John Daly plays on Nationwide Tour for first time since 1991

 Longtime Arkansas resident John Daly returns to the US Nationwide Tour this week for the first time since 1991. He received a sponsor's exemption into the Fort Smith Classic at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
The former Arkansas (University) Razorback played on the Nationwide Tour full time in 1990, its inaugural year, making 14 cuts in 19 starts, finishing second three times and winning the Utah Classic. That fall, he would get his US PGA Tour card through the Qualifying Tournament and go on to earn 1991 Rookie of the Year honours with the highlight being his surprise victory at the US PGA Championship.
Daly has made 439 US PGA Tour starts and won five times, adding another major at the 1995 Open at St Andrews. In 2010, the 44-year-old has made the cut in eight of 11 US Tour events, with his best finish a T24 at the Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL THE QUALIFIERS AND SOME WHO FAILED

FLEETWOOD LEADS MATCH PLAY QUALIFIERS AFTER NORTH BERWICK 65

NEWS RELEASED ISSUED BY THE RandA
England’s Tommy Fleetwood, beaten finalist at Turnberry in the 2008 Amateur Championship, today posted a flawless round of 65 at North Berwick to finish two shots clear of the field after the 36-hole qualifying stage. Formby’s Ian Winstanley, reigning Boys Amateur Champion Tom Lewis and the highest-ranked Scot, James Byrne, shared second place on five-under-par totals of 137.
Fleetwood, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who played for Great Britain and Ireland during last September’s Walker Cup Match at Merion Golf Club, recorded three birdies on the front nine, and a further three coming back to ensure that he will be the man to beat in the match play stages.
“You never know who you’re going to come up against,” said the World Amateur Golf Ranking number 10. “But I’ve played well in the first two rounds and I’m sure people will notice that. I don’t mind who I play, I’ve just got to play well.”
The 19-year-old, who reached the quarter-finals at Formby last year before being beaten by eventual winner Matteo Manassero, is in no doubt about his goals for the Championship.
“I’ve got pretty high expectations. This week, I came here with the expectation of winning it.”
The Lancastrian’s nearest challengers are fellow Englishmen Ian Winstanley and Tom Lewis. Like Fleetwood, Lewis also signed for a bogey-free round. A scrambling 66 at North Berwick was enough for the Welwyn Garden City member to ensure comfortable qualification, while yesterday’s level-par 71 at Muirfield will give him confidence for the rest of the week.
“I felt good yesterday at Muirfield. I felt comfortable there,” he said. “It’s one of the nicest courses I’ve played. It’s a fair course: if you hit a good shot, you’re always going to be rewarded for it.”
Winstanley, meanwhile, followed a 67 yesterday – the joint-best round of the day at North Berwick – with a one-under-par 70 at Muirfield.
“It was brilliant today, I really enjoyed it,” said the former RandA Foundation Scholar. “The greens are just perfect here [at Muirfield] and both courses have provided interesting challenges.”
Completing the trio on 137 was James Byrne, who is hoping to improve on an impressive performance at Formby last year.
“I reached the last 16 last year, and knew I was in with a chance to make the cut this year. I’ve been playing well and always play and putt better at home,” said Banchory’s Byrne.
The round of the day came from Olivier Rozner, the Frenchman coming back in six-under-par 29 to post a course-record-equaling 63 at North Berwick. He now shares the record with Ireland’s Colm Moriarty and 2008 Masters Champion Trevor Immelman, both of whom achieved the feat during Open Championship Local Final Qualifying in 2002.
“It’s amazing,” said Rozner, who qualified on a total of 140, two under par. “There was no problem on the course: driver on the fairway, second shots on the green, and my putting was perfect.
“It’s my first Amateur Championship. My first objective was to make the cut and after, in the match play, we’ll see.”
Other notable players to progress to the match play stages included France’s Romain Wattel, the 2010 Scottish Stroke Play Champion; Kieran Pratt of Australia, whose 68 was the lowest score registered at Muirfield yesterday; Korean Jin Jeong; China’s Mu Hu and Yuki Usami of Japan. 2009 GB&I Walker Cup star and last year’s beaten semi-finalist Stiggy Hodgson also made it through to the last 64.
The top 64 and ties will commence the match play stages of the 2010 Amateur Championship tomorrow. The 36-hole final will be played on Saturday. The winner will receive exemption into the 150th Anniversary Open Championship and a Masters Tournament invitation.

Bolivian of Scots descent to the fore

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
With only four courses – there are double that number in Gullane alone if you include Archerfield, The Renaissance and Luffness New – Bolivia isn't exactly a golfing hotbed.
Yet, hard on the heels of Fernando Gonzalez becoming the South American country's first touring professional, a 20-year-old with Scottish blood is through to the match-play phase in the Amateur Championship at Muirfield.
Sebastian MacLean, an eighth generation descendent of a Scottish sea captain who settled in Peru after his vessel was captured in the mid-1800s, showed some Caledonian courage to card a one-under-par 70 at the Open venue yesterday and, with a level-par total of 142, safely secured his place in the knock-out stage in East Lothian.
MacLean, halfway through a four-year degree at Xavier University in Cincinnati, was introduced to golf by his dad, Percy, a former national squad member and his son's caddy this week.
"I am very proud of my Scottish roots and, ever since I took up golf, it has always been my dream to play over here in the British Amateur," said MacLean, who won the first of 11 national titles at the age of eight and helped Bolivia lift the South American Team Championship for only the second time in 2007.
He left his homeland four years ago so that he could improve on the US college circuit and has his sights set on blazing a trail for Bolivian golf. "At home, where we only have four courses, I was able to learn how to hit a ball but not how to play competitive golf and how to manage my game," said MacLean, a former Atlantic 10 Conference rookie of the year. "I had to leave the country because I couldn't improve any more. There wasn't enough competition or resources to improve my potential.
"I want to be the first Bolivian to do everything in the game and break every record along the way – that's been my motivation. My attitude is that if it comes then it will come from the heart."
MacLean, who is planning to turn professional in two years' time and, with his mother now living in Madrid, would like to play in Europe as well as America, certainly showed heart to extend his stay in Scotland. After a double-bogey 6 at the tenth, he was two-over for the day but holed ten-foot birdie putts at the 12th, 15th and 17th to make it with a stroke to spare.
On a day when the conditions were as benign as they get on the East Lothian coast, Mu Hu, a 20-year-old from Shenzen in China, had a 69 at Muirfield to qualify on 139 which was 21 shots better than his only previous appearance in this event, at Royal St George's in 2006.
Tommy Fleetwood, the runner-up at Turnberry two years ago and a quarter-finalist at Formby 12 months ago, losing to eventual winner Matteo Manassero, led the 73 qualifiers, a bogey-free 65 at North Berwick giving the 19-year-old Englishman, who played in last year's Walker Cup, a seven-under total of 135.
Banchory's James Byrne, the leading Scot in the world rankings, followed his 68 at North Berwick with a 67 at Muirfield, where he birdied the 16th and holed from 30 feet for an eagle-3 at the 17th. That strong finish earned him a share of second spot as a total of ten Scots – double the number from Formby – made it through on this occasion, with the qualifying mark on 143.
Two former Scottish boys' champions, Lundin's James White and Michael Stewart of Troon Welbeck, were on 140 and 141 respectively; Links Trophy runner-up Philip McLean (Peterhead), two-time Scottish boys finalist Paul Shields from Kirkhill, former British boys' champion Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) and Aberdour's Scott Crichton, who was second in the 2009 Scottish youths, all finished on 142; while Craigielaw's Mark Hillson, a quarter-finalist last year, made it on 143 along with Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) and Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle).
Despite trimming 13 shots off his opening effort with a 68 at North Berwick, Tom Mickelson, Phil's younger brother, missed out, as did world No 4 Jonathan Randolph and Scottish internationals David Law, Ross Kellett and Steven McEwan. What they would have given for the round of the day, a course-record equalling 63 at North Berwick from Frenchman Olivier Rozner, who had five 3s in the last six holes to come home in 29 as he bounced back in style from an opening 77.


MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS
Par 142 (2x71)

1 FLEETWOOD, Tommy Formby Hall 70 65 135 -7
T2 WINSTANLEY, Ian Formby 67 70 137 -5
T2 BYRNE, James Banchory 68 69 137 -5
T2 LEWIS, Tom Welwyn Garden City 71 66 137 -5
T5 WESTERMANN, Philipp Germany 68 70 138 -4
T5 ENOCH, Rhys Truro 67 71 138 -4
T5 BOYS, Tom Royal Liverpool 72 66 138 -4
T5 COSSINS, Charlie Bath 70 68 138 -4
T5 HEMSTOCK, Billy Teignmouth 73 65 138 -4
T5 CAMPBELL, Ben New Zealand 71 67 138 -4
T11 HU, Mu China 70 69 139 -3
T11 HAKULA, Toni Finland 68 71 139 -3
T11 DUNBAR, Alan Rathmore 68 71 139 -3
T11 PRATT, Kieran Australia 68 71 139 -3
T11 PAVAN, Andrea Italy 70 69 139 -3
T16 NIXON, Matthew Ashton-under-Lyne 70 70 140 -2
T16 FRIESTAD, Are Norway 68 72 140 -2
T16 PAISLEY, Chris Stocksfield 69 71 140 -2
T16 BERTASIO, Nino Italy 71 69 140 -2
T16 ROZNER, Olivier France 77 63 140 -2
T16 USAMI, Yuki Japan 72 68 140 -2
T16 BAUNSOE, Peter Denmark 73 67 140 -2
T16 NORLANDER, Henrik Sweden 69 71 140 -2
T16 FOX, James Portmarnock 72 68 140 -2
T16 WATTEL, Romain France 75 65 140 -2
T16 WHITE, James Lundin 72 68 140 -2
T27 LESPINASSE, Leo France 70 71 141 -1
T27 JAEGER, Stephan Germany 70 71 141 -1
T27 CANTER, Laurie Saltford 68 73 141 -1
T27 CHRISTIE, Alex Tyrrells Wood 69 72 141 -1
T27 BERARDO, Clement France 70 71 141 -1
T27 CUARTERO, Emilio Spain 67 74 141 -1
T27 FEYAERTS, Xavier Belgium 68 73 141 -1
T27 ESPANA, Edouard France 68 73 141 -1
T27 LYKKE-KJELDSEN, Rasmus Denmark 70 71 141 -1
T27 BELL, Jonathan Royal Blackheath 71 70 141 -1
T27 HURST, Jonathan Shaw Hill 69 72 141 -1
T27 HARMSTON, Warren Wentworth 70 71 141 -1
T27 STEWART, Michael Troon Welbeck 67 74 141 -1
T27 CUTLER, Paul Portstewart 71 70 141 -1
T27 HODGSON, Stiggy Sunningdale 73 68 141 -1
T27 SHAKESPEAR, Andrew Five Lakes 70 71 141 -1
T27 JEONG, Jin South Korea 70 71 141 -1
T27 SOUTHGATE, Matthew Thorpe Hall 75 66 141 -1
T45 BUTTACAVOLI, Michael USA 69 73 142 Par
T45 WHITEKILLER, Trent USA 69 73 142 Par
T45 MACLEAN, Sebastian Bolivia 72 70 142 Par
T45 ROCCHI, Mervin France 69 73 142 Par
T45 FINDLAY, Jordan Fraserburgh 71 71 142 Par
T45 CRICHTON, Scott Aberdour 74 68 142 Par
T45 CHING, Alex USA 69 73 142 Par
T45 SZAPPANOS, Alexis Germany 73 69 142 Par
T45 McLEAN, Philip Peterhead 72 70 142 Par
T45 SHIELDS, Paul Kirkhill 70 72 142 Par
T45 SORDET, Clement France 72 70 142 Par
T45 FARR, Oliver Ludlow 74 68 142 Par
T57 WRIGHT, Darren Rowlands Castle 70 73 143 +1
T57 HILLSON, Mark Craigielaw 69 74 143 +1
T57 HABIBI, Amir Rochester & Cobham Park 71 72 143 +1
T57 CARSON, Adam Long Ashton 70 73 143 +1
T57 BURDEN, Toby Hayling 71 72 143 +1
T57 JOIA, Jose Maria Portugal 70 73 143 +1
T57 PATERSON, Greg St Andrews New 75 68 143 +1
T57 MILORO, Mattia Italy 70 73 143 +1
T57 MADSEN, Morten Orum Denmark 72 71 143 +1
T57 HOGAN, Andrew Newlands 75 68 143 +1
T57 RODRIGUES, Tiago Portugal 74 69 143 +1
T57 MOTTA, Leonardo Italy 74 69 143 +1
T57 HARKINS, Chris Ayr Belleisle 71 72 143 +1
T57 BERTHEUSSEN, Elias Norway 73 70 143 +1
T57 CURLEY, Cian Newlands 70 73 143 +1
T57 SALEM, Patricio Peru 73 70 143 +1
T57 SULLIVAN, Andy Nuneaton 70 73 143 +1
NON-QUALIFIERS INCLUDED:
144 Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 75 69, Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 73 71, Tommy Hart (USA) 72 72..
145 Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 73 72, Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 76 69, Steven McEwan (Caprington) 75 70.
146 Ross Bell (Downfield) 72 74, Daniel Sommerville (St Andrews) 77 69, James Ross (Royal Burgess) 75 71, Kevin Tway (US) 73 73.
147 Bobby Rushford (Grangemeouth) 73 74, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 71 76, Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 73 74, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 74 73.
148 Neil Henderson (Glen) 71 77, David Law (Hazlehead) 76 72, Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 72 76, Jonathan Randolph (US) 74 74.
149 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 74 75, Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 75 74, Tim Mickelson (US) 81 68.
150 Craig Elliot (Carrickvale) 78 72, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 76 74.
151 Brian Soutar (Leven Golfing Society) 70 81, Michael Daily (Erskine) 79 72, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 75 76, Bryan Innes (Murcar Links) 79 72.
152 Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 79 73, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 85 67, Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 75 77, Stuart Ballingall (Dunstan Hall) 79 73.
153 Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 74 79, Stephen Speirs (Australia) 78 75.
154 Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 79 75.
155 John Miller (Gullane) 78 77, Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 80 75.

WARDELL AND COWAN JOINT WINNERS


AT AYR BELLEISLE PRO-AM

Whitekirk’s Paul Wardell and George Cowan (Westerhope) from the North-east of England shared first prize with three-under-par 68s in today’s Parkdean Holidays pro-am at Ayr Belleisle Golf Club.
They each won £895 for finishing a shot ahead of five players on 69 – Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Mark King (Kingsfield0 and Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) who each received £363.
On the 70 mark were Alan Reid (West Lothian), Sean O’Donnell (Balbirnie Park), Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), David Patrick (Elie) and Sam Cairns (Colville Park). They each won £155.
George Cowan (Westerhope) also led the Willie Wanderers’ amateur trio of Graham Wilson (handicap 8), Bruce Gilpatrick (1) and Norman Young (7) to victory in the team event with an 18-under-par net score of 124.
LEADING PROS’ SCORES
Par 71
68 Paul Wardell (Whitekirk), George Cowan (Westerhope) (£895 each).
69 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Mark King (Kingsfield), Bob Arnott (Bishopbriggs) (£363 each).
70 Alan Reid (West Lothian), Sean O’Donnell (Balbirnie Park), Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), David Patrick (Elie), Sam Cairns (Colville Park) (£155 each).
WINNING TEAM
124 George Cowan (Westerhope) and Willie’s Wanderers: Graham Wilson (8), Bruce Gilpatrick (1), Norman Young (7).

Senior debutant Barry Lane targets Carnoustie success

NEWS RELEASE

Barry Lane will attempt to add The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard title to the Scottish Open crown he won in 1988 when he makes his debut in a Senior Major Championship next month.

The Englishman, a five time winner on The European Tour, turns 50 on June 21 and joins the European Senior Tour ranks for next week’s De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship.
Lane, whose Scottish Open victory at Gleneagles 22 years ago was his maiden European Tour title, will then line up alongside some of golf’s all-time greats, including Sir Nick Faldo, Gary Player, Tom Watson and Ian Woosnam, at Carnoustie for The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard from July 22-25.
“Carnoustie is a shot‑maker's golf course,” said Lane. “It is a very, very difficult golf course.
“I think you're going to have a great champion that week, because it is proper golf course and I think everybody is really looking forward to it.
“The only time I played it was in the Alfred Dunhill Links and I played with Tiger Woods, who was still an amateur. He couldn't play at all because it was just so windy.”
Lane will hope to replicate Scot Andrew Oldcorn’s strong start to his Senior Tour career, after the 2001 PGA Championship winner finished tied eighth in the US Senior Open Championship last month and followed that up with a share of sixth place in the Matrix Jersey Classic.
With his last victory coming in the 2004 British Masters , Lane is keen to return to the winner’s enclosure when he is back among his contemporaries on the Senior Tour.
“I've won in the 1980s, the 1990s and I won in the new millennium as well, so it would be good to win in four decades,” he said. “My victory in the British Masters was particularly special because it had been such a long time since I had won - ten years since my previous European Tour win.
“I really struggled around the 2000 mark, as I have over the last two or three years, but I still love to play golf. I probably have to practice harder now than I've ever done.”
Lane, who also picked up a cool $1million for winning the Accenture World Championship of Golf in 1995, is currently second behind Sam Torrance on the all-time list of European Tour appearances, having played in 659 tournaments, and he will hope to emulate the success of the former Ryder Cup Captain on the Senior Tour.
Torrance has won three Order of Merits, including last season when he edged out former World Number One Ian Woosnam to claim the John Jacobs Trophy, and Lane is relishing the chance to take on the pair who were his teammates in The 1993 Ryder Cup at The Belfry.
“I'm looking forward to joining the Senior Tour,” he said. “I would love to keep my card on The European Tour this year - that's my priority – but I will definitely play in some Senior Tour events and support the Senior Tour.
“The European Tour has done me proud and it's been my life for nearly 30 years and I want to put something back into it by supporting the Senior Tour. I think the Senior Tour is looking strong with Sam and Woosie and Bernhard Langer.
“It’s going to be fun seeing Sam Torrance and Woosie and the boys again. There are not many sports that you can carry on playing when you're 50 so I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets are now on sale at a discounted rate to see the line up of Ryder Cup Captains play in The Senior Open Championship, while hospitality packages at Carnoustie Hotel are also available.
Spectators can buy tickets by visiting www.senioropengolf.com or by calling +44 (0) 800 023 2557, or on the gate. One day tickets are £25 and season tickets are £70.
Substantial savings can now be made both on day passes and season tickets for The 2010 Senior Open Championship, which are priced respectively at £16.50 and £60, with a further 10% discount available to MasterCard cardholders.

Poor response from North-east handicap golfers to new

district tournament for them

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

The North-east District of the Scottish Golf Union, probably like all its counterparts, has been criticised by run-of-the-mill club handicap golfers down through the years for aiming all their tournaments at low handicap players, the "elite," as some describe them.

So the North-east District officials decided to do something about that this year. They are introducing a North-est District HANDICAP golf tournament over 18 holes at Inverurie on Sunday, July 4.

Entry costs only £10 a head - no handicap limit - prizes only for net scores and nearest-the-pin etc, and that £10 entry fee also entitles a competitor to a free meal of soup and sandwiches.

Sounds great. But district secretary George Young, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, says he has received hardly any entries. So your long handicap golfer would seem to be only interested in criticising officialdom, and not in actually playing in a competition tailor-made for him. Perhaps the thought of playing away from their own club and course is something they can't cope with!

"This is the first one we've ever staged and is basically aimed at the average club golfer," says George Young.
"The entry fee is £10 and each competitor will get free soup and sandwiches. There will be nearest the hole prizes and all the prizes will be based on net scores.
"The North-east District quite often gets criticised for catering for the better golfers so we have decided to run this tournament for the average club golfer, but entries are very slow in coming in."
Entry forms are available on the district's website: www.sgunortheast.com or would-be competitors can phone George Young direct on 01346 582324.

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

Charity Golf Day at Kinross Golf Club on August 20

Mike and Cathy Roberts are holding a Charity Golf Day, "The Cameron Cup", at Kinross Golf Club on Friday 20th August 2010 to raise money for Sands (www.uk-sands.org.uk), the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity (Registered Charity Number 299679). The day will include a team golf event, dinner, raffle and an auction. We are hoping to have around 120 players taking part.
Sands, the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity have a nationwide network of local support groups run by bereaved parents to support anyone affected by the death of a baby.
We are hosting this event because our son Cameron was still born on the 27th December 2009 at 06:44. He was loved so very much from the moment we found out we were expecting and will be loved for the rest of our lives.
The Cameron Cup will go a long way towards helping Fife Sands who have provided us with invaluable support, as well as helping National Sands to research and hopefully reduce the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths (currently 17 a day in the UK).
For anyone interested in entering please contact me: mike_standrews@yahoo.co.uk


Alternatively, entry forms can be downloaded from the Scottish Golf Union's Golf Central Website (http://www.scottishgolf.org/index.cfm?objectid=9433383D-CE9C-8542-E9CB510BC6A412D1), or the Golf Empire website (http://www.golfempire.co.uk/Entry-Forms/Kinross-Charity-Team-Open2.htm),

OPEN PROMOTION FOR GOLF AT
 THE DUKE’S ST ANDREWS

NEWS RELEASE
The Duke’s, St Andrews is offering some great rates on tee times to anyone visiting St Andrews during tournament week of The Open Championship from July 12 to 18 inclusive.
After watching some of the world’s greatest golfers in action on the Old Course, The Duke’s is inviting golfers to play a round of golf over its championship heathland course with a golf buggy and rental clubs thrown in for just £150.
A nine-hole twilight rate – again with buggy and rental clubs included - from 5 pm is also available over The Duke’s, priced at only £75.
“For anyone hosting potential clients or current customers at The Open Championship, a round of golf over The Duke’s is a fantastic way of complementing the corporate hospitality on offer by Sodexho at the tournament,” comments David Scott, Manager The Duke’s & Estates Landscapes.
“In particular, we expect the twilight package to be extremely popular as the light, balmy evenings together with the long shadows over the course make it a spectacular time to play golf.”
Originally designed by five-time Open champion Peter Thomson, The Duke’s was renovated by American Tim Liddy, who has worked with distinguished golf course designer Pete Dye for the past 18 years. Liddy transformed the course in June 2006 into a majestic heathland course reminiscent of the true heathland courses of the 1950s.
With five different tees on each hole, The Duke’s is suitable for players of every level and offers spectacular views over the Auld Grey Toon of St Andrews and the Grampians in the distance.
After golf, players will be assured of a warm welcome by the clubhouse staff that prides itself in its friendliness and high levels of service.
The Duke’s St Andrews was recently honoured to win the best Golf Club in the UK at the inaugural “Golf Club of the Year Awards” for 2010. In addition to securing the overall title, The Duke’s also secured Awards for the “Best Club for Members” in the UK and the “Best Club in Scotland” in the regional Scottish Awards.

EGYPTIAN OPEN TO JOIN EUROPEAN

 CHALLENGE TOUR IN OCTOBER

NEWS RELEASE
Egypt will find itself as a venue on the European Challenge Tour for the first time this year when the 2010 Egyptian Open – one of the world’s oldest Open golf events – is staged at Cairo’s Mirage City Golf Course from Wednesday, October 20 to Saturday, October 23.
With $250,000 in prize-money at stake and in prime position as the last European Challenge Tour event before the Apulla San Domenico Grand Final in Italy the following week, the Egyptian Open is expected to attract a powerful field, while negotiations are currently underway with one of the world’s best players to appear as a guest invite.
“Following the success of the event in 2009 and the support we received from the Challenge Tour, we are proud that the Egyptian Open has achieved full European Challenge Tour status and is now part of the official Order of Merit,” said Egyptian Golf Federation Chairman Ayman Hussein.
“As well as around 80 players from the European Challenge Tour, around a third of the field will be made up of local and regional invites and qualifiers. This is important to us at the Egyptian Golf Federation as the event has a tradition for being a showcase of the best in Egyptian golf as well as the region..”
Home-based players looking to rub shoulders with the likes of last year’s champion Steven Tiley and the cream of the European Challenge Tour will have the opportunity of securing their places in a number of events staged between now and the tournament itself.
As well as the Closed Championship of Egypt, the Egyptian Amateur Open and the Red Sea Amateur Open, players can qualify from their standings in the Egyptian PGA rankings with amateurs having to be of three handicap or less to be eligible.
Hussein added: “It is especially exciting for us is to have allocated the top five spots in the 54-hole Egyptian Amateur Open to be held September 30th to October 2nd at Katameya Heights Golf and Tennis Resort to qualify to play in the 2010 Egyptian Open.
“We are encouraging all amateurs in the region, whether Arab Nationals or expats, to enter this Egyptian Amateur Open which, we believe, will add significant kudos and credibility to the Egyptian golf calendar. We are also in the process of inviting representatives from the Golf Associations of the Arab Golf Federation to the 2010 Egyptian Amateur Open.”
Now in its 24th year, the European Challenge Tour has developed into a proven training ground where the stars of the future can hone their skills over 72-hole competition and under differing conditions in a substantial number of countries within Europe and beyond.
Widely regarded as a valuable stepping-stone onto The European Tour, the Challenge Tour has achieved incredible growth. It caters for aspiring, ambitious young hopefuls who aim to follow in the footsteps of Challenge Tour graduates such as Thomas Bjorn, Michael Campbell, Niclas Fasth, Trevor Immelman, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Oliver Wilson. In 2009, the European Challenge Tour carried a total prize fund of more than €4 million during a season of 24 tournaments in eighteen countries.
A true test of character, the Tour offers only the top twenty ‘promotion’ each year to The European Tour but scores have gone on to become tournament winners on The European Tour with many earning Ryder Cup honours.
“We were impressed with the way the event was staged last year and received very positive feedback from all of the players who took part,” said Nick Tarratt, Director The European Tour International, Dubai Office. “The fact that Egypt will be the last chance of qualification for the 45 places available at the end-of-season Grand Final in Italy means Cairo will command a strong field.”

Lawrie wishes more Scottish pros would follow his example

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
Justimagine how it must be for a young golfer to be out on the course with a major winner, seeing how they play at close quarters, learning good habits and getting the chance to pick their brain.
For most, that's a pipedream, but not for some lucky golfers in the Aberdeen area, where Paul Lawrie is starting to see some exciting results from the Foundation he set up in the wake of his 1999 Open Championship win at Carnoustie.

Lawrie wanted to put something back into the game, and part of his plan was to set up a team and act as a mentor to its members. 'Team Lawrie' currently consists of five players, with amateur trio Laura Murray, David Law and Philip McLean accompanied by two professionals, Ross Cameron and Graham Lornie, being those lucky individuals.

They all play regularly with Lawrie, and the amateurs in particular are reaping the rewards. Teenager Law made history last season by becoming the first player to win the Scottish Boys and Scottish Amateur titles in the same year; McLean won this year's Edward Trophy and is getting better all the time, while Murray chalked up her biggest success to date recently when she lifted the St Rule Trophy.

Law and McLean both receive valuable support, both technical and financial, from the SGU, as Murray does from the SLGA. There is no doubt, though, that they've benefited enormously from having a mentor in Lawrie, who wishes more of his fellow Tour players would try and put something back into the game in such a way.
"I started it because I felt in my area there were a lot of good players who could all hit it, but they struggled to score," he recalls. "Their short game wasn't good enough and I felt that I could go and make a difference."
The recent efforts of his protégés clearly illustrate he is making a difference.
"I feel, and it's not an ego talking, the time I spend with them is the difference. They've got a Tour player who's been through it to bounce ideas off – that's what's missing with most kids," he adds.
"They don't have time with a mentor, as it were. It may be wrong of me to say it but it seems a bit strange that the kids I play golf with start winning proper tournaments. I text them all the time, spend a lot of time with them, and it's got to help."
In addition to playing between 12 and 15 rounds a year with the man himself, Lawrie also arranges for his team members to get a day's coaching each month with Adam Hunter, who helped the Aberdonian lift the Claret Jug 11 years ago and is back working with him again.
"Adam does the short game with them and I do on-course stuff," says Lawrie. "It's something I think that more Tour players should do, though I understand that some others don't see it the way I see it.
"I can do my job playing in a tournament but when I'm not, I want to help Scottish talent get better. There don't seem to be many others with the same idea."
Not surprisingly, Lawrie is reluctant just now to push too much extra work Hunter's way as he recovers from leukaemia, but he is set to play a role in the Foundation as it spreads its wings in the future.
"We already stage our Junior Jug event right across the country, and I'd like it to go everywhere but the cost is substantial," says Lawrie, who values the support given to the Foundation by the likes of the R and A, PGA and European Tour as well as a whole host of businesses.
"Adam has got five months before he's fully operational and when he is he'll start up Glasgow for us, we'll do a dinner there and events in Glasgow."
It's not just the members of Lawrie's team who are becoming better golfers through playing with him. He also spends a lot of time when he's at home on the golf course with his two sons, Michael and Craig, the latter having shown that he's developing into a tidy player when he beat his old man off scratch for the first time last week.
"That is really good, but I thought it might have been a wee while before it happened!"

Scotland's "lesser-known" courses are world-class venues
As Scotland braces itself for a "Festival of Golf" over the coming weeks, a trip to the Highlands last week served as a timely reminder of how blessed we truly are when it comes to excellent golf courses.
While the TV cameras will rightly be showcasing the likes of St Andrews, Carnoustie and Loch Lomond, there are many lesser-known venues that, as a golfing nation, we should be just as proud of.
The Dave Thomas-designed Macdonald Spey Valley has been a cracking recent addition to our portfolio, as is Castle Stuart, a stunning new course designed by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse on the banks of the Moray Firth close to Inverness.
As for Boat of Garten, it must surely rank up there among the best laid-out courses in the world, the challenge from every tee on the Highlands course being testament to the masterful James Braid.

Murray shows Saltman & Co that patiences does pay in the end

George Murray's splendid win in the Scottish Hydro Challenge at the weekend should have sent out a clear message to the likes of Lloyd Saltman, Callum Macaulay, Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth.
It has taken the likeable Fifer four years to chalk up his maiden professional victory and, in waiting for that memorable moment to come along, Murray has had to exhibit considerable patience.
As a former Scottish Amateur champion, he certainly had the talent to try his luck in the paid ranks but that on its own isn't enough for a player to taste success on the Challenge Tour, far less the main European circuit.
Murray has had to learn how to become a winner all over again in a much tougher school than the amateur circuit, and now Saltman, Macaulay, Dear and Booth are in exactly the same boat.