CITY OF ABERDEEN MAITLAND SHIELD FOURSOMES DRAW

The City of Aberdeen men's foursomes golf tournament for the Maitland Shield will be hosted this year by Peterculter Golf Club.
Draw for opening ties:
Monday, May 23
First round
Royal Aberdeen v Bon Accord
Portlethen v Stonehaven
Auchmill v Newmachar
Deeside v Nigg Bay
Caledonian v Peterculter
Northern v Hazlehead
Byes into Tuesday's second round
Craibstone v Murcar Links (at top of the draw)

McDOWELL LEVEL WITH MICKELSON AS WORLD NO 4

Graeme McDowell has now moved level with Phil Mickelson in fourth place in the world pro rankings. They are both playing in this week's
Abu Dhabi Championship.
The gap between the pair was only 0.09 points last week after Ulsterman McDowell narrowly missed out on figuring in a play-off at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
There are only three Scots in the top 100 - Martin Laird in 49th position, Aberdeen-born Australian Michael Sim in joint 86th place, and Stephen Gallacher, 92nd.


Latest leading positions:
1 Lee Westwood 8.82
2 Tiger Woods 7.31
3 Martin Kaymer 7.04
T4 Graeme McDowell 6.23
T4 Phil Mickelson 6.23
6 Steve Stricker 6.02
7 Jim Furyk 5.76
8 Paul Casey 5.65
9 Luke Donald 5.50
T10 Ernie Els 5.40
T10 Ian Poulter 5.40
T10 Rory McIlroy 5.40
13 Matt Kuchar 4.81
14 Dustin Johnson 4.41
15 Francesco Molinari 4.32
16 Retief Goosen 4.30
17 Robert Karlsson 4.20
18 Louis Oosthuizen 4.03
19 Edoardo Molinari 4.03
20 Tim Clark 3.83.
Selection totals:
26 Padraig Harrington 3.46.
31 Justin Rose 3.30.
SCOTS' RANKINGS
49 Martin Laird 2.53.
T86 Michael Sim 1.60
92 Stephen Gallacher 1.55.
142 Richie Ramsay 1.19.
T217 George Murray 0.77.
T217 David Drysdale 0.77
255 Paul Lawrie 0.70.
289 Peter Whiteford 0.60.
353 Scott Jamieson 0.48.
372 Raymond Russell 0.45.
416 Colin Mongomerie 0.39.
428 Simon Yates 0.38.
452 Gary Orr 0.34.
465 Marc Warren 0.32.
479 Steven O'Hara 0.30.
491 Jamie McLeary 0.29.

HARRINGTON'S APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE IN PURSUIT OF MAJOR No. 4

FROM THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

It's easy to dismiss Padraig Harrington as golf's greatest tinkerman, a latter-day Dr Frankenstein of the fairways. It's also unfair.

Harrington is besotted with the nuts and bolts of golf, admitting that he likes nothing better than to strip down his swing like a high-performance engine, then put it all back together.
Yet the 39-year-old's voracious appetite for practice and his determination to make use of bio-mechanics, computer technology and medical science in the pursuit of perfection should keep him in the frame at the Majors well into his 40s.
With each passing season, Harrington is building a dossier which insiders believe will one day help the Dubliner produce the definitive golf anthology, like Ben Hogan's renowned 'Five Lessons: the Modern Fundamentals of Golf', only for the 21st century.
For example, last year Harrington wore a cardiac monitor and every day he measured the specific gravity of his urine on a refractometer.
The data was used by fitness guru Dr Liam Hennessy to compile a comprehensive picture of Harrington's physical stress levels, helping him to determine his ideal diet, the optimum amount of practice he can do and how much rest is required for him to turn up at the Majors at a physical peak.
Harrington stunned observers only last Friday when he revealed the raft of changes he set in train over the winter, leading one to ask: “Why don't you just stand up there and hit the ball?”
 “Because that's not me,” he replied. “I can do that with my putting stroke because I've always swung it on a nice path without having to worry about it and it's the same with my chipping.
“Yet even when I was a kid, I always had moving parts in my swing. I've always had to develop it. If I stood up there and tried to swing naturally, I'd have good rhythm and hit good shots but only for a limited period. My putting and chipping are not to be tinkered with, whereas the long game is.”
The word 'tinkering', defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “working in an amateurish or desultory way,” couldn't be less appropriate.
Every change Harrington made this winter was put in place to correct specific shortcomings identified (by him) in his game in 2010, a year he describes as “the most frustrating of my career.”
Yet Harrington concedes his greatest problems since becoming a three-time Major champion in 2008 have been in the mind department, especially when it comes to dealing with great expectations.
He said: “Expectations were high in nearly every tournament last year. It's hard to play with those high expectations at times and I just didn't deliver.

“Then you try harder and put more pressure on yourself and that doesn't help.” This is Dr Bob Rotella's department. The American sports psychologist is also helping Harrington address his failure in 2010 to bring good form from practice into competition.

At this week's Abu Dhabi Championship, Harrington begins the process of putting a winter's work into competitive effect — a process which he says will take up to six weeks before the changes are fully bedded in.

Harrington, through the appliance of science, is on the trail of a fourth Major.

PITLOCHRY'S PIRIE WINS MIDLAND ALLIANCE AT DRUMOIG

Pitlochry professional Mark Pirie won the first Midland Golfers' competition - the Powakaddy (A Duncan) team event - of the year with a level par 72 at the Drumoig course near Leuchars, Fife.
Pirie had three shots to spare from Panmure pro Andrew Crerar with Paul Brookes, the Pitreavie pro, a further two spots back in third place.
There was a tie for the handicap prize, Mike Niven (Alloa) (6), Doug Sievwright (Drumoig) (13) and Bill Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5) all returning net 73s.
Winners of the team competition with a net total of 62 were Ron Beat (Scotscraig) (13), Bob Redpath (Scotscraig) (5) and John Rankin (Scotscraig) (8).
LEADING SCRATCH
72 M Pirie (Pitlochry) p.
75 A Crerar (Panmure) p.
77 P Brookes (Pitieavie) p.
78 W Crosbie (Blairgowrie), C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) ap), L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle) p.
79 M Niven (Alloa), R Redpath (Scotscraig), R Stewart (Tulliallan).
LEADING HANDICAP
73 M Niven (Alloa) (6), D Sievwright (Drumoig) (12), W Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5).
74 R Redpath (Scotscraig) (5), D Redford (Scotscraig) (5).
75 I Wilson (Cragie Hill) (5), R Barton (Alloa) (9).
76 J Cree (Carnoustie) (14), C Ferguson (Muckhart) (4), M Watkin (Panmure) (12).
Leading Team Scores
62 R Beat (Scotscraig) (13), B Redpath (Scotscraig) (5), J Rankin (Scotscraig) (8).
63 M Pirie (Pitlochry) p, M Niven (Alloa) (6), A McKay (Pitlochry) (11).
64 P Brookes (Pitreavie) p, C Westland (Alloa) (10), M Watkin (Panmure) (12).
Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Arbroath Links
A. Crerar (Panmure) p.
W. Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5).
C. Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
Qualifiers for the JTC McQueen Shield at Arbroath Links in April
D. Sievwright (Drumoig) (13)
W. Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5)

Next week’s meeting
THURSDAY, January 27 at Lundin Golf Club, Fife.
Tee reserved: 9am to 12 noon.
DRAW
9.00 R Walker, J Rankin, M Niven, N Ballingall.
9.09 A Lockhart, S Andrews, K Fraser, E Starrett
9.18 J Stevenson, M Gilmour, J Stevenson, K Kilgour
9.27 J Paisley, R Keir, C Knowles, I Mason
09.36 A Webster, K Bruce, R Brownhill, J Watt.
09.45 W Miller, G Paton, D Mitchell, D Vicary.
09.54 G Wilkie, J Irwin, D West, A Mason.
10.03 D Mason, R Stewart, G Crighton, R Barton
10.12 R Redpath R. Beatt J. Black L. Terra
10.21 P Jamieson J. Crawford D. Black C. Ferguson.
10.30 G Jenkins, W Crosbie, J Miller, R Baldie.
10.39 G Brown, M MacKenzie, E Wilson, J Boyd.
10.48 P Brookes, C Westland, R McLean, D Hutchison.
10.57 K Salmoni, H Grant, H Cowbrough, S Knight.
11.06 D Redford, A Duncan, R Lamont, C Wallace.
11.15 G Mitchell, T Watson, J Wilson, A Cameron.
11.24 M Watkin, A Douglas, J Ward, G White.
11.38 J McIntyre, A Herd, D Adams, J Cree junior
11.42 M Phillips, M Brown, G Cant, M Fraser
11.51 K Eagan, C Marr, J Cree senior, J McCormack
12.00 A Henderson, D Oldham M. Pirie A. McKay
Lee Sutherland
Ballumbie Castle

WINTER GOLF ON FULL GREENS AT MAR HALL: £30 a round OFFER

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY MAR HALL HOTEL and RESORT, BISHOPTON
Play the full greens throughout the winter on The Earl of Mar course at Mar Hall Hotel  and Resort
Take advantage of the special Winter Rate of £30s per person.
The offer is available seven days a week until the end of March.

Golf Operations
Mar Hall Hotel and Resort
Earl Of Mar Drive
Bishopton
PA7 5NW
ddi: 0141 812 9990
Email: golf@marhall.com
web: www.marhall.com


+When you book a tee time be sure to mention that you read about the offer on www.scottishgolfview.com

OLAZABAL MAY REDUCE CAPAIN'S PICKS FOR 2012 RYDER CUP

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By KEVIN GARSIDE
Jose Maria Olazabal has wasted no time in substantiating his leadership qualities, proclaiming his desire to reduce the number of captain’s picks within minutes of his unveiling as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain for the 2012 match at Medinah Golf Club, Illinois.
Olazabal was formally announced in Abu Dhabi ahead of the European Tour’s opening event of the year on Thursday.
Th3 Spaniard, twice winner of the Masters in the 1990s, was the only man considered for the job of leading out Europe in America to defend the trophy won by Colin Montgomerie at Celtic Manor.
Controversy clung to Montgomerie for the 2010 match after he persuaded the European Tour to allow him a third pick, one more than conventionally allowed. His omission of Paul Casey through the pick process left a wound between captain and player that is still to heal.
In the event, Casey, whose schedule was devoted to the lucrative Fed-Ex play-offs in America, would not have made it through the traditional route. But the extra pick created the potential for trouble.
Olazabal wants merit to be the selection driver with the world rankings and the European Tour rankings providing the first 10 names on the team when the selection window opens in September.
“I can assure you that I’m not asking for extra picks. I’m going to be clear on that straight away. If anything I’ll reduce back to two to make it fair on the points system. The more picks you get the less value you give to the players who finish in the top ten,” said Olazabal
Olazabal said the captaincy would constitute the biggest challenge of his career.
“I’ve had a pretty solid professional career, but the Ryder Cup is very special to me. To be the captain of the 2012 - you only have one shot at it. That’s why it is a big challenge. I will try to be as successful as possible.”
Thomas Bjorn, chairman of the players’ tournament committee, explained why, for the tour members and the committee, there was only one name in the frame.
“The passion for the Ryder Cup is the first thing that springs to mind when you look at Jose but also as a gentleman that has played the game," he said.
"I think he underplays himself a little bit in how he speaks about himself. You won’t find a more helpful player on this tour and you won’t find a more respected player.”
Montgomerie added: “I am absolutely delighted for Ollie and the European team. I believe he will be a superb Ryder Cup captain for us. He has contributed so much to Europe’s campaigns both on and off the course. He is exactly the right man for the job."

LINCOLNSHIRE'S COUPLAND TO SPEND FOUR MONTHS DOWN UNDER

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
David Coupland (Boston, Lincolnshire) will spend the next four months in the sunshine of Australia under the EGU’s annual arrangement with the Waverley Golf Club of Melbourne.
He will guest for the club’s team in their title-defence of the Victoria Golf Association’s Pennant Series of events, which run from March to May, as well as competing in the major Australian amateur championships prior to that.
The arrangement with the Waverley club, which has run for several years, will see Coupland staying with club members, as did Todd Adcock in helping Waverley to the title a year ago.
“It will be my first visit to Australia,” said Coupland. “I’ve never been further than America so I’m quite excited. I was also a bit nervous as I don’t know what to expect but having spoken to Todd he has really wetted my appetite for the adventure.”
Coupland enjoyed success in 2010, particularly on the Kent coast, winning the Tillman Trophy at Royal Cinque Ports and finishing runner-up in the inaugural South East of England Links Championship at Royal St George’s.
He also finished fourth in the Lee Westwood Trophy, fifth in the Welsh Open Stroke Play and equal tenth in the Brabazon Trophy, performances which helped him to 14th place in the final Titleist/Footjoy EGU Order of Merit.
In 2009, Coupland won the Lagonda Trophy at Gog Magog and reached the semi-finals of the English Amateur Championship at Rye.
Coupland, who will celebrate his 25th birthday Down Under in mid-March, is hoping the trip will also give him a head start for the English season when he returns in May.
“I’m usually a slow starter when the season gets underway so I’m hoping my game will be sharp when I return,” he added.
Commenting on David’s visit to Australia, Peter Mattsson, EGU Director of Coaching, said:
“David follows a tradition of high profile English players at Waverley where he will play an important role in the club's ambition to capture 'the Pennants', the inter club leagues around Melbourne. For David this is a great opportunity to test himself in a different environment and to come back to the UK one step ahead of many of his opponents.”
The Pennant Series is a club team competition which commenced in 1899 between five clubs. This year, 44 clubs will be involved divided into six divisions with promotion and relegation operating at the end of the series.
Matches are played each week at a different venue on a round robin basis in each division with each club represented by a seven man team.
Lynne Fraser
EGU Marketing and PR Manager
lfraser@englishgolfunion.org

ACCOMMODATION FOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT ROYAL ST GEORGE'S

NEWS RELEASE
Mulberry Cottages have a large selection of golf holiday accommodation close to Royal St George's golf course in Sandwich.
Our large selection of golf houses are situated in the best locations, within very easy reach of the Open Golf Championship by road, train or bus. The golf properties range from delightful country cottages; contemporary city centre apartments; charming stylish seaside villas or even an impressive barn with swimming pool, tennis court and a helipad.
Mulberry cottages offers you a bespoke service so you have the chance to view a selection of golf houses before you book. We also offer our guests preferential tee times and rates at the prestigious golf courses surrounding Royal St Georges.
If you are actively searching for the highest quality Open Golf accommodation, call to speak to one of our golf booking representatives seven days a week on 01233 813087 and discuss your requirements or take a look online at www.mulberrycottages.com/golf-open/ for our full golf accommodation selection
*The Open championship starts on Thursday, July 14 and ends on Sunday, July 17.

DEAL
4 miles from Royal St Georges
Sleeps 4
£3,500 for 10 days

SANDWICH
2 miles from Royal St Georges
Sleeps 8
£15,950 for 10 days

SANDWICH
Short walk from Royal St Georges
Sleeps 6
£9,000 for 10 days

Our mailing address is:
Mulberry Cottages
The Granary, Bridge Street, Wye
Ashford, Kent TN25 5ED

Please mention that you read about Mulberry Cottages on www.scottishgolfview.com

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL TO BE RYDER CUP CAPTAIN IN 2012

Jose Maria Olazabal with the Ryder Cup (image by courtesy of Getty Images)

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
By GORDON SIMPSON
Director of Communications
José Maria Olazábal has accepted an invitation from the Tournament Committee of The European Tour, ratified by The European Ryder Cup Players and Stakeholders Board, to captain the European team in The 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois, United States of America, from September 28-30, 2012.
Olazábal, who was born in Fuenterrabia, Spain, on February 5, 1966, becomes the 23rd golfer to captain a Ryder Cup team against the United States and the second Spaniard following Seve Ballesteros, the winning captain in 1997 when Europe triumphed 14 ½ - 13 ½ at Club de Golf Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain.
Olazábal made the first of seven Ryder Cup appearances in 1987 when Europe created history by winning on American soil for the first time and he was also on the winning European team in 1997 and 2006 in a Ryder Cup playing career that spanned 19 years.
Olazábal and Ballesteros formed the most successful partnership in Ryder Cup history in the fourballs and foursomes with 11 wins and two halved matches from 15 played, and with 18 wins and 20½ points, Olazábal stands fifth in the European lists for most matches won and most points won respectively.
Following Europe’s 14 ½ - 13 ½ win at The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, Olazábal succeeds Colin Montgomerie as captain with the aim of retaining The Ryder Cup which Europe has won eight times and the United States seven times with one match tied since players from the Continent of Europe became eligible in 1979. Europe’s victories were achieved under the captaincies of Tony Jacklin (1985, 1987), Bernard Gallacher (1995), Ballesteros (1997), Sam Torrance (2002), Bernhard Langer (2004), Ian Woosnam (2006) and Montgomerie (2010) with Jacklin being the captain when the match was tied in 1989.
Olazábal said: “The two Masters wins at Augusta National are the highlight of my playing career but this is my proudest moment. Golf has been my life and representing Europe in The Ryder Cup has given me so much enjoyment. So to be named the European Ryder Cup captain is something very special and I am looking forward to the next 20 months before we reach Medinah.
“Without question The Ryder Cup has given me many memorable times especially with Seve from the moment we were first partners in 1987 and Europe won in America for the first time. We were unbeaten in 1989 and 1991 and we won our last match together in 1993.
“Seve was also our Captain at Valderrama in 1997 and that was especially significant because the match was played in Spain and on the Continent for the first time and, of course, we won.
"In all I’ve played under five captains – Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Mark James, Ian Woosnam and Seve – and the last in 2006 with Woosie was one to remember because we won 18 ½ - 9½. I played two four-ball matches with Sergio (Garcia) and we won both and then I beat Phil Mickelson in the singles which was the last match I played.
“It was also a wonderful experience to be involved as a vice-captain with Nick Faldo in 2008 and then again with Colin Montgomerie when we regained the Cup at Celtic Manor last year.
"I’ve learned a lot along the way and linked to my own experiences I look forward to drawing on all that knowledge with the aim, of course, to keeping the Cup in our possession. We all know The Ryder Cup is one of the most exciting and important competitions in the golfing calendar, and that it always inspires team members and spectators alike, but there is nothing like holding that trophy at the end of the week.
“I have spent a lot of my career in America and the fans there have always been fair to me. We want to keep the Cup, and that will be our priority, but I know that the American team will share with us the desire for this match to continue the fabulous tradition of The Ryder Cup with fair play and good sportsmanship the vital ingredients.
“I have accepted the captaincy but I think my desire to keep playing is known by everyone. This is the first of four tournaments in succession I am playing on the Desert Swing of The European Tour International Schedule. I am looking forward to competing again and giving myself the chance to win.
“But I want to stress it is a great honour to become the European Ryder Cup captain and I will be committed to getting everything right in the build-up to the 2012 match.”
Olazábal, who won the Masters Tournament in 1994 and again in 1999, after recovering from rheumatoid polyarthritis in three joints of his right foot and two in his left, struck his first shots at the age of two at the Real Golf de San Sebastian, set in the lush foothills of the Pyrenees.
He was drawn to the golf course because it was where his father, Gaspar, worked as the greenkeeper and his mother, Julia, as wardrobe mistress. It was on the practice range at Real Golf de San Sebastian in 1979 that Olazábal also met Sergio Gomez, who would go on to become his long-time friend and manager.
Aged seven, Olazábal won the Spanish Championship for under nines. Soon afterwards, Ballesteros broke through on The European Tour and Olazábal, although committed to studying at the public school in Fuenterrabia, knew that he wanted to aspire to such heights especially when three years later Ballesteros returned to his own home further along the Spanish coast with the famous silver claret jug following his 1979 Open Championship triumph.
Jesus Arruti, the club professional who spent marathon session after marathon session with Olazábal on the practice range, and Gomez, guided him through a meteoric amateur career during which he won the ‘triple crown’ of British Boys’ Championship, British Amateur Championship and British Youths’ Championship.
He also captured the Spanish Amateur Open Championship in 1983 and 1984, the Italian Amateur Open Championship in 1983 and the Belgian International Youths’ Championship in 1984.
Olazábal turned professional in 1985 when he led from start to finish to win The European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga in his native Spain and he made an immediate impact by becoming The Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 1986 when he finished runner-up to Ballesteros in the then Order of Merit. He set new records with two wins on the way to earning three times what any other first-time Tour professional had earned with a stroke average of 70.69.
Olazábal has won 23 times on The European Tour International Schedule with 30 wins in all worldwide and he became the second Spaniard to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame when he joined his great friend Seve Ballesteros (inducted in 1999) in that illustrious group during a moving ceremony at St Augustine, Florida, in November, 2009.
Medinah Country Club’s Number 3 Championship Course, close to Chicago, has hosted three Major Championships – the US Open in 1949, 1975 and in 1990 when Olazábal finished tied eighth and the US PGA Championship in 1999 and 2006. It has also staged a US Senior Open. The course was designed by Aberdonian Tom Bendelow and carved out of an oak tree forest in rolling terrain and opened in 1928.
After the 1999 US PGA Championship Rees Jones, the renowned architect, undertook a modification project and the course played to more than 7,500 yards from the championship tees in the 2006 US PGA Championship.

ELLIOT SALTMAN APPEARS BEFORE COMMITTEE TODAY

FROM THE UK.REUTERS.COM WEBSITE
(Reuters) - Scottish golfer Elliott Saltman will face a European Tour sub-committee hearing in Abu Dhabi today, following accusations of cheating at last September's Russian Open.
Saltman, 28, was disqualified from the secondary Challenge Tour event for marking his ball incorrectly. Marcus Higley and Stuart Davies, his playing partners at the Russian Open near Moscow, have also been brought to the United Arab Emirates capital.

The Tour's Director of Operations David Garland, Chief Referee Andy McFee plus Challenge Tour Director Alain de Soultrait and Tournament Players Committee Chairman Thomas Bjorn will be present.
The sub-committee will draft a recommendation to be placed before the 15-man Tournament Players Committee due to meet later in the day.The Players Committee can either reprimand Saltman or impose a ban, as was the case in 1992 with Sweden's Johan Tumba who was handed a 10-year ban which was later reduced to three.
"The Tour hasn't had to deal with something like this for some time," European Tour Chief Executive Office George O'Grady told Reuters on Monday.
"It's an unpleasant episode and, once all the facts are brought to notice, it could lead to the committee really concentrating on the issue or the Committee might do nothing given that Elliott had already being disqualified.
"But it's not nice and though there might be some misunderstanding somewhere, I cannot prejudge what is going to happen."
The European Tour had twice sought to arrange for Saltman to attend the Tour offices in Surrey, but a family bereavement and then bad weather just prior to Christmas meant the Scot being unable to travel.
"It happened last September and it's taken a long time to get everyone together given playing schedules," said O'Grady.
"It's been unavoidable in one sense that the main hearing just before Christmas had to be postponed and that was because bad weather closed the Scottish airports.
"But something like this has had to be brought before the sub-committee and these things have to be dealt with."
(Reporting by Bernie McGuire; Editing by John Mehaffey)