Control freak Monty showing

signs of strain

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
By ALISTAIR TAIT
NEWPORT, Wales – Just as well the European team is acting free and loose, because Euro captain Colin Montgomerie is as tense as a snare drum with just a day to go before the 38th Ryder Cup begins.
Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer and caddies J.P. Fitzgerald and John McLaren turned up on the first tee Wednesday alongside Rory McIlroy wearing black, McIlroy-like wigs. It was one of the lighter moments of the week, but par for the course on the European Tour, where practical jokes are de rigueur.
Although Montgomerie appreciated the gesture, he is not happy with the way newspapers are building up the possible Rory McIlroy vs. Tiger Woods match-up.
McIlroy announced in August that he’d love to face Woods in the Ryder Cup. The young Northern Irishman made the comment after Woods had suffered his worst-ever tournament result, finishing T-78 in the 81-player WGC Bridgestone Invitational. Golf observers have been salivating ever since on the possible match-up.
Woods further stoked the fire this week when he said he would also be interested in going head-to-head with McIlroy.

No wonder Monty went out of his way to quash talk about such a match-up. The Scot knows what can happen to players who pass judgment on Woods. Remember Stephen Ames’ 9-8 drubbing in the 2006 WGC Match Play Championship, after the Canadian made disparaging remarks about the World No. 1?

Montgomerie might be Europe’s ultimate control freak. This is a man, after all, who always had to have seat 1A when he flew commercial. There is nothing he hates more than to have matters out of his control. So far he’s been in charge here at Celtic Manor, but his edgy demeanour in today's press conference was evidence enough that the McIlroy–Woods match-up was an issue he had not anticipated.

“Rory was quite upset with the comments that were made in the papers about this Tiger situation,” Montgomerie said.

Rather than looking forward to the two playing together, the Scot wants the opposite.

“I almost want to avoid that situation. I can’t avoid it,” he said. “There’s a one-in-four chance if Tiger plays on Friday morning and if Rory plays on Friday morning. There’s a one-in-12 chance that they are meeting up in the singles I suppose, and that’s all there is.
"A lot has been made of this challenge. This is about a team, not about individuals. And my team are set on gaining 14 1/2 points. It doesn’t matter who is playing who or who gets them.”
McIlroy had a chance to take his mind off Woods by listening to Seve Ballesteros give an emotional speech last night. The Euro team held a conference call with the Spanish legend, who is recovering at home in Spain from a brain tumour and couldn’t make the trip to Wales.

Ironic that Seve should talk to the Euro team, considering he loved nothing more than controversial matches against the USA in the Ryder Cup. Monty will be hoping McIlroy doesn’t get sucked into a Seve-like confrontation with Woods. Otherwise, the Scot might just implode.

WHO'S GOING TO WIN THE RYDER CUP?

HERE'S WHAT THE AMERICAN PUNDITS THINK

FROM THE PGATOUR.COM WEBSITE
On paper, the Europeans have the edge as the 2010 Ryder Cup officially tees off Friday at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. The potential European team was so strong this summer that Paul Casey -- currently ranked seventh in the world -- was left off the team.
But upsets happen, especially at the Ryder Cup. So who does the staff at PGATOUR.COM like for the matches? We break it down:


STAN AWTRY.  Result forecast: US 15, Europe 13. Star man - Tiger Woods.
The United States may be the underdog this weekend, but they've still got three of the best players in the world and plenty of experience in match play. Performance of the players picked by U.S. captain Corey Pavin will be critical to the team's success, while the picks made by Colin Montgomerie will come back to bite him.

MIKE McALLISTER. Forecast:  Europe 15, US 13. Star man - Ian Poulter.
 Europe has six rookies, while the U.S. has five, but it's much easier to be a rookie when you've got the gallery supporting you. So a slight advantage has to go to the Europeans there in terms of who'll be less nervous. Plus, I just think more Europeans than Americans are in top form right now.

RYAN SMITHSON. Forecast: Europe 19, US 9. Star man - Francisco Molinari.
You know the Yanks are in for a tough time when Paul Casey can't even make the European team. The United States have a lot of guys who are not playing their best golf right now (Overton, Watson, Mahan). Coupled with the ultimate of away games, they are in for a tough weekend. The Ryder Cup is going back to the other side by a huge margin.


JOHN SCHWARB. Forecast; US 14.5, Europe 13.5. Star man - Steve Stricker. 
This pick defies recent Ryder Cup history, the strength of each roster and just about any other logical measure. But weird things happen in match play, and the Americans can feed off the widespread notion that they'll come home without the Cup. And if you think captains make a difference, don't you think Monty will slip up somewhere?

LAUREN DEASON. Forecast: Europe 19, US 9. Star man - Rory McIlroy.
The U.S. has the advantage when it comes to long hitters and the top players in the Official World Golf Ranking, but Team Europe has location and experience on their side. Tiger's not at his best right now, and several of the U.S. players, including Jim Furyk, will be tired from the Playoffs finale. I think Europe takes back the Ryder Cup this weekend.

HELEN ROSS. Forecast: US 15, Europe 13. Star man - Jim Furyk.


I know the Europeans are heavy favourites -- particularly in front of a home crowd on a home course in Wales -- but I am going with the United States. Nearly half of the Americans are rookies, and I think that could be a bonus -- just as it was at Valhalla. They won't have any baggage, and hopefully the veterans will have left theirs in the majestic rooms at Celtic Manor.

ANNE SZEKER. Forecast: US 16.5, Europe 11.5. Star man - Rickie Fowler.
Americans thrive as underdogs. We have the No. 1 player in the world with something to prove, the FedExCup champion, the Masters champion, a rookie with great match-play credentials -- to just name a few. In the words of Herb Brooks, "Great moments ... are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here, tonight, boys."

BRIAN WACKER. Forecast: Europe 16, US 12. Star man - Lee Westwood.
The U.S. has five rookies and serious question marks surrounding Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in terms of their play this season. Plus, the U.S. almost never wins in Europe -- the last time it did was in 1993 at The Belfry. Europe is just a better team with Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter and Rory McIlory. Westwood is an absolute stud in this event.

CHRIS DURHAM. Forecast: Europe 15.5, US 12.5. Star man - Luke Donald.
I don't believe the talent difference is what many perceive it to be, but many on the U.S. team are stumbling into this competition. Of the nine U.S. players who made it to THE TOUR Championship, just two two finished better than 15th in the 30-man field. Obviously, it's a home game for the Europeans, and their consistency will make the difference.

MELANIE HAUSER. Forecast: US 14.5, Europe 13.5. Star man - Tiger Woods.
I was all set to take the logical choice -- the Euros. The homeboys. They know the course. But something stopped me. Got to thinking and ... well, let's just say the table is set a bit too nicely for the Euros. It simply could be the perfect time for the upstart Yanks to take one across the pond and retain the Ryder Cup. There, I said it.

JOHN MAGINNES. Forecast: US 16, Europe 12. Star man - Tiger Woods.
At some point in time, I probably had a few Ryder Cup qualifying points and even though I was never even close to making the team, it is still my team. The U.S. has come to realise that it takes a team effort to win, and that every point is critical. Even though there are a handful of rookies on the squad, they are ready. I predict a close match.

CRAIG DOLCH. Forecast: Europe 16, US 12. Star man - Martin Kaymer.
There is a reason why the American have won just once in Europe since 1981. The boisterous European crowd is only part. Others are: 1. The top American players are not playing their best. 2. Montgomerie set up the course the way that favours his team's strengths. 3. The Europeans have already played an event at Celtic Manor. It won't be a blow-out, however.

PROS CHASE £1,000 PRIZE IN NEXT WEEK'S

SCOTTISH ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

PGA Cup player Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst),  pictured, and Ladybank's Alan Lockhart will be among the leading contenders for the first professional prize of £1,000 in next week's Scottish Golfers' Alliance championship over 54 holes at Murcar Links and Newburgh-on-Ythan from Tuesday to Thursday.
The amateur field is headed by Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol, who plays off +4, and Philip McLean (Peterhead) who has +3 of a handicap.
There are two female competitors, Scotland international Laura Murray (Alford) and Aberdeenshire county champion Sammy Leslie (Westhill).
Roughly half the field will qualify for the third and final round at Murcar Links on Thursday.
Players will set off in either pairs or threes at 10min tee time intervals.
ORDER OF PLAY
Murcar Links Tuesday, Newburgh on Ythan Wednesday
8.30 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), E McIntosh (Newmachar);
J Duncan (Newburgh), J Fowler (Hayston); G Brown (Montrose Links), S Kennedy (Craibstone).
9.10 A Davidson (Northern), A Lockhart (Ladybank), P Morrison (Oldmeldrum); K Beveridge (Inchmarlo), R Brown (Inverurie), P B Kinloch (Cardross).
9.30 T Mathieson (Dunbar), A K Pirie (Hazlehead), R Stewart (Tulliallan); M Brown (Inverurie), P Jamieson (Dunblane New), J L S Kinloch (Cardross); R Harrower (Boat of Garten), K Nicol (Fraserburgh).
10.0 J Forrest (Northern), J Kinsella (Braemar), L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle); I Graham (Crow Wood), S E Harrod (Ballumbie Castle), N Stewart (Northern); A Dunton (McDonald Ellon), A Graliat (Crow Wood), C Westland (Alloa).
10.30 P Brookes (Pitreavie), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle), Laura Murray (Alford); G Homer (Northern), R Leadley (American Golf), K M Thomson (Alloa); R J S Coupar (Boat of Garten), J D Murray (Banchory), J Rennie (Dunfermline).
11.0 D Bisset (Banchory), D Leslie (Northern), M Louden (Glencorse); I Bratton (Newburgh), G Cree (Troon Welbeck), D Randall (Banchory).
11.30 A Glass (Alloa), P Lamb (Biggar), D Nelson (Aboyne); W Forbes (Murcar Links), C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst), D Wilson (Duff House Royal). 

Newburgh on Ythan Tuesday; Murcar Links Wednesday
8.40 A Campbell (Deeside), D Philip (Newburgh).
9.0 R Alison Deeside), A Brews (Murcar Links); M Rendall (Stonehaven), G G Wither (Lothianburn); P W McIntosh (Newburgh), H Roulston (Stonehaven).
9.30 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen), G Knapp (Muir of Ord), H McNaughton (Cruden Bay); M Forster (Cruden Bay), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen); M Fraser (The Duke's), A Graham (Aboyne), P McLean (Peterhead).
10.0 G Allan (Newburgh), R Murray (West Lothian), G Wilson (Musselburgh); D Bingham (Newburgh), G Hume (The Duke's), G Murray (Spey Bay); K Duncan (McDonald Ellon), P Guthrie (Peterculter), J Wilson (Dunfermline).
10.30 P Cornfield (Auchmill), D McKay (Newmachar), A Reid (West Lothian); G Allan (Newmachar), J Crawford (Dunblane New), B Lumsden (Northern); G S Brown (Portlethen), J MacKay (Kilmarnock Barassie), M Rogers (Kemnay.
11.0 A Boxx (Boat of Garten),  Sammy Leslie (Westhill), V P Ralph (Moray); A Hume (Troon Welbeck), P Jaffray (Duddingston), A L Terras (Elie).
11.20 J Lamb (Glencorse), J White (Harrison).
11.40 J Craig (Carnoustie), D MacKay (Caledonian).


ends

Alliance fixtures rained off today

Two Alliance golf fixturest today were the victims of the heavy rain across the country.
The Edinburgh and East of Scotland fixture at Harburn was postponed and will be played on Wednesday, October 6.
The North-east Alliance meeting at Aboyne was abandoned at lunchtime as the course flooded.
There is no NE Alliance fixture next week because the Scottish Alliance championship is being held from Tuesday to Thursday over 54 holes at Murcar Links and Newburgh-on-Ythan.

SCOTT LARKIN UP 100 PLACES

IN WORLD RANKINGS


Northern Open championship runner-up Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen), pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, has risen 100 places in this week's R and A World Amateur Golf Rankings. He has gone up to No 272.
James Byrne (Banchory) remains the leading Scottish player at No 19, up one from last week, with Ross Kellett (Colville Park) improving five places to No 70.
The only other Scot in the top 100 is Scottish champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) at No 73, down six from last week.
After Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) in 140th place, the fifth highest Scot is a player practically unknown in Scotland! He's Stuart Ballingall from Norwich, a former Scottish boy cap who is now a student at Missouri University where he is doing reasonably well on the US college golf circuit. He finished 17th in a field of 81 at the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic at South Bend, Indiana earlier this week.
Scots in the top 500:
19 James Byrne +1.
70 Ross Kellett +5
73 Michael Stewart -6.
140 Kris Nicol +9.
171 Stuart Ballingall +33.
260 James White +19.
272 Scott Larkin +100.
298 Peter Latimer +31
301 Paul Shields +13.
393 Steven Rennie +15.
398 Greg Paterson +19.
418 Philip McLean -2.
462 Brian Souter +22.
473 James Ross +12.

NOTHING IN SCOTTISH PGA RULES AGAINST IT, BUT

Pros like Gavin Dear, Wallace Booth, Kevin McAlpine, Keir

McNicoll and Steven Hume debarred by Midland Alliance

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Perthshire-based Alps Tour professional Steven Hume has been in touch with Scottishgolfview.com to say how disappointed he is that he is debarred from playing in Midland Golfers' Alliance competitions because he is not a PGA member.
Apparently it is written in its Constitution, formulated some 60 years ago, that only PGA members are allowed to play with amateurs.
This outdated practice - there were no tour pros 60 years ago when all pros were attached to golf clubs - is not common across the Alliance movement in Scotland.
According to Keith Liddle, past secretary of the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance:
"The Constitution and Rules of the EESGA (East Alliance) include
members who are Professionals, Assistant Professionals and Amateurs.
There is no mention of PGA membership."
Ron Menzies, secretary of the North-east Alliance, says it has no Constitution and he has never asked any competing professional whether or not he is or was a PGA member.Michael McDougall, the secretary of the PGA Scottish Region, told me by E-mail:
"There is no regulation by The PGA barring PGA Professionals playing in events alongside non-PGA Professionals (eg the Xltec Tour set up earlier in the year sees PGA members playing alongside non-PGA Professionals, European Tour events, Europro, etc).
"I do not set Alliance regulations nor am I overly familiar with these regs. Therefore, it is possible that in order to play Alliance events you must be a PGA Professional or associated with a recognised PGA."
Steven Hume commented:
"I think the alliance is a great way for everyone, professional and amateur, to keep their games sharp through the winter. It's such a pity that non-PGA members like me cannot play in it."
Perthshire-based Gavin Dear (Murrayshall Hotel), a 2009 Walker Cup player and a winner on the Alps Tour since he turned pro, has this to say about the situation:

Advent of new funding should be used to

open up Scottish professional golf

By GAVIN DEAR
The frustrating thing in Scottish pro golf is everything seems to be a closed shop. I play on the Continent in the Alps Tour and the foreign boys go home to play national events all the time.
It allows them to compete on national order of merits and, if they play well, gain entry to European and Challenge Tour events. It is an important part of their development.
It was good to see Wallace Booth and other non-PGA members given invites for the recent Northern Open. It can only improve the field and the competitiveness.
Another thing is the top 80 on the EuroPro Tour order of merit are given a category to get TP3 category for PGA regional golf.
Yet, on a similar satellite tour, myself and Steven Hume are not eligible (we are both in the top 40 on the Alps Tour).
I think with the new funding coming into place, it's time that everything opened up and we give young players as much competitive experience as possible.
I would be very interested to compete at Alliance competitions, Scottish PGA events or anything else in Scotland during  my weeks at home from the Alps Tour.
I think our local Alliance (the Midland) would find that myself, Steven Hume, Keir McNicoll, Kevin McAlpine and Wallace Booth would all like to play some events during the winter.
There's a Midland Alliance event held at Murrayshall - and Steve and I can't play in it!
I have a schedule but there are spaces in it, and playing against guys like Chris Doak, Craig Lee and Greg Hutcheon can only improve my game.
I personally think that we need to follow he example of what happens in France, Spain, Italy and Sweden where they have free-for-all tours with good purses (30,000 - 50,000 Euros), create an order of merit and allow guys invites to higher profile events.
The best players move up and gain opportunities and there is a better standard of golf. If we could have three-day events where all the top Scottish players who don't have European or Challenge Tour cards play, then how can it be a bad thing for sponsors, the players and everyone's future.
I know this story has been sitting there for a while and nobody really does anything to improve the situation. It would be good to see change.
GAVIN DEAR

+If you have any constructive views on the topic raised by Gavin Dear and Steven Hume, E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Tweeting allowed (as long as no-one

sings about team tactics)

FROM THE SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell are both being allowed to continue tweeting at Celtic Manor - provided they don't reveal anything that has been said behind closed doors in the European team room.
As 'Twittergate' rumbled on yesterday in the build up to the start of the biennial event on Friday, Colin Montgomerie showed his frustration over the side issue before clarifying the position regarding his players.
"I thought I was the captain of a golf team, not the captain of a tweeting organisation," said the Scot when it was pointed out to him that, despite both captains having said on Monday that they had asked players not to use social networking sites this week, Poulter had still been tweeting.
"However, let's get this cleared up. Tweeting has not been banned. I think banning things is very dangerous. What I have asked for is respect to be shown for what is said within the team room.

"They can do whatever they have to do elsewhere regarding their thoughts and what have you but whatever is said within that team room stays within that team room. They respect that decision."

Concurring with his captain, Poulter said he had no complaints about the request.
"What is said in the team room stays there and that's absolutely fine," remarked the Englishman, who insisted he hadn't had to twist Montgomerie's arm to "do the odd tweet".
McDowell, another well-known tweeter in the European team, added: "I think we all realise that social networking sites go straight into the papers and there have been some pretty famous mistakes made in Twitter in the past few months.
"But we are all adults and it goes without saying that we would not say something that would unduly effect our team or give any strategy, secrets or tactics away."
Poulter revealed he is happy with the clothing that has been picked by Montgomerie this week, despite the Americans being the more colourful of the two teams on the first day of practice.
"Absolutely perfect," he replied when asked if he approved of the Scot's sense of style. "There's some pink in there somewhere during the week, so I'm happy!"
According to McDowell, the European captain is also saying and doing the right things in the team room, the US Open champion admitting he'd certainly been motivated during the first team meeting on Monday night.
"Monty made a nice speech and everyone got fired up," he said. "Colin has been a phenomenal captain. He's been very meticulous in his preparation and the team room has a good atmosphere to it already."
Yesterday, McDowell joined forces with fellow Ulsterman Rory McIlroy to exact a measure of revenge on the Molinari brothers. "They beat us in the World Cup last November but today we won the money," he revealed.
Poulter also found himself forking out cash. "I've got nothing left thanks to Luke (Donald] and Padraig (Harrington]," he said after losing to that pair along with Ross Fisher.

Beware of the smile on the face of the Tiger

FROM THE HERALDSCOTLAND.COM WEBSITE
By DOUGLAS LOWE
Tiger Woods cranked up the Ryder Cup tension a few notches yesterday with just two words as he picked up the gauntlet thrown down by Rory McIlroy, who had said he fancies his chances against the world No.1.
“Me too,” said Woods yesterday with a menacing smile when asked about the remark, and he firmly declined to elaborate. He didn’t need to. Woods is well known for feeding off such comments, as Canadian Stephen Ames will vouch.
Four years ago at La Costa, California, Ames publicly identified Woods’s erratic driving as a reason why he had a chance of beating him in the Accenture World Matchplay. Woods won the first nine holes and then shook hands with a humiliating 9 and 8 victory under his belt.
It was a result McIlroy’s fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell referred to last week when he, too, agreed that Woods was more beatable now than in the past but added: “I’m only wary that he tends to bottle these things up and take it out on you on the golf course.”

“I would love to face him,” said McIlroy last month, tempting providence. “Unless his game rapidly improves I think anyone in the European team would fancy their chances against him.”
McIlroy yesterday said he was unconcerned at any notion he had provided Woods with extra motivation but nevertheless tried to soften his comment, pointing out that it was made last month, just after Woods finished second from last in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, closing with a 77 for an 18-over aggregate of 298.
“So he wasn’t playing too well at that time,” said McIlroy, who was third in both the Open Championship at St Andrews and the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, which is better than anything Woods has done this season.
“He’s obviously getting his game together, he’s working with Sean Foley and he’s making a few swing changes. I said this week and last week: I don’t mind who, I just want to win points against the [US] team. If that’s against Tiger or Phil Mickelson or Steve Stricker or Hunter Mahan or whoever, you just want to go out there and try to play as best you can. I feel that if I play to my potential this week, I’ll win a few points.”
McIlroy, at 21, is 13 years younger than Woods, and said that in his formative years he believed he (Tiger) was superhuman.
“Once you meet him you realise he’s a normal guy and works hard on his game and gets the most out of it,” said McIlroy. “But after what’s happened in the last 18 months, he’s still a fantastic guy, and I’m sure he’ll get back to winning the way he used to. Meantime, I suppose a little bit of that aura is probably gone.”
Woods would love nothing better than to restore that aura here in Wales this week and that sets the scene for a potentially electrifying game should the pair be pitted against each other.
Woods dodged questions about how he was perceived by wives and girlfriends of team-mates in the wake of his divorce and lurid tales of marital infidelity. “We are here as a team. We’re here to win the Ryder Cup,” he said, body-swerving the issue, after practising with Mahan, the winner at Firestone.
Whether that has any bearing on Friday’s pairings remains to be seen, but Woods did partner Steve Stricker to four wins out of four in last year’s Presidents Cup against the International team at San Francisco.
Pavin said the pairings would change again today, and added mysteriously that the groupings were for reasons that “will become obvious later”, in the same way that Paul Azinger’s ultimately successful pod system became apparent only as the week went on two years ago at Valhalla.
He also suggested that current form rather than perceived chemistry, friendship or historic success was more important.
Commenting on the Woods-Stricker partnership, Pavin said: “Tiger has been No.1 in the world for a long time and Steve was playing great last year at the time. When any two players are playing well they are going to be tough to beat, and it doesn’t matter who they are.”
Having been a winner twice this season on the PGA Tour and third in The Barclays, the first of the FedEx Cup play-offs, Stricker has the stronger recent record and Pavin will certainly be looking closely at their form as they try to figure out the Twenty Ten course in the remaining two days before the action starts for real.
Pavin’s other pairings were Zach Johnson and Stricker in the same group as Woods and Mahan while Jim Furyk and Jeff Overton were up against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, and Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler took on big hitters Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson.
As for the course, Pavin backed up Colin Montgomerie’s remarks that he had set it up not to favour the Europeans but to allow the better team to win. “The rough is thick and hard to get out of, but the fairways are the same widths as they were for the Wales Open when I played a year-and-a-half ago. It’s set up very fairly. It’s going to reward good play and you are going to be penalised in this rough. It reminds me a little bit of how the PGA is set up. How you play is what you’re going to get out of it.”
Woods, whose driving has long been his Achilles heel, also noted the severity of the rough, especially with wet and windy weather forecast.
“It’s just a matter of getting your lines and numbers. You need to be on the fairways. Some of the tees are going to be moved around, especially now with the weather coming in. The greens are pretty standard. There are a few fall-offs and false edges that are pretty apparent. You just need to make sure you hit the ball to the right number.”