SCOTS MEN JOINT FIFTH IN EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP DAY ONE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
World champions France are the first-round leaders in the European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) men's team tournament at Sotogrande.
France have hardly any of the line-up that won the Eisenhower Trophy available now in the amateur ranks but the next generation are not doing too badly.
The French best three from four team total for the first day was 211.
That gave them a one-shot lead from Spain, Austria and Ireland for whom Dermot McElroy top-scored with a 69, supported by Alan Dunbar's 71 and Paul Cutler's 72. Rory Leonard was their non-counter with a 79.
Scotland have made a satisfactory start, sharing fifth place on 214 with Germany.
Ross Kellett was back in form with a 69, one ahead of Philip McLean. Scottish champion Michael Stewart won't have been happy with his 75 but it had to be counted as Kris Nicol had a 79.
England, defending champions, certainly won't be happy to be in seventh place on 216 with a pair of 71s from Walker Cup candidates Laurie Canter and Jack Senior. Tom Lewis had a 75 and Andy Sullivan the non-counting 75.
Wales are down on 223 alongside Holland with a 72 from Oliver Farr their best score. James Frazer had a 75 and both Rhys Pugh and Rhys Enoch had 76s.

FIRST-ROUND TEAM SCOREBOARD
211 FRANCE (Julien Brun 68, Alexander Levy 71, Clement Sordet 72).
212 SPAIN, AUSTRIA, IRELAND (Dermot McElroy 69, Alan Dunbar 71, Paul Culter 72. Non-counting Rory Leonard 79).
214 GERMANY, SCOTLAND (Ross Kellett 69, Philip McLean 70, Michael Stewart 74. Non-counting: Kris Nicol 79).
216 ENGLAND (Laurie Canter 71, Jack Senior 71, Tom Lewis 74. Non-counting Andy Sullivan 75.
217 DENMARK.
219 ITALY, SWEDEN.
222 FINLAND.
223 HOLLAND, WALES (Oliver Farr 72, James Frazer 75, Rhys Pugh 76, Rhys Enoch 76.
224 SWITZERLAND.
225 PORTUGAL.
226 BELGIUM.
234 SLOVENIA.
235 NORWAY.

+Switch over to http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/ to find out the women's scores in the European Nations Cup today.

OLD COURSE HOTEL NAMED LUXURY RESORT HOTEL OF THE YEAR

View of the Old Course Hotel from the first tee of the Old Course.

NEWS RELEASE
The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa in St Andrews has been named as the Luxury Resort Hotel of the Year in this year’s Scottish Hotel Awards, often referred to as the “Scottish Hotels Oscars”.
Owned by the Kohler Company, the Old Course Hotel is famed around the world for its luxurious accommodation, its excellent service, its Kohler Waters Spa and its championship heathland course, The Duke’s.
The Hotel, located at the side of the 17th fairway of the iconic Old Course, was also awarded four other accolades, including the Staff Management Excellence Award as well as personal recognition for three members of the Resort’s team - Victoria MacLeod as Spa Manager of the Year, a Manager Gold Medal for Daniel Pereira and a Rising Star Chef Highest Commendation for the Resort’s young Scottish chef, Ross Marshall.
“We are incredibly honoured to have won this fantastic accolade. The Staff Management Award and personal recognition were wonderful to receive – but the Luxury Resort of the Year Award is a real testament to the hard work and dedication shown by the whole team across the Resort,” said Daniel Pereira, General Manager of the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa.
“Our competitors had enormous success as well, with our friends at Culloden House in Inverness also winning five awards. And, of course, huge congratulations must go to Stephen Carter, Managing Director of Cameron House on Loch Lomond, who picked up the prestigious Fellowship for Outstanding Industry Contribution 2011.”
“As we know and respect the competition, we understand that to win five awards in one night, including being named as the best Luxury Resort Hotel of the Year in Scotland, is an outstanding achievement,” Daniel concluded.
Inaugurated in 2003, the Scottish Hotel Awards are seen as the Scotland's premier hotel awards programme. The 8th annual awards’ ceremony was attended by hoteliers, management and staff from the very best Scottish hotels.

MARC WARREN GOES INTO KENYA OPEN WITH SORE NECK

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Marc Warren will play through the pain barrier at this week’s Barclays Kenya Open, where he is bidding to build on Scotland’s recent run of golfing success.
Following victories last weekend for his compatriots Paul Lawrie and Martin Laird on The European and US PGA Tours respectively, Warren had hoped to keep the Saltire flying high by claiming his third Challenge Tour title at the €190,000 event, held at the magnificent Muthaiga Golf Club on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
But a sore neck, which has severely restricted his ability to practise, may have hindered his chances.
Warren, who won the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2005 before claiming two European Tour titles, said: “I’d just come out the shower on Monday morning, and managed to injure two muscles in the back of my neck when I was drying my hair. I couldn’t move it for most of the day, but I’ve managed to hit a few balls on the range over the past couple of days. I wasn’t able to go full pelt though, so I just concentrated on my chipping and putting, which was maybe no bad thing.
“I’m not at 100 per cent because I can still feel some pain when I swing, so it’s probably something I’ll have to look at when I get back. I first felt a twinge in South Africa at the start of the year, and I struggled on but it didn’t feel right. Like here, it was a long way to go so I didn’t want to withdraw, but I don’t want to do myself any lasting damage so I may have to get it checked out.
“I’ll not be using it as an excuse this week though, as I’m still feeling fit enough to compete out here. I’ve obviously got quite a good record on the Challenge Tour and have very fond memories of my win in 2005, and hopefully I can go well here this week.
"Obviously in an ideal world I wouldn’t have lost my card and would still be playing on the main Tour, but now that I’m out here I’m determined to make the most of it because it’s a big tournament this week. Barclays and the organisers have put a lot of work into it, and I would never go into an event half-hearted anyway. I’m here to win.”
If Warren were indeed to triumph this week, it would complete a remarkable hat-trick of titles across three different Tours for Scottish golfers, following Lawrie’s victory at the Open de Andalucía de Golf by Turkish Airlines and Laird’s win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard in the States.
Warren said: “There’s been a bit of criticism in recent times about the state of Scottish golf, but I’m sure the two great wins over the weekend will have answered some of those critics. I’m not sure Scotland’s ever had two victories on the same day on either side of the Atlantic, so it’s great for Scottish golf and hopefully I can keep the run going this week.”
The Glasgow resident, who celebrates his 30th birthday on Friday, last tasted victory as Colin Montgomerie's partner at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in November 2007, since when he has rather lost his way, culminating in a 124th place finish in last year’s Race to Dubai.
Warren concedes there were mitigating factors for his fall from grace last term, but is determined to make amends and try to recapture some of the form which saw him crowned the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 2006.
“I changed my coach just before the French Open, which is the start of a run of big events,” he said. “So the timing wasn’t ideal from that perspective, and there was about a two-month stretch where I really struggled with my swing. After that I got disqualified in Ireland, where I actually signed for the right score overall, but got my scores mixed up on two holes. So that was really frustrating, and may have ended up costing me quite a lot of money.
“But there’s no point making any excuses, and I made the changes for a reason – because I want to become a better golfer. So whilst I may have made one step back, hopefully I’ll be making two forward pretty soon. I’m pleased with the way I’ve started this season, so I want to carry that form into this week if I can.
“Hopefully now that I’ve made a pretty solid start to the season, I can get a few invites on the main Tour and play a pretty full schedule. But if not, I’ll be more than happy to play on the Challenge Tour – I’m certainly not going to be sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. The goal is just to get back onto the main Tour next season, and I really don’t mind how I go about achieving that goal – just as long as I do!”

NEW DRIVER HAS GIVEN MARTIN LAIRD THAT EXTRA OOMPH

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
Martin Laird played mostly TaylorMade clubs in winning his second US PGA Tour title March 27 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Laird’s bag included a Burner SuperFast 2.0 driver (10.5 degree) that he put in play only three weeks ago. He also carried an R11 4-wood (17 degree), R9 5-wood (19 degree), Tour Preferred irons (3-4) and R9 TP irons (5-PW). He used a Rossa Daytona Ghost midsize putter. Laird used Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled TVD wedges (54 and 60 degree) and plays a Titleist Pro V1x ball.
Laird has finished T-10 (WGC), T-5 (Transitions) and first (Bay Hill) since putting the driver in his bag. He also has averaged first (313.1 yards), third (300.8) and fifth (296.6) in driving distance at those events, respectively.
Rickie Fowler put a Titleist 910D3 with 8.5 degrees of loft into play during the Florida Swing.
“It’s launching a little bit higher because it has a little bit more loft on it. The D3 head is meant to spin a little bit less, but with the extra loft, it’s spinning about the same as mine was,” he said.
Fowler hit a 7.5-degree Titleist 909D2 driver during most of the 2010 US Tour season, then experimented with Titleist drivers before choosing his current model.
Hunter Mahan won twice last year with a prototype Ping 824 shaft in his G-15 driver (10.5 degree), but even the best tinker with equipment. Mahan is no exception, switching recently to a Fujikura Motore Speeder VC6-1 (X flex) shaft.
“If I need to hit something high and it’s just all carry, I can do that, but I feel like I still have got some good control where I can keep it down in the wind,” Mahan said.
Na Yeon Choi put a Rife 400 Mid Mallet putter in the bag on Saturday at the Kia Classic and shot 65. After practising with the putter during the offseason, Choi switched to a TaylorMade Corza Ghost – because it looked “cool” – before going to Asia. After the third round, Choi decided she’ll keep the Rife in her bag.
She had only 26 putts in her third round and tied for fifth place.
Spencer Levin switched to a belly putter (TaylorMade Corza Ghost) in the final week of the 2010 US Tour season and immediately tied for third at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic. And the results keep on coming.
Levin has five top-15 finishes in his last six starts, including a play-off loss at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. Then he contended at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, thanks largely to an opening 66.
He took only 24 putts in that round, saying, “That’s probably the lowest I’ve had in my career.”
Levin is third on Tour in scoring average. He ranked 133rd in putting from 15-20 feet last year but has improved to 15th this year.
“I’ve just made more putts since switching,” he said in explaining his rise. “That and comfort level. Being comfortable out here has gone a long way for me.”
He tied for second at Bay Hill with 27.3 putts per round.

SAM TORRANCE AXED BY BBC FROM MASTERS TV TEAM

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

By KEVIN GARSIDE

Sam Torrance will be missing from the BBC commentary box next week after being axed for the Masters. Torrance was cut on economic grounds last month and immediately withdrew his services for the Open at Royal St George’s in July.

Torrance has been stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Alongside his participation on the European Seniors Tour, he had hoped to develop his punditry role after six years of successful service.

His avuncular delivery in that rich Scottish brogue made Torrance a popular addition to a BBC team in need of renewal. The arrival of Sky cameras at Augusta for the first time this year has diminished the BBC’s output, forcing a share of the broadcast rights.
Torrance said: “I felt I was becoming a fixture. They just said, ‘look Sam we have two days live and two days recording. We can’t afford to take you’.

“Because the only other event I do for them, with no Ryder Cup this year, is the Open, I felt I had to pull out of that.

“They wanted me to do the Open. I wanted to do it, but I can’t build a commentating career on one event a year. I felt I had to stand up for myself.”

Though Torrance is lost to a terrestrial audience, he may not be lost to broadcasting. The move paves the way for Sky to enhance their coverage with an offer for Torrance, if not at Augusta, certainly at the Open and beyond. It is understood that preliminary talks have already taken place between Sky and Torrance’s advisers.

So instead of talking us through the closing holes a week on Sunday, Torrance will host a Masters party at his home.

SGU, SLGA FORMALLY ANNOUNCE AMALGAMATION PROPOSAL

Scotland international golfers Laura Murray (Alford) and David Law (Hazlehead) at Dalmahoy Hotel where the SGU-SLGA Press Conference was held yesterday.

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SGU AND SLGA
By ROSS DUNCANSGU Marketing, Media and Sponsorship ManagerPlans for the most radical changes ever in the running of Scottish golf took another step forward at a press conference in Edinburgh yesterday when a proposal asking the country’s 580 golf clubs to approve the most far-reaching governance changes in the history of Scottish amateur golf was formally announced.
The proposals envisage an historic amalgamation between the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association (SLGA), while the new structure will also give clubs more say in the running of the game.
The radical restructuring is announced in the same week as two Scots golfers themselves made history, with Paul Lawrie and Martin Laird winning on the European Tour and on the US Tour on the same day.
Following a two-year process of consultation with the game’s stakeholders – clubs, areas and counties – the final proposal is being sent out this week with clubs invited to indicate their support for the changes before the end of April.
The two governing bodies are calling on clubs, areas and counties to support the amalgamation proposal and influence the vote on the proposal at special general meetings in May. A 75 per cent vote in favour of amalgamation is required in both bodies before the proposal can be officially adopted.
The male and female governing bodies have been working closely together for a number of years and the proposed new structure reflects this, the increasing number of clubs which are welcoming equality and the desire of ordinary golfers, through their clubs, to have a bigger say in how the amateur game is run.
The proposed new governing body will also bring golf in Scotland into line with the governing bodies of other sports which have all embraced a modern, inclusive and equality agenda while Scotland is currently one of only four countries which does not yet have a unified national amateur golf body.
Shona Malcolm, Chairman of the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, said:
“The final proposal reflects what we believe is a structure for modern, streamlined governance to take Scottish golf forward. We have listened to our stakeholders and members and incorporated a number of the changes suggested. We are confident that clubs will support the proposal.”
Chairman of the Scottish Golf Union Douglas Connon added:
“Having been round the country at our recent series of seminars, the overwhelming majority of clubs present were in favour of the changes. We would encourage all clubs, areas and counties in Scotland to play their part in seeing the amalgamation through to a successful conclusion.”

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