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Cink or swim - United States

leading in unfinished matches

The United States, underdogs with the bookmakers but inspired by a blistering run from Stewart Cink, came from behind to seize control in Friday's unfinished four-ball matches after the 38th Ryder Cup was severely disrupted by torrential rain.
Play was suspended for more than seven hours at a waterlogged Celtic Manor before the Americans ended a frustrating day for the players and fans by leading in two of the four encounters and trailing in one.
They were all square in the third match out, where Ian Poulter holed a 20-foot birdie putt for Europe at the par-three 10th before play ended for the day in the gathering gloom.
"That was very important," European captain Colin Montgomerie said of Poulter's putt. "It was a fantastic effort and that will give us momentum we need to carry forward into a very busy day tomorrow."
Organisers of the biennial team competition have already amended the format in a bid to make up for lost time after the first suspension of play since the 1997 edition at Valderrama, Spain.
A revamped second session on Saturday will feature six foursomes involving all 12 players while a new extended third session will comprise two foursomes and four four-ball encounters.
"It was a tough start with the weather and I was obviously pleased with the way the US team came back and performed this afternoon," skipper Corey Pavin said.

The Americans had trailed in three of the four games when play was suspended in driving rain during the morning before Cink sparked a stirring fightback on the resumption.

The 2009 British Open champion was the outstanding player, holing a series of lengthy putts as he and rookie Matt Kuchar went two up on Northern Irishmen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell after 11 holes.

The US duo had trailed by one after four holes but Cink, who drained a 40-footer at the par-three third, rolled in further birdie putts from 60 feet at the fifth, 25 feet at the seventh and 10 feet at the 10th.

In the bottom match, US rookies Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson were one up on Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington after eight holes, having won the first two holes with birdies.

World No 1 Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker led the English duo of Poulter and Ross Fisher by one hole  after nine holes before Poulter's birdie at the 10th squared the match.

Europe were in control in the top encounter where third-ranked Lee Westwood and US PGA champion Martin Kaymer were one up on Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson after 12 holes.

More than 40 percent of the average monthly rainfall for September and October has fallen at Celtic Manor in less than 24 hours but relatively dry weather is forecast for Saturday. Sunday's forecast is not so good, however, with a return of today's rains on the cards.

Monty could be asked to

stay on as 2012 captain

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By SANDY MACASKILL
Colin Montgomerie could be asked to stay on as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, according to Thomas Bjorn, Monty’s assistant captain and the chairman of the European Tour's tournament committee, who will decide the leader for 2012.
The last player to retain the job was fellow Scot Bernard Gallacher, who lost twice before finally having success at Oak Hill in 1995.
Since then Seve Ballesteros, Mark James, Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo have all led Europe and then stood down regardless of the result.
José María Olazábal, who was the initial favourite for this week but then hesitated over whether he wanted the job yet, remains a clear choice for the 2012 competition in Chicago. But the 44-year-old Spaniard has appeared in only one event this season because of his continuing battle with rheumatism.
In Montgomerie’s favour is the fact that he is still active on the circuit. Bjorn, who is one of Montgomerie's four assistants at Celtic Manor, said: "You can't rule out anything. It's a changing animal all the time. We have a lot of potential captains coming along, but you could have a captain who fits the bill perfectly and we listen to our players.
"I'll listen to this team when it's all done and all settled down just to get a feedback from them – and so will all the guys on the committee."
The 39-year-old Bjorn, a contender for the captaincy himself in the future, spoke with Olazábal only a month ago. "It was more as a friend just to see how he was – and he hopes to play a few of the events coming up and then a full schedule next year," Bjorn added.
"If that's the case then there are no worries at all, while if he doesn't play it would be a worry, but it won't be a deciding factor.
"He's not made his intentions clear. I think anybody would want to be captain, but I know Olly pretty well – his main focus is getting well again and that comes before anything."
Montgomerie was appointed four months after Faldo lost the last match in Louisville and there will be a similar timeframe this time.
"The next three days are very important for the Tour as a whole," added Bjorn. "And after it's over I think we will just take a step back and reflect."

GAVIN DEAR IN CONTENTION ON ALPS TOUR

FROM THE ALPS TOUR WEBSITE
England's Jason Barnes and Italian Matteo Delpodio are neck and neck at Acaya Open. They both are both four under par after 36 holes  to lead by one over Scot Gavin Dear and Englishman Matthew Cryer.

Jason Barnes is going to play tomorrow for maiden win. The three other players in contention have already lifted one or two trophies this year. Barnes struggled a little more on greens today. Everybody had to deal with suspended play. The weather was as rainy as in Wales and players had to wait 90 minutes  to get back on course.

The rough was full of water and what was difficult yesterday became a nightmare today. For those who lost driving accuracy during the break, the day was very long. The cut is the highest of the season at +9 and only five players shot under par today.
Among them Gavin Dear with the best score, a four-under-par 67. He is playing better and better these last few weeks and always seems to do even more.
“I did not practice last week because the weather was very bad. I have no idea what would be a good score on this golf course so I played safe on my first round. Then today I feel good and I pushed my game a little more.
"I have good feeling again with my putter and as I am not the kind of guy that gets mad with a bad shot or a putt.
"My goal is to stay on the top 5. I am not thinking about that on course but once I completed my round I always check Bragulat and Cryer scores...”
Italian Matteo Delpodio is back on top of the leaderboard after two poor events. Delpodio already won twice this year but his goal is higher than playing well on the Alps Tour.

“Since the Peugeot Classic where I missed my first cut of the year, I have been working very hard. I did realise that I needed to improve my game to play on higher circuits.
"My good shots are really good and I know I can do things the others cannot. But my bad shots are very bad as well and you can not afford such poor shots on European Tour or Challenge Tour. I am on the right way, I feel good and I keep in mind this work for Q school.”
LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
138 Matteo Delpodio (Italy) 69 69, Jason barnes (England) 67 71.
139 Gavin Dear (Scotland) 72 67.
141 Matthew Cryer (Engand) 68 73.
Selected total:
150 Steven Hume (Scotland) 76 74 (jt 37th).

TO READ ALL THE SCORES,

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RYDER CUP START MARRED BY BAD WEATHER

HOW THEY STAND AT THE END OF DAY ONE

If the four four-ball matches stay as they are, then United States, despite all predictions, will win the first session of play 2.5 to 1.5 when the matches are concluded on Saturday morning.
Here is how they stand

L Westwood and M Kaymer v P Mickelson and D Johnson: EUROPE ONE UP AFTER 12

R McIlroy and G McDowell v S Cink and M Kuchar. UNITED STATES TWO UP AFTER 11

I Poulter and R Fisher v S Stricker and T Woods. MATCH ALL SQUARE AFTER 10

L Donald and P Harrington v B Watson and J Overton. UNITED STATES ONE UP AFTER 8.

GO TO THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE FOR FULL DETAILS

CLICK HERE

RYDER CUP PROGRAMME REVISED

In view of the adverse weather conditions today, and the 7hr 18min of playing time lost, a new playing schedule has been agreed for the second and third sessions of the Ryder .
After today's opening four-ball matches are completed on Saturday morning, there will be six alternate-shot matches in the second session - meaning all 24 players will be used at one time.
Same for the third session, which will be composed of two alternate-shot matches and the last four matches of four-ball.

The third session will surely carry over to Sunday morning. Officials hope they'll still have enough time that afternoon to get in the 12 singles.
If not, it will be the first Monday finish in Ryder Cup history.

TARTAN TOUR

DUNBAR GOLF CLUB PRO-AM
FINAL TOTALS
Par 71
70 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) £1,000.20.
72 Andrew Marshall (Houston Golf Range) £799.80.
73 Chris Kelly (Cawder) £600.
74 Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links), Chris Doak (unatt),
Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) £370 each.
75 Alan Martin (The Duke's Course), David Patrick (Elie), Alastair J Webster (Edzell), Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) £210 each.
76 Colin Gillies (Braid Hills), Mark King (Kingsfield Golf Centre) £144.90 each.
77 Terry Mathieson (Dunbar), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) £125.10 each. 
78 Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle), Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design), Fraser Mann (unatt) £90 each.
79 Robert Arnott ( Bishopbriggs Golf Range) £60.
80 Stephen Gray (Hayston).
82 Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre)
85 Richard Mannering (Playsport Golf).

PLAY RESUMED IN RYDER CUP

Westwood and Kaymer in the driving seat

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer continued to dominate the opening match of The Ryder Cup following a long weather delay at The Celtic Manor Resort.
Europe had led in three out of the four four-balls matches when over seven hours of play was lost due to the Twenty Ten Course being waterlogged.
When play resumed at 5pm, Westwood and Kaymer were gifted the sixth hole by Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson to go three up.
Kaymer was out of the hole, having driven into water and Westwood was in rough to the right of the fairway while their opponents were both in ideal position.
But after Westwood hit a superb shot to seven feet, Mickelson pulled his approach into the water surrounding the green and Johnson three-putted for bogey, meaning Westwood's par was good enough.

If Westwood was almost playing that match single-handedly, Stewart Cink was doing the same in match two, holing from 50 feet across the fifth green for birdie to get back on level terms against Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell.

Johnson made amends for his three-putt with a birdie 2 on the seventh to get back to two down, while Cink carried on holing putts from everywhere with a matching birdie in the group behind.

That put him and Matt Kuchar one up on McIlroy and McDowell, while Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher remained ahead of Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker by the same margin.

Bubba Watson holed from three feet for birdie on the fourth to put the United States three up in the bottom match, but Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington had yet to card a single birdie.

US team have to buy new waterproofs!
FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
As if the weather was not bad enough at the Ryder Cup today, the American team were reported to be hastily buying better waterproof gear.
The rain break allowed whispers to spread through the clubhouse and it wasn't long before journalists and insiders learned of the American's waterproofs, which didn't protect against water.
US Ryder Cup coach Corey Pavin confirmed the decision in an interview during the rain break. "We're disappointed with the performance of the waterproofs, so we went out and bought some more," he said.
"It's unbelievable," said former Open champion Paul Lawrie when he heard the story.
"I assume they would have been tested and it seems an incredible lapse."
Phil Mickelson's coach Butch Harmon commented: "They are the ugliest things I have ever seen and if they don't work as well it's not a good thing.
"But in defence of our team we wouldn't usually go out in weather like this."
An American player, not wanting to be named, had told a reporter after practising in heavy rain on Wednesday that he got soaked underneath the waterproofs, while apparently the reason Tiger Woods played in a jacket without his name on then was that his was not the right size.
As the two sides waited to hear when the action might resume, Rory McIlroy said on his Twitter site: "I just have to say are waterproofs are performing very well!"
Ian Poulter looked dangerously near taking great delight from seeing the Americans re-emerge in different rainwear.
"I can see them on right now. Ours are keeping us nice and dry, that's all I am going to say," he said.
The manufacturers of the offending raingear, Sun Mountain Sports, posted photos from the practice sessions on Facebook earlier in the week with the caption "weather will most likely be a factor at this year’s event, may the team with the best outerwear win." Ooops!!

Great Scott! Henry shoots a 64 to share

third place in EuroPro Championship

Former Scottish boy and men's amateur stroke-play champion Scott Henry (The Carrick at Loch Lomond) turned the clock back a year or two to shoot a brilliant second-round 64 - the second best score of the day - to move up into joint third place in the race for the €20,000 top prize in the biggest event in the PGA EuroPro Tour season.
Leader is Irishman Brendan McCarroll who had a seven-under-par 63 in the Marfin Popular Bank EuroPro Tour Championship at Aphrodite Hills Golf in Paphos , Cyprus .
Birdies at the first, fifth, sixth, seventh, tenth, 14th, 15th and 18th, along with a bogey at the 13th, helped McCarroll to lead by two shots on eight-under-par 132.
A victory in Cyprus could catapult McCarroll to the Challenge Tour, depending on how his nearest rivals perform.
McCarroll has been a regular on the EuroPro tour in the last three seasons after he successfully battled through the 2007 Qualifying School .
His highest finish so far came in July when he was tied second at Stoke-by-Nayland, although he also failed to make the cut six times in 2010.
Going into Saturday's final round, McCarroll holds a two-shot lead over George Woolgar, who is one ahead of Scott Henry and Stuart Archibald in tied third.
Henry ended well with birdies at the 17th and 18th, Woolgar claimed an eagle at the par-five sixth, while Archibald registered an eagle of his own on the par-five 18th.
At the start of the second day, three men – Nicky Harris, James Hepworth and Jeremy Kavanagh – were tied in first place but they all fell down the leaderboard.
Harris went round in a level-par round and sits tied fifth, Hepworth has fallen to tied 17th, while double bogeys at the third and 14th from Kavanagh left him in tied 26th.
Craig Lee (Aspire Golf Centre, Ardoe), the only other Scot in action, almost matched Henry's 64. Craig had a 65, which represented a 12-shot improvement on his first round. But Lee is back in a share of 31st place on 142, 10 shots off the pace.
The event, which only features players from the top 60 of the money list from the regular season, concludes on Saturday with the competitors playing their third and final round.
In previous seasons, the players who finish the campaign in the top five on the EPT Order of Merit advance to the Challenge Tour.
However, seven players from the 2010 EuroPro Tour will move up to the Challenge Tour. Daniel Gaunt (winner of a Challenge Tour event earlier in the year) and Craig Lee (guaranteed a place in the top 80 of the Challenge Tour money list) have already secured their spots at the higher level.
Matthew Evans and James Hepworth are guaranteed high finishes on the EPT money list so three spots are still up for grabs in what promises to be a hotly-contested final round in Cyprus.
For more information on the PGA EuroPro Tour, visit the official website www.europrotour.com.

DAY TWO LEADERBOARD
Par 140 (2x70)
132 Brendan McCarroll (JFG Acadamie) 69 63.
134 George Woolgar (Capitalservices.com) 69 65.
135 Scott Henry (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) 71 64, Stuart Archibald (ClaimsJustice.co.uk) 69 66.
136 Lawrence Dodd (G Signs and Design) 71 65, Gareth Davies (Abbeydale GC) 70 66, James Heath (Robert Heath Heating) 68 68, Nicky Harris (Whitefield GC) 66 70.
137 Ben Jones (Crownbrush.co.uk) 70 67, Matt Allen 69 68, Kevin Harper (East Devon) 68 69.

Selected score:
142 Craig Lee (Aspire Golf Centre, Ardoe) 77 65 (jt 31st).
TO READ ALL THE SCORES,
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England Under-16 team named for Sunday

match v Scots at Dinsdale Spa, Yorkshire

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
England will field the bulk of the team that beat Wales recently plus two new faces for their annual one-day Under 16 international with Scotland at Dinsdale Spa Golf Club in Yorkshire on Sunday.
The newcomers are Liam Cox (Burhill, Surrey) and Harry Ellis (Meon Valley, Hampshire).

The rest of the ten-strong team is Jordan Ainley (Brokenhurst Manor, Hampshire), Robert Burlison (Oxley Park, Staffordshire), Jamie Clare (East Sussex National, Sussex), Matthew Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire, Yorkshire), Patrick Kelly (Boston West, Lincolnshire), Max Orrin (North Foreland, Kent), Toby Tree (Worthing, Sussex), Nick Ward (Redbourn, Hertfordshire).

Cox is the Surrey Under 16 Captain, the South of England Schools Champion and the Middlesex Schools Scratch Champion. He also finished third in the Schools National Championship and the North of England Under 16 Championship and represented England in the recent schools international against Scotland at Fairhaven.

Ellis is the Hampshire Junior Champion who finished eighth in the Junior County Champions Tournament at Woodhall Spa recently. He also won his county’s Under 16 and Under 18 titles. He finished third in the Ian Poulter Invitational at Woburn and sixth in the Douglas Johns Trophy.

Ainley and Clare made their debuts in the Under 16 international with Wales at St Pierre earlier this month which England won 10½ – 1½. Ainley won both his matches against the Welsh and was a member of the Hampshire team in last weekend’s English County Finals at Hunstanton, winning two of his three singles games.

Clare is a former Sussex Under 15 Champion who finished tied fourth in the English Under 16 Championship for the McGregor Trophy this year as well as joint second in the North of England Under 16 Championship.

Burlison won the English Schools Under 16 Championship in 2009 when he also finished runner-up in the Douglas Johns Trophy, while Fitzpatrick was capped against Spain prior to the Welsh match. He also won the North of England Under 16 title and the Brabazon Trophy Northern Qualifier.

Kelly finished equal fourth in the McGregor Trophy and tied fifth in the Carris Trophy and the Midland Boys, while Orrin was runner-up in the McGregor Trophy having been capped against Spain and Ireland last year when he was the South of England Boys Champion.

Tree was the English Under 14 Champion (Reid Trophy) in 2008 and became Under 16 Champion this year when he won the McGregor Trophy. He was capped at Under 16 level against Wales, Scotland and Ireland last year and Spain this year and became a boy cap in August in the Boys Home Internationals.

Ward, the Hertfordshire County Champion, was a member of the Herts team that won the Boys County Championship and finished fifth in the R&A Junior Open prior to the Open Championship.

The match against Scotland will consist of five foursomes in the morning and ten singles in the afternoon.



For further information please contact:
Lynne Fraser, EGU Marketing and PR Manager
Email: lfraser@englishgolfunion.org

MONDAY FINISH NOW ON CARDS AT CELTIC MANOR

Ryder Cup halted by heavy rain

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Play was suspended at The Celtic Manor Resort two hours into the first session because of heavy rain, marking the first time a Ryder Cup has had to be temporarily stopped since 1997 at Valderrama.
Having rained throughout the night and all morning, The Twenty Ten Course was under enough water for officials to suspend play and bring in the players.

John Paramor, Chief Referee of The European Tour, said: “Being matchplay, we leave a lot up to the players themselves. They were continuing but it got to such a stage where even with all the resources we have here it was just too much. We were fighting an uphill battle.
"We were hoping for a break in the weather, it was there for a few minutes, but unfortunately those lovely breaks filled in and it's turned out to be pretty strong rain again.
“It's a very strong storm system that is affecting us and it can change but we are looking at early afternoon to start again. That is the indication. We will be looking at possibly playing on Sunday morning now and we have the ability to go to Monday, but hopefully the weather will improve and we can get going again.”

At the time play was suspended, the match positions were:

Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer two up after five holes against Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell one up against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar after four holes.

Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher one up against Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods after three holes.

Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington two down to Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton after two holes.

MONTY DELIGHTED WITH EARLY MOMENTUM

European Captain Colin Montgomerie was delighted with the early momentum his team was able to build in the opening four-balls, before the elements intervened to force a suspension.
Montgomerie’s charges are ahead in three of the four games, with only Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington trailing America’s rookie pairing of Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson.
In light of the encouraging start his thad made the Scot was understandably keen to stay out on the Twenty Ten course for as long as the conditions would allow, but conceded that the increasingly heavy rain meant they were ultimately left with little choice but to suspend play.
Montgomerie said: “With us leading the first three games, our Team room is obviously happier than our opponents’ right now. And in the last game, if you are going to lose some holes then you are better off losing them early, and that’s what Luke and Pádraig have done – to two very good birdies, I must admit, by Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson. They are two down, but that’s after two holes, so that’s like scoring very early in a football match, so there’s plenty of time to recover.
“Both Captains were offered an opportunity to say what they felt about the conditions out there, and I wanted to stay on, in a perfect world; but at the same time, there was nothing we could do. Hopefully the spectators understood our decision, along with John Paramor, the Chief Referee, that there was nothing we could do but to call it off.”
Montgomerie also talked up the role the voluble crowd at The Celtic Manor Resort could play in determining the result of the contest in the coming days.
He said: “They are our 13th man, and the first tee has proved that. So we need the fans out there to be cheering as loud as possible for the rest of the day to help our side maintain the momentum that we have gathered in the first couple of hours of play this morning.”

TAIWAN MASTERS

Early finish leaves Blyth, Chan sharing lead
Taipei, Friday: Chinese Taipei’s Chan Yih-shin birdied the last hole to seize the second-round clubhouse lead with Australia ’s Adam Blyth at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters where play finished early due to darkness.
Chan, winner of the King’s Cup in Thailand last season, mixed his scorecard with seven birdies against one bogey and one double bogey to finish on four-under-par 68 to tie with Blyth on a two-day total of one-under-par 143 at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club.
Overnight leader, Peter Karmis of South Africa is two-under through 15 holes and will resume the second round alongside 27 players at 7am on Saturday. The second round of the US$500,000 Asian Tour event was delayed for 2hr 5min in the morning due to unplayable conditions.
Malaysia’s Iain Steel struggled on the greens to finish with a 73 alongside Siddikur, who is the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour at the Brunei Open in August, on a 144 total.
The fate of veteran golfer Hsieh Min-nan of Chinese Taipei, who is aiming to be the oldest golfer on the Asian Tour to make the cut at the age of 70, hangs in the balance as he finished on 75 on a 151 total.
Chan was a figure of consistency and credited a hot putter where he made 26 putts today. He made three consecutive birdies from the fourth hole and added another three straight birdies from the 12th hole.
However, the ever-smiling 33-year-old was disappointed not to take the outright clubhouse lead after a double bogey on the 10th hole when his greenside bunker shot flew over the green.
LEADING COMPLETED TWO-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
143 - Adam Blyth (AUS) 73-70, Chan Yih-shin (TPE) 75-68
144 - Iain Steel (MAS) 71-73, Siddikur (BAN) 75-69
145 - Tsai Chi-huang (TPE) 73-72
146 - Ben Fox (USA) 74-72, Rahil Gangjee (IND) 74-72, Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 74-72, Lin Wen-tang (TPE) 73-73
147 - Mars Pucay (PHI) 72-75, Prom Meesawat (THA) 72-75, Panuwat Muenlek (THA) 74-73, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 75-72, Yeh Wei-tze (TPE) 76-71, Lu Tze-shyan (TPE) 81-66
148 - Chen Tsang-te (TPE) 71-77, Baek Seuk-hyun (South Korea) 76-72, Darren Beck (AUS) 76-72, Chang Tse-peng (TPE) 77-71, Danny Chia (MAS) 77-71
Selected scores:
149 David Gleeson (Australia) 75 74, Scott Barr (Australia) 74 75.
150 David Griffiths (England) 78 72.
160 Ross Bain (Scotland) 79 82.

E-mail from David Hillson

With reference to Neil McAllister's E-mail (scroll down a page or two to read it and a bit more to read Gavin Dear's original message on the subject):

It is important that the views of Gavin Dear and Neil McAllister are taken seriously and that speedy action is taken to address the chronic hodgepodge that is Scottish golf. Gavin and Neil also deserve our thanks for being brave enough to put their heads above the parapet in their analysis of what is wrong and suggestions for action.
Having had, over the last few tears, the advantage of talking candidly with many of our top amateurs and young tour professionals (as well as their parents and coaches), I know that these frustrations are widely held. I also know that, despite various reports, reviews and (sometimes costly) projects (some well-meaning and even successful within their limited ambitions) nothing has really changed.

Of course, becoming a top amateur and tour pro is never going to be easy. All the more reason for the 'Home of Golf' to get its act together, to find strong leadership, to put aside narrow interests, to listen to our top players and those who support them, and to put in place the competitive and support environment (including a national mini-tour) in which excellence is more likely to thrive.
DAVID HILLSON

E-mail from Franco Hennigan
Let's face it, the fact is that over the years there have been many good golfers in Scotland. Some of them turned pro and had a go to make it on to the Euopean Tour,the only tour where one can win a lot of money.
Others joined the Professional Golfers Association and worked their way to qualification and perhaps to playing for money.
Good examples would be Raymond Russell and David Drysdale.
Others got jobs or careers outwith golf. The problem now seems to be that we have a number of players who have been funded athletes who are looking to play golf full-time.
The PGA Scottish Region is part of the PGA. The PGA runs events for its members, using their money and some sponsorship. There are rules and regulations about becoming a member of that Professional Association.
The Golfers Alliance movement was started to help provide PGA club professionals with competition (and income) throughout the winter period, and to build bridges with local golf club members.
Golf is a selfish game. The simple solution for those who don't make the grade as tour players is to get a job, within or without the world of golf.

Pavin overcomes Cinking feeling

FROM THE SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Nick Faldo got it wrong and didn't have the class to make amends; Corey Pavin got it wrong and won a few more friends in the Valleys of Wales and beyond.


The highlight of an opening ceremony that was more efficient than extravagant for the 38th staging of the Ryder Cup was undoubtedly when Pavin forgot one of his players - a former champion nonetheless - when he announced the American team to the crowd and a worldwide audience.
After presenting Tiger Woods to a cheer that was second only to Colin Montgomerie in terms of noise, Pavin missed out Stewart Cink, last year's Open Championship winner, and announced the name of Rickie Fowler, the last man in the line, instead.
As Pavin looked out from the stage to tell the fans that was his team, Cink was popping his head out past the line of team-mates and eventually caught his captain's eye.
It was a potentially embarrassing moment for Pavin but he handled it exceptionally well, asking the crowd to give "a special round of applause" for Cink as he got to his feet.
There was no such slip from his opposite number as Montgomerie, who was given one of those receptions that give you goosebumps, did his bit in the professional way we all expected following the gaffes by his successor at Valhalla two years ago.
"Without question, this is the proudest moment in my golfing career," declared the Scot before going on to say he had confidence his team would be playing with "heart and passion".
Like it or not, the wives and girlfriends are a big part of Ryder Cups these days and, on this occasion, the lovely ladies were actually up on the stage alongside the players and officials.
Both captains paid particular thanks to their wives for the help and support they'd given them over the past 18 months or so.
Montgomerie, in fact, went out of his way to give "my loving wife Gaynor" a serious name check.
While the Americans like to go for a bit of razzamatazon occasions like these, the Welsh dish was simple but, at the same time, palatable. Katherine Jenkins, wearing red, of course, sang beautifully, while the American players, in particular, were also transfixed by a stirring rendition of 'The Land Of My Fathers' by male voice choir Only Men Aloud.
Despite Pavin's blunders, it was an opening ceremony that had winners all round. The Americans, though, can expect something a lot different in terms of a greeting when they step on to the first tee today with its stadium-like grandstand for 2000 fans.

Tiger Woods missing a father figure

FROM THE HERALDSCOTLAND.COM WEBSITE
Douglas Lowe at Celtic Manor
All eyes will be on the Tiger once again when the Ryder Cup swings into action today, and it is this unrelenting attention that is hindering a return to his former glory days according to Bernard Gallacher, the three-time European Ryder Cup captain.
Tiger Woods, according to Gallacher, one of six Scots to have been Ryder Cup captain, is struggling to rebuild his life because he doesn’t have a father figure in the same way as Wayne Rooney has Sir Alex Ferguson. Gallacher suggested former coach Butch Harmon, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is the man to pull the world No.1 out of the doldrums.
Because of the intense worldwide scrutiny Woods is subjected to, Gallacher said you had to multiply Rooney’s issues by a thousand to understand the pressure that the American is under – and he was trying to deal with it on his own following the sex scandal that ended in divorce this summer.
“He doesn’t have a strong mentor, somebody who knows him, to help him through it,” noted Gallacher, who is working for BBC Radio at Celtic Manor this week. “I was hoping he might go back to Butch Harmon because Butch is like a father figure and he could also help him with his game.
“I don’t really know what’s happened there. It’s extraordinary that despite the fact that Butch looks willing, Woods has never asked for help even though he started with Butch when he was 15. It’s not as if they’ve fallen out and Tiger wouldn’t go back to him. Butch could help him off the course as well.”
Gallacher said that too much was being made of Woods’ apparent poor record in the Ryder Cup, pointing out that he had lost just one singles match, to Italian Costantino Rocca, in his first Ryder Cup at Valderrama in 1997. “He beat Robert Karlsson at the K Club and Karlsson was one of our top players,” he said.
In a grand total of 20 four-balls and foursomes outings over the five Ryder Cups he has played, Woods has had no fewer than 11 partners and amassed just seven wins and one halved match, but Gallacher is still inclined to the view that it is Woods who has been let down, perhaps the result of his indomitable presence having a greater adverse effect on his own team than the opposition.
“Personally I’ve always thought he’s played well ibut he has proved that you need a strong partner to win in four-balls and foursomes,” said Gallacher. “It needs two people on their game. One player, no matter how good he is, needs someone supportive with him.”

Gallacher, meanwhile, praised Colin Montgomerie’s captaincy thus far and said that if he was to offer him one piece of advice it would be to keep an open mind when it comes to choosing his pairings, illustrating that view with the Sam Torrance-Rocca pairing in three matches during the victorious 1995 campaign at Oak Hill.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to play them together,” he said. “But when you look about and see some players looking a bit tired it can sometimes be a case of who is left standing. If you have confidence in your team you can put out a pairing like that.

“Monty says he already knows his pairings. Well that may be for the opening day but it might go out of the window after that. He’ll have to see how each player is. Some of them might be affected by nerves.

“I’ve been very impressed with Colin so far. He’s almost gone up a gear for the media, which is good. It is the opposite to Nick Faldo, who always tries to keep things to himself, and I think Monty is doing a good job keeping the players relaxed.”