SGU AND SLGA AMALGAMATION DATE

The Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association plan to amalgamate with effect from October 1, 2011.


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

ALISTAIR TAIT'S NEW YEAR WISHES FOR EUROPEAN GOLF

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
By Alistair Tait
Trowley Bottom, Hertfordshire: I got my Christmas shopping done early this year, then got back to the winter wonderland of Trowley Bottom and decided I had enough time to throw a few extra New Year presents into a few stockings. With that said, here are a few things that could help out some people, mostly Europeans, in 2011.
1.) The European Tour – A season half as good as 2010. Three majors, a European No. 1 and the Ryder Cup is pretty hard to beat. If Europe has even half that success in 2011, then it will be a bumper year.
2.) Lee Westwood – A major to go with his No. 1 status. He’s knocked on the door enough in the past few years. Time he pushed it open.
3.) George O’Grady – The European Tour’s chief executive needs a sponsor for the Euro Tour’s season ending championship. The Dubai World Championship will be held for the third and final time in 2011, two years short of the original five-year deal. O’Grady would love to find a sponsor to come close to matching the cash Dubai put up.
4.) Nigel Edwards – A Walker Cup victory over the Royal Aberdeen links in September. The Welshman should be an excellent GB and I team captain at Balgownie, and will do his utmost to win back the Walker Cup. After three straight losses, it’s GB and I’s turn.
5.) Mark Roe – An Open Championship victory for one of the players he coaches. Roe will return to Royal St George’s this year for the first time since 2003 and the rules "snafu" that cost him a chance to win the game’s greatest tournament. Now a short-game coach, it would be fitting if one of his players were to lift the old Claret Jug.
6.) Thomas Bjorn – Some form going into the Open at St George’s. It would be great to see the Dane mount a charge at the scene of his greatest disappointment.
7.) Jose Maria Olazabal – Full health so he can carry out his Ryder Cup captaincy to the best of his ability in 2012.
8.) The Ladies European Tour – Continued growth to help attract young women to the game.
9.) Scotland – A bona fide star to put us back on the map. We’ve been waiting a long time for a genuine Scottish star to contend regularly in the majors. We’re getting a bit fed up waiting.
10.) To everyone reading this – More pars and birdies this year. I know your time is precious and I appreciate your support. May 2011 bring you a lower handicap and happier golf.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAUL LAWRIE!

PAUL LAWRIE, MBE

Open champion 1999

Born Aberdeen,

January 1, 1969

Paul made golfing history when he came from 10 shots back on the final day to win the 1999 Open championship at Carnoustie after a play-off against former Open winner Justin Leonard (US) and Frenchman Jean Van de Velde.
Lawrie had actually come through the Final Qualifying competition - at Downfield - to get into the field.

With his win, Lawrie became the first home-based Scot since Willie Auchterlonie in 1893 to receive the coveted Claret Jug.
Paul hit the opening tee shot of the 1999 Ryder Cup match at Brookline Country Club, Massachusetts where the Americans won 14 ½-13 ½ after Europe had led 10-6 going into the final-day programme of 12 singles.
Lawrie (who beat Jeff Maggert 4 and 3), Colin Montgomerie, and Padraig Harrington were Europe’s only winners in the singles.
Jose Mara Olazabal got a halved match, but the top of the order men, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Jarmo Sandelin, Jean Van de Velde, Andrew Coltart and Jesper Parnevik all lost as did, lower down skipper Mark James’ batting order, Spaniards Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sergio Garcia.
Lawrie gained 3 1/2pt out of a possible five, playing particularly well with Monty in the foursomes and four-balls.
Paul admits he had no CV as a boy golfer – football was his favourite sport – but that all changed when he turned pro on April 1, 1986 – age 17 – as an assistant with Banchory Golf Club professional Douglas Smart.
After Lawrie’s Open triumph, Banchory GC named a hole after their one-time assistant pro.
He won the first professional event he ever played in – the Moray Seafoods Open at Buckpool and his first national win was the Scottish assistants championship at Cruden Bay in 1990, the same year in which he later won the Scottish Under-25s championship and the Scottish Alliance championship for the first time.
Including the Open championship, Paul has won five times on the European Tour. Apart from the Carnoustie victory, Paul’s best Open finish was sixth behind title-winner Greg Norman at Royal St George’s in 1993.
He finished ninth in the European Tour’s Order of Merit for 1999; sixth in 2001 and 10th in 2002.
No other professional golfer has put so much back into Scottish golf at junior level as Paul whose Paul Lawrie Foundation, launched in March, 2001, has the backing of the R and A among others.
Paul, strongly supported by his wife, Marian – they have two sons, Craig and Michael - have developed the Foundation programme to give Under-18s an opportunity to try golf, encouraging them to develop their sporting potential, not only at golf but also football and hockey.


LAWRIE’S EUROPEAN TOUR RECORD
1998-2010: Tournament earnings: 7,432,547 Euros.
Highest one-season earnings: 2001 – 1,428,830 Euros; 2002 – 1,151,434 Euros.
Highest one-tournament prize: 881,251 Euros (2001 Dunhill Links Championship).

VICTORIES
1992 UAP European Under-25s championship.
1996 Catalan Open.
1999 Qatar Masters.
1999 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (Carnoustie).
2001 Dunhill Links Championship.
2002 Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.


OTHER WINS
1989 Moray Seafoods Open winner at Buckpool.
1990 Denis Lovell Scottish assistants championship at Cruden Bay.
1990 Scottish Alliance championship (at Newmachar?).
1991 Scottish Daily Express national pro-am individual championship (at Carnoustie?).
1992 Scottish Brewers Scottish PGA championship.
1993 Scottish Alliance championship (at Banchory and Deeside). 
1995 Scottish PGA Masters (at Downfield)
2002 Aberdeen Asset Scottish PGA match-play championship (at Deeside and Royal Aberdeen).
2005 Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship.

PAUL LAWRIE WORLD RANKING

JULY 1999 (week before Open at Carnoustie) … 159th.

JULY 1999 (week after Open win …………….......… 48th
MARCH 6, 2000 (after jt 4th in Dubai Desert Classic) 40th
MARCH 13, 2000 (while resting at home) ……….. 38th
JUNE 26, 2000 …………………………………….............. 30th.
July 18, 2000 (week of Open title defence) ……… 29th

July 25, 2000 (week after Open title defence)…… 57th

January 1, 2011 …………………………………................ 244th.

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

E-mail from Steve Scott of the Dundee Courier.
it would be remiss of me not to point out that you've omitted one of Paul Lawrie's wins - the Scottish PGA Masters at Downfield in 1995, when he shot 65-66 on the final day's 36 holes to beat the-then home pro Andy Crerar. Easily missed because the tournament is long defunct, but it was a significant win in hindsight because, as you will recall, it was Downfield where Paul came through final qualifying for the Open at Carnoustie four years later.

Colin Farquharson writes:
Thanks, Steve. I've inserted the 1995 Scottish PGA Masters to his wins. I should have remembered because we were both there to witness it!

GRAEME McDOWELL SIGNS $3MILLION DEAL WITH SRIXON

FROM THE BELFASTTELEGRAPH.CO.UK WEBSITE
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell has agreed the first of a series of mega-buck contracts which, in the New Year, will establish him as one of the top earners in world golf.
US Open champion McDowell has accepted a “multi-year” deal worth a reputed $3million per annum with Japanese equipment giant Srixon.
A year of spectacular success on the world's fairways had already established McDowell as the highest new entry at No 14 in the sport's unofficial ‘rich list’ — when Golf Digest's top 50 earners in 2010 was published on Thursday.
As his contract with Callaway did not expire until midnight last night, McDowell's new equipment deal with Srixon is not included in the $9.7million which Golf Digest estimate Ulster's world No 7 banked on and off the course in the past 12 months.
"I am really excited about my decision," he told his official website (http://www.graememcdowell.com/).

"There is a great energy among the team ... regarding my signing with them and I looking forward to feeding off this energy going into 2011."
Rory McIlroy has soared 11 places to 24th with $8.2million.
McDowell has agreed to play with the Srixon golf ball, wear their hat and glove and, along with his choice of Srixon clubs, use wedges produced by sister company Cleveland, the world-leaders in this department.

McDOWELL PAIRED WITH MAHAN IN HAWAII EVENT
McDowell has been paired with Hunter Mahan at next week's US PGA Tour's Tournament of Champions in a group that will bring back memories of the Ryder Cup.
McDowell won the decisive final singles match 2010 Cup by beating the American 3 and 1 in a dramatic finish to the event at Celtic Manor.
The Ulsterman will be the only reigning major champion in the elite field of 34 at the US Tour's season-opening competition at Kapalua in Hawaii, starting on Thursday, January 6.
And the organisers have ensured that McDowell will have the chance to relive one of the enduring memories of 2010 as he gets the new campaign underway.
"As a golf fan, one of the most compelling moments of 2010 was their final-day match up during the Ryder Cup," said tournament director Nancy Cross.
"To have these two paired together for the start of the season ... well, we couldn't have scripted it better." Editor's note: Which they probably did!
Other pairings at the Tournament of Champions see Ernie Els - a winner of the 2003 event - tee off with Australia's Jason Day while McDowell's Ryder Cup team-mate Francesco Molinari plays with Adam Scott.
The final two-ball features defending champion Geoff Ogilvy and 2010 FedEx Cup winner Jim Furyk.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From Gillian and Colin

Lang may your lum reek wi' ither fowk's coal.