SGU, SLGA LINK UP WITH MONTY IN NEW CHARITY PARTNERSHIP

Colin Montgomerie and Ross Duncan of the Scottish Golf Union

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SGU AND SLGA
The Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association are joining forces with Colin Montgomerie in a unique new charity partnership which will give club golfers the opportunity to play with the victorious Ryder Cup captain.
It was announced today that both governing bodies will adopt the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation as their official charity partner, while a new event is being launched which will see Monty lining up alongside 80 club golfers at The Carrick on Loch Lomond in September.
As part of the activities designed to raise £1m for new Maggies Centres in Aberdeen and Lanarkshire, golf clubs across Scotland will also be given the chance to ‘Win Monty for a Day’ in return for their fundraising efforts.
Speaking at the launch of the partnership, Montgomerie said: “I am delighted to welcome the SGU and SLGA on board as partners of the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation and hope that members of Scottish golf clubs will get involved these two fantastic initiatives.”
“We’ve already had fantastic support from golfers since I launched the charity back in 2008 and they have helped us towards our fundraising goals. The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation is working with Maggie’s to help many people in Scotland with cancer and I am very proud of this.
"I am keen to give something back to clubs and their members through this partnership, whether that is playing with them or visiting the club for a day and inspiring their next generation of golfers,” added Montgomerie.
The new SGU and SLGA event will be named ‘Monty’s Monthly Medal’, sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management, and qualifying for the event will take place on the weekend of the Open Championship (14 – 17 July). Every club in Scotland will be invited to run a stableford competition alongside their monthly medal or equivalent event that weekend, at a cost of £3 per player. The leading 80 players from across Scotland will qualify for the final, taking place on Monday 19 September at the Carrick on Loch Lomond, with Colin Montgomerie playing a hole with each of the finalists.
A fund-raising competition will run alongside the golf event with the three clubs generating the most money for the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation throughout the season being rewarded with a visit by Monty with the Ryder Cup to their club later in the year.
Andy Salmon, Development Manager for the SGU and SLGA, welcomed the opportunity to support such an important cause: “We are very proud to be supporting the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation and the great work they are doing to help the thousands of Scottish families affected by cancer.”
“The golfing community is very generous in supporting charities and we hope that by giving golfers and golf clubs the opportunity to meet Monty, we can work together in raising money for the Maggies Centres in Lanarkshire and the North East.”
Ross Whitfield, Golf and Estates Director of the Cameron House Resort, host venue for the event, commented: “We are delighted to be working with the SGU, SLGA and Colin in supporting such a fantastic cause through hosting the Monty’s Medal Final at The Carrick on Loch Lomond and look forward to playing a part in the golfers’ contribution to the charity.”
The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation was set up as a legacy to Colin’s later mother and is working alongside the Maggies’ Cancer Care Centres to raise money to establish two new buildings at the Monklands Hospital in Lanarkshire and the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary at Foresterhill.

Further details on the Monty’s Monthly Medal and Win Monty for a Day competition can be found at www.scottishgolf.org while clubs wishing to participate should contact the Scottish Golf Union Events team on 01334 466477.

WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKINGS - Walker Cup team contenders

Leading British and Irish players in the RandA World Amateur Golf Rankings this week are:
12 Andrew Sullivan (England) (+3 from last week, i.e. was 15th).
20 James Byrne (Scotland) (-1, was 19th last week).
28 Paul Cutler (Ireland) (-3).
31 Jack Senior (England) (+4).
38 Michael Stewart (Scotland) (-6).
49 Tom Lewis (England) (-4).
70 Eddie Pepperell (England) (+21).
86 Stiggy Hodgson (England) (-4).
99 Kevin Phelan (Ireland) (+17).
120 David Coupland (England) (-5).
159 Stuart Ballingall (Scotland) (+25).
170 Rhys Pugh (Wales) (+4).
172 Darren Wright (England) (+1).
189 Ross Kellett (Scotland) (-14).
191 David Law (Scotland) (+32).
206 Garrick Porteous (England) (no change).
211 Kris Nicol (Scotland) (+1).

BLAIRGOWRIE BACKBONE TO P AND K TEAM FOR PRESTWICK

Blairgowrie Golf Club members make up half the six-strong Perth and Kinross team for the Moneygate Scottish men's area team championship at Prestwick and Prestwick St Nicholas on the weekend of May 14-15.
The P and K team, captained by Ralph Taylor, is:
Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Stuart Graham (Blairgowrie), Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), Liam Barn (Craigie Hill), Stuart McKendrick (Dunkeld and Birnam), Thomas White (Milnathort).

Only Nairn's Fraser Fotheringham has held his place compared with last year's North line-up.
The North team will be:
Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness), Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn), Neil McWilliam (Elgin), John Forbes (Inverness), Bruce Thomson (Inverness), Malcolm MacLemman (Moray)

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE REST OF THE LINE-UPS ANNOUNCED SO FAR.

LYTHAM TROPHY CONTENDERS HAVE WALKER CUP AS TARGET

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The countdown to the selection of the Great Britain and Ireland team of 10 for the Walker Cup match against the United States at Royal Aberdeen's Balgownie links on September 10-11 starts in earnest this weekend with the staging of the Lytham Trophy 72-hole tournament at Royal Lytham St Annes, Lancashire.
Only four Scots made the cut (leading 40 and ties) after two rounds last year when Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol emerged as an international-class player by finishing runner-up to the winning Irishman, Paul Cutler. Nicol totalled 287, three behind Cutler and three ahead of the joint third-placed finishers.
The only other Scots to make the last day's 36 holes in 2010 were Ross Kellett (Colville Park) T17 on 296, Philip McLean (Peterhead) T25 on 299 and Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) T40 on 305.
This year there are29 entries from Scotland in the capacity field of 144 who have each paid an entry fee of £75. That equates to an income of £10,700 to the Royal Lytham St Annes Golf Club coffers.
The winner receives a silver replica of the "Sputnik Trophy," which was first played for in 1965 (won by Michael Bonallack), having been raised by members' donations. Only the first three and ties receive prize vouchers.
Interestingly enough, Kris Nicol has been paired with the only man to beat him 12 months ago, Paul Cutler (Portstewart), and Brian Souter (Leven Golfing Society), winner of the Scottish Champion of Champions tournament at the beginning of the month.

Scots' tee times for the first two rounds on Friday and Saturday are:
07.30 and 11.40: Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co).
07.40 and 11.50: Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen).
07.50 and 12.00: Philip McLean (Peterhead).
08.00 and 12.10: Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck).
08.20 and 12.30: Brian Soutar (Leven GS), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh).
08.30 and 12.40: Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall).
09.00 and 13.10: David Law (Hazlehead).
09.10 and 13.20: Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), Mark Halliday (Royal Aberdeen).
09.40 and 13.50: Steven Rennie (Drumpellier).
09.50 and 14.00: Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs).
10.00 and 14.20: Stephen Speirs ((Australia/Scotland).
10.10 and 14.20: Paul Shields (Kirkhill), John Duff (Newmachar).
10.30 and 14.30: Michael Campbell (Renfrew).
11.10 and 15.20: Fraser McKenna (Balmore).
11.50 and 07.40: Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar).
12.00 and 07.50: Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh).
12.10 and 08.00: Paul Gault (Westerwood), Michael Smyth (Royal Troon).
12.50 and 08.40: Ross Bell (Downfield).
13.30 and 09.20: Daniel Elder (Carnoustie).
13.40 and 09.30: Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie).
14.40 and 10.30: Peter Latrimer (St Andrews New).
14.50 and 10.40: Scott Crichton (Aberdour).
15.00 and 10.50: Ross Kellett (Colville Park).
15.10 and 11.00: Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe).
15.20 and 11.10: Greg Paterson (St Andrews New).
15.30 and 11.20: James White (Lundin).

SCOTTISH WINNERS OF LYTHAM TROPHY
1970: Jim Farmer and Charlie Green.
1974: Charlie Green.
1975: George Macgregor.
1978: Brian Marchbank.
1980: Ian Hutcheon.
1983: Stephen McAllister.
1995: Stephen Gallacher.
1997: Graham Rankin.
1998: Lorne Kelly.
2003: Stuart Wilson.
2007: Lloyd Saltman.


E-mail from Peter Shurrock
To update your note on the Lytham Trophy. There were no play-offs at Lytham before 1975 when, in the first one, George Macgregor beat Peter Deeble over a five-hole play-off. Play-offs these days, if required, are over 3 holes (1, 2, 18) due to the speed of play and lack of light!
Prior to 1975 the title was shared if there was a tie as is still the case with the Brabazon Trophy.
Peter Shurrock

AUSSIE FRASER RELIEVED HE IS FIT ENOUGH TO DEFEND TITLE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Seoul, South Korea: Australia’s Marcus Fraser is relieved that he has the chance to defend his title at this week’s US$3.2 million Ballantine’s Championship after a freak accident while playing with his son almost forced him into a premature retirement.
Fraser, who finished second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season, suffered a slipped disc while carrying his son and had to struggle with continuing pain before a well-timed operation led him back on the road to recovery.
“I picked up my son over my head and felt something go in my neck last December. I thought nothing of it and continued to play golf which I probably shouldn’t have and over Christmas, it just deteriorated. I was referred to a surgeon who did a MRI scan on me and it showed that the disc had prolapsed,” said Fraser.
“It just kept going downhill and there were a couple of days where I couldn't walk and lost all the feeling in my right hand. The surgeon took one look at me and said that he’ll have to operate on me,” added Fraser.
The decision to undergo the operation was a quick one as the thought of not being able to play golf again was too much to bear for Fraser.
“If I had not had the operation, I would never have played golf again and probably would have lost the use of my right arm. I just wanted to be healthy again and it was a bit of a no-brainer to have the operation,’ said Fraser, who had contemplated quitting the game last year but reversed that decision after his wire-to-wire victory at the Ballantine’s Championship ended a seven-year winless streak.
With his recovery well on track, Fraser is looking forward to compete against the elite field that includes world number one Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter of England and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee at the Blackstone Golf Club.
“It's not something that I've had to deal with too often, coming back to defend a title, so it's nice when it does happen. It's a very special week with Ballantine's obviously being such a great sponsor of the tournament,” said Fraser.
“I had a week's practice before I came up. That's not really enough to sort of compete, but it's just nice to be out there playing again and hopefully get some strength back in it pretty quick and get back to full health,” added the Australian.
Meanwhile Korea’s Noh Seung-yul who became the youngest ever player to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit at 19 years and 204 days last season, believes that there is no better place than home to write another record.
“I was quite disappointed that last year’s tournament was reduced to three rounds because I thought I had a good chance of winning it. But we’re playing at a brand new golf course this year and I hope to write a new record by becoming the first Korean winner this week,” said Noh who finished in tied-fourth, five shots behind Fraser last year.
Noh, who will tee up alongside Dustin Johnson of the United States and South Africa’s Ernie Els in the opening two rounds, is determined to bounce back into form after a slow start to the season.
The young Korean has started working on his swing with world renowned swing guru Butch Harmon, Tiger Woods’ former coach, in February and is confident that the results will show with his new swing changes.
“Two months ago, I got together with Butch and we started making tweaks to my swing. I guess I was too eager to get everything right and as a result, I injured my finger,” said Noh
“I was not able to practise for about a month. It takes time to get used to my new swing. There’ve been mistakes and my shots have become quite inconsistent. But after much practice, I feel that my swing is getting more stable and I’m more confident now,” added the Korean.
The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship will once again be co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Korea PGA.