COLEGATE AND GRIFFITHS GIVEN PASSAGE TO INDIA BY EGU

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Jack Colegate (Rochester and Cobham, Kent) and Curtis Griffiths (Wentworth, Surrey), both members of the England A Squad, will represent England Golf in the 111th All India Amateur Championship at Chandigarh Golf Club from January 17 to 22.

This is the first time for several years that England Golf has sent players to this championship, which has a 36-hole stroke play qualifying competition over the first two days from which the leading 32 players proceed to the match play knockout event.
Colegate, 18, is an emerging talent on the national scene, having finished tied third in the 2010 Faldo Series Grand Final. Last year, he was fifth in the McEvoy Trophy, equal sixth in the South East Boys Qualifying and joint tenth in the Lagonda Trophy which saw him finish 15th on the Titleist/FootJoy EGU Boys Order of Merit.
Griffiths, 18, was an England under 16 cap in 2009 and made his debut as a boy international in last year’s European Boys Team Championships and also helped England win the Boys Home Internationals. A member of the victorious Surrey team in the 2009 Boys County Championship, he enjoyed a successful 2010 in which he finished runner-up in the South East Junior Championship, tied third in the Brabazon Southern Qualifier and equal sixth in the McEvoy Trophy.
Last year, when he finished seventh on the Titleist/FootJoy Boys Order of merit, he lost a playoff for the Fairhaven Trophy, was fourth in the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters and was again a member of the Surrey squad in the Boys County Championship final.
It is six years since England Golf last sent players to the All India Championship but in 2004 James Smith from Kent reached the semi-finals. The only English winner of the title has been former England captain Malcolm Lewis, who triumphed at Calcutta in 1981.
Other former winners include current European Tour players Christian Cevaer of France (1992), India’s Jyoti Randhawa (1993) and South Africans Richard Sterne (2000) and Charl Schwartzel (2001).

PADRAIG HARRINGTON STARTS NEW YEAR UNDER PRESSURE

FROM THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By KARL McGINTY
Padraig Harrington makes no bones about it. His prospects of playing in the Ryder Cup for the seventh successive time in September are hanging by a thread.
“I’ve obviously put myself in a very precarious place,” is how the Dubliner candidly assesses his current position in the race for a place the European team in Chicago.
Harrington, picture by courtesy of Getty Images (c),  endured his worst season as a professional in 2011, while his gradual decline as a global icon over the past three years was underlined by the recent decision of his primary sponsor, US business consultancy giant FTI, not to renew the US$10m contract they agreed with the Irishman at the peak of his Major-winning achievements in 2008.
Since then, Harrington has slumped from World No 3 to 85th and the 40-year-old needs to come out swinging in the next four weeks if he’s to put his Ryder Cup qualifying campaign and, indeed, his career back on track.
From the moment he tees it up in the first round of the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa on Thursday week, Harrington will be under intense pressure to deliver ranking points. Effectively, he must force his way up to 64th on the global ladder in his first three tournaments to clinch a place in next month’s Accenture Match Play at Tucson.
Then the 40-year-old has to fight his way back into the world’s elite top-50 by March 5 if he’s to play in that week’s Cadillac Championship in Doral, the second World Golf Championship of the season.
Though eligible for all four Majors in 2012 after his stunning feats in 2007 and 2008, Harrington will stymie himself badly in the Ryder Cup race and risk severe scheduling headaches on the US and European Tours should he fail to make it to Tucson, Doral or the season’s third WGC at Firestone in August.
So he must hit the ground running at Fancourt.
Harrington by-passes the Qatar Masters as he heads to California for the AT and T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.
“I actually finished 2011 in a very positive frame of mind,” he said. As for his early-season schedule, Harrington explained that by adding the Volvo Champions to his usual early-season schedule: “I’ve given myself three tournaments to get in there (the Match Play).
“I’m playing most of the events I can in that stretch,” he went on. “If I played Qatar, that would be five tournaments in a row, six if I got into the Match Play. I’m always going to play Pebble Beach and Riviera. They are the two events with the most favourable conditions for my game I’ll probably come across in the US, so I’m unlikely to miss them.”
Starting the year in 39th place in the European Points List and 47th in the World Ranking category, Harrington is under no illusions about his prospects of making the top-five in either and winning automatic selection for the Ryder Cup.
“By dropping out of the world top-50, I’ve put myself in a very difficult spot trying to get onto what clearly is going to be a very difficult team to make,” he admitted.
“I didn’t make it into last year’s HSBC, the Dubai World Championship, the Nedbank in Sun City or Tiger’s tournament, the Chevron, and by not being in these limited field events, you miss the opportunity to rack up easy ranking points.”
Harrington blames only himself. “Because I didn’t play well last year, any points I make this year will have to be hard-earned. Basically, I’m not going to make the team by having an average year.”

GLENEAGLES HOTEL NAMED SCOTLAND'S TOP GOLF RESORT

NEWS RELEASE 
The Gleneagles Hotel has been crowned Scotland’s top golf resort and hotel by a leading industry publication.
Thousands of golf enthusiasts from across the UK voted in the inaugural Today’s Golfer Travel Awards, held in conjunction with major golf travel operator, Your Golf Travel. Awards were given across 12 categories, and honoured the best clubs and courses in Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland and the UK.
Stuart McEwen, Gleneagles’ Director of Golf, said:
“We are delighted to be named Scotland’s best golf resort, an honour which is testament to the hard work of all of the Gleneagles team. With the current, extensive upgrading work taking place on the PGA Centenary Course; the recent refurbishment of the Dormy Clubhouse; and the opening of the Blue Bar, it’s an exciting time at Gleneagles and we’re very much looking forward to the future and the challenge of hosting the Ryder Cup in 2014.”
Gleneagles is home to three championship golf courses – the King’s Course; the Queen’s Course, and the PGA Centenary Course, venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup matches – as well as the PGA National Golf Academy, where visitors can receive expert tuition from a team of experienced golf professionals.
The full list of Today’s Golfer Travel Awards winners can be viewed at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk

ANDREW COLTART RETIRES FROM COMPETITIVE GOLF AT 41

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE

Published in Scotland on Sunday

By JOHN HUGGAN

Andrew Coltart is relieved to have given up tour golf after a tough end to his career and can look back at successes such as a Ryder Cup appearance and Dunhill Cup win

Retirement is a relief to Andrew Coltart but he’s got plenty ahead of him,

At first glance, nothing much has changed. He looks and sounds the same: tall, dark and golfy. But closer and more prolonged inspection reveals an air of relaxation that had long been absent, a more ready smile and, for Andrew Coltart, a sense of relief that a losing struggle is finally over.

After two decades as a professional and 491 starts on the European Tour, the former Ryder Cup player has had enough. The Allianz Open Cotes d’Amor – Bretagne, a relatively anonymous Challenge Tour event back in June, was his last appearance. At the age of 41 he is officially retired from competitive golf.

“The hardest part has been not being competitive over the last few years,” he admits. “I lost my card again at the end of 2010 and another year on the Challenge Tour was tough. I was empty, absolutely empty. I still wanted to do well but it just wasn’t happening.

“So I had to look at the bigger picture. I was 40. I could keep doing what I was doing, or I could take a look at what else is out there for me. I chose the latter because the former offered no guarantees. Even if I got my card back, I’d be looking at very limited opportunities on the main tour in 2012. Fortunately, I found that I had options in other areas where I feel like I can contribute.”

Those other options include appearances as a studio expert on Sky Television’s coverage of the PGA Tour, stints on course for Radio Five Live at both the Open Championship and the Ryder Cup, some work with the Scottish Golf Union’s national squads and continuing involvement in tpegs.com, the burgeoning golf school business in which Coltart partners respected swing coach Gary Nicol.

All in all, there’s a lot going on for the double European Tour winner, enough that he can move on from the latter stages of his playing career. A period which he describes as “torture”.

“My lack of competitiveness was the result of a few factors,” he explains. “The new technology in golf has never been a help to me. I just don’t create enough clubhead speed to take advantage of the big-headed drivers and the new balls.

As someone once told me, you can almost read the name of the shaft on my downswing!

“And the courses these days are set up to benefit those who hit the ball miles. Length is everything. The ability to shape shots and hit different types of shots isn’t nearly as important as it once was. None of which suited me. Over the last decade or so, my strengths have become less important and my weaknesses have been exposed.

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 COMMENT FROM READER

Andrew was the top amateur in Scotland before he turned and had a pretty successful professional career too. Keep swinging and being competitive with the occasional game for a fiver over the next few years then have a crack at the Oldies Tour when you turn 50! Best of luck....

 

Davie McIntosh

GAUNT AND BASIC LEADING OPEN IFQ IN AUSTRALIA

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE
Australians Chris Gaunt and Neven Basic are tied for the lead, on 3-under the card, after the first round of International Final Qualifying (IFQ) at Kingston Heath, Melbourne
With the Claret Jug being one of the most sought after prizes in professional golf all 45 players in the field were out to play their best golf today in the hopes of qualifying for The Open Championship.
Despite a field that contains golfing legends Craig Parry, Peter Senior and Peter Lonard it was Chris Gaunt and Neven Basic who were able to post the score of the day in tough Melbourne Sandbelt conditions.
“It was blowing a gale out there, the holes coming home on the back nine were quite windy so it’s pretty tough,” said Gaunt.
Victorian Chris Gaunt had a consistent round with five birdies, three of those coming consecutively, and just two bogeys contributing to his final 3-under 69 score.
“I putted very solid today I probably could have made a few more but I could have missed a few more as well.”
Gaunt who is yet to play in The Open Championship is comfortable heading into tomorrow’s final.
“I haven’t qualified before; I played in Europe once and missed by a shot that’s the closest I have been so I am pretty keen to get in there and do it.”
Also having come close to qualifying in the past is co-leader Neven Basic.
“This is my third go at IFQ, I missed by one about four years ago which hurt,” said Basic.
Basic will be hoping to keep his form from today heading into the final round so that he can play his first Major.
“It would be awesome to play in a Major, it’s something that you have watched on television since you are 10 or 12 years of age so to actual get to play would be fantastic.
“To play in such a historic place with the best players in the world would be fantastic.”
On the way to his 3-under 69 Basic posted six birdies and three bogeys.
Having had an interesting round is two time qualifier Kurt Barnes; sitting at 5-under the card after 15 holes Barnes looked unstoppable yet came unstuck with double bogeys on both the 16thand 17th.
He went on to birdie the final hole and finish one shot back from the lead at 2-under along with seven other players including Heath Reed, Nicholas Cullen, Aaron Townsend, Alistair Presnell, Joshua Younger, David Bransdon and David McKenzie.

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LAIRD BIRDIES LAST TO FINISH 2ND ON HIS OWN BEHIND STRICKER

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
KAPALUA, Hawaii -- Steve Stricker always believed experience would go a long way toward winning the US PGA Tourseason opener at Kapalua.
This wasn't the kind he was thinking about.
A few months ago, Steve Stricker's golf future was in jeopardy. This week's victory was a relief as much as a conquest, writes Mike McAllister.
No other player is more accustomed to building a big lead, blowing a big lead, and then settling down to win. That's just what Stricker did Monday on Maui, when he won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions with a final round that only looked easy on paper.
"I've been there before. It's not a great feeling, either," Stricker said after closing with a 4-under 69 for a three-shot victory over Martin Laird (pictured).
Stricker's cash prize was $1,120,000. Laird earned $650,000.
"It's just the nature of our game. I realise that, and I've gone through it before. It always seems close, and you always have to perform to get it done," said Stricker.
Ultimately, that's just what he did.
It took only six holes for him to see his five-shot lead dwindle to one. After another mental mistake led to bogey, Stricker stood behind the sixth green staring at the ground, shaking his head, disgusted with himself.
It was during that long walk down the seventh fairway, the Pacific Ocean on the horizon, when Stricker reminded himself that at least he was still in the lead.
And that's where he stayed.
He buried a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eighth, hit a pitch to tap-in range for birdie on the ninth to build his lead back to three, and then it was a matter of hanging on.
It was the fourth time in his last 35 tournaments that he had at least a four-shot lead at some point in the final round. At least they all had the same outcome. Stricker hit sand wedge to 2 feet for birdie on the 16th to keep a two-shot cushion, then birdied the final hole for the best prize he could ever imagine.
Along with the winner's lei draped around his neck, his two daughters -- 13-year-old Bobbi Maria and 5-year-old Isabella -- rushed onto the green to give him a hug.
"It was tough," said Stricker, who finished at 23-under 269. "I never let up today. It's always tough trying to win, and it's even more tough when you have a lead like I did. I'm very proud of what I did today.
"And it's always cool to get a hug from your family walking off at the end."
Stricker held back tears -- they usually flow freely after a win -- perhaps a sign that he's getting used to this business of winning. It was his ninth US PGA Tour win since he turned 40, and his eighth title in his last 50 tournaments. He moved up to No. 5 in the world.
Perhaps even more satisfying is that four months ago, Stricker felt weakness in his left arm from a lingering neck injury and contemplated surgery. He decided to treat it with therapy and a few cortisone shots, and it turned out to be a good move.
A guy whose goal every year is to get back to Kapalua for the winners-only season opener can already make reservations for next year.
Laird, Webb Simpson and Jonathan Byrd each got within one shot of Stricker on the front nine, but not for long.
"I think probably the most under-rated player in the world is Steve Stricker," Laird said.
Laird closed with a 67, and his birdie on the last hole put him alone in second place, which at least helps him start building world ranking points toward trying to make Europe's Ryder Cup team for the first time.
Byrd kept most of the pressure on Stricker along the back nine of the Plantation Course. He was two shots behind when he stuffed his wedge into 4 feet on the 16th, but then Stricker followed with his sand wedge to 2 feet. Byrd's hopes ended when he bogeyed the 17th, then put his approach on the par-5 18th into the bunker and made par. He closed with a 68 and tied for third with Simpson (68).
The US PGA Tour got off to a good start, too. There was so much focus at the start of the week on who didn't show up at Kapalua for this winners-only event -- three major champions, all of whom live overseas, along with three players who are recovering from injury.
Stricker was the highest-ranked American in the field, and played the best golf.
It just didn't always look that way.
This was the fourth time in the last two years that Stricker led a big lead turn into some nervous moments on the last day.
• At the John Deere Classic in July, he watched a five-shot lead with nine holes to play turn into a two-shot deficit with two holes to play before he rallied to beat Kyle Stanley with an exquisite birdie on the last hole.
• At the Memorial in June, he had a four-shot lead at the turn and was still three shots clear with five to play. He held on to win by one.
• At Riviera in 2010, his six-shot lead going into the final round was down to two shots after only six holes. Stricker steadied himself and went on to win by two.
Monday on Maui was not much different.
Byrd made three straight putts early in the round, two of them for birdie, and Simpson in the group ahead made an eagle at No. 5. Stricker settled for pars, which was not a problem as long as he took care of the birdie holes.
But he didn't. Stricker three-putted for par from just over 30 feet on the fifth, then hit a fluffy pitch that came up short of the sixth green and let to bogey as Byrd made another birdie for a two-shot swing.
Stricker stood at the back of the green while Byrd was making his putt, shaking his head, clearly flustered. It only took six holes for his five-shot lead to shrink to a single stroke, with 12 holes ahead of him. His next birdie putt didn't even come close.
But on the hole that has given him fits this week, Stricker hit a pure shot into 25 feet on the par-3 eighth and made it for birdie, then birdied the ninth to regain control.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 292 (4x73)
Players from US unless stated
269 Steve Stricker 68 63 69 69 ($1,120,000).
272 Martin Laird (Scotland) 68 70 67 67 ($650,000).
273 Webb Simpson 66 68 69 68, Jonathan Byrd 67 71 67 68 ($369,000 each).
277 K J Choi (South Korea) 70 73 69 65, Harrison Frazar 74 69 66 68 ($245,000 each).
278 Chris Kirk 75 66 70 67, Bryce Molder 71 70 67 70 ($190,000 each).

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