BRADLEY DREDGE ON VERGE OF QUITTING GOLF RATHER THAN GO BACK TO Q SCHOOL

FROM THE BBC SPORTS.COM WEBSITE

Bradley Dredge is considering quitting golf after losing his automatic place on next year's European Tour.

The Welshman, 39, missed the cut at the Hong Kong Open and can no longer finish high enough up the rankings to avoid qualifying school.
Dredge, who partnered countryman Stephen Dodd to World Cup success in 2005, is considering his future.
"Do I just retire and pack the clubs to the side? I don't know," Dredge said.
"Tour school isn't becoming a very attractive option.
"If it comes down to that and I go to tour school and I'm going to play in the back of beyond for not much money, it's not an attractive thing for me to be doing.
"It's been funny trying to battle away to try and keep my card, I haven't done that for a good few years.
"I haven't played very well for the past four years and gradually scoring has been getting worse."
Dredge won the last of his two titles on the European Tour at the Omega European Masters in 2006 but since then he has only recorded five top three finishes.
His failure to progress at the Hong Kong Open was the 12th cut he has missed this year.

STORM STOPS SOUTH AFRICA OPEN AFTER STENSON GOES FOUR CLEAR

 FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
PLAY was suspended for the day at the South African Open Championship as a storm engulfed the Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate to leave Henrik Stenson’s four-shot lead in tact.
Stenson’s sublime seven-under-par 65 came in more serene conditions as the later starters were hauled off the course after thunder rumbled and lightning flashed across the sky.
Several players including overnight leader Merrick Bremner, 2011 Masters Tournament champion Charl Schwartzel, the surging Tommy Fleetwood and Scots Craig Lee and David Drysdale will resume their respective rounds at 7:30am tomorrow.
Stenson had earlier stolen the show in his pursuit of a first title on The European Tour for five years.
The Swede compiled a quintet of pars before his long, straight driving finally yielded a run of five birdies in seven holes.
The 36-year-old came into the event ranked 59th in The Race to Dubai rankings and seemed inspired by the opportunity to book a spot at next week’s DP World Tour Championship - which the top 60 will compete in.
An eagle at the par five eighth extended his lead after another booming tee shot was followed by a six iron approach which left his ball within six feet.
Stenson was understandably delighted with his round, even if a squandered birdie opportunity on the ninth scuppered his hopes of equalling Bremner’s course record 64 yesterday.
"There’s still a lot of golf to be played. I’ve put myself in a nice position going into the weekend, and I’m looking forward to it. I’m eager to win," he said.
“I’ve hit a lot of good drives. I counted eight good drives in the first round, and that’s probably as many as I hit the entire 2011 season. It’s nice to get the feel back with the driver.”
Stenson’s compatriot Magnus Carlsson was the nearest pursuer on nine under with Bremner keeping him company in joint second after 14 holes.
Norwegian Espen Kofstad, the man at the top of The Challenge Tour rankings, had briefly threatened to join his fellow Scandinavians in the upper reaches of the leaderboard, yet three bogeys in five back nine holes saw him slip back.
Elsewhere, Fleetwood, who is fighting for a card on The European Tour next season, was perhaps the most disappointed to come off after finding his groove by claiming five shots in six holes.
Lloyd Saltman recaptured his long-lost amateur style by shooting a 66, four less than in Round 1, to be lying third on eight-under-par 136 among those who have completed two rounds.
Peter Whiteford is joint eighth on 138 with a pair of 69s while Marc Warren has returned scores of 70 and 69 for a share of 14th place on five-under 139. 

COMPLETED SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
+Several players will go out early Saturday morning to complete their second rounds.  
Par 144 (2x72)
131 H Stenson (Swe) 66 65
135 Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 68 67
136 Lloyd Saltman (Sco) 70 66 
OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS
138 P Whiteford 69 69 (T8)
139 M Warren 70 69 (T14)      

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NEWS FROM US PGA TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL

FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE US PGA TOUR AND CHAMPIONS TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOLS

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SCOTS IN THE MONEY ON FLORIDA TOUR

GOLF COPY CREDIT CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY QUERIES TO COLIN FARQUHARSON TEL 01224 869782 SCOTS IN THE MONEY ON FLORIDA TOUR Edinburgh's Greg Duncan earned $418 in Thursday's Golfslinger.com Tour at Boca Raton municipal golf course. Duncan finished third with a 67, two behind the winner of the top $1,000 prize, Will Coleman from Maryland. Another American, Brendon Smith (West Palm Beach) was third with a 66 and earned $600. Gavin Dear from Scone, Perth finished joint 11th in a field of 77 and earned $90. ends

SGU REVAMP NATIONAL SQUAD STRUCTURE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SGU

The Scottish Golf Union has announced a new-look, expanded National Squad Structure offering more players the opportunity to fulfil their potential and improve Scotland’s performances on the world stage.

A new approach will see four National Squads in place for the 2013 season, with a Men’s Performance and Men’s Transitional group, and the Boys also split into two tiers, featuring a Performance Squad and a Development Squad. The changes have been designed to offer more players the opportunity to access support appropriate to their performance level and their ability to commit to the programme.

The Men’s Performance squad features six players – Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), James White (Lundin) and Fraser McKenna (Balmore) who retain their places, while  Ross Bell (Downfield), Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) and Kilmarnock Barassie’s Jack McDonald have been promoted. The group will receive an enhanced tailored programme of support, including additional winter training and competition opportunities. All six players represented Scotland in August’s Home Internationals victory.

A total of 18 players are including in the Transitional Squad, six of whom are based at colleges in the United States.

 This group features 2012 SGU Men’s Order of Merit winner Scott Borrowman, reigning Scottish Amateur Champion Grant Forrest – currently in his second year at the University of San Diego – and former national champion Graham Gordon.

Some of the country’s most promising youngsters make the step up from Boys’ level into the Transitional Squad including Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish boys match-play championship winner Craig Howie, Jamie Savage (Cawder), Anthony Blaney (Liberton) and Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie).

The Performance Boys’ squad includes Scottish Youths champion Ewan Scott (St Andrews) and Great Britain and Ireland Boys’ cap Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), with both players seeking to continue their excellent progress in recent seasons.

Scott, 17, will also benefit from working with the Men’s Performance Squad, as the Fifer takes a year out from his studies to focus on his golf.

Scottish Golf Performance Manager Steve Paulding, who came into his role three years ago from a background in cycling and athletics, said:

 “All the players in the National Squads deserve their place thanks to their progression and performances to date. What I now require from each of them is more hard work and commitment.

“Most people would say you can’t afford to run big squads, because if you run big squads you’ve got to dilute what you do.

“But it’s been much harder in the sport of golf to predict who will perform going forward. When we looked at the previous year’s results, when we picked relatively small squads based on the previous year, they’ve not gone on to succeed at the next level.”

In determining the rationale behind the restructure, Paulding added: “What we decided this year was to broaden the Squads out. There is not much between many of our players in terms of individual performances. We are now going to be able to both support and challenge more players, looking for those with the right mind set, attitude and work ethic to make it to the top.”

Identifying key goals, he concluded: “Of course, we will target our levels of support to players we believe are capable of competing at the highest level in the future and those likely to represent us next year in the European Team Championship, and possibly achieve Walker Cup or other GB and I selection.

“But we are also now looking ahead and need to prepare squads of players capable of competing in the next World Amateur Team Championship in Japan in 2014 and then the 2016 Championship in Mexico.

“The primary aim of the Transitional Squad, many of whom are already performing well, is to give the best ongoing support to those with the potential to make it into the Men’s Performance Squad. Many of these payers are only one or two years out of Boys’ golf and, hopefully, are our champions of the future.”

A number of players across the Squads will attend warm weather training camps in Abu Dhabi later this month and into December, with some players also competing internationally at events in South Africa, Australia and Columbia in the early New Year.

One player not included is South African Amateur champion Brian Soutar, who has made the decision to work full-time outside of the game. Fellow international Paul Shields is weighing up his options while Paul Ferrier has already entered the pro ranks in America.

Meanwhile, further changes have been made to the SGU Men’s Order of Merit to be put in place for next season. A revised ranking system was introduced in 2012 designed to address shortcomings of previous methodology, but a recent review concluded that a balance had not been achieved between rewarding high performance against consistency as hoped.

The SGU will continue to use the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) for the tallying of points at individual stroke play events, but a new bonus points system will also be adopted, dependent on position and category of event. 

For match play events, WAGR points will not be used and only specific match play Order of Merit points will be allocated. The Scottish Hydro Boys’ Order of Merit has also been revised with minor changes made.

“The combining of these points should ensure the SGU Order of Merit reflects both consistency and achievement. It is very difficult to get any rankings system absolutely perfect, but we believe the new system goes a long way in addressing many of the challenges,” said Paulding.

 

SCOTLAND MEN’S SQUADS 2012 - 13

 

Men’s Performance Squad

Ross Bell (Downfield), 24

Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm), 31

Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie), 19

Fraser McKenna (Balmore), 21

Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), 24

James White (Lundin), 24

 

Transitional Squad

Lawrence Allan (Alva)*, 18

Sam Binning (Old Ranfury), 22

Anthony Blaney (Liberton), 18

Scott Borrowman (Dollar), 25

Scott Crichton (Aberdour), 24

Michael Daily (Erskine), 23

Adam Dunton (McDonald), 22

Grant Forrest (Craigielaw)*, 19

Scott Gibson (Southerness)*, 20

Graham Gordon (Newmachar), 32

Craig Howie (Peebles), 18

Liam Johnston (Dumfries & County)*, 19

Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie), 18

Fraser Moore (Glenbervie), 22

Conor O’Neil (Pollok), 20

James Ross (Royal Burgess)*, 22

Jamie Savage (Cawder), 18

Daniel Young (Craigie Hill)*, 21

 

* Denotes currently or soon to be based at a USA university or college

 

SCOTLAND BOYS' SQUADS 

Boys’ Performance Squad

George Burns (Williamwood)

Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden)

Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten)

Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie)

Ewan Scott (St Andrews)

Conor Syme (Dumfries & County)

Alan Waugh (Cowglen)

Boys’ Development Squad

Euan Bowden (Tantallon)

Andrew Burgess (The Nairn)

Connar Cook (Caird Park)

Greg Forrester (Lundin)

Calum Hill (Tantallon)

Ben Kinsley (St Andrews)

Cameron Kirkwood (Bearsden)

Niall McMullen (Lundin)

Jake Scott (Buckpool)

Euan Walker (Kilmarnock (Barassie)

Alexander Wilson (The Renaissance)

 

KIWI CAMPBELL IS HALFWAY HONG KONG OPEN LEADER

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
New Zealand’s Michael Campbell continued his recent revival to lead at the halfway stage of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
The 2005 US Open Champion at Pinehurst, Campbell then made just four cuts in two years as he slid outside the top 1,000 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Still only 910th four months ago, the 43 year old is now up to 339th, thanks largely to his third-place finish at the recent Portugal Masters..
A joint best of the week round of 64, finished in style with an eight foot birdie putt at the last, took Campbell to nine under par at a blustery Hong Kong Golf Club and one ahead of two-time winner Miguel Angel Jiménez and China’s Zhang Lian-wei – aged 48 and 47 respectively – and 40 year old Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed on a leaderboard packed with veterans.
Campbell’s best European Tour round for six years came when he went to the turn in 30, made it four birdies in a row on the tenth hole and added a final gain at the last.
“Today was a day where I played great from tee-to-green and holed a few nice putts for pars and birdies,” he said.
“I’m just happy to be in a position to have a chance for the weekend; that’s why we play the game, that’s why I didn’t give up.
“That’s why I just stuck at it, just stuck working hard on my game, and I knew that this would happen – I deserve it, really.
“It’s been a gradual build-up over the last three or four months, a few top 15s. Portugal was a great boost to my confidence, and it shows this week.
“You can’t buy confidence, you just have to earn it, and I think I’ve earned it over the last seven years since I haven’t won a golf tournament. I have been patient.”
Campbell admits the resurgence of similar-aged players such as Open Champion Ernie Els, Dane Thomas Björn and Ryder Cup star Paul Lawrie has helped him to believe a return to the upper echelons of the game was possible.
“There have been times where I wanted to throw it in,” he added.
“But what’s really inspired me over the last four or five years is seeing my friends around the same age bracket as me, in the 40-plus club. The likes of Ernie winning his fourth Major, Thomas Björn winning three times last year, Paul Lawrie has had a wonderful last couple of years, and Jim Furyk winning the FedEx Cup last year. The list goes on, so 40 isn’t a bad age to be playing golf.
“Seeing my friends win tournaments left, right and centre definitely inspired me to not give up and keep on playing.
“At one particular time, I remember I was back in Sydney back home with my family and I said to myself, okay, tonight is where I decide whether I’m going to give up the game or keep on playing, keep on practicing.
“I went to bed that night and I woke up in the morning, and there something inside me said to me: ‘look, keep on going, you've still got the talent’. It doesn't go away, the talent, it's always with you. It never goes away; it just hides now and then. I decided to just keep on working hard and that was it really.”
The leading four players all came from the afternoon session after strong morning winds had died down.
Dane Anders Hansen did the best of those playing in the tougher conditions, with the 42 year old matching Campbell’s 64 to take fifth place on seven under par.
World Number One and newly-crowned Race to Dubai Champion Rory McIlroy four-putted the last to miss the cut, leading Campbell to joke: “That makes it a lot easier for the rest of the field!”
Overnight leader Javi Colomo shot a one over 71 to drop back into a tie for sixth, while in the battle for 2013 European Tour cards Richard Bland and Rhys Davies – currently occupying the last two spots on The Race to Dubai that carry exemptions at 118th and 119th – made the cut with nothing to spare.
Former winners Bradley Dredge, Christian Nilsson, Matthew Zions and Kenneth Ferrie, as well as 2008 Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson all look set for a gruelling trip to Qualifying School next week after missing the cut while outside the top 119Campbell's forefathers came from Edinburgh.
A joint best of the week 64, finished in style with an eight foot birdie putt at the last, took Campbell to nine under par at a blustery Hong Kong Golf Club and one ahead of two-time winner Miguel Angel Jiménez, China’s Zhang Lian-wei and Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed on a leaderboard packed with veterans.
Stephen Gallacher is T8 on 136 with scores of 71 and 65.
Paul Lawrie is T20 on 138 with a pair of 69s.


HALFWAY LEADERBOARD

Par 140 (2x70). Yardage: 6,699
131 Michael CAMPBELL (NZL) 67-64.

132 ZHANG Lian-wei (CHN) 66-66, Miguel Angel JIMENEZ (ESP) 65-67, Fredrik ANDERSSON HED (SWE) 66-66.

133 Anders HANSEN (DEN) 69-64.

135 Javi COLOMO (ESP) 64-71, Daisuke KATAOKA (JPN) 68-67.

136 Marcus FRASER (AUS) 67-69, Peter LAWRIE (IRL) 68-68, Ricardo SANTOS (POR) 71-65, Stephen GALLACHER (SCO) 68-68, Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA) 71-65.

137 Matteo MANASSERO (ITA) 67-70, David HORSEY (ENG) 67-70, Mark FOSTER (ENG) 69-68, Jose Maria OLAZABAL (ESP) 66-71, James MORRISON (ENG) 70-67, Mardan MAMAT (SIN) 67-70, Kwanchai TANNIN (THA) 68-69.

Selected scores

138 Paul Lawrie (Sco) 69 69 (T20)

MISSED THE CUT (142 and better qualified)
143 Tom Lewis (Eng) 73 70

145 Rory MCILROY (NIR) 73-72

146 Padraig HARRINGTON (IRL) 71-75

147 John Daly (US) 72 75
152 Ross Bain (Sco) 79 73
157 Scott Jamieson (Sco) 85 72
167 Andrew McGregor (Sco) 84 83  

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LLOYD SALTMAN DAY'S BIG MOVER IN SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Three birdies in three holes helped Henrik Stenson turn in 33 at Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate and lead the South African  Open Championship.
The 36 year old Swede, now a Dubai resident, is looking to cement his place in the lucrative DP World Tour Championship next week.
Currently 59th in The Race to Dubai with only the top 60 making the journey to Jumeirah Golf Estates, Stenson did his chances the world of good as he continues to return to form.
Fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking three years ago, the former Ryder Cup star slid to 230th at one stage but is now back to 113rd, and boosted his chances of a first European Tour win for five years with his outward nine.
Two behind South African Merrick Bremner overnight, Stenson had a hat-trick of gains from the 15th to reach nine under par.
Bremner was amongst the later starters, while his compatriot Allan Versfeld was up to third on seven under after a front nine 32.
In the dash for 2013 European Tour cards Lloyd Saltman was the day’s big mover.
The Scot, in need of a win as even the second-place cheque of €115,000 wouldn’t take him from 191st on The Race to Dubai into the top 119 come Sunday, turned in a four under par 32 to reach six under and share fourth place.

JIMMY GUNN WINS $3,550 ON ARIZONA TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON  It's not cheap to play on the All-American Professional Golf Tour in Arizona - $800 to enter a tournament after paying the $900 membership fee - but Dornoch's Jimmy Gunn (pictured) is in pocket already. He finished joint fourth on his first appearance of the satellite's 2012-2013 winter circuit (they don't have winters in the Arizona desert!) Gunn shot three rounds of 69 for a nine-under-par total of 207, sharing that mark with four other players. They each earned $3,550. Winner of the $13,500 first prize was Ameican Andre Metzger with scores of 68, 65 and 66 for a 17-under-par total of 199.

GUYATTS LEADS THE STARS IN AUSTRALIAN MASTERS

FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE

Matthew Guyatt maintained his two-shot lead at the Australian Masters following the second round at Kingston Heath.

The overnight leader, from Australia, carded a three-under 69 in Melbourne to hold off the challenge of Michael Hendry, Adam Scott and Ian Poulter.
Hendry matched Guyatt's total of 69 to remain his position in second spot, while Scott was three shots behind the leader after his round of 70.
Poulter, the defending champion, dropped down to a share of fourth after his level-par round of 72.
Guyatt, who normally plays on the Japan Challenge Tour, will now take confidence from his opening two rounds.
"That's the battle, I think, that players in my position face," Guyatt said. "The belief that you've got enough game, the belief that you're good enough. I think I'm starting to get there."
Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell endured a day to forget after carding a round of 77 to drop to four-over - however the Northern Irishman did just enough to make the cut.


SCROLL DOWN FOR SOME NOT-SO-HAPPY
QUOTES FROM IAN POULTER
 

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
Players from Australia unless stated
134 Matthew Guyatt 65 67
136 Michael Hendry 67 69
137 Adam Scott 67 70
139 Craig Hancock 68 71, Ian Poulter (Eng) 67 72 

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MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Title-holder Ian Poulter's wish for more wind at the Australian Masters was delivered in spades today, but the Englishman was furious with himself after a scratchy even-par 72 left him five strokes off the pace after the second round.

Joint-second overnight after perfect conditions during Thursday's opening round, Poulter watched his two-stroke deficit to unheralded leader Matthew Guyatt blow out to five as the Kingston Heath course bared its teeth on a gusty day.
"The course plays much different in the wind. It's a completely different course," a stone-faced Poulter told reporters greenside after cancelling out three birdies with three bogeys.
"I'm frustrated. I'm not going to stand here laughing, am I? I've shot level par and I'm disappointed. I'm not going to be standing here very jolly, am I?
"I've left shots out there on the golf course. I'm five off the lead but I'm pissed off with my round of golf. Simple."
World number 16 Poulter thrived in blustery conditions to win last year's tournament by three strokes at nearby Victoria Golf Club and had said he had hoped for more of the same weather at Kingston Heath on Melbourne's famed sandbelt.
With showers and more windy conditions forecast, Poulter was unfazed by the challenge to peg back the lead over the weekend, having made up huge ground to win his second World Golf Championship victory in Shenzhen, China, earlier this month.
"I was nine back going into HSBC Champions," said Poulter, referring to the final weekend in Shenzhen, where he shot a pair of 65s to win by two strokes.
"I'm going straight back to the hotel, I'm chilling out."

LUKE DONALD LEADS BY FOUR IN JAPAN

MIYAZAKI, Japan (AP) -Luke Donald shot a 7-under 64 to take a four-stroke lead after the second round of the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan today.
Donald birdied three holes on the front nine at the Phoenix Country Club and added four more after the turn to finish at 13-under 129, four strokes ahead of Japan's Shunsuke Sonada (66).
Donald, who won the U.S. PGA Tour and European Tour money titles last season, is playing in the Japan Tour event for the first time since 2007.
Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita also shot a 66 to sit in third place, one stroke ahead of compatriot Koichiro Kawano (69).
A group of four golfers, including overnight co-leader Brendan Jones of Australia (72), were tied for fifth at 5-under 137.

RORY McILROY MISSES CUT IN HONG KONG OPEN DEFENCE

HONG KONG -- World No 1  Rory McIlroy made a double bogey on his final hole today, guaranteeing that he'll miss the cut in his Hong Kong Open title defence.
McIlroy shot a 2-over 72 to finish at 5 over after two rounds in warm but windy conditions at Hong Kong Golf Club. It left the Northern Irishman three shots outside the expected cut.
"It's disappointing; you never want to miss the cut and even more when you are defending a tournament," McIlroy said. 
"So it's not the week I wanted, but then I have a few days to work on my putting and try and get ready for Dubai."
Former champion Colin Montgomerie dropped out ahead of the second round, prematurely ending his 25th year on the European Tour.
Montgomerie, who had a first-round 74, informed officials he was suffering with a foot injury and has returned home to Scotland.
Montgomerie won the 2005 Hong Kong Open. He finished tied for 6th at this year's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles for his best finish in over four years.
Denmark's Anders Hansen shot a 64 to take the clubhouse lead at seven under halfway through the second round.

AUSSIE LAYCOCK IS KEY MEMBER OF NISSAN CUP TEAM

NEWS RELEASE
HONG KONG - Australian Scott Laycock will don two hats when an Asia-Pacific select side takes on Team China in the Dongfeng Nissan Cup in Shenzhen later this month.

Laycock will be in the thick of the action as a player in the Ryder Cup-style team event at the CTS Tycoon Golf Club from November 30 to December 2, and also serve as deputy to team captain Peter Thomson.

It is a role the Melbournian is used to, having been a key member of the 12-man Asia-Pacific team that narrowly won the inaugural edition of the competition -- and he is again looking forward to the challenge.

The tournament was held for the first time last year when the Asia-Pacific won 12 1/2 to 11 1/2 on a gripping final day of singles after the teams were level 3 - 3 following the four-ball matches and 6 - 6 following the foursomes.

"My memories of last year's event are mainly excitement with the standard of golf played," said Laycock, "and one of my goals for this season was to play again if possible. "

Laycock, 41, who hails from Melbourne and has been professional since 1992, is still seeking his first win on OneAsia, although he came close last year when he finished joint runner-up to Kim Bi-o at the Nanshan China Masters following a four-way play-off.

He spent a year on the U.S. PGA Tour after graduating through Q-School in 2002, and has proved he is a good team player by virtue of victory in the Hugo Boss Foursomes with England's Ed Fryatt on the Asian PGA Tour in 1997.

"Growing up in Oz we play matchplay quite a bit in amateur golf, but last year I wasn't sure how much matchplay experience the other Asia-Pacific players had," Laycock said.

"So Peter and I spoke with them to discuss some tactics for the four-ball and foursomes matches, to pass on a bit of experience."

Laycock says when it comes down to the singles, the competitive nature of professional golfers comes to the fore.

"No-one likes to lose," he said. "We are all out there giving our best." 

Laycock, who has won on the Japan Tour and twice on the Australasian Tour -- including the Surf Coast Knockout last year -- has played in three Majors: the Open Championship in 2002 and 2007, and the PGA Championship in 2002.

A multi-talented athlete who also represented his state at soccer as a junior, Laycock has 16 runner-up finishes in his professional career and also boasts 15 holes-in-one in all golf --  including an ace during the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in Seoul in May.

"I feel privileged to be selected in the Asia-Pacific team again and I felt Peter chose me to be vice-captain  because I made an effort to get to know the players  -- and also my ability to pronounce their names correctly," he joked.

"Being a 'veteran' and vice-captain, I felt it was my duty to get to know the players individually and make them feel comfortable in a team environment.

"I made an effort to have meals with all the players and their partners to make them comfortable, and for us to all feel like a team."

Laycock said he expects Team China to come out with all guns blazing after their narrow loss last year.

"The Chinese players are getting stronger every year with the help of quality coaching and by playing internationally on strong tours like OneAsia," he said.

"With the leading Chinese players competing well in Japan and on OneAsia, it has to motivate the younger ones to strive for the same."

WESTWOOD PARTS COMPANY WITH LONG-TIME CADDIE BILLY FOSTER

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
Lee Westwood is to recruit a new caddie after parting company with long-standing friend and bag-carrier Billy Foster. 
The 46 year-old Foster has been sidelined for the last six months with a cruciate knee injury and the former world No 1 had indicated he would keep the job open for him.

But Westwood’s manager Chubby Chandler told the Daily Mail: “Lee is at that stage of his career where he has to be a little bit selfish. He’s only got four or five prime years left.”