MONTY TO TAKE RYDER CUP TO SHOW TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By OLIVER BROWN
Colin Montgomerie is to make a radical departure from the luxuries of the golf circuit this week when he visits British troops in Afghanistan, taking Europe’s Ryder Cup trophy with him.
The Scot will spend four days with army personnel and British Embassy staff, while he also intends to inspect Kabul Golf Club in the Afghan capital, easily the most dangerous course in the world. The scrub-covered fairways are at continual risk from suicide bomb attacks.
Montgomerie disclosed that he would be carrying the Samuel Ryder Trophy with him, after his European team so memorably wrested it back from the United States at Celtic Manor last autumn.
He plans to hand out a selection of golf equipment to the soldiers, too. “I am looking forward to it very much,” he said. “I’m not taking my own golf clubs but I have gathered together a lot of equipment for the troops. It’s going to be a special occasion as I have never undertaken anything like this before.”
From Kabul, Montgomerie will head straight to Hong Kong for the UBS Open, in pursuit of a strong performance that could secure him a place at next month’s Dubai World Championship.
Although the 48 year-old has fallen to 102nd in the European money list, and out of the world’s top 300, he has still not abandoned hope of reviving his best form.
He has even acknowledged a desire to play on Jose María Olazábal’s Ryder Cup team at Medinah next year, for what would be his ninth appearance.
Montgomerie must win at least twice in the next eight months to stand a chance of a wild card selection.
Meanwhile, ahead of the World Cup here on Hainan Island, Graeme McDowell predicted that his renowned dynamic with Rory McIlroy could propel Ireland to the victory that narrowly eluded them two years ago.
The Ulstermen finished joint runners-up at Shenzhen in 2009 but were impressive together in the last Ryder Cup and have each won a US Open title since.
“I’m excited to be playing alongside Rory,” McDowell said. “He’s in great form and the world No 2. I guess you could say I’ve got myself a decent partner this week.
“You have to be able to motivate and inspire each other, and Rory and I would dearly love to win this week. So I hope we can use our experiences of the last couple of years to good effect.”
+Colin Montgomerie is used to taking the Ryder Cup with him on his travels and he does it with a lot of style and panache. Colin is pictured above last February at a Deeside Golf Club junior prizegiving with one of the Editor's grandsons, Michael Black, eight-year-old son of former Scottish champion and two-time Curtis Cup player, Elaine Farquharson-Black. The picture's copyright is retained by aberdeenphoto.com

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, GARY'S THE WINNER

Midland Golfers' Alliance competitions are usually won by the professional members but they had to play second fiddle to Edzell scratch amateur Gary Tough in today's event at Balbirnie Park GC, Fife. Tough's fine effort of three-under-par 66 gave him a two-stroke victory from pros Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) and Alastair Webster (Edzell). Grant Jenkins (Crieff) and Jim Irwin (Muckhart) tied for the first handicap prize with matching net 65s. Jenkins plays off four and Jim has eight of a handicap   LEADING SCRATCH Par 69 66 G Tough (Edzell). 68 J Stevenson (Braehead), A J Webster (Edzell). 69 G Jenkins (Crieff), C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst). 71 A Lockhart (Ladybank). 72 J Crawford (Dunblane New), R Stewart (Tulliallan), C Armstrong (Burntisland), J Watt (Edzell), P Brookes (Pitreavie). LEADING HANDICAP G Jenkins (Crieff) (4), J Irwin (Muckhart) (8) 65; G Tough (Edzell), J Crawford (Dunblane New) (6), D Peter (Scotscraig) (10), G Muir (Burntisland) (7) 66; A Mason (Thornton) (9), J Meddicks (Murrayshall) (7) 67; M Niven (Alloa) (5), A Reid (Monifieth) (12), G Milne (Aberdour) (5), R McLean (Dunnikier Park) (7), A Landsbrough (Panmure) (9), A Smith (Edzell) (7) 68. Qualifiers for the JTC Kitchen Express Midland Golfer’s Alliance Championship in April at Carnoustie G Tough (Edzell) C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) Qualifiers for the JTC McQueen Shield in April at Carnoustie J Irwin (Muckhart) Next MeetingTuesday, November 29 Drumoig Tee reserved: 8.30 - 12.15 Lee Sutherland

DEFENDING CHAMPION HUTCHEON 8 BEHIND WITH A ROUND TO GO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.co Most bookies would quote you 100-1 against Greig Hutcheon repeating last year's win in the Titleist PGA Play-offs - being played this week over the Antalya Golf Club's Sultan Course in Turkey. Eight strokes behind all-the-way leader Richard Wallis (Walmer and Kingsdown) with only one round to go, the Banchory tour pro will give it his best shot. Still bothered by a "bad" back, Hutcheon managed to repeat his opening round of 70 for a two-under-par tally of 140. That leaves him in sixth place, eight shots place behind the leader by two, Kent's Richard Wallis who is on 132 with scores of 65 and 67. Hutch deviated from par only three times in his second round - a birdie at the first hole, a bogey at the 15th, and a birdie at the long 16th. The five men ahead of him on the leaderboard have all scored in the 60s. That's what Hutcheon must do to have a chance of a top-three finish. David Patrick (Elie Sports Centre) is sharing eighth place on 142 with scores of 70 and 72.  The former Walker Cup man got off to a dreadful start with bogeys at the first three shots and then another at the short sixth after he had begun to redress the balance with a birdie at the fourth. Patrick steading the ship and stopped the rot by reeling off nine successive pars before finishing on a high with birdies at the long 16th and short 16th. Tartan Tour No 1 Stephen Gray (Hayston) continues languish at the bottom of the heap - 24th in a field of 24 - but he will be grateful for small mercies in that his second-round 74 was three shots better than his nightmare opening round. Gray still chalked up more bogeys - six - than he usually has in a week of Tartan Tour pro-ams but there were birdies to savour at the long seventh, 15th and long 16th. SCROLL DOWN TO READ ALL THE SECOND-ROUND TOTALS PGA PRESS RELEASE He wasn't firing on all cylinders but Richard Wallis still tops the Titleist PGA Play-Offs after a gritty second round 67 at Turkey's Antalya Golf Club. The Walmer and Kingsdown pro's four under par score leaves him 10 under for the 54-hole tournament with former champion Paul Streeter lurking two shots back after a superb 65. Ireland's David Higgins sits third on seven under following a 67 with Midland ace Matt Cort (Rothley Park) at six under while Wellingborough's Simon Lilly, who recently shot 59, gave himself an outside chance of victory with a 66 to lie five strokes adrift of the leader. Wallis was delighted with his score, admitting he had paid the price for a practice session with a different driver that hampered his rhythm. "My timing was out because I used a slightly stiffer shaft in practice so was hitting it a bit harder," he explained. But the Kent pro revealed his battling qualities with four birdies and no dropped shots. "I birdied the first and that was probably the best I played to be honest," he said. "I just scratched it around on the first nine but holed a couple of nice 10-12 footers and made a cheeky three up nine after finding a bunker to turn in three under which I probably didn't deserve considering how I'd struck the ball." Wallis added his fourth birdie with a well-flighted four iron on the par five 16 - one of the PGA Sultan Course's signature holes. With a string of victories to his name following successive South Region Order of Merit titles, Wallis is relishing the opportunity of leading from the front in tomorrow's final round with a number of European and Challenge Tour starts at stake in addition to being crowned the PGA's No. 1 ranked player. "I'm quite happy to lead from the front," he added. "I can't change how anyone else does, I can only affect what my golf ball does. "I will be going out to try and make as many birdies as possible and eliminate the mistakes." Lincoln Golf Centre pro Streeter, who lifted this title back in 2007, will be pushing Wallis hard having struck a rich vein of form with his splendid 65 which included an eagle on the 592-yard par-5 seventh. "The eagle really got the ball rolling and then I holed a 20 footer on the next for birdie so I was five under through nine," said Streeter. "On the back nine I gave myself chances but just didn't make them. I hit a poor shot off 12 into the trees and got punished as you should do with a bogey but had good birdie chances on 13 and 14. "I hit two lovely shots into 16 for birdie, nearly holed it on 17 - hit it two foot so that was a nice birdie and made a solid four down the last." Streeter will be aiming for more of the same tomorrow. "If you can hit it straight off the tee, the fairways are in good nick and the greens are generous. There's no secret to any course, if you can hit it straight it gives you a chance," he added. "I've won this before and to get my name on such a prestigious trophy twice would be fantastic." Waterlooville Links player Higgins will be out in the last group with Wallis and Streeter but believes he will need to be more aggressive in his play if he is to triumph. "I played nicely but I need a low one because Richard is playing well," he said. "I will have to put my foot down tomorrow, may be play a little bit more aggressive and attack the course more. I will have to do better."

PGA PLAY-OFFS' SCOREBOARD IN TURKEY

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS Par 142 (2x71) 132 Richard Wallis (Walmer and Kingsdown) 65 67. 134 Paul Streeter (Lincoln) 69 65. 135 David Higgins (Waterlooville) 68 67. 136 Matthew Cort (Rothley Park) 67 69. 137 Simon Lilly (Wellingborough) 71 66. 140 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 70 70. 141 Brett Taylor (Chelmsford) 73 68. 142 Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park) 74 68, David Smith (Swinton Park) 73 69, James Ablett (Lee on the Solent) 71 71, David Patrick (Elie SC) 70 72, Guy Woodman (East Berkshire) 70 72. 144 Barrie Traynor (Ireland)  73 71, Christopher Gill (Exeter) 73 71. 145 Sean Whiffin (Herefordshire) 74 71, Stuart Brown (Orton Meadows) 73 72, Michael Watson (Wessex) 71 74. 146 Paul Hendricksen (Dinnaton) 74 72. 147 Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin) 76 71, David Shacklady (Mossock Hall) 73 74. 148 Robert Giles (Greenore) 76 72, Alan Wainwright (MNid Yorkshire) 74 74. 149 Craig Goodfellow (Carlisle) 74 75. 151 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 77 74. .

BOGEY-FREE McARTHUR, DRUMMOND TRAIL AT HACIENDA del ALAMO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Rookie pro Andy Sullivan from Nuneaton, one of the GB and I Walker Cup heroes at Royal Aberdeen in September, has carried over his amateur talent to the pro ranks. He shot a six-under-par 66 to lead a good-class field by two shots at the end of the first round of the Spanish Hi5 Pro Tour's Hacienda del Alamo Futures Open at the Murcia venue today. Andrew McArthur and Scott Drummond both returned bogey-free rounds but could not match Sullivan's bag of birdies. Former Scottish amateur kingpin McArthur from Glasgow's Windyhill is two behind on four-under 68 which was studded with birdies at the long fourth, the long 14th and the par-4 16th and 17th. One-time PGA champion Drummond is joint 11th on 69 with birdies at the long fourth, short fifth and short 12th highlighting his blemish-free scorecard. Murrayfield's Mark Kerr is sharing 22nd place with a one-under 71 with birdies at the third, long fourth and long 14th and bogeys at the first and ninth. Chris Kelly (Cawder) matched the par of 72 which put him in joint 32nd place. He was two over par until he reeled off three birdies in a row at the 13th, long 14th and short 15th. A bogey at the 16th put him level for the day. FIRST-ROUND LEADERS Par 72 66 Andy Sullivan (Eng). 67 Matthew Webb (Eng) (am), Sebastian Buhl (Ger). 68 Jens Dantorp (Swe), Morten Madsen (Den), Benny Ahlenbeck (Swe), Matthew Southgate (Eng), Espen Kofstad (Nor), Reinier Saxton (Net), Andrew McArthur (Sco). 69 Scott Drummond (Sco), Steve Uzzell (Eng), James Ruth (Eng), Dennis Kupper (Ger), Paul Reed (Eng), Jack Senior (Eng), Kristoffer Broberg (Swe), Jacob Glennemo (Swe). Selected scores: 71 Mark Kerr (Sco) (T22). 72 Chris Kelly (Sco) (T32) TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE TOURNAMENT WEBSITE CLICK HERE

FORSYTH WINS PLACE IN S AFRICAN OPEN BUT WARREN FAILS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Only four years ago this week, Marc Warren was a Scottish hero as he and Colin Montgomerie combined their talents to win the World Cup in China. But the glory has long gone for Warren. Today, playing in an 18-hole qualifying competition to try to get a place in the field for the South African Open, beginning on Thursday at the Serengeti Golf Estate, Johannesburg, Warren failed to make the required grade. But Alastair Forsyth, pictured, was equal to the task. He won himself a place in the main event  by finishing joint third on two-under-par 70 at Glendower Golf Club in one of three qualifying events over 18 holes. Only the top five at each of three venues qualified and Marc Warren failed to come through the eliminator at Benoni Country Club. Forsyth made it on the limit mark at Glendower from a field of 95 players. An eagle 3 at the long second gave him the early boost he needed and, after a bogey at the short second, he birdied the ninth to be out in 34. Another birdie at the long 13th was cancelled out by a bogey at the short 14th but he parred the last four holes under pressure, knowing he had no room for error. Warren shot a one-under-par 71 at Benoni Country Club. The qualifying mark for the leading five there was five-under 65 or better. Warren finished joint 18th.  Scots exempt from qualifying were David Drysdale, Scott Jamieson, George Murray, Elliot and Lloyd Saltman, Peter Whiteford and Alan McLean. Walker Cup player Michael Stewart, still an amateur, had a place in the field reserved for him as winner of the South African open amateur championship. Ranked No 13 amateur in the world, this will be Stewart's last tournament as an amateur. He will turn professional immediately after it although he has already failed to gain pass marks at the European Tour School Stage 1 and, more recently, the Alps Tour Q School. Stewart has signed up with Chubby Chandler's ISM management stable.   DALY SAYS NO TO INVITATION TO PLAY IN SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN

John Daly has turned down an invitation to play in the South African Open. He says he would rather wait another week and play in the Hong Kong Open.

KENT COMPANY TO RUN MID-AM STROKE-PLAY AT DUNDONALD

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY WYNCANTON MARKETING SERVICES LTD
Wyncanton Marketing Services Ltd (Whitstable, Kent. UK) are pleased to announce a new golf championship for Mid Amateur golfers (over the age of 35) in the UK.
The Scottish Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship will take place at Dundonald Links, Irvine in Ayrshire on Friday, April 20 2012.
The tournament will be held over 36 holes with the winner being the player who returns the lowest gross score for the 36 holes.
There will be numerous voucher prizes with an expected prize fund of over £1,250. The event will be open to all male golfers over the age of 35 and who are in possession of an active handicap of 12 or less.
Entry into this event will also be on a first come first served basis to allow everyone a chance to enter the event.
“Following on from the success of our first events in 2011, we decided that it was time to resurrect an event in Scotland similar to the Welsh Mid Amateur that we are holding in June 2012. The feedback was so positive from the players that it cemented our belief that there is a huge gap in the market for new tournaments aimed at golfers aged over 35 years of age.” said Jason Morris, Golf Director of Wyncanton Marketing Services.
“The standard of amateur golf is now such, that unless you hold a handicap of scratch or better you stand little or no chance of entering some of the more prestigious events around the country and players are left in a golfing wilderness.
“Our events allow players the opportunity of competing against the best Mid-Amateurs in the country whilst having the opportunity of playing for some great prizes. We are expecting entrants from all over the United Kingdom and if successful we will hold the event annually.
“These are exciting time for us and the new web site www.midamgolf.co.uk is attracting visitors from all over the world. We will be having six events in total next year and there will also be an order of merit.”
Anyone who would like to register their interest to play in this event is asked to visit www.midamgolf.co.uk and email their details to the Tournament Secretary.

MOLINARI BROTHERS LOOKING FOR WORLD CUP REPEAT THIS WEEK

                             Edoardo and Franceso Molinari ... first brothers to win World Cup


FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
The Italian team of Edoardo and Francesco Molinari will this week bid to become the first nation for more than a decade to retain the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.
The pair became the first brothers – and the first Italians – to win the World Cup when they edged out Ireland and Sweden by a single stroke two years ago, and the Molinaris will now try to emulate the achievement of David Duval and Tiger Woods in 2000, when they kept the trophy in American hands following Woods’ triumph in tandem with Mark O’Meara 12 months previously.
The brilliant brothers clinched the title in thrilling fashion on the final hole at Mission Hills Golf Club, where Francesco played an exquisite bunker shot and Edoardo duly rolled in the par putt from three feet to spark wild celebrations.
Francesco recalled: “It’s always a great feeling to represent your country, and my memories of the last World Cup were that it was a lot of fun – especially as I was playing with my brother. Of course there’s pressure, but it’s a nice type of pressure.
“In previous World Cups we’d always got off to bad starts, but last time we managed to get off to a good start. As the week went on, we seemed to get stronger and our games improved. We managed to get into contention and hole some important putts at the right time, and we were one ahead going down the last.
“When we got to the bunker the lie was quite good, so I knew we still had a great chance of getting up and down to win the tournament. I left Edoardo with a three-foot putt, which I was glad he had to hole because I think I might’ve been a little bit nervous standing over it.”
“The joy was unbelievable when my putt dropped,” said Edoardo. “My first thought was to embrace Francesco as soon as I could, because we’d been playing golf together since we were little, so to win the World Cup together for our country was a dream come true. We used to watch a lot of World Cups when we were young, when Costantino [Rocca] represented Italy. I never thought that one day we’d be playing in the World Cup, let alone winning it.”
Two years on, they will have a different course to contend with after the US$7.5million event was switched to the Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island, a stunning tropical island in the South China Sea.
But if the venue is new many of the faces will be familiar, with the Irish duo of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell returning to China determined to go one better.
Had McDowell’s birdie putt on the last hole two years ago rolled just a few inches further, the pair would have forced a play-off with the Molinari brothers. But instead, they fell agonisingly short of becoming the first Irishmen since Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley in 1997 to lift the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.
McDowell said: “I was delighted when Rory selected me to be his partner again. There is nothing quite like representing Europe in The Ryder Cup or Ireland in the World Cup – it’s a real buzz. We worked well as a partnership two years ago, and we can’t wait to try to claim the title at Hainan Island.”
Robert Karlsson is also intent on banishing the painful memories of Sweden’s narrow defeat, though instead of his regular partner Henrik Stenson he will instead be paired this time with Alex Noren, who already has two titles to his name so far this season.
Karlsson, who linked up with Noren to winning effect at the Royal Trophy last year, is seeking his second victory at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, having triumphed in tandem with Stenson in 2008.
“People might think that Alex will be looking up to me because I am the older more experienced player,” said Karlsson, “but after the year he has had I think it should be the other way round!
“It’s going to be great. I picked Alex because he has won twice this year, and he is a great player. He is the kind of guy who can make a lot of birdies when he gets going, and that is very important in the World Cup format.
“We played together a couple of times in the Royal Trophy so I’m very confident that the partnership will work well, because we played two games together and won both of them. It’s going to be very exciting.”
The biggest threat to the top three from two years ago could well come from the South African duo of Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, who will be hoping to bring their Major presence to bear as they make their debuts at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.
Oosthuizen said: “Charl and I have been looking forward to the World Cup for a while now. Since juniors we’ve dreamed about playing for South Africa in the World Cup, so now that it’s actually happening it’s going to be very special. We’ve played a lot of amateur events together for South Africa and it’s always a big honour to represent your country. We’re both really looking forward to it.”
Other leading contenders include: the Danish duo of Anders Hansen and Thorbjørn Olesen who has replaced the injured Thomas Björn, England’s pairing of Ian Poulter and Justin Rose, the German duo of Alex Cejka and Martin Kaymer, the Spanish pair of Miguel Angel Jiménez and Alvaro Quiros and America’s representatives Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland.
Scotland's pairing is Martin Laird from the US PGA Tour and Stephen Gallacher from the European Tour.
A total of 28 teams will battle it out over four days of competition, featuring a mixture of foursomes and four-balls.

THURSDAY'S FIRST-ROUND TEE TIMES
Mission Hills GC, Hainan Island, China
(All times Local, China is 8 hrs ahead of GMT):

0745 Karlsson and Noren (Sweden), Lee and da Silva (Brazil)

0800 Jaidee and Aphibarnrat (Thailand), Hansen and  Olesen (Denmark)
0815 Davies and Donaldson (Wales), Green and Jones (Australia)
0830 Colsaerts and Theunis (Belgium), Jimenez and  Quiros (Spain)
0845 Oosthuizen and Schwartzel (South Africa), Acuna and Toledo (Guatemala)

0900 Villegas and Villegas (Colombia), De Jonge and McDonald (Zimbabwe)
0915 Derksen and Luiten (Netherlands), Kuchar and Woodland (USA)
0930 Jacquelin and Bourdy (France), Kim and Park (South Korea)
0945 Praegant and Steiner (Austria), Poulter and Rose (Eng)

1000 Santos and Santos (Portugal), Hiratsuka and Ikeda (Japan)
1015 Cejka and Kaymer (Germany), Hendry and Paddison (New Zealand)
1030 Gallacher and Laird (Scotland), De Jesus Rodriguez and Serna (Mexico)
1045 Lam and Mamat (Singapore), McDowell and McIlroy (Ireland)

1100 Liang and Zhang (China), Molinari and Molinari (Italy)

Darren Clarke starts 'World Tour' with Claret Jug in his suitcase

FROM THE KALEEJ TIMES WEBSITE:
Open champion Darren Clarke acknowledged he was a bit bleary-eyed as he begins the first of four weeks of golf in Australia, South Africa, Dubai and Thailand.
Less than 24 hours after arriving from his home in ‘wet and windy’ Portrush, Northern Ireland, he sweated through nine holes of practice at the Hyatt Regency resort course, Coolum, venue for the Australian PGA Championship starting on Thursday.
Next up was a few hours for an afternoon catnap.
The global crisscrossing is a small price to pay for Clarke winning at Royal St. George’s in July, but just in case anyone had forgotten that, he has the claret jug with him.
Clarke said ‘people never get a chance to see it, so I do travel with it a bit.’

GREG NORMAN BEATING THE DRUM FOR AUSTRALIA

AS A MUST-VISIT VENUE FOR WORLD'S TOUR PROS

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALASIA WEBSITE
By Liam Daly, Sportal
If officials strike while the iron is hot, Australian lifestyle and attractions will keep the world's best players coming back, says golf legend Greg Norman.
Speaking ahead of his highly-anticipated return to the Australian PGA for the first time since 2004, Norman was highly optimistic that Australia's golden east coast summers were a big enough lure to keep players coming back.
The Australian PGA Championship at Coolum will this week host one of the strongest fields in years, with the likes of reigning Open champion Darren Clarke, big-hitting Bubba Watson and 2010 US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Rickie Fowler in attendance to compete with the cream of the Australian crop.
"I would like to see the regeneration of top-class players. It's totally up to the tournament directors. They can do it, there's no question about it," said Norman.
"We've done it before and we can do it again. We have to take advantage of the atmosphere."
"The popularity of the game will always be high in Australia, so it's how we group everybody together."
The recently completed Presidents Cup has swung the attention of the golfing world Down Under at the tail-end of 2011, but Norman says players love the Australian culture regardless of vogue, and tournament officials could use that fact to compete against more lucrative alternates.
"You need to talk to the players and see what they like and what they didn't like. I've spoken to a lot of the American players and they all love Australia and they all say they'd come back here in a heartbeat and spend a week, or more."
"I went to China a year ago and I'd never been to the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, so I just peeled off four days to do it. I want to play but I want time to do this as well."
"I said to myself, I must have been the dumbest guy in the world for 30 years for not taking in the cultures of all the countries I've visited."
"The younger players I've spoken to all love this country of Australia. They've loved it.
"If the tournament directors approached it correctly, immediately, and didn't wait four or five months, immediately, knowing where the dates are next year, and said 'Guys, if you want to come back next year, we'll do this, we'll give you this...You've got to entice them somehow."
"They all make so much money that it's not necessarily the money thing, it's the enjoyment they have of showing their significant other half, or their mother or brother, a different world."
Norman's view was echoed by ultra-likeable Northern Ireland star Darren Clarke, who said that there was always a positive buzz about playing in Australia amongst the International players.
Clarke said the picturesque courses and lush resort-style living had been great incentive to take the opportunity to play.
"I haven't been down here for a few years, and I've always been quite friendly with the Aussie guys on tour... so I thought I'd come down and play," said Clarke.
"Ian Baker Finch had told me how good this place was and how relaxed the tournament was. I enjoy playing down here; I enjoy playing your golf courses."
"The Aussies like to enjoy themselves very much the same way (as the Irish)."

PLAY CASTLE STUART FOR A DISCOUNT OF £75 THROUGH SGU

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Castle Stuart, the stunning Highland links which will again host the Scottish Open next summer, has launched an exciting new partnership with the Scottish Golf Union which will offer members of affiliated golf clubs in Scotland savings of £75 on green fees in 2012.
The new deal, exclusively available to full members of all clubs affiliated to the SGU, gives the opportunity for golfers to play on one of the world’s best new courses, scene of Luke Donald’s historic win in the Scottish Open back in July, described as a ‘visual experience unlike any other in golf.’
Castle Stuart’s SGU Special Offer green fee is available at £95 per person, a saving of £75 against the standard rate from May to October, or £150 per person for 36 holes (playable over any consecutive four-day period), saving golfers £100 on a day’s golf.
The fantastic deal illustrates the value of being a member of a golf club in Scotland, with this preferential rate adding to the great deals already available through the Scottish Golf Union at the Open Championship venues of Muirfield, Royal Troon and Prestwick, which have been snapped up this winter.
Stuart McColm, General Manager of Castle Stuart Golf Links, said: “We’re delighted to make this special offer exclusively available to full members of golf clubs in Scotland and give more Scottish golfers the opportunity of playing our wonderful links.”
“We’ve had fantastic feedback from golfers from all over the world since opening in 2009 and being confirmed as host venue for the Scottish Open for the next two years illustrates how highly the course is rated. We look forward to welcoming SGU golf club members to Castle Stuart next year for an experience I’m sure they’ll savour,” he added.
Bookings can now be made for play in 2012 and Castle Stuart is open for business from March 29 through to November 18. There are no restrictions on advance bookings through the SGU Special Offer but to qualify for the preferential rate, golfers must show proof of club membership along with photographic ID.
The par-72 layout, which can play to more than 7,400 yards from the championship tees, offers stunning views across Inverness and the Black Isle, overlooking well-known landmarks such as the Kessock Bridge and Chanonry Lighthouse.
Co-designed by Mark Parsinen - who was also responsible for the creation of Kingsbarns in Fife - and American golf course architect Gil Hanse, the course was voted as Best New Course for 2009 by Golf Magazine USA as well as being voted the 56th best course in the World 2011.
“The Scottish Golf Union is continually aiming to add value to being a member of an affiliated golf club and our partnership with Castle Stuart, a world renowned golf course, highlights our objective. We want members to be given preferential treatment to reward them for investing in the fabric of the game,” said Ross Duncan, Marketing and Sponsorship Manager for the SGU.
“I’m sure those golfers watching the Scottish Open last summer will want to follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s best golfers and we are delighted that Castle Stuart can give more golfers the chance to play with the SGU preferential green fee rates.”
To book a round at Castle Stuart Golf Links, please call 01463 796111 or visit their website at www.castlestuartgolf.com.
+To qualify for the SGU rate, the golfer has to be a full member of an SGU affiliated golf club and must bring photographic ID along with proof of full membership. This could be a club card or letter from the golf club - and we require this to be an original.
+To accompany the proof of full membership, we also need photographic ID (e.g. driving licence, passport, etc) to match the name on the club card or letter. Please note that country, overseas, social or anything other than full membership do not qualify for this rate.



ENDS