Troy Merritt leads US Tour qualifiers ... but

they don't include David Duval

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida-- Troy Merritt shot a 3-under 69 on Monday to win the US PGA Tour Q-School finals despite making a double bogey on the final hole.
The men who won their playing rights for the "Big League" in 2010 were:
1. Troy Merritt 410 -22
2. Jeff Maggert 411 -21
3. Matt Jones 413 -19
4. Martin Flores 414 -18
5. Neal Lancaster 415 -17
5. Brendon de Jonge 415 -17
7. Billy Horschel 416 -16
8. David Lutterus 417 -15
8. J.P. Hayes 417 -15
8. Graham Delaet 417 -15
11. Jay Williamson 418 -14
12. Chris Wilson 420 -12
12. Brenden Pappas 420 -12
12. Kris Blanks 420 -12
15. Omar Uresti 421 -11
15. Rickie Fowler 421 -11
15. Shane Bertsch 421 -11
15. Joe Ogilvie 421 -11
19. Brian Stuard 422 -10
19. Cameron Tringale 422 -10
19. Michael Connell 422 -10
19. Chris Riley 422 -10
23. Spencer Levin 423 -9
23. Brent Delahoussaye 423 -9
23. Andrew McLardy 423 -9
Selected scores:
424 Gary Christian (England) 75 6969 69 69 73 (jt 26th).
433 David Duval 71 73 69 79 72 69 (jt 90th).

See all the final totals by clicking on:
http://www.pgatour.com/qschool/leaderboard/

Merritt, who has never played in a US PGA Tour event, finished the six-round event at 22 under and one shot ahead of tour veteran Jeff Maggert.
"Probably the most satisfying double bogey I've ever made," Merritt said.
Matt Jones (66) was third at 19 under, one shot ahead of Martin Flores (65) in the event where the top 25 finishers plus ties (a total of 26 players this year) earned cards on the PGA Tour for 2010.
Walker Cup star Rickie Fowler made it comfortably, his final-round 70 leaving him tied for 15th.
Among the notables who did not qualify out of Q-School were major champions David Duval, Todd Hamilton and Shaun Micheel.
Merritt earned $50,000 for medalist honors. There was no formal ceremony, just a long line of relatives and well-wishers getting autographs and photos taken.
"The trophy is to get to play with the big boys next year," Merritt said.
Five players began the final round outside the magical top-25 barrier and rallied to earn cards. David Lutterus shot the round of the day, an 8-under 64, to jump from tied for 28th to tied for eighth. Shane Bertsch made a bigger leap, a 65 getting him from 50th to 15th.
"It's not a real comfortable week," Bertsch said. "But I just kept plugging."
Cameron Tringale moved 23 spots up to 19th, and Spencer Levin and Brent Delahoussaye also made final-round jumps to be among the Q-School graduates. Chris Riley, a 2004 Ryder Cup player for the U.S., also advanced.
Lutterus was 9 under through his first 14 holes of the final round, enjoying a strangely relaxing day on his way to going from having no status anywhere next season to having a PGA Tour card.
"My game just wasn't quite there the first five rounds," Lutterus said. "Just clicked today. I was actually enjoying it."
Not everyone did.
The only score that mattered Monday was 9 under, the line between joining the PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour for 2010. Ken Duke missed a long birdie try on his final hole, missing by a shot. Two-time PGA Tour winner Tom Pernice Jr. drove into the water on the 18th, made double bogey and fell one shot shy.
Pernice won on the Champions Tour this year, meaning he already had a place to play in 2010.
"True, but I didn't come here to not make it," Pernice said. "Anybody that came here, they come here with the intent and feeling that you're going to make it."
Julien Trudeau didn't know what to feel when he didn't make it, one of eight players to finish at 8 under.
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Complete coverage of PGA Tour Q-School
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Trudeau's friends raised $4,000 to send him to the final round of Q-School and cover the price tag of hotels, dinners and the rental car. He rewarded them by winning a Nationwide Tour card, but he waited for hours after his round ended to see if 8 under would be good enough, first sipping coffee in the locker room and then beer in the parking lot.
"One way or the other, I'm so happy to be here," Trudeau said. "And so lucky."
It's not uncommon to see a final-hole meltdown at Q-School, and James Hahn won't forget his 18th hole for some time.
Hahn was tied for 50th starting the final round Monday. A year ago, he was selling shoes at Nordstrom, scratching out a living as a "paycheck-to-paycheck player" and considered quitting golf for good.
His first 17 holes Monday were flawless, five birdies, no bogeys, putting him in position for the PGA Tour.
"I was talking a lot to myself on the last hole walking up, saying 'If it's my time, it's my time,'" Hahn said.
It wasn't his time. He drove into the bunker on the last hole, got a perfect lie and hit his approach from 163 yards to about 65 feet.
A two-putt, he's on tour. His day ended four putts later.
The first putt was 10 feet short, his second missed by 2 feet, and Hahn lipped that one out for good measure.
"I'm not going to beat myself over the head about it," Hahn said. "That's golf."
Hahn was fine. Delahoussaye could barely keep his composure, and he was one of the lucky ones.
Delahoussaye was planning a January honeymoon. Teary-eyed, he called his fiancee a few moments after finishing his 108th hole of the week, telling her that plans were changing. He's on tour now, and plans have to change since he's got events to play in January.
"I've been trying for so long," Delahoussaye said. "I'm pretty sure she'll be all right with going to Hawaii instead."

US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School Scoreboard
Bear Lakes Country Club, Florida.
FIFTH ROUND LEADING TOTALS (one round to go)
341 Troy Merritt 67 69 68 67 70.
344 Jeff Maggert 71 67 68 68 70, Graham Delaet 70 71 64 69 70.
346 Brenden Pappas 72 68 65 73 68, J P Hayes 74 67 63 73 69, Chris Riley 71 71 65 71 68, Chris Blanks 72 74 67 67 71
347 Matt Jones 71 73 66 67 70, Billy Horschell 69 70 67 69 72.
348 Neal Lancaster 71 68 72 68 69.
349 Martin Flores 72 68 68 68 72, Jay Williamson 68 69 68 69 75, Michael Connell 71 67 69 71 71.
Selected totals:
351 Rickie Fowler 74 68 66 73 70, Gary Christian (England) 75 69 69 69 69.
364 David Duval 71 73 69 79 72.

Guess how many miles Poulter has travelled over last seven weeks

Did you know Ian Poulter has travelled 28,784 miles in the last seven weeks?
According to NBC, the Englishman tweeted about how he was considering FedExing his baggage around the globe since the extra weight of his seven-week wardrobe was getting expensive...
Here was Poulter's travel itinerary as detailed by NBC on Saturday:

Orlando - Singapore (11,090 miles).
Singapore - Shanghai (2,350).
Shanghai - Hong Kong (754).
Hong Kong - Dubai (3,690).
Dubai - Shenzen, China (3,670).
Shenzen - Los Angeles (7,230).

Editor's note: But think of the Air Miles he must be accumulating.

Recession? What Recession?

Six new events named on 2010 European Tour

International schedule's Race to Dubai

NEWS RELEASED ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
The Race to Dubai on The 2010 European Tour International Schedule will feature a minimum of 47 tournaments, including six new events, culminating in the Dubai World Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The 2010 European Tour International Schedule will be launched with four events in South Africa – two either side of Christmas - starting with the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club, Malelane, this week, and will then travel through four continents before building to a thrilling climax in Dubai from November 25-28, 2010.
The curtain came down on The 2009 Race to Dubai with England’s Lee Westwood finishing the year in style by winning the Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World and securing The Harry Vardon Trophy by finishing European Number One.
The second edition of the Dubai World Championship will again carry a prize fund of $7,500,000 while The Race to Dubai Bonus Pool remains at $7,500,000 to be divided between the leading 15 players at the conclusion of the season.
The European Tour’s flagship event – the BMW PGA Championship - will take place over the new-look West Course at Wentworth Club from May 20-23 when the world’s best golfers will encounter the extensive renovations for the first time.
Six new tournaments will feature on the schedule: the Africa Open, at East London Golf Club, Eastern Cape, South Africa, from January 7-10; the Avantha Masters at the DLF G&CC, New Delhi, India, from February 11-14; the Hassan II Golf Trophy at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco, from March 18-21; the Open Cala Millor Mallorca at Pula GC, Son Servera, Mallorca, Spain from May 13-16; The Vivendi from September 23-26 and the Andalucia Masters, at Club de Golf Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain, from October 28-31.
Meanwhile Omega are the new title sponsors of the Dubai Desert Classic, Nordea will title sponsor the Scandinavian Masters and Avantha are the title sponsors of the Masters event in New Delhi with which The European Tour International Schedule returns to India.
The highly acclaimed Bro Hof Slott GC, in Stockholm, will be included on The European Tour International Schedule for the first time with the playing of the Nordea Scandinavian Masters from July 22-25, while the Tanjong course at Sentosa GC, Singapore, will be another new course for the Barclays Singapore Open alongside the Serapong course from November 11-14.
A number of venues also make a welcome return to the fold, such as Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, Co. Kerry, Ireland, which will host the 3 Irish Open for the first time since 1992. It has also been more than ten years since Penha Longa GC featured on the schedule, but the course will host the Estoril Open de Portugal on April 1-4.
The 2010 Ryder Cup, at The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, from October 1-3, will be a key feature of the 2010 season, with players vying for a place in Colin Montgomerie’s European Team to face the United States until the qualification campaign ends at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles from August 26-29.

EUROPEAN TOUR DATES, VENUES
2009
DECEMBER
10-13 Alfred Dunhill Championship - Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa
17-20 South African Open Championship - Pearl Valley Golf Estates, Paarl, Western Cape
2010
JANUARY
7-10 Africa Open - East London GC, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
14-17 Joburg Open - Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC, Johannesburg, South Africa
21-24 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship - Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
28- 31 Commercialbank Qatar Masters - Doha GC, Doha, Qatar
FEBRUARY
4-7 Omega Dubai Desert Classic - Emirates GC, Dubai, UAE
11-14 Avantha Masters - DLF G&CC, New Delhi, India
17-21 WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship - Ritz-Carlton GC, Dove Mountain, Arizona.
MARCH
4-7 Maybank Malaysian Open - Kuala Lumpur G&CC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
11-14 WGC – CA Championship - Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Doral, Florida
18-21 Hassan II Golf Trophy - Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco
25-28 Open de Andalucia de Golf - Parador de Málaga Golf, Málaga, Spain
APRIL
1-4 Estoril Open de Portugal - Penha Longa GC, Linho Sintra, Estoril, Portugal
8-11 MASTERS TOURNAMENT - Augusta National, Georgia, USA
8-11 Madeira Islands Open - Porto Santo Golfe, Madeira, Portugal
15-18 Tournament to be arranged.
22-25 Ballantine's Championship - Pinx GC, Jeju Island, South Korea
29 – 2 May Open de España - Real Club de Golf de Sevilla, Seville, Spain.
MAY
6-9 BMW Italian Open - Royal Park I Roveri, Turin, Italy
13-16 Open Cala Millor Mallorca - Pula GC, Son Servera, Mallorca, Spain
20-23 BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP - Wentworth Club, Surrey.
27-30 Madrid Masters - Venue to be confirmed.
JUNE
3-6 The Celtic Manor Wales Open - The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales
10-13 Austrian Golf Open - Fontana GC, Vienna, Austria
17-20 UNITED STATES OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP - Pebble Beach Golf Links, California.
17-20 Saint-Omer Open - Aa Saint Omer GC, Lumbres, France
24-27 BMW International Open - Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
JULY
1-4 Alstom Open de France - Le Golf National, Paris, France
8-11 The Barclays Scottish Open - Loch Lomond GC
15-18 THE 139th OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP - Old Course, St Andrews.
22-25 Nordea Scandinavian Masters - Bro Hof Slott GC, Stockholm, Sweden
29-1 August 3 Irish Open - Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, Killarney, Co Kerry, Ireland
AUGUST
5-8 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational - Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio, US
12-15 US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP - Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin, US
19-22 Czech Open - Prosper Golf Resort, Čeladná, Czech Republic
26-29 Johnnie Walker Championship - The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland
SEPTEMBER
2-5 Omega European Masters Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland
9-12 KLM Open Hilversumsche GC, Hilversum, The Netherlands
16-19 Tournament to be arranged.
23-26 The Vivendi Venue - to be confirmed
OCTOBER
1-3 THE RYDER CUP - The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales
7-10 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship - Old Course, St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns.
14-17 Portugal Masters - Oceanico Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura, Portugal
21-24 Castello Master- Costa Azahar Club de Campo del Mediterráneo, Castellón, Valencia, Spain
28-31 Andalucia Masters - Club de Golf Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain
NOVEMBER
4-7 WGC-HSBC Champions - Sheshan International GC, Shanghai, China
11-14 Barclays Singapore Open - The Tanjong & The Serapong, Sentosa GC, Singapore
18-21 Hong Kong Open - Hong Kong GC, Fanling, Hong Kong
25-28 DUBAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE

DATES TO BE CONFIRMED
Volvo China Open - Jinji Lake International GC, Sozhou, China
Volvo World Match Play Championship - Finca Cortesin GC, Casares, Spain
JBWere Masters - Kingston Heath GC, Australia

Scots golf tourism industry is

upbeat about 2010 propects

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY GOLF TOURISM SCOTLAND
Scotland’s golf tourism industry has sent the clearest signal yet that confidence is returning to Scotland ’s beleaguered economy. In a straw poll taken at Golf Tourism Scotland ’s Gold Standard Awards, industry representatives from the travel, hospitality and golf service sectors were united in their positive outlook for 2010.
In a short survey conducted during a glitzy evening in November, golf professionals were asked if they felt more or less positive about the year ahead. The vast majority indicated they had an optimistic view of 2010 with 90% responding positively. Only 8% felt less confident and 2% were undecided.
“We’ve been through a tough year,” said Nick Hunter, pictured above, chairman of GTS, “but it’s encouraging to see the positivity being taken forward into the New Year. There’s a lot to look forward to especially with the Open Championship being held at St Andrews and celebrating its 150th anniversary. It should be a year to savour.”
One of the reasons for this shift in business opinion is the upbeat predictions for next year’s visitor numbers, especially those from the US which GTS board member Fraser Cromarty said already look positive.
“Going on our 2010 bookings compared to 2009, we see American travellers are coming back,” said Cromarty, whose day job is looking after sales and marketing at Castle Stuart Golf Links. “We’re also seeing a lot more Europeans especially since the Euro is so strong. Indeed, come the New Year, I think we’ll see even more bookings because people are still holding off making their plans for 2010.”
Although Castle Stuart only enjoyed half a season due to its summer launch, next year’s tour operator bookings have already outstripped 2009’s total at the Inverness course. “The tour operator business is a lot more positive than in 2009,” commented Cromarty. It’s going to be an upbeat year and more buoyant than last season.”

England send Jonathan Bell to Junior

Orange Bowl in Florida late December

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Boy international Jonathan Bell will look to make it a happy New Year by becoming only the second English player to lift the title when he represents the English Golf Union in the annual Junior Orange Bowl in Florida at the end of the month.
Ben Parker, now a professional, won the event in 2005 while Stiggy Hodgson was runner-up a year ago. But no other English player has managed to win the prestigious American tournament which will be played at its regular venue of the Biltmore Golf Club in Florida from December 27 to 30.
Bell, 18, is a former Under-16 cap who has represented England on a regular basis for the past two years and also played for GB&I in the Jacques Leglise Trophy at Ganton a few months ago. The Kent-based teenager from the Royal Blackheath club has also been successful in individual events for the past six years. He was the English Under-14 champion in 2004 at the age of 12 and finished runner-up and third in the Douglas Johns Trophy in the following two years.
He enjoyed a highly successful 2008 winning the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters and the South East Junior Championship, was third in the Fairhaven Trophy as well as being a member of the four-strong winning England team in the Honda Junior Championship in Japan.
In 2009, Bell has finished runner-up in the Lee Westwood Trophy, fourth when defending the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters title, and fourth in the Lagonda Trophy while he was also a member of England's victorious boys' home Internationals team.
Recently, he won the Under-18 title in the Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil. The Orange Bowl, one of the most prestigious Under-18 events in the world, has separate boys and girls tournaments played over 72 holes of stroke play.

Dates for 2010 curtain-raising Champion of champions' event

The Scottish champion of champions' 72-hole tournament, hosted and organised by Leven Golfing Society, will ring up the curtain on the men's 2010 domestic amateur competitive season on Saturday and Sunday, April 3-4.
The Craigmillar Park Open, over 72 holes at the Edinburgh venue, will be played the following venue, Saturday and Sunday, April 10-11.
The Leven Golfing Society's other big 72-hole amateur event - the Standard Life Leven Golf Medal - will be played on Saturday and Sunday, August 7-8.

US PGA Tour gets a toehold in Malaysia

The US PGA Tour is following the lead of the European Tour and gaining a foothold in Asia.
The Americans have reached a multi-year deal with the Asian Tour to stage the Malaysia Asia Pacific Golf Classic.
The event will be played late next year at The Mines Resort and Golf Club, with the winner receiving $1 million from the $6 million purse.
The top 25 players from the US PGA Tour's final FedEx Cup standings and the top 10 available players from the Asian Tour money list will get spots in the 40-man field.
The event also will include five sponsor exemptions and at least one Malaysian professional will be guaranteed a spot at The Mines.
Dates of the tournament were not announced.

Quiros bidding to be a big hit again in

Commercialbank Qatar Masters

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ALAN EWENS
Doha (QATAR): After a hard-earned winter break, big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros will be out to defend his title when the 2010 Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Presented by Dolphin Energy is staged at Doha Golf Club from January 28-31.
Following a gruelling season that saw him compete in 26 European Tour events and end the year in 20th place in the rankings, the man with the biggest drive on the Tour has confirmed he will be back in the Qatari capital aiming to become the first golfer to successfully defend the Mother of Pearl trophy.
“I have to come back for two reasons,” said the 26 year-old Quiros (pictured). “One is I am the defending champion and the other is I truly believe the Gulf tournaments we play in Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the best three tournaments in a row that we play on the Tour.
“Qatar is a great place. The golf course, the food, the hotel – everything is good and I’m very comfortable there. Winning last year opened doors for me. It took me to 24th in the world and thanks to Qatar I was able to play my first full years of Majors. My other wins helped me but it’s fair to say Qatar was the last tier, the final push to get to the highest level in the world.”
Hassan Al Nuami, Chairman of the Qatar Golf Association (QGA), which stages the event in association with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), said having the champion confirm his appearance so early underlines the status of the tournament.
“I am delighted to hear Alvaro enjoyed his time with us last year,” he said. “Obviously he will remember his victory forever but to hear his positive comments about the city of Doha and the quality of Doha Golf Club gives us a great boost as we prepare for the thirteenth staging of the event in January.”
With an average drive of 314 yards, Quiros is the biggest hitter on the European Tour, a fact he believes helps any golfer with hopes of winning in Doha. “You look at some of the recent winners like Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson and myself – the course obviously suits big hitters. But to win in Doha you still need to have a good all-round game.
“It will be tough to win it a second time – a lot of players on the Tour don’t even win one tournament – but I’m looking forward to it and to trying to play my way into the European Ryder Cup team.”

Andrew Stevens, CEO of title sponsors Commercialbank Group, was among the party of dignitaries who presented Quiros with the stunning trophy less than twelve months ago.
“Alvaro is wonderful golfer and a charming person,” said Stevens. “We should never forget that last year’s event rating, based on the Official World Golf Ranking of the entire field, was the highest of any regular Tour event excluding the Majors, World Golf Championship events and the flagship BMW PGA Championship.
“To win in that company says a lot for his qualities and emphasises the strength in depth of the young players competing today on the European Tour. I’m sure the galleries in Qatar will give him the kind of reception deserving of our reigning champion.”

Open Champions' Challenge over four holes of

Old Course on Wednesday, July 14

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
On Wednesday, July 14, the eve of the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews, The Open’s past Champions will play four holes of the Old Course – the first, second, 17th and 18th – in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of golf’s oldest Major.
An invitation to compete has been extended to all 32 living Open Champions.
The first group will tee-off around 4pm and the event will conclude by 6pm. The winners of the Challenge, which will be screened live by the BBC, will receive prize money to donate to a charity of their choice.
This is the second time that The Open Champions' Challenge has been staged. In 2000, 22 former Open Champions celebrated the Millennium Open in the same format. On that occasion large galleries, who were entertained by a tap-dance on the Swilken Bridge by an 88-year-old Sam Snead, watched Team One of Tom Weiskopf, Tom Lehman and Paul Lawrie claim victory with a score of two under par. The event raised over £40,000 for charity.
“The Open Champions' Challenge in 2000 was a great success and we expect it to be so again a decade on in 2010,” said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships. “We hope that the majority of our former Champions will accept the invitation and join us in St Andrews to help commemorate this very special occasion.”
Ticket enquiries should be directed through Opengolf.com or +44 (0) 1334 460010.
The invited Champions and the years of their victories are as follows:
Peter Thomson 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965
Gary Player 1959, 1968, 1974
Kel Nagle 1960
Arnold Palmer 1961, 1962
Sir Bob Charles 1963
Jack Nicklaus 1966, 1970, 1978
Roberto de Vicenzo 1967
Tony Jacklin 1969
Lee Trevino 1971, 1972
Tom Weiskopf 1973
Tom Watson 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983
Johnny Miller 1976
Severiano Ballesteros 1979, 1984, 1988
Bill Rogers 1981
Sandy Lyle 1985
Greg Norman 1986, 1993
Sir Nick Faldo 1987, 1990, 1992
Mark Calcavecchia 1989
Ian Baker-Finch 1991
Nick Price 1994
John Daly 1995
Tom Lehman 1996
Justin Leonard 1997
Mark O’Meara 1998
Paul Lawrie 1999
Tiger Woods 2000, 2005, 2006
David Duval 2001
Ernie Els 2002
Ben Curtis 2003
Todd Hamilton 2004
Padraig Harrington 2007, 2008
Stewart Cink 2009

Donald Trump appoints Carnoustie

man as links superintendent

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY TRUMP INTERNATIONAL - SCOTLAND
After more than 18 years of service at Carnoustie Golf Links, former assistant superintendent, Paul O’Connor, has been appointed links superintendent for Trump International Golf Links, Scotland.
Donald J. Trump states “Paul is highly respected and is known to be one of the best in his field. His years of training and experience at Carnoustie made him an obvious choice for this appointment. He is a very important addition to my team.”
O’Connor forms part of the golf course construction team at Menie Estate and will be responsible for the maintenance and management of the course when it is built.
O’Connor, pictured, said: “I enjoyed 18 years at Carnoustie and understand the high standards required of a leading championship course. I am extremely proud to be involved in the construction and development of what will be the finest links course ever built - it is a privilege to work for Mr Trump on this spectacular terrain.”
Studying greenkeeping at Elmwood College in Cupar, Fife, in the early nineties, whilst working as an apprentice green keeper at Carnoustie, O’Connor quickly rose to the position of head green keeper and by 1996 was running all aspects of the championship course.
Regarded as an expert on agronomy and turf grass management, O’Connor contributed to significant course design changes at Carnoustie and introduced many innovative practices and new working methods during his years of service.
Scotland and Ireland area manager for the Sports Turf Research Institute, Dr Ian McClements, commented:
“Paul was instrumental in restoring the authenticity and quality of Carnoustie Golf Links over the last 15-20 years. During The 2007 Open Championship he expertly led the greenkeeping team to prepare what was widely regarded as the best conditioned Open Venue of all time. His attention to detail, passion for the job and knowledge of links golf sets him apart; he will be a significant asset to the management team at Balmedie.”
Having worked directly with the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) during the 2007 Open Championship, O’Connor played a vital role in the success of the course conditions and playing surfaces that earned that year’s championship event plaudits from players and officials.
O’Connor, 42, has also advised on other international championship courses overseas, and has a golf handicap of 3. He and his family (wife and daughter) currently live in Broughty Ferry.

R&A launch 'Railway Club at

17th Tee' package for Open

championship


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
Tickets for the 150th Anniversary Open Championship at St Andrews should be purchased before Monday, December 14 to ensure that they are delivered to UK addresses in time for Christmas.
With Greenside Club tickets sold out, buyers can now take advantage of the newly-released ‘Railway Club at the 17th Tee’ ticket. It gives a full week’s access to a reserved stand by the new 17th tee, which also overlooks the 16th and second green. Railway Club Ticket holders will also receive access to the Railway Club Marquee, in which they can enjoy complimentary tea, coffee and newspapers, and a range of other catering to purchase.
An Official Programme and daily draw-sheet, plus a week’s car-park pass and entry to both The R&A Club Marquee and Links Restaurant will also be included.
“Railway Club tickets and the Railway Stand are a new initiative for 2010 and would make a great present,” explained The R&A’s Director of Championships, David Hill. “The stand will give spectators fantastic views as players drive from the new 17th tee over the famous railway sheds, while the dedicated marquee, situated less than 150 yards away, will allow ticket holders to relax in comfort and style.”
Those who don’t want to miss a shot on the Old Course can also purchase Season tickets for all eight days of the Championship at the heavily discounted price of £200, if purchased before January 31, 2010.
A number of special events have been planned to commemorate the 150th anniversary of The Open Championship, including The Open Champions’ Challenge on the Wednesday evening before the Championship gets underway.
A daily ticket on the four Championship days (July 15-28, 2010) costs £60. Under-16’s will continue to be admitted free of charge and concessions are available.
Ticket enquiries should be directed through Opengolf.com or +44 (0) 1334 460010.

+The Open championship will be played over the Old Course, St Andrews from July 15 to 18, 2010.

Troy Merritt leads US Tour School by three

FROM THE PGATOUR.COM WEBSITE
WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. -- Troy Merritt had a three-stroke lead over former Boise State teammate Graham Delaet on Sunday when fifth-round play in the rain-delayed PGA Tour qualifying tournament was suspended for the day because of darkness.
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PGATOUR.COM:
Complete coverage of PGA Tour Q-School
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Merritt, the Mexico Open winner this year on the Nationwide Tour, was 1 over through 12 holes on the Links Course at Bear Lakes Country Club and 18 under overall.
Delaet also had six holes left on the Links Course. Brenden Pappas and Jeff Maggert were 14 under. Pappas had four holes left in the round, and Maggert has six left.
The top 25 finishers and ties after the six-round tournament will earn PGA Tour cards for 2010, with roughly 50 more earning fully exempt status for the Nationwide Tour.
Darkness suspended fifth-round play at 5:11 p.m. A total of 52 players in the field completed play, and the fifth round will resume at 7:45 a.m. on Monday.
Sixth-round starting times will take place from approximately 8:20 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. After the fifth round, players will switch courses, stay in the same groups, start on the same tee and the groups will be in the same order as in the fifth round. The leaders are finishing up play on the Links Course and will play the Lakes Course for the final round.
Boise State's football program has been in the national spotlight for several years, but perhaps it's time to give credit to the men's golf team as Merritt and DeLaet both played for the Broncos. Merritt won nine times during his final two years at BSU, including seven during his senior season, and was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. DeLaet finished up his college career in 2006. He won 10 times and was WAC Player of the Year in 2006.
Merritt is trying to become only the third player since 1992 to hold/share the lead after each of the six rounds at Q-School. Merritt held the lead after the first, second and fourth rounds and shared the lead after three rounds with J.P Hayes.
The only others to go through six days at the top were Frank Lickliter (2007) and Scott Verplank (1997). Verplank has the distinction of being the only player to hold the outright lead after each round (ie. wire-to-wire).
Maggert, making his first appearance at Q-School, is in good position to regain his Tour card after finishing No. 128 on the money list last year. The Texan is currently 14 under par and tied for third, four strokes back of leader Troy Merritt.
Pappas looks to be a good bet to return to the PGA Tour. The South African-born Texas resident is tied for third, four back of Merritt. Pappas played on the Nationwide Tour in 2009, with 14 cuts in 27 starts. He had three top-25 finishes and wound up No. 95 on the money list.
If Merritt holds on to the lead heading into the sixth and final round, he will try to become the sixth consecutive player to maintain his place at the top. In the past eight years, only one player who held the lead after five rounds failed to take medalist honors.
David Duval (72) stands at 4-over 364 after 90 holes. He is making his first Final Stage appearance since 1993, and is tied for 105th.

Hugh Hunter's Clackmannan County news

CALLUM JUST MISSES OUT

Tulliallan’s Callum Macaulay just failed in his bid to retain his European Tour category 11 status for 2010. At the final qualifying in Spain, held over six rounds, Callum made a brave effort from behind and only failed by one shot.

The final qualifying event has a cut after four rounds and Callum just made it right on the mark with a fourth round of 67. He knew he had to pull out something special to make the top 30 and he gave it his best shot--- a fifth round of 70 lifted him up the field and then a final four under par, bogey-free round of 68 gave him a six-round total of 419 (70-73-71-67-70-68) putting him in equal 32nd position, just behind the 31 qualifiers.

It was a top-class performance--- in club golf terms the course measured over 7,000 yards and probably had a scratch score of 74, meaning Callum was playing to plus 6 and plus 7 in two of his rounds---this shows the very high standard of professional golf on the European Tour.
All is not lost, however, because of finishing 134 in the 2009 Race to Dubai, he has a Category 12 status--- a bit lower than last year, so he will find that obtaining entries to events is more difficult and hopefully he will be occasionally considered for a sponsors' invite.

Hopefully this will give him some motivation in the events—he certainly has the game to compete at a very high level.
Callum really has done remarkably well in his first season as a professional—he has made many cuts and won over €200,000. The experience he has built up should serve him well in 2010 and no doubt he will be planning his schedule for the new season. We all wish him well.

LAWRENCE IN GOOD FORM
Alva junior Lawrence Allan is continuing his good form in National Junior events. After a good performance in the Under 16’s match against England, Lawrence was selected for the under 16’s winter tour, played over four courses.
In the first event at Nairn Dunbar, Lawrence scored a par 72 finishing first equal, and in the second event at Whitekirk he finished with a three over par 75, giving him fifth equal position. Two further events are being held at the start of 2010 and the four all count to an Order of Merit.

At present Lawrence is in third position with 342 points , 32 points behind the leader.

MIDLAND ALLIANCE
Wee County golfers continue to make their presence felt in the weekly events. In the latest one, held at Muckhart in very wet conditions, Alloa’s Rae Barton tied with two others for the first handicap prize with a net 70, and in the team event he teamed up with Tulliallan’s Bob Stewart and assistant professional Alan Lockhart to gain a runner-up spot with a 63.

In addition Rae qualifies for the championship finals at Montrose in April, a good day’s work and a consolation for a soaking.

Exciting finish to Tiger-less Chevron World Challenge

Jim Furyk wins, late sub Graeme McDowell comes

second and wins a place in Masters field

Jim Furyk ended more than two years without a victory by holing key putts on the final two holes for a five-under 67 and a one-shot victory in the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks in California on Sunday.
Tiger Woods, the tournament host, wasn’t around to present the trophy to one of his favourite players on the US PGA Tour. He withdrew because of injuries from his November 27 car crash, although he was part of every conversation because of the worldwide publicity over allegations of extramarital affairs.
“Tough times,” Furyk said. “So they need the support of their friends right now, and I know that people are thinking about them.”
Over the final few hours, attention shifted to a golf tournament in which six players had a share of the lead at some point.
Furyk finished at 13-under 275 for a one-shot victory over Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who replaced Woods in the 18-man field late in the build-up. McDowell needed to hole out from the fairway to force a play-off, and it looked for a moment as if it had a chance.
McDowell settled for a birdie and a 70, and his second-place finish moved him up to No. 38 in the world ranking and virtually assured him a spot in the Masters next year.
Lee Westwood had a birdie chip to force a play-off, then missed a 4-foot par putt and had to settle for a 70 and a two-way tie for third with Padraig Harrington, who had two eagles in his round of 70.
“After I missed the putt to tie on the last, I lost a bit of concentration,” Westwood said.
Furyk took the lead with a birdie on the 10th and never trailed again, although he was in trouble on the par-3 17th when his tee shot tumbled down the slope into a bunker. He blasted out 35 feet beyond the hole, then made the par putt to keep his one-shot lead.
Realising he was being chased, Furyk went right at the flag on the 18th and watched it settle 5 feet below the cup. When he reached the green, he saw that Westwood had birdied the 17th to tie him.
Furyk holed the putt, then watched to see if anyone could catch him.
It was his first victory since the 2007 Canadian Open, and along with $1.35 million, the victory moved Furyk to No. 6 in the world.
“It’s bothered me,” Furyk said of his victory drought. “I’d be lying if I said otherwise. That’s your goal every year to go out and win, and I haven’t been able to do it. Hopefully, this will be a stepping stone.”
Harrington twice chipped in for eagles, while Steve Stricker also made two eagles on a final day packed with action at Sherwood Country Club. Camilo Villegas had the best shot of the day, a 3-wood from 262 yards on the 13th for an albatross 2, the rarest shot in golf.
“One good thing that happened to me this week,” Villegas said.
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