LLOYD SALTMAN'S DASH FROM KENT

TO GERMANY TO TAKE UP CHALLENGE

TOUR EVENT PLACE

The mystery over Lloyd Saltman's first-round disqualification at the PGA EuroPro Tour event, the Skycaddie European Championships at Hever Castle Golf Club, Kent has been solved.
The Lothians man was not disqualfied. He got a late call from the European Challenge Tour officials that a place was available in the ECCO Tour Championship, which starts at Green Eagle Golf Club, Winsten near Hamburg in Germany on Thursday.
So Saltman, who did play at Hever Castle, informed the EuroPro Tour officials that he was withdrawing from the remainder of the event to head for Germany as quickly as possible.

Incidentally, there will be nine other Scots in action at the Challenge Tour event - Chris Doak, Scott Jamieson, Craig Lee, Eric Ramsay, Jamie McLeary, Jack Doherty, Raymond Russell, George Murray and Callum Macaulay.
Archerfield Links’ Lee Harper, the 1999 Scottish boys’ match-play champion, led the 13 Scots in the field of over 130 at the end of the first day of the PGA EuroPro Tour event at Hever Castle GC.
The Musselburgh man shot a three-under-par 69 to be joint seventh behind the three pacemakers on 67, Englishmen James Heath, Adam Chamberlain and Robert Watkins.
Harper was heading for a clear lead when he birdied the second, fourth, long ninth, long 10th and short 12th but from a peak of five under par, he subsided with bogeys at the short 14th and 16th.
Lee is the only Scot in the leading 37. To find his next compatriot you have to go down to joint 38th to find Scott Hendry (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) with a 73.
Like Harper, Hendry did not play the closing holes well at all. He had birdied the first, fourth, long seventh and long 10th and dropped only one shot, at the third. Then he stumbled with a 4 at the short 14th and fell flat on his face with a triple bogey 8 at the long 17th.
Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), on the 74 mark, had a 7 at the short 12th.
Elliot Saltman did play the second half well, birdieing the 10th and 18th and keeping bogeys off his card after he dropped shots at the first, second and sixth. He finished with a 73.
Young Zack Saltman was three over par after only three holes with a double bogey 6 at the first and a bogey at the third. He shot a 75, the same score as cackhanded former Scottish amateur champion John Gallacher (Swanston) who had double bogeys at the short eighth and short 14th.
Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) and Paul Doherty all had 76s.
Graham Rankin (Drumpellier) and John Henry (Clydebank and District) had 77s.
Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), winner of both the Scottish amateur match-play and stroke-play titles before he turned pro, had a 10-over-par 82 which included a 7 at the short eighth, a double bogey 5 at the short 12th and a double bogey 6 at the 15th. He shed eight shots on six holes from the 11th.
Englishman Gary Wolstenholme is in contention to win another PGA EuroPro Tour event – only days before he turns 50.
Wolstenholme reaches the milestone on Saturday and is still playing wonderful golf after a glittering amateur career that saw him win more caps for England than any other golfer, play in the Walker Cup five times and receive an MBE for services to golf.
He did not turn professional until he was 48 and he won his first EuroPro Tour in event earlier this year when he triumphed at Stoke-by-Nayland, Essex in July.
Wolstenholme (Carus Green GC) is in joint 14th position after an opening round of 70.
The three-day competition concludes on Thursday with £10,000 going to the winner and this could be one of Wolstenholme’s last events on the EuroPro Tour.
On Saturday he becomes eligible to compete on the European Seniors Tour alongside golfing legends including Bernhard Langer, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam.
Wolstenholme has already signed up to play his first Seniors event – The Travis Perkins PLC Senior Masters at Woburn – at the start of September and will be at their Q School in November.
FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
Par 72
67 James Heath (Eng), Robert Watkins (Eng), Adam Chamberlain (Eng).
68 Graeme Clark (Eng). Justin Evans (Eng), James Hepworth (Eng).
Selected scores:
69 Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) (jt 7th).
70 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) (jt 14th).
73 Scott Henry (The Carrick at Loch Lomond), Elliot Saltman (Aegon) (jt 38th).
74 Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) (jt 49th).
75 John Gallagher (Swanston), Zack Saltman (Aegon) (jt 59th).
76 Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) (jt 79th).
77 Graham Rankin (Drumpellier), John Henry (Clydebank and Dist) (jt 101st).
82 Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) (jt 13th).

Austrian Golf Open gets a new home

FROM PAUL SYMES
European Tour Press Officer
The 2010 Austrian Golf Open will move to a new venue when the 20th edition of the event takes place at Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg, near the Austrian capital Vienna, from September 16-19.
The 7,053yd, par-72 Diamond Course was designed by renowned English architect Jeremy Pern, the former vice-president of the British Institute of Golf Course Architects, who also fashioned Golf de la Wantzenau and Golf de Toulouse-Seilh in France, and Toya Golf and Country Club in Poland – all of which have hosted events on the European Challenge Tour.
The course, which opened in 2002, features water hazards on nine of the 18 holes, including the 192yd 11th and 159yd 15th holes, where both tee shots are played to island greens.
Diamond Country club takes over the staging of the Austrian Golf Open – which was first played in 1990, when Germany’s Bernhard Langer took the title – from Fontana Golf Club, the host venue for the past seven seasons, for at least the next two years. 
Last year’s tournament produced one of the most memorable final days of the entire season, as Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello closed with a quite stunning round of 60 – becoming only the third player to do so after England’s Jamie Spence and Welshman Ian Woosnam – to take the title by one shot from England’s Benn Barham.
The roll call of former champions includes India’s Jeev Milkha Singh (2008), Australian Richard Green (2007), Ireland’s Paul McGinley (1996), Germany’s Alex Cejka (1995), Northern Ireland’s Ronan Rafferty (1993), England’s Peter Mitchell (1992) and, perhaps most notably of all, home favourite Markus Brier, who in 2006 became the first Austrian to triumph on The European Tour, having previously won the event in 2002 and 2004 when it formed part of the Challenge Tour Schedule.
Keith Waters, Chief Operating Officer of The European Tour, said: “I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to Christian Guzy, the owner of Diamond Country Club, for his commitment and support in securing the future of the Austrian Golf Open. The Diamond Course is one of the finest in Austria, and I’m sure our members will enjoying meeting the varied challenges it presents.”
The prize fund for this year’s tournament, which is the last regular European Tour event before The Ryder Cup, will be set at €750,000.

PGA CUP OMENS GOOD, SAYS

SKIPPER RUSSELL WEIR

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA

Great Britain and Ireland team captain Russell Weir is ‘confident’ of regaining the PGA Cup from the United States next year after witnessing some impressive displays at the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.

Weir, pictured by courtesy of Getty Images, caught an early glimpse of likely candidates for next year’s team during the flagship event at The Oxfordshire last week, which was capped by a maiden victory in the tournament for Ireland’s David Mortimer.

The recently-appointed GB and I skipper saw Mortimer (representing Fore Ireland) snatch the title from Lancashire’s David Shacklady (Mossock Hall) in a play-off to land the £10,000 first prize and with it entry to next year’s BMW PGA Championship.
Just as importantly Mortimer and Shacklady also gained valuable points towards claiming a place in Weir’s team to face America at Cordevalle in California from September 16-18, 2011.
The team is decided by points awarded in the flagship event with double on offer for next year’s event but Mortimer and Shacklady tally of 10 and nine points respectively this time round, means they are virtually certain to make the team.

Former European Tour player and two-time Challenge Tour title winner Stuart Little (Minchinhampton), who picked up eight points after finishing third place is also a strong contender to secure a spot in the biennial contest, which pits the leading PGA professionals from either side of the Atlantic against each other for the Llandudno Trophy in a Ryder Cup style format over three days.

Weir, the record-equalling appearances holder with David Huish in the event with eight successive caps from 1986-2000, has succeeded two-time captain Gary Alliss and will be aiming to lead a first ever GB&I PGA Cup team to victory on US soil in the competition’s 37-year history.

“From what I have seen the standard has gone up a notch, I was very impressed by the players out there,” said Weir, who won back to back Glenmuir titles in 1987 and ‘88.

“The quality of play was super and I’m very confident about next year.

“I thought David Shacklady looked one of the best short game exponents I have seen for many a year. I followed him for a several holes and he made a terrific up and down at 14. Performing like that under pressure was really impressive.

“I was also impressed with the champion, David Mortimer, while Stuart Little looks a good player and Crue Elliott too and generally the standard of play was really encouraging. As ever the key thing will come down to putting and from what I saw the boys don’t look short in that department.”
25th PGA Cup Match
Great Britain and Ireland Point Standings
after the 2010 Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship


Pos. Player Represents Points
1 David Mortimer Fore Ireland 10
2 David Shacklady Mossock Hall 9
3 Stuart Little Minchinhampton New 8
4 John Wells Cherry Burton 7
T5 Crue Elliott Sandy Lodge 5.5
T5 Steve Parry Steve Parry G.A 5.5
T7 Rob Giles Greenore 3
T7 Craig Corrigan Haigh Hall 3
T7 Jon Bevan Wessex Golf Centre 3
T10 Donal Gleeson Old Conna 0.5
T10 Jamie Harris Nevill 0.5

SCOTS ON TOP AS EWEN CLAIMS

WORLD TITLE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE AZALEA GROUPIt was a home win at the home of golf as Scottish golfers took first and second place in the 2010 World Deaf Golf Championship at Fairmont St Andrews.

Edinburgh’s David Ewen lead from wire to wire with rounds of 72, 78, 76 and 74 on the resort’s Torrance course to finish 10 shots clear of his nearest rival, Steven Cafferty, from Perth.
Cafferty was in the leading pack after a first round 76 but looked to have faded away as he carded 83 on the second day. However, he followed this up with an impressive 72 and a solid final-day 79 was enough to see him take the runners-up spot from Denmark’s Hans Elgaard by one shot, with defending champion Denver Magnusson, from Australia, two furthers shot behind on 313.
A pair of 75s had seen Preston’s Mark Forrest share the lead with Ewen at the halfway mark but rounds of 81 and 87 saw the 2009 English Deaf Golf Association national champion eventually finish seventh.
Scotland also triumphed in the team event, finishing four shots ahead of Australia while England took third place.
Charles Head, general manager of Fairmont St Andrews, said: “It was a pleasure for Fairmont St Andrews to host yet another prestigious event and even better that Scottish golfers came out on top.

“The feedback from competitors has been very positive and regardless of their performance in the competition they all enjoyed the trip and outstanding facilities on offer.”

American Melissa Stockton won the ladies’ competition and led her team to victory in the ladies’ team event, while Canadian Rob Cundy narrowly missed out on retaining his senior title finishing four strokes adrift of compatriot Keneth Hoffman’s four-round score of 332.

A record-breaking field of 114 golfers, representing 15 different countries, travelled from as far afield as Japan and Australia to contest the 2010 World Deaf Golf Championship at the five-star Fairmont St Andrews resort.

Competitors played on the Torrance course which last month hosted the Open Championship’s Final Local Qualifying and will this week welcome the cream of the European Seniors Tour for the Cleveland Golf Srixon Scottish Senior Open.

The course has benefited from significant improvements following a recent £17m redevelopment of the luxury resort which also included extensive work on its second 18-hole layout – the Kittocks course – lavish spa complex and five-star hotel.

Kaymer’s victory may herald

changing of the guard

FROM THE HERALDSCOTLAND.COM WEBSITE

By DOUGLAS LOWEAmid the brouhaha over American Dustin Johnson’s critical final-hole two-shot penalty for grounding his club in a badly defined bunker a long way from the fairway, there is a danger of losing sight of the potential impact of the German Martin Kaymer’s maiden major championship victory at the age of 25.

Kaymer has for long been part of the vanguard of the fearless new generation who arrive on tour anything but overawed and ready to win immediately. His triumph, after a play-off with another American, Bubba Watson and, incidentally, with Scot Craig Connolly as caddie, comes hard on the heels of 27-year-old South African Louis Oosthuizen’s Open Championship success at St Andrews and heralds a brave new era and possibly a changing of the guard for world golf.

While the golfing spotlight has been directed at Tiger Woods and his troubles on and off the course, none of his own generation has been able to take full advantage of the hiatus, notably Phil Mickelson, aged 40, and Lee Westwood, 37, and the young guns have come in almost under the radar.

Woods himself is 34 and, while it would be premature to describe him or any of these three as a spent force, there is certainly no longer an aura of invincibility. Kaymer, Oosthuizen and any number of other young bloods– Rory McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa and Seung-Yul Noh to name but three – have no hang-ups in that regard.
Johnson, 26, who led going into the final round of the US Open at Pebble Beach only to unravel with an 82, also comes into that category as do compatriots such as Hunter Mahan, winner of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Anthony Kim, Nick Watney and Rickie Fowler.

There are many more on the way behind them as witness the showings of now 17-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero in last year’s Open at Turnberry and this year’s Masters. While Woods has been recuperating over two years, first from reconstructive knee surgery and then, ostensibly, from sexual addiction, the golfing world has moved on.
Woods, though, remains world No.1 despite his poor form but with Kaymer moving up seven places to No.5 yesterday and McIlroy, whose birdie putt at the last came within inches of putting him into the play-off with Kaymer and Watson, moving up to No.7, those players may prove a bigger threat than his contemporaries.
“I think we will have a lot of young major winners in the next five or six years,” said Kaymer in the aftermath of his victory at Whistling Straits while noting that many of these young players would be in action in Wales at the Ryder Cup.

There are some who say Sunday’s final round at Whistling Straits will forever be remembered for Johnson’s penalty. Maybe so, but another abiding memory is Kaymer’s 15-footer for par on that same green that took him into the play-off.

That was pure bottle, and there was also a moment of cool calculation while all around were losing their heads.
 After Watson and Kaymer had traded birdies at the first two play-off holes and Watson, rashly going for the green at the last in two from a bad lie and putting his ball into a water hazard, the German calmly assessed the situation and chipped out from his bad lie to leave him a 7-iron to the green that proved to be a winning play.
His girlfriend, Allison Micheletti, is quoted as saying: “He’s just the most mentally strong person I’ve ever known, in every part of his life. He never complains, and just does what he needs to do.”
Kaymer, whose idols are compatriot Bernhard Langer and South African Ernie Els, has had some cosmopolitan help over the years, notably from Swede Fanny Sunesson, former caddie to England’s Nick Faldo, who has also played his part.
Sunesson has been mentoring Kaymer since she came into contact with him when she was doing some work for the German national amateur team, and even went to the trouble of showing him around Augusta National, where she was victorious with Faldo, before the youngster made his debut appearance there three years ago.
Kaymer, who plans to play more in the US on the PGA Tour next season, has always been open to such help and the process continued two years ago when Faldo himself invited Kaymer to Valhalla, Kentucky, as an observer at the last Ryder Cup after the youngster just failed to make the team.
Whistling Straits marked only Kaymer’s 12th outing in a major championship after just four years on the European Tour and with that kind of background and willingness to absorb lessons it was not a surprise that he won.
He was eighth behind Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell in the US Open at Pebble Beach, seventh behind Oosthuizen at St Andrews and you might well imagine he will be around for decades to come and not inconceivably with the world No.1 slot contested by himself, McIlroy and Johnson, with Woods, Mickelson and Co occasionally making a challenge to remind us what the old days were like.

Mickelson taking medicine for severe arthritis

World No. 2 Phil Mickelson has been diagnosed with a severe form of arthritis that recently left him unable to get out of bed.
The US Masters winner said doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota were treating him for psoriatic arthritis, which first flared up in the week before the US Open in June.
“I have this thing called psoriatic arthritis where your immune system attacks your joints and tendons and so forth,” said Mickelson.
“It is very treatable and the medicine I've been taking has been very helpful. I feel 90 per cent. About eight weeks ago, about five days before the US Open, I woke up and had some intense pain in some areas of my body, some joints and tendons. I couldn't walk.”
Mickelson shot 73 69 73 67 to finish 12th at six under par in the US PGA championship on Sunday.