 Sebastian GARCIA Spain 69 74.
143 Pedro ERICE Spain 75 68.
143 Zack Saltman Scotland 68 75.
143 Stefano BONARDI Italy 73 70.
143 Rory KIRWAN England 77 66.
143 Matthias MONTGAILLARD France 72 71.

MISSED THE CUT
144 David GIAOUI France (am) 71 73.
144 Santiago TARRIO Spain 73 71.
144 Alain RUIZ-FONHOF Netherlands 72 72.
144 Dominic ANGKAWIDJAJA Austria 74 70.
144 John GALLAGHER Scotland 69 75.
144 Bernhard REITER Austria 73 71.
144 Jean-Luc BURNIER Switzerland 74 70.
144 Andrea ROTA Italy 68 76.
144 Pietro RICCI Italy 72 72.
144 Remi DUPUIS France (am) 73 71.
144 Jordan FINDLAY Scotland (am) 72 72
145 Daniel OSORIO Spain 72 73.
145 Thomas PECOUT France 74 71.
145 Juan Antonio BRAGULAT Spain 68 77.
145 Nicholas PATEMAN England 72 73.
145 Antonio SARAGNESE Italy 72 73.
145 Borja GUERRERO GARCIA Spain (am) 69 76.
145 Nicolas PORTEBOEUF France 76 69.
145 Yossi BENCHETRIT France 72 73.
145 Mariano SAIZ Spain 78 67.
145 Gerold BERCHTOLD Switzerland 75 70.
145 Patrice VALMARY France (am) 75 70.
145 Juan PARRON Spain 71 74.
146 Jose Luis ADARRAGA Spain 78 68.
146 Antonio ARJONA Spain 76 70.
146 Wolfgang RIEDER Austria 71 75.
146 Alessandro NAPOLEONI Italy 72 74.
146 Carlos PEREZ BARBERAN Spain 74 72.
146 Steven UZZELL England 76 70.
146 Steven UZZELL England 76 70.
147 Lewis PATTULLO England 76 71.
147 Marco BORRI Italy 72 75.
147 Stephen GRANT Ireland 73 74.
147 Samir WALLANI Tunisia 73 74.
147 Gregori BAUMANN Switzerland (am) 74 73.
148 Juan Carlos OSORIO Spain 70 78.
148 Adam WAINWRIGHT England 78 70.
148 Matthias EGGENBERGER Switzerland (am) 72 76.
148 Clement GALLOIS France 76 72.
148 Franz PFOSTL Italy (am) 72 76.
148 Quentin DE VALENSART Belgium 74 74.
148 Leonardo MOTTA Italy (am) 76 72.
148 Ion GARCIA Spain 75 73.
148 Marvin FANTINI Italy 76 72.
148 Miguel CUESTA Spain 72 76.
148 Mattia RATTI Italy 72 76.
148 Miguel CANTERO Spain 75 73.
149 Jeremy MAURIO France 73 76.
149 Jeremy BELLIARD France 72 77.
149 Alexandre RENCK France 78 71.
149 Sean KING United States 73 76.
150 Ruben HOLGADO GUERRERO Spain 69 81.
150 Rafael GALLARDO MORENO Spain 78 72.
151 Vittorio VACCARO Italy (am) 73 78.
151 Steven WALTHER Switzerland (am) 78 73.
151 Georg SCHULTES Austria 74 77.
151 Kamal BENSOUDA Morocco (am) 76 75.
151 David BOBROWSKI France (am) 78 73.
151 Roman HAMON France (am) 70 81.
152 Jorge GARCIA FERNANDEZ Spain 74 78.
152 Damaso CARRERA Spain 73 79.
152 Jean Francois ROMEO France 72 80.
152 Maximilian BOSSE Spain 76 76.
154 Florian POGATSCHNIGG Austria 75 79.
155 Guillaume AFGOUN France (am) 76 79.
155 Kurt MAYR Austria 76 79
155 Simone BARONI Italy 74 81.
155 Jae Kuk LEE Spain 76 79.
155 Jean RELECOM Belgium 75 80
156 Tommaso ORZALESI Italy 80 76.
156 Gabriel LE CHEVALLIER ACETO Italy 76 80.
157 Federico MALOSSINI Italy 78 79.
157 Yvan ABBELOOS Spain (am) 77 80
157 Alberto CAMPANILE Italy 71 86.

158 Marco BENEDUCE Italy 83 75.

Fred Funk gets a new right knee ahead of Christmas ...

By Bob Harig (ESPN.com)
Fred Funk, whose lone victory this year came at the US Senior Open, had knee replacement surgery yesterday in Jacksonville, Florida, and hopes to return to competitive golf in January.
Funk, 53, has had issues with his right knee for more than a year and had a total knee replacement performed at St. Vincent's Medical Centre.
Funk is expected to be hospitalised for a few days and can begin hitting balls again in about six weeks, according to his wife, Sharon.
Funk, who lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, won the 2005 Players Championship, one of his eight US PGA Tour victories, and remains exempt on that tour.
He had surgery for torn cartilage in May of 2008 and developed a staph infection in the knee late last year. Despite limping through most of this year, Funk still managed to finish fifth on the US Champions (Seniors) Tour money list.
Bob Harig covers golf for ESPN.com.

Rory McIlroy thriving as heat rises

FROM THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By Karl MacGinty
Rory McIlroy faces the greatest challenge of his life at this week's $7.5m Dubai World Championship as he bids to become the youngest player since Seve Ballesteros to capture the Harry Vardon Trophy.
Indeed, the pressure on McIlroy (20) to win the inaugural Race to Dubai is infinitely more intense than that faced by 19-year-old Seve in 1976, when he romped away from Eamonn Darcy and Sam Torrance to win the first of his six European Order of Merit titles.
McIlroy's second-place finish in Hong Kong on Sunday puts him 128,172 euros ahead of his closest rival and International Sports Management stablemate Lee Westwood going into this week's showdown on the spectacular new Earth Course in Dubai.
That looks like a king's ransom to many of us poor schmucks struggling just to keep a roof over our head but McIlroy's lead could vanish quicker this weekend than the Nama billions in an event which offers 830,675 euros to the winner, 553,781 euros for second, ‘just' 199,362 euros to the man in fifth place or a paltry 114,633 euros for 10th.
Yet only the top four in the current money list (McIlroy, Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher) have a mathematical chance of winning the inaugural Race to Dubai following the withdrawal of Paul Casey through injury from this week's finale.
As he peruses the world from a career-high 13th in the world rankings and within reach of the top-10 target he'd set himself after winning the Dubai Desert Classic last February, nobody is better equipped than McIlroy to handle the potentially blinding spotlight which will focus on him this week.
His remarkable gift for golf is only part of the story. This young man from Holywood is incredibly self-assured. Under that curly mop of black hair and an affable boyish exterior, McIlroy knows where his destiny lies and how to get there.
In recent days, McIlroy gave the world a glimpse of his steely resolve with the decision to take out his US PGA Tour card in 2010. Less than a month ago, as speculation raged about his young client's future, SportsBusiness Journal in the US received an email from McIlroy's agent, Chubby Chandler, the larger-than-life founder of ISM, which bluntly stated:
“Rory has decided not to join the PGA Tour in 2010.” There was no elaboration — the master, it seemed, had spoken. However, when the matter was raised with McIlroy at the recent Volvo World Match Play, his reply was equally blunt: “I saw that. That's not accurate.”
Precisely how inaccurate was revealed last week when McIlroy, despite the obvious wishes of his manager, announced that he would take that leap of faith into American golf next season. Plainly, this young man prefers to pull the strings, not dance lamely on the end of them.
After watching him flourish under the spotlight as he made his debut in the United States and then impress on his first visit to the US Masters, US Open and US PGA, it's clear that McIlroy appreciates the advantages of being a member of both the PGA and European Tours.
Don't mind the naysayers — the pitfalls are few and far between for a player of McIlroy's ability. He'll have little difficulty fulfilling the requirement to play 15 tournaments on the US roster. Including the Majors and World Golf Championships, McIlroy competed in 11 in 2009, while 13 already figure on the schedule he's announced for the eight months from January to next August's US PGA.
Indeed, McIlroy will play one less tournament in that time than he did in the same period this year and, given his plan to establish a base in the US, he'll also make fewer trips back and forth across the Atlantic. Qualification for the FedEx Cup play-offs would propel McIlroy through the 15-tournament threshold and, once October's Ryder Cup is over, the Ulster prodigy will be free to devote his full attention to the 2010 Race to Dubai climax.
As he proved with last week's decision, McIlroy is no longer the wide-eyed Tour rookie of 25 months ago. In that remarkably short space of time, he has grown into a young man with more than enough strength of character to prevail in the Dubai melting pot this week . . . and take America by storm in 2010.

Where did all the bright young stars go?

Gordon Sherry's career highlights

waste of Scottish young talent


FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Bumping into Gordon Sherry the other night – he's hard to miss at 6ft 8in – got me thinking.
How many golfers has Scotland produced with genuine talent over the years only for them to fall way short of their true potential?
Sherry, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is a classic example. Here's a player who caught the eye throughout his amateur career. Not just because of t hat massive frame, either. He won titles in Ayrshire, tasted success in Scottish tournaments and triumphed in the blue riband event, the Amateur Championship.
He was a class act, as the Kilmarnock (Barassie) man further illustrated during an amazing few days in the summer of 1995. Still an amateur at the time, he produced a fantastic performance to finish fourth in the Bell's Scottish Open at Carnoustie, where Wayne Riley, Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie were the only names above him after 72 holes.
A few days later, in a practice round for the Open Championship at St Andrews, he found himself playing with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson and had a hole-in-one at the eighth on the Old Course, the photographers capturing one of my favourite golfing photos later that day of the young Scot being congratulated by these two golfing legends as though he was their son.
At that time, Sherry appeared to have the golfing world at his feet. The following April, when he got to play in the Masters at Augusta, he received a personal invitation from Watson to join him for a practice round at Augusta National. Sherry looked destined for big things but, from virtually the second he turned professional, it all started to go pear-shaped.
From what I remember, he ruffled a few feathers when he got an invite for a Scottish PGA Championship at Dalmahoy and was then struck down with glandular fever.
The man who once looked as exciting as Tiger Woods around the same age – the pair were on opposite sides at the 1995 Royal Porthcawl but, contrary to what some believe, it was Gary Wolstenholme who beat Woods in the first-day singles and not Sherry – disappeared from the scene like snow off a dyke.

These days Sherry, whose sole success in the paid ranks came in the low-key Mauritius Open in 1997, runs corporate golf days and does a spot of after-dinner speaking. He's excellent in both roles and had his audience at the recent Lothians Golf Association Biennial Dinner hanging on every word at Hibernian's Easter Road.
He doesn't sound bitter about the way things have worked out and deserves credit for that. But that's not the point. Here's a guy who clearly had the talent and looked as though he could go all the way to the top. Just ask Jack and Tom. They're not the type who'll have had the wool pulled over their eyes many times over the years when it comes to assessing fellow golfers.
What really bugs me, though, is that Gordon Sherry isn't alone when it comes to Scottish golfing talent going to waste. Over the past 20 years, I've come across a whole host of young golfers in this country who have excelled at early age yet haven't kicked on, so to speak.
Heck, in some cases they're not even playing the game any more. Take Colin Fraser, for example. The Burntisland boy is probably the best junior golfer I've clapped eyes on, standing out like a sore thumb when he succeeded Andrew Coltart as the Scottish Boys' champion at Dunbar in 1988.
Yet he disappeared from the scene as quickly as he'd appeared and, before too long, this highly-talented individual had put his clubs away in a cupboard. As far as I'm aware, Fraser hasn't been seen on a golf course for many a year.

And what about Steven Young? The Inverallochy youngster chalked up three successive title triumphs in the Scottish Boys' Championship in the mid-1990s and looked another star in the making. He's still playing golf at least but a club job in America isn't exactly what we were expecting for him a few years down the road.
Add David Inglis to the list, too. The flame-haired player who followed George Macgregor and Colin Brooks – I'll come back to him – off the conveyor belt of talent at Glencorse on the outskirts of Edinburgh was oozing with natural talent. On the college circuit in the States, he often beat Nick Watney, now making megabucks on the PGA Tour. At the 2003 Walker Cup at Ganton, he also happened to crush Ryan Moore, another American professional doing well these days, by 4 and 3 in the deciding singles.
Six years on, Inglis has disappeared from the golfing radar. He married a girl he met at college and stayed in America but, in doing so, seems to have steered his golf career on to the scrapheap.
For me, Brooks, the man who, in 1986, preceded Montgomerie as the Scottish Amateur champion is another classic case of what might have been. He was brilliant on the old European Satellite Tour – now the Challenge Tour – and looked to be the real deal when he stepped up on to the top circuit.
Alas, that proved a disaster. He just couldn't perform to his full potential on the big stage and, after being hit in the pocket quite badly, he decided that the life wasn't for him. He's now one of Scotland's leading coaches and good luck to him, but I still maintain he had the talent to have done better as a player.

Need some more names to ponder? Paul Girvan, who played with Colin Montgomerie in the 1987 Walker Cup; Drew Elliot, a former Scottish team-mate of Andrew Coltart; and Barry Hume, the 1999 Scottish boys' stroke-play champion, the 2001 Scottish men's amateur championship winner and then the 2002 Scottish men's amateur open stroke play champion. Hume was tipped by many to be the best thing since sliced bread.
I'd like someone to sit all these players down and ask them where it went wrong. Were they given the right support? What would they have done differently? What can be done to stop the same thing happening to others in the future?
Despite what some people say, Scotland has a good record of producing talented young golfers. The trouble is that we often fail to make sure those players reach their final destination.

Any comments? You can E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Banned Doug Barron fails in bid to play at Tour School

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
MEMPHIS, Tennessee. -- A United States magistrate has denied a temporary restraining order sought by a golfer trying to block a one-year doping ban by the US PGA Tour long enough to let him play at the Tour School qualifying tournament in Houston.
Judge Tu Pham ruled that Doug Barron did not show a likelihood that he would win on his claims argued in an earlier hearing.
Barron, 40, of Memphis was the first to be banned for violating the US Tour policy that went into effect July 3, 2008. Barron, who started his career in 1995, tested positive for the anabolic steroid testosterone and propranolol, a beta-blocker that calms nerves, at the St Jude Classic in Memphis in June.
The judge said Barron made a strong case that personal irreparable harm would be caused but ruled the harm to others and the public interest weighed in favor of denying the "extraordinary remedy" of the restraining order.
In his ruling, Pham wrote that Barron's participating at the Qualifying School competition this week "could raise substantial public policy concerns regarding the enforcement of anti-doping policies in professional sports."
Attorney Jeffrey Rosenblum had argued Barron took the drugs under the supervision of a doctor for "therapeutic use" and made no secret of it. Rosenblum said that Barron is "disabled" under the Americans With Disabilities Act because low testosterone "impairs a major life activity and that is intimacy with your wife."
But attorneys for the US Tour had argued a committee of doctors denied Barron's request for a therapeutic exemption in January 2009. An appeal to use the beta-blocker also was denied.
Rosenblum said later vthat he was disappointed that the restraining order was denied. But he said they were encouraged by several findings by the judge and are considering a possible appeal.
"We consider this ruling to be a partial victory for Doug Barron. The Court's ruling supports our allegations that there are serious questions to be addressed regarding the US Tour's application of its anti-doping policy," Rosenblum said.