TIGER WOODS IS NOT WORTH THE APPEARANCE MONEY, SAYS PETER THOMSON

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE 

Tiger Woods' trips Down Under aren't worth the sticker price, according to one Aussie legend.

Despite shelling out millions of taxpayer dollars to bring Woods to Australia over the past three years, the country's golf tour has little to show for it, said Peter Thomson, pictured, the five-time British Open champion. 

Thomson said Woods has done nothing to raise the profile of the Australian tour, according to a Reuters report.

"I think Tiger Woods' impact was minimal barring the few days he was here," the 83-year-old said. "It cost heavily and it changed nothing, fundamentally.

"The tour still struggles to attract top players because we can't afford the appearance fees."

Woods played in the 2009 and 2010 Australian Masters and the 2011 Australian Open, and received appearance fees from tournament organisers, which at least one time were subsidised by the Australian government.

Local media reported that Victoria's state government shelled out A$1.5 million ($1.55 million)—or 50 percent of Woods' appearance fee—to attract the 14-times major champion to Melbourne for the Australian Masters in 2009.

With the US PGA and European Tours expanding into Asia, the Australian Tour has been largely left behind. And Tiger's presence on the continent has done little to help sustain growth. 

According to Reuters, last week's Australian Masters saw only "modest" crowds, even though local favoUrite Adam Scott took the crown.

So what future does Thomson see for Australian golf? :

"In the long-term there's only going to be three tours, the US, European and one Asian tour," Thomson said.

"The rise of Asia is potentially very lucrative for Australia, because China is very keen on international exposure.

"Of course, they will have a huge number of talented young golfers coming through and we need to encourage them to nurture their careers down here."

JIMENEZ JUMPS TO 59th IN WORLD RANKINGS

Miguel Angel Jimenez has jumped from 98th to 59th in the world after becoming the European Tour's oldest champion.

TEAMS FOR PGAs OF EUROPE INTERNATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

The PGAs of Europe international team championship, contested by 20 teams of three, tees off at Palmares on the Algarve, Portugal tomorrow.
Two from three individual scores will count daily towards the team total.
The event is over four rounds and four days.
France are the defending champions.
The prize fund is 35,000 Euros.

TEAMS include

SCOTLAND
Gareth Wright, David Patrick, David Orr

ENGLAND
Steve Parry, Stuart Little, Craig Shave

WALES
Andrew Barnett, Richard Dinsdale, Simon Edwards

IRELAND 
John Kelly, David Ryan, Donal Gleason   

TRUMP'S SECOND MENIE ESTATE COURSE IS IN DESIGN STAGE

FROM GOLFWEEK WEBSITE

  FLASHBANK TO DONALD TRUMP CUTTING THE TAPE TO OPEN 

    HIS FIRST COURSE AT THE MENIE ESTATE, ABERDEENSHIR               IN EARLY JULY (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency)  

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE

Design work for a second course at the Trump International Links in Aberdeenshire is now under way.

Martin Hawtree - who designed American tycoon Donald Trump's current course at Menie - has been re-hired to plan the next development.
The second 18-hole course will be situated to the south of the No 1 course.
However, Mr Trump has stressed future work at his golf resort, including the new course, a hotel and golf lodges, are threatened by wind farm plans.
The £230m project off Aberdeen is a joint venture by Vattenfall, Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (Areg).
Mr Trump claims the turbines would spoil the sea views for golfers on his course.
Several organisations, such as Scottish Natural Heritage and RSPB Scotland, have dropped opposition to the wind farm.
The Trump International Links is open only at the weekends untll next spring.

MIDLAND ALLIANCE SWITCH TO BALLUMBIE ON THURSDAY

Tomorrow's  (Tuesday) Midland Golfers' Alliance fixture over the Crail Craighead links has been postponed and rearranged for Thursday at Ballumbie Castle GC, near Monifieth because of flooding at the Fife course. Play will be in three-balls and the tee is reserved from 8.30am to noon.

MyGolfRanking.co.uk, Fife Golfing Association

Week 46 ending November 18

1 Chris Nelson (St Michaels) 993.18 pts

2 Euan Davidson (Charleton) 979.2

3 Garry Cramb (Canmore) 970.43

4 Marc Elvin (Forrester Park) 968.75

5 Bill Baillie (Balbirnie Park) 956

6 Iain Fleming (Auchterderran) 939.29

7 Victor Taylor (Lundin) 917.86

8 A R Medcraf (Balbirnie Park) 912.09

9 Graeme Angus (Scotscraig) 911.63

T10 Andrew Davidson (Charleton) 910

T10 Owen McCue (Kirkcaldy) 910

T12 Tom W Corke (St Andrews GC) 908.33

T12 Gavin Lowe (Pitreavie) 908.33

14 Ben Kinsley (St Andrews GC) 907.14

15 Andrew Hamilton (Balbirnie Park) 900

16 Jacky Henderson (Ladybank) 895.58

17 Kyle Russell (Dunfermline) 895

T18 Angus Liddle (Cupar) 893.75

T18 Jim Woods (St Andrews GC) 893.75

20 Greg Walker (Earlsferry Thistle) 887.5.

For ranking lists of participating clubs, the full Fife and National ranking lists and How It Works, visit www.MyGolfRanking.co.uk

FLEETWOOD KEEPS CARD BUT DAVIES IS DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN

• FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
• By Alistair Tait
• Follow Me: Twitter @GolfweekTait

Tommy Fleetwood can look forward to another season on the European Tour, but Rhys Davies’ career hangs in limbo.
Fleetwood kept his European Tour career alive with a great finish in the South African Open Championship. In 124th place on the European Tour money list heading into the tournament, the 21-year-old 

Englishman needed to finish 27th or better to finish inside the top 119 and keep his card for next year.
In then end, Fleetwood (pictured right by Tom Ward Photography) made it comfortable for himself. He finished T-6 to end the season 109th on the money list.
“It feels better than a win pretty much,” Fleetwood said. “It was probably the most stressful four days of my life I think, but I played great today. I think I hit 17 greens, which under any circumstances is pretty good.
“I'm absolutely made up, honestly. It's unbelievable. It was the difference between going back to the Challenge Tour or staying on the best tour in the world. It's a hard, grafting year on the Challenge Tour. As good as it is, it's very tough. 
"The European Tour is a much better lifestyle I must say and it's just great to have a job there next year."
Fleetwood topped the European Challenge Tour order of merit last year. However, rather than pushing on to success on the main tour, the Englishman has struggled to make the adjustment. That’s a surprise to many who watched Fleetwood in the amateur ranks.
The man from Southport, England finished runner-up in the 2009 British Amateur Championship at age 17. He made the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team that year before winning the 2010 English Amateur Championship. He began his pro career with high expectations but struggled to find a foothold on the main tour this year.
He’ll be hoping his second year see him make major strides forward.

Davies (pictured right) seemed destined to have a great European Tour career when he won the 2010 Hassan II Trophy in Morocco. He beat Louis Oosthuizen down the stretch to win that tournament. Yet while Oosthuizen has gone on to major championship glory with victory in the 2010 Open Championship and a play-off loss in this year’s Masters, Davies has struggled.
The Welshman entered the Hong Kong Open 119th on the money list, the final spot needed to keep a card for next year. However, he placed T-50 and slipped to 121st on the money list. 
He faces a trip to the European Tour Q-School at the end of this month to try to earn his right to play on next year’s European Tour.
Other notables missing out on a European Tour card include England’s Gary Boyd and Welshman Bradley Dredge. Boyd, a protege of Ian Poulter, finished 122nd on the money list. 
Three-time Euro Tour winner Dredge ended the year 125th on the money list after missing the cut in Hong Kong. He is now considering his future.
“The Challenge Tour is not very appealing,” Dredge said. “It is not a total surprise to me since I have not been playing good golf for the last four years, but now I don’t know what the future holds for me. Do I retire and put the clubs to one side?”
At age 39, Dredge can’t be faulted for considering his future. As for Davies, the former East Tennessee State University stand-out player is only 27 years old. He still has the potential of a great career.

SELECTED TOTALS ON FINAL EUROPEAN
TOUR MONEY TABLE

109 Tommy Fleetwood 203,699 euros
110 Peter Whiteford 203,365
115 Craig Lee 193,334
=====================
121 Rhys Davies 183,220
155 George Murray 97,303
159 Gary Orr 93,350
181 Lloyd Saltman 61,738
183 Chris Doak 59,791
185 Steven O'Hara 57,184      

GAINEY WINS PEBBLE BEACH INVITATIONAL BY ONE SHOT

 FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE
PEBBLE BEACH, California (AP) - Tommy Gainey birdied No. 18 for a 3-under 69 and a one-stroke victory in the Pebble Beach Invitational on Sunday.
Kirk Triplett and William McGirt tied for second in the tournament that featured players from the US PGA, LPGA, Champions and Web.com tours. 
Triplett, who was tied for the lead following the second round, closed with a 68 and McGirt shot a 69 in the final round.
Gainey, pictured above with the trophy, trailed leader Robert Streb by two shots at the beginning of the day but made up the leeway by finishing at 11 under 277.
McGirt and Triplett, playing one group ahead of Gainey, both missed birdie attempts on 18.
Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, playing in a foursome that included Juli Inkster, shot a 69 and finished at 1 over.
Gainey earned $60,000 of the $300,000 purse.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
277 Tommy Gainey 69 69 70 69
278 William McGirt 66 71 72 69, Kirk Triplett 66 69 75 68
279 Billy Horschel 70 69 68 72
280 Tommy Armour III 71 71 70 68
282 John Cook 70 72 69 71, James Hahn 76 66 66 74, Robert Streb 69 68 69 76

TO VIEW THE WOMEN'S TOTALS IN THE PEBBLE BEACH INVITATIONAL, SWITCH OVER TO OUR SISTER WEBSITE
www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk