Tiger Woods will defend his FedExCup title

By PGATOUR.COM staff
Tiger Woods has committed to defending his FedExCup title this year, announcing his intention today to play in The Barclays next week at Ridgewood Country Club.
The Barclays is the first of four events in the US PGA Tour Play-offs for the FedExCup.
Woods is currently ranked 108th in FedExCup points and is expected to remain inside the top 125 players who will qualify for the Play-offs. Since he is not in this week's field at the Wyndham Championship, a remote chance exists that he could fall to 132nd, but the probability of that happening is almost nil.
The top 100 players following The Barclays will advance to the next event in the Play-offs, the Deutsche Bank Championship. With his position outside the top 100, Woods will be in the unfamiliar situation of having to finish approximately 50th or better at The Barclays to move on.
"We are thrilled to have Tiger Woods, the defending FedExCup Champion, join the field in what should be one of the most exciting events in The Barclays history," said Executive Director Peter Mele. "The field this year will be full of great stories. From the success of international players on Tour this year, to the success of young players like Hunter Mahan, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Anthony Kim, to Ernie Els' efforts to remain at the top of the FedExCup standings, golf fans will enjoy the best the US PGA Tour has to offer."
This year will mark the first time Woods has competed in The Barclays at Ridgewood Country Club after he was forced to miss the 2008 event while recovering from knee surgery. He finished tied for second last year at Liberty National, one stroke behind Heath Slocum.
The US PGA Tour Play-offs for the FedExCup culminate with the FedExCup Champion crowned at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, Sept. 23-26.
Last year, after qualifying for The Barclays at No. 124 on the FedExCup points list, Slocum held off four of the world's best in Woods, Steve Stricker, Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington to win by a shot at Liberty National. The victory propelled Slocum all the way to No. 3 in the FedExCup standings and he entered THE TOUR Championship with one of the coveted top-five spots, meaning a victory in Atlanta would have guaranteed him the FedExCup.
Vijay Singh, who won The Barclays the last time it was contested at Ridgewood in 2008, will also feel somewhat like the defending champion. Singh outlasted Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland in a dramatic play-off and went on to claim the FedExCup. Singh has also assured himself of a return trip to Ridgewood at No. 61 in the FedExCup Standings.
Ernie Els remains atop the FedExCup points list followed by Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose. The top five players in the standings entering THE TOUR Championship are guaranteed to win the FedExCup if they are victorious in Atlanta.

CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT IN GERMANY

Lee, Jamieson, McLeary in first-day top 10

Australian Daniel Gaunt is banking on a quick-fire return to The European Tour after a less ‘gung-ho’ attitude carried him into a tie for the first-round lead in the ECCO Tour Championship on the European Challenge Tour in Germany today.
Gaunt, who shares top spot with Welshman Kyron Sullivan and Swede Oscar Floren on 67, six under par at Green Eagle Golf Club near Hamburg, managed to curb his enthusiasm to great effect by winning the recent English Challenge at Stoke-by-Nayland last month.
That success lifted the 31 year old from nowhere to 34th on the Challenge Tour Rankings, but a second victory this week would push Gaunt closer to regaining his card on the main Tour.
He said: “I was always a pretty aggressive player but I’ve worked really hard on my course management and being more patient. I’ve come to realise that there is a time and a place to take on a shot and when to err on the side of caution.
“It seemed to pay off in the English Challenge and I think my attitude and approach were good today, despite two silly dropped shots at the 14th and 16th. Hopefully now I can put in a high finish this week and try to get inside the top 15 on the Rankings, which is the main goal at the moment.”
Sullivan and Floren matched Gaunt’s 67 over the formidable North Course measuring just under 7900 yards to ensure the leading trio stayed ahead of Danish amateur Andreas Hartø on 68 with another Welshman, Manley, sharing fifth place alongside Scotland’s Craig Lee and Denmark’s Marius Thorp on 69.
Currently 131st on the Challenge Tour Rankings, Sullivan chipped in at the first to set the ball rolling and picked up a further six shots – dropping only one at the 705 yard 16th – as he set the clubhouse target.
“At this stage of the season, I need to be looking at some high finishes to ensure I get into the Kazakhstan Open in a few weeks time and to make certain I climb into the top 100 in the Rankings so that I won’t have to go to Stage One of the Qualifying School” he said.
Sullivan, who will be competing in next week’s SWALEC Wales Challenge on home turf, has taken a few weeks break from the Challenge Tour to recapture his game and his appetite.
He added: “Sometimes you need to take a step backwards in order to move forwards. I think I was trying too hard and I enjoyed playing a couple of events on the EuroPro Tour to try to get back into the groove. Hopefully it has worked!”
Floren, currently 15th on the Rankings, blitzed the front nine – his inward half – at Green Eagle in 30 blows to construct a promising start to his tournament. The Swede was helped by an eagle and three birdies to close and said: “I’ve been in contention a few times and didn’t finish it off. If I keep doing the right things hopefully it will happen.”
It was a good first day for some of the 13 Scots in the field but not for Lloyd Saltman who got a late call to Germany but could do no better than a 77, the same score as George Murray.
Craig Lee is lying joint fifth on 69, Scott Jamieson and Jamie McLeary joint ninth on 70 and Chris Doak is a shot behind.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 73
67 O Floren (Swe) , K Sullivan (Wal) , D Gaunt (Aus) ,
68 A Hartø (am) (Den) ,
69 C Lee (Sco) , M Thorp (Nor) , S Manley (Wal) , L Bjerregaard (am) (Den) ,
70 N Johansson (Swe) , M Zions (Aus) , C Del Moral (Esp) , A Wagner (Arg) , S Jamieson (Sco) , C Moriarty (Irl) , A Hansen (Den) , J McLeary (Sco) , J Colomo (Esp) , A Ahokas (Fin) ,
71 R Dinwiddie (Eng) , M Bothma (RSA) , C Russo (Fra) , N Meitinger (Ger) , A Velasco (Esp) , L Slattery (Eng) , D Vanegas (Col) , C Doak (Sco) , J Hansen (am) (Den) ,
72 D Griffiths (Eng) , F De Vries (Ned) , K Jorgensen (Den) , A Marshall (Eng) , J Legarrea (Esp) , S Gundorph (Den) , C Baker (USA) , J Little (Eng) , J Kaske (Fin) , A Snobeck (Fra) , J Campillo (Esp) , S Reale (Ita) , W Ormsby (Aus) , J Dantorp (Swe) , T Norret (Den) , K Sorensen (am) (Den) ,
73 P Dwyer (Eng) , T Remkes (Ned) , R Kind (Ned) , F Henge (Swe) , C Brazillier (Fra) , A Haindl (RSA) , S Walker (Eng) , S Buhl (Ger) , E Ramsay (Sco) , J Arruti (Esp) , G Adell (Swe) , S Juul (Den) , C Ford (Eng) , C Lange (Den) , J Larsen (Nor) , M Tullo (Chi) , J Lykke-Kjeldsen (Den) , S Surry (Eng) , T Whitehouse (Eng) , A Larsen (Swe) , C Gane (Eng) ,
74 B Grace (RSA) , J Grillon (Fra) , K Eriksson (Swe) , Å Nilsson (Swe) , L Johansen (Den) , S Tiley (Eng) , J Granberg (Fin) , J Rask (Swe) , L Bond (Wal) , A Kaleka (Fra) , R Kakko (Fin) , A Willey (Eng) , R Hjelm (Den) , R Steiner (Aut) , B Wiesberger (Aut) , S Wakefield (Eng) , B Chapellan (Fra) , M Manassero (Ita) , L Jensen (Den) , A Tadini (Ita) , M McGeady (Irl) ,
75 F Calmels (Fra) , C Smith (Wal) , J Zapata (Arg) , C Macaulay (Sco) , D Brooks (Eng) , S Lewton (Eng) , M Hedegaard (Den) , I Van Weerelt (Ned) , A Bruschi (Ita) , J Sjöholm (Swe) , N Lemke (Swe) , J Doherty (Sco) , A Perrino (Ita) , A Gee (Eng) , P Golding (Eng) , D Slott (Den) , F Praegant (Aut) , M Rominger (Sui) , T Olesen (Den) ,
76 V Riu (Fra) , W Besseling (Ned) , P Kaensche (Nor) , L Kennedy (Eng) , S Strüver (Ger) , S Davis (Eng) , J Makitalo (Fin) , G Houston (Wal) , F Colombo (Ita) , A Högberg (Swe) , P Gustafsson (Swe) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , D Lokke (am) (Den) ,
77 G Murray (Sco) , N Bruzelius (Swe) , B Evans (Eng) , L Saltman (Sco) , A Jacobsson (Swe) , J Xanthopoulos (Fra) , J Moul (Eng) , R Santos (Por) , S Piaget (Mon) , M Quiros (Esp) , J Espelund (Den) , M Korhonen (Fin) , T Feyrsinger (Aut) ,
78 J Wahlqvist (Swe) , A Sjöstrand (Swe) , M Eliasson (Swe) , E Dubois (Fra) , M Laskey (Wal) , P Malmgren (Swe) , J Bäckström (Swe) , G Molteni (Ita) , J Billot (Fra) , J Lerchedahl (Den) , P Erofejeff (Fin) ,
79 A Bernadet (Fra) , M Carlsson (Swe) , L Moolman (RSA) , M Haines (Eng) ,
80 J Ruth (Eng) , J Clément (Sui) , M Higley (Eng) , L Gagli (Ita) , J Christensen (Den) , R Russell (Sco) , A Kasprzak (Den) ,
81 K Nielsen (Den) , M Madsen (Den) (am).
82 M Ford (Eng) ,
W/D B Barham (Eng) ,

Elliot Saltman earns £455, Lee Harper £255 in Kent
Elliot Saltman (Aegon) finished joint 15th and Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) joint 37th in the PGA EuroPro Tour's Skycaddie European Championships at Hever Castle Golf Club, Kent today.
Saltman had rounds of 73, 69 and 72 for a two-under-par total of 214 which earned him £455.83.
Harper scored 69, 75 and 74 for 218 and a cash reward of £255.
They were the only two Scots who surved the 36-hole cut.
Matthew Evans from Rotherham won the top prize of £10,000 with a 10-under-par total of 206, made up of rounds of 72, 67 and 67.
Runner-up Justin Evans (Wentworth) earned £5,000 for scores of 68, 69 and for 207.
Zane Scotland finished third on 208 (69-69-70) and earned £2,500.

Lockhart wins first Midland Alliance of season

By LEE SUTHERLAND
The Midland Golfers’ Alliance held their first meeting of the 20010/11 season today  at a sunny Thornton Golf Club in Fife.
Fife players dominated the prize list too. Ladybank assistant pro Alan Lockhart continued his recent, pre-break Alliance form to take the first scratch prize by four shots with a three-under-par score of 67.
First handicap was a shared affair with John Black (Scotscraig) (4) and Simon Andrews (Ladybank) (10) both returning net scores of 71
Leading Scratch scores
Par 70
67 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap.
71 D McKay (Wellsgreen) p, P Jamieson (Dunblane New) ap, J Stevenson (Braehead) p.

73 P Brookes (P, Pitreavie)

75 J Black (Scotscraig), H Wong (Wellsgreen) ap.

76 R Walker (Lundin) p, G Milne (Aberdour), R. Stewart (Tulliallan)

77 L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle) p.
Leading Handicap Scores
71 J Black (Scotscraig) (4), S Andrews (Ladybank) (10)
72 G Muir (Burntisland) (7), G Milne (Aberdour) (4)
73 K. Thomson (Alloa) (13)
74 I Butchart (Strathmore) (5), M Gilmour (Braehead) (6), A McEwan(Carnoustie) (14), J Brown (Kirkcaldy) (10)
75 J Barnet (Dunfermline) (9), R. Stewart (Tulliallan) (1), H Grant (Muckhart) (6).

Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship at Arbroath in April
A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap
D McKay (Wellsgreen) p
P Jamieson (Dunblane New) ap

J Stevenson (Braehead) p.
Qualifiers for the McQueen Shield
J Black (Scotscraig, 4)
S Andrews (Ladybank, 10)
Next week's meeting
Ballumbie Castle, Monifieth.
Thursday 26th (tee reserved: 8.30 to 12.30)

CZECH OPEN REPORT, SCORES

Peter Hanson is the Danger Man

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Peter Hanson lurks as the biggest danger to first-round leader Shiv Kapur at the Czech Open - and to Paul Casey in the Ryder Cup race.
The 32-year-old Swede will oust the absent Casey from Europe's top nine with victory at the Prosper Resort in Celadna on Sunday, and a five-under-par 67 has left him just one behind Kapur.
Hanson lies 15th in the points race, but there is a £272,640 first prize and, as one of only two of the world's top 50 in the field, it is a golden opportunity.
The other is Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez. Currently eighth on the cup table, he started with a 71 and should be concerned about the possibility of being overtaken by Hanson as well.
English trio Simon Dyson, Oliver Wilson and Ross McGowan are also chasing a spot in Colin Montgomerie's side and they shot 70, 72 and 73 respectively.
Asked about the controversial decision of Casey - and also Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald, both of whom are just outside a qualifying spot - not to enter next week's race-ending Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Hanson clearly stated his view.
"If you have a chance to make the team or especially if you want a pick (like Justin Rose, another stay-away) it might be good to play," he said.
After two weeks in America during which he was eighth at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational - that made him top European - Hanson made the long trip after asking for and receiving a sponsor's invitation on Monday.
Kapur led from the moment he had six successive birdies from the second after teeing off at 7.20am. Kapur, ranked 256th in the world and 100th on the European Tour this season, started the inward half with back-to-back bogeys, but then birdied the 16th and 18th to hold off the chasing pack.
Hanson shares second with Argentina's Tano Goya, while Dyson shook off jet-lag - he could not get a flight back from the States until Monday night and then flew on to Prague and caught a train to Ostrava - with four closing birdies.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
66 Shiv Kapur (Ind)
67 Peter Hanson (Swe), Tano Goya (Arg)
68 Richard Bland, Julien Guerrier (Fra)
69 Scott Hend (Aus), Richard Finch, Rick Kulacz (Aus), Clodomiro Carranza (Arg), Jose Manuel Lara (Spa)
70 Mikael Lundberg (Swe), Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra), Phillip Price, Pelle Edberg (Swe), Simon Dyson, Peter Lawrie, Anthony Wall, Marc Warren, Miles Tunnicliff, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Michael Hoey
71 Anthony Kang (USA), Nathan Smith (USA), Andrew Butterfield, Robert Coles, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Graeme Storm
72 Martin Wiegele (Aut), Christian Cevaer (Fra), Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Steve Webster, Oliver Wilson, Scott Drummond, Maarten Lafeber (Ned), Simon Lilly, David Drysdale, Stephen Dodd, Jamie Donaldson, Alejandro Canizares (Spa), Ariel Canete (Arg)
73 John Parry, Paul Waring, Soren Hansen (Den), Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel), David Lynn, Mark Brown (Nzl), Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Gary Murphy, Tony Carolan (Aus), Niclas Fasth (Swe), Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Ross McGowan, Thomas Levet (Fra)
74 Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe), Viktor Skalle (Cze), Damien McGrane, Brett Rumford (Aus), Felipe Aguilar (Chi), Robert Rock, Marco Ruiz (Par), Stephen Gallacher, Alastair Forsyth, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa), Mark Foster, Pablo Martin (Spa), Sebi Garcia (Spa), Bradley Dredge
75 Marco Soffietti (Ita), Martin Erlandsson (Swe), Steven Jeppesen (Swe), Martin Prihoda (Cze), Richard McEvoy, Johan Axgren (Swe), Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Sam Hutsby, Jamie Elson, Mark F Haastrup (Den), Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, David Dixon
76 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned), Henrik Nystrom (Swe), Christian Nilsson (Swe), Filip Mruzek (Cze), George Coetzee (Rsa), Steven O'Hara, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus), Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind), Gary Clark, Markus Brier (Aut), Chapchai Nirat (Tha)
77 Andrew Tampion (Aus), Jonathan Lomas, Sam Little, Petr Zima (Cze)
78 Gary Lockerbie, Jurgen Maurer (Aut), Keith Horne (Rsa), Julien Quesne (Fra)
79 Peter Whiteford, Nick Dougherty, Ondrej Lieser (Cze)
80 Phillip Archer, Jan Ryba (Cze), Ondrej Lebl (Cze)
87 Jakub Svarc (Cze)
89 Petr Skopovy (Cze)
93 Martin Rudecky (Cze)

TWO SHARE LEAD AT NORTH OF SCOTLAND

SENIORS OPEN AT BANFF

Stirling's David J Smith and Lindsay Blair from Grangemouth are the halfway leaders on one-under-par 67 in the North of Scotland Seniors Open golf tournament at Duff House Royal Golf Club, Banff.
The are a shot ahead of George Blair (Haddington) with home-course man Michael Jenkins poised for a second-round challenge from the 69 mark.

FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 68. CSS 69
67 David J Smith (Stirling), Lindsay Blair (Grangemouth).
68 George Blair (Haddington).
69 Michael Jenkins (Duff House Royal).
70 John McDonald (Cowglen), Ian Jeen (Milngavie), Jim Watt (Edzell).
71 Michael Currie (Glen), Keith Bruce (Edzell), Ian Gourlay (Strathaven), Alan Ross (Northumberland), Allan Cameron (Gourock), Bob Humble (Kilspindie).

CLASSY KELLY WINS AT CRUDEN BAY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Cawder’s Chris Kelly scored his sixth one-day victory on the Tartan Tour this season with a splendid round of six-under-par 64 in testing conditions for the VSA Tartan pro-am at Cruden Bay today (Thursday).
It was Kelly’s fourth outright success – he was joint winner in the two other events – and he earned the £860 first prize with a quality performance. Only Chris and runner-up Callum Nicoll (The Els Club), with a 67, got under the par of 70.
After an eagle 2 at the second put him in the mood, Kelly birdied the third, fourth and sixth before he cooled off with a bogey at the seventh but a birdie at the eighth put him out in five-under-par 31.
Two more birdies followed at the 10th and 12th and a Cruden Bay pro record low score was on the cards until he bogeyed the 15th and 16th before closing with his seventh birdie of the day at the 18th in an inward 33.
Nicoll earned £680 for his 67 and David Orr (Eastwood) picked up £500 for finishing third in a field of 19 pros with a 70.
Paul Lawrie, who had an individual round of 72, led the Paul Lawrie Foundation team of his son Craig Lawrie (handicap 4), Alan Reid (18) and Barry Duncan (14) to victory in the pro-am event with a net score of 12-under-par 128.




PRO SCORES (par 70)
64 Chris Kelly (Cawder).
67 Callum Nicoll (The Els Club).
70 David Orr (Eastwood).
71 Stephen Gray (Hayston).
72 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Paul Lawrie (Carrick at Cameron House).
73 James McKinnon (Irvine), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Mark King (Kingsfield), Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Dean Vannet (Peterculter).
74 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR).
75 Neil Murray (Cruden Bay), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), Colin Gillies (Braid Hills), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst)

76 Scott Henderson (Kings Links).
77 Edward Thomson (Senit Associates).

Kingston leads by three on Sunshine Tour

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
On a day when the next-best round was a humble little three-under 69, James Kingston fired a seven-under-par 65 to open a yawning three-shot gap after the second round of the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf event at Selborne Golf Club.
“I still can’t manage to find a round without a bogey,” he mused immediately afterwards, but then consoled himself with the fact that he produced a round of rare quality to lead at 13-under for the tournament.
“I hit all but two – or maybe three – of the greens in regulation,” he said, and his putting was precise enough to convert eight of those chances into birdies.
He slipped just once, three-putting on 17 for that pesky bogey when he and playing partner Des Terblanche were playing in the increasingly gloomy dusk and were battling to make the reads required.
While the light was adequate earlier in the round, he took the chance to read the greens really well: “I made two 20-footers, but I just kept hitting the ball in the right spot and giving myself a lot of chances,” he said.
It was an approach which didn’t work as spectacularly for second-placed Adilson Da Silva, who didn’t make a single bogey, but 17 pars and an eagle on 11 meant he signed for a 70.
“I chipped it in from 40 metres out,” he said, “but I missed a couple of makeable putts for birdie on the first nine, and I was two-putting a lot of the time.
That meant he finds himself with all the chasing to do ahead of the final round.
With the wind gusting all day under dark skies, it was a tough day for all the golfers, and Christiaan Basson and Ryan Tipping were the only other players to record rounds in the 60s with their three-under 69s. It was good enough to lift Basson into a share of seventh, nine shots behind Kingston, and to help Tipping make the cut.
First-round leader Nic Henning had a round which reflected the difficulties everyone faced: He made an eagle, three birdies and six bogeys to card a one-over 73, leaving him in third at seven-under and six behind the man he led by two at the start of the day.
“I played well; I was 10-under with five to play but I bogeyed the last three holes,” said Henning. “I just found the going a lot tougher today in the wind. It felt as if it was gusting from every direction when you were between the trees. It made it very tough on chipping and putting.”
Warren Abery and qualifier Theunis Spangenberg were at six-under after rounds of 72 and 71 respectively, while the 1998 champion from this event, Grant Muller was at five-under after his second round of 70.
But Kingston will have a chance again in the final round to try for that bogey-free round once more and wrap up the tournament.
“Today, I really thought I had it,” he said. “There’s always tomorrow.”


CLICK HERE FOR SCOREBOARD

Home course comfort for Sam

Torrance at Fairmont

By LEE TODD
European Seniors Tour Press Officer
Sam Torrance could not be any more at home as he heads into the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open at Fairmont St Andrews.
The Scot is about to embark on one of the most important weeks of the year on a personal level as he looks to win the €250,000 event on his own golf course, The Torrance at Fairmont St Andrews.
The former Ryder Cup Captain has, by his own high standards, endured a disappointing season so far. But, having spent the last three weeks practising under the tutelage of dad Bob, Torrance junior is confident that he can return to winning ways over a course he designed and get back into the race to defend the Senior Tour Order of Merit crown that he won last year for the third time.
“This is a very special week for me – we are literally playing on my golf course: I designed it, I am attached here and I really love this place so it is a very important week for me,” said Torrance who is currently 14th on the Senior Tour Order of Merit.
“It’s nice to hear most of the guys being very complimentary about a course that I have designed. It’s nice to hear things like that from the guys you play with every week. I hope they enjoy the test. The course is in great condition this week and it is getting better every year. The greens here are exceptional and are one of the strong points of my design.
“My form is getting better – I have been struggling for a while but it’s getting a bit better. I did a fair bit of work with my dad at the Senior Open which worked for a day but then I couldn’t sustain it. But I have been working hard every day and on the phone to him most days and it is coming along – it feels pretty good at the moment.
“I can still win the Order of Merit – there are a lot of big weeks coming up but I have to win a couple and contend in the rest if I am to have any chance.”
Torrance’s fellow former Ryder Cup captain, Ian Woosnam, will be among the Scot’s main challengers at Fairmont St Andrews this week and the Welshman was in buoyant form ahead of the tournament.
“It’s great to be back here in Scotland playing links golf again,” smiled Woosnam. “That was actually my last appearance three weeks ago at the Senior Open Championship and there were some good signs that the game is coming round. I’m looking forward to getting back out there and continuing the improvement.
“You obviously have to shape the ball playing links golf and I actually have a new set of clubs in the bag this week that I have a bit more feel with, so hopefully I can get the ball going the way I want it to.”
The Torrance course has recently benefited from significant improvements including work on every tee and fairway as well as rebuilding of all the bunkers in a traditional Scottish revetted style.
The improvements were carried out as part of a £17m redevelopment of the five-star resort which also included extensive improvements to its second 18-hole layout – the Kittocks – lavish spa complex, six dining venues and five-star hotel.
WHERE TO GO
For more information on Fairmont St Andrews or to book a stay call 01334 837000 alternatively email standrews.scotland@fairmont.com or visit www.fairmont.com/standrews.

Oldcorn among home favourites at Scots Senior

Open at Fairmont St Andrews

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE

By Martin Dempster

Edinburgh golfer Andrew Oldcorn is among a host of home players with a good chance of winning the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open, which tees off tomorrow at Fairmont, St Andrews.
Five Scots, including Oldcorn, are currently sitting in the top 20 on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit and they're all in the field for an event which this year carries an increased prize fund of £250,000.

For Oldcorn, pictured above on the day he won the PGA Championship at Wentworth, it will be his debut in the Scottish Senior Open and the former PGA champion will surely be in the mix if he can produce the form that saw him make a fine start to his career on the over-50s circuit.
He finished in the top ten in the Senior PGA Championship, one of the over-50s' majors, in Denver and then came close to a first win as he claimed second spot in the Van Lanschot Open back on European soil.
Oldcorn suffered the disappointment of missing the cut in the Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie last month but he's kept his game ticking over since then by playing in some domestic events and, no doubt, will be raring to get back into action on the Senior circuit.

He's seventh on the order of merit, a spot behind Bill Longmuir, with Gordon Brand junior (12th), Sam Torrance (14th) and Ross Drummond (15th) the other Scots to the fore going into this week's 54-hole event.
Also making his debut in the tournament is Fraser Mann, the former Musselburgh club professional who, like Oldcorn, is in the middle of his rookie season as a Senior.
Mann made the cut at Carnoustie but is lying 69th in the rankings as he waits to make his presence felt on a leaderboard for the first time.

Matteo Manassero has entered the Egyptian Open (October 20 to 23).

MANASSERO JOINS McILROY IN PYRAMID COUNTRY

NEWS RELEASE
The 2010 Egyptian Open will play host to two of the sport’s brightest young stars when Italian teenage prodigy Matteo Manassero joins world number seven Rory McIlroy at the JW Marriott, Mirage City Golf Club from October 20 to 23.
The 17 year-old Italian ­– considered by many to be ‘the new Seve’ – will be in a strong line-up in the penultimate tournament on the 2010 European Challenge Tour calendar when the Middle East’s oldest golf event takes on Challenge Tour status.
Last week, Manassero edged closer to his first professional title with second place at the Rolex Trophy in Switzerland , while Northern Ireland ’s 21 year-old McIlroy continued his meteoric rise to the top with joint third place at the USPGA Championship, a Major won by Challenge Tour graduate Martin Kaymer.
“These are exciting times for everyone connected with the Egyptian Open,” said Egyptian Golf Federation Chairman Ayman Hussein. “There is little doubt Rory McIlroy is one of the most popular and talented players in the game, while Matteo Manessero has lit up the sport of golf with his talent at such a young age. It’s a great way for us to announce Egypt on the Challenge Tour stage.”
Manassero shot to prominence by winning the silver medal as a 16 year-old amateur at last year’s Open Championship before becoming the youngest player to make the cut at the Masters.
In addition, the Italian even has a better record as an amateur than McIlroy having won more and at an earlier age, including the British Amateur Championship at just 16.
In 2009, Manassero was only four shots behind eventual winner Stewart Cink and Tom Watson in the Open and his elevation to the professional ranks will see the teenager aiming to match the achievements of fellow Challenge Tour alumni such as Kaymer and last year’s Challenge Tour champion Edoardo Molinari who has gone on to reach number 21 in the world rankings.
“The Challenge Tour is a great place to develop your game as the competition is fierce,” said Manassero, who only made his professional debut at the Italian Open in Turin just three months ago. “When you look at the success of players such as Martin Kaymer and Edoardo Molinari you can see the quality involved.
“I was in a good position to win in Switzerland but it was my first time in that situation. While I was not able to claim victory, it was a positive learning experience and I look forward to having the opportunity again soon.”
He added: “To win on my first appearance in Cairo would be amazing but the field will be one of the strongest of the year and with Rory in the line-up it’s going to be even harder to win. I’m looking forward to it.”

Timmins new Lothians team captain
FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Mark Timmins, who cut his golfing teeth at Prestonfield but now plays and lives at Pumpherston, is the new Lothians captain, having been appointed Keith Nicholson's successor following his decision to step down from the role.
Timmins, a former Lothians champion, made a successful playing return over the past few seasons after disappearing for a spell when he became a father and was in the six-man side for the Scottish Area Team Championship earlier this year. But, having recently turned 46, he is ready to take a back seat and concentrate on a new chapter in his career as far as the Lothians is concerned.
"Keith spoke to me when we played Northumberland earlier in the year, saying he was thinking of stepping down and asked if I would be interested," said Timmins, a former club champion at Prestonfield, Edinburgh Thistle, Uphall and, most recently, Pumpherston.
"I said I didn't know but when I then got the call to ask me officially, I was delighted and I'm really looking forward to it.
"I've been around Lothians golf for a number of years now, so I know a lot of the players, and it will be good to look at things from the other side of the fence, so to speak.
"I'll be hanging up my own clubs when it comes to matches and will probably only play if we had some call-offs.
"All the young lads are a lot fitter than me and can cope better with playing two rounds in the one day."
Timmins, a former South East District Open winner before he lifted the Lothians title in 2000, is aiming to use his own experiences as part of Scottish Area Team Championship- winning sides to get the best out of players.
"I think I played in either three or four teams that won that title," he recalled. "George Macgregor, Ian Young, Colin Brooks, Kenny Walker and Raymond Russell were some of the players who were my team-mates back then.
"In fact, I think on one occasion the side consisted of five Scottish internationals and myself. I also remember one time that Stephen Gallacher, who was just a young lad and was breaking through as an amateur at the time, came along as a caddie for the six-man team to get some experience.
"I still think we have got quality in the Lothians - it is just a case of getting that quality to play.

Tommy Fleetwood turns pro with Nike


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY NIKE
Nike Golf has today made another exciting addition to its talented roster of athletes with the signing of the newly crowned English amateur champion and former England international Tommy Fleetwood, who has signed a multi-year contract as he begins his career as a full-time professional.
The 19-year-old from Lancashire turned professional today and is hoping for a fast start to his career in the paid ranks following some stellar performances on the pro circuit already this year.
In July he finish second on the Challenge Tour’s English Challenge held at Stoke by Nayland, while earlier that month he also won a qualifying event to earn a place in the elite field for the French Open in Paris. His first professional appearance will come on The European Tour at the Èeladna Czech Open from August 19-22, three weeks before he tees up on a sponsor’s invitation at the Kazakhstan Open, which carries the biggest prize fund on the Challenge Tour’s schedule.
Fleetwood is leaving the amateur game behind at a career high 3rd in the R and A’s world rankings, following a superb season which has seen him take victory in the English Amateur as well as securing runner-up places in both the New South Wales Amateur and the Spanish Amateur, which was won by fellow Nike Golf staff athlete Matt Haines.
He received his first full England cap in the 2008 Home Internationals, following a runner-up place in the Amateur Championship, quickly thereafter earning him the captaincy of the U16 and, later, the U18 squads. Last year he won the Scottish Men’s Amateur Open and played in the GB and I Walker Cup side at Merrion.

Fleetwood, who was a leading member of England’s victorious side at the recent European Amateur Team Championships, said ”I am excited about starting my professional career with a brand as big as Nike Golf. I know that the team there will work with me to give me the very best equipment and support to help me make the transition from amateur to successful professional. I’m impressed by the knowledge and the passion that goes into how they develop products, and above all, know that it works for me and my game.”
The agreement with Nike Golf will see Fleetwood exclusively use Nike Golf equipment, including the VR driver and fairway woods, VR Split Cavity irons, One Tour golf ball, and Nike Golf shoes, glove, hat, staff bag, apparel and accessories.

In signing with Nike Golf, Fleetwood is joining a growing band of established and up-and-coming stars, with the company having recently attracted the talents of Spanish Amateur Champion Matt Haines and Scottish teen sensation Carly Booth, who is currently in her first year on the Ladies European Tour. Over in the United States, collegiate stars Matt Hill and Dustin Garza have both chosen Nike Golf as their preferred equipment brand as they seek to develop their talents on the PGA Tour following stellar undergraduate careers.