Thursday, December 27, 2012

LINCOLNSHIRE LAD GOES TWO SHOTS CLEAR IN JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL IN FLORIDA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
English U18 boys' stroke-play champion Patrick Kelly from Lincolnshire has made a flying start to the Junior Orange Bowl boys' championship over the Donald Ross-designed Biltmore course at Coral Gables, a suburb of Miami, Florida.
Kelly, pictured, beaten in the final of the 2011 British boys championship, shot a six-under-par 65 to open up a first-round lead of two shots from Matthew Marquez (Trinidad) and Jonah Texeira (California).
South African Haydn Porteous, a well known name in this country through the SGU national squad trips to South Africa, is lying joint fourth on 68.
Patrick Kelly, born in 1994, is a member at Boston West Golf Club, Boston in Lincolnshire.

TO VIEW ALL THE BOYS' FIRST-ROUND SCORES

CLICK HERE   

THERE are no British players in the Junior Orange Bowl girls championship this year but if you want to see the scores

CLICK HERE  

FULL REPORT FROM DAVID MACKINTOSH AVAILABLE ON www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk 

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TOM WATSON APPOINTMENT DOES NOT IMPRESS SANDY JONES

FROM TODAY'S SCOTTISH
 DAILY EXPRESS
By JOCK MacVICAR
Darren Clarke is adamant that "it is a brilliant move and great for the event."
Bernard Gallacher reckoned it was "an inspired choice" and Colin Montgomerie described it as "a coup."
But don't expect PGA chief executive Sandy Jones (pictured) to follow the party line and heap praise on the Americans for appointing Tom Watson as their Ryder Cup captain for the 2014 match at Gleneagles.
Jones claims the Americans have chosen Watson for the wrong reasons - that, mistakenly, they are obsessed with Tiger Woods and that the president of the PGA of America should not be making the decision.
Jones, a Scot, has also revealed whom he would like to lead Europe at Gleneagles.
"I don't get it," said Jones. "Yes, it's great for the Ryder Cup - and if I were just wearing my commercial hat, I would say that it was a great choice.
"But the Americans didn't make the decision for that reason. PGA of American president Ted Bishop said they were fed up getting their a**** kicked. The decision to appoint Tom Watson shows how desperate they are.
"I bow to Darren, Bernard and Colin. They have all been there and done it. I haven't and never will but I can't see it. I can't see the logic of it.
"And we should stop making out how inspired it is because it will give America an advantage at Gleneagles. I'm not in favour of that.
"What we should not be telling the world is that we are afraid of Tom Watson. Why do we have to consider changing our thinking on the European team captain, now Tom is the US captain?
"The European captain needs the belief of his players, whether it is Clarke, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Miguel Angel Jimenez or whoever. They need the players to believe in them."
Jones, who began his love affair with golf as a member at Mount Ellen GC, Glasgow, has been with the PGA for 32 years  first as the Scottish Region secretary, then as chief executive of the entire national association.
During that time, 16 Ryder Cups have been played and he has known 11 European team captains from John Jacobs to Jose Maria Olazabal.
Sandy's knowledge on the subject is extensive, his passion for the job undiminished.
"I don't get it for several reasons," he went on. "A nation the size of America with so many great champions should have plenty genuine contenders (to captain its Ryder Cup team)."
"Are they saying all their recent captains were losers? You're not going to tell me that Davis Love was not a fine captain.
"They're playing this thing that Tom Watson is the great winner and that other people aren't.
"In actual fact, at The Belfry in 1993, he was lucky to win. Bernard Gallacher was unlucky to lost it. Costantino Rocca three-putted and Chip Beck beat Barry Lane when he shouldn't have done. He was three down with five to play.
"So I'm not so sure that Watson (as a team captain) is a winner as much as people think. He's obviously won five Majors but is he a bigger winner as a captain than these other guys?
"I think the best captain America has had in recent times is Paul Azinger. If they had to go back, he was the man.
"I don't think the president of the PGA of America, who had never been outside the States until 2009, by the way, should be making the decision.
"I don't think I should be making the decision nor European Tour chief executive George O'Grady. In Europe it's the tournament committee that decides. It's the players' choice.
"There was criticism of Nick Faldo as Ryder Cup captain. Bue he had been a Major winner like Watson. Yet many people probably would suggest that Faldo has been Europe's worst captain.
Jones also believes America is wrong to be so obsessed with Woods.
"Take Watson and this engement with Tiger," said Jones. "Watson has been scathing on Tiger Woods in the past but at his receent press conference Toms says that if Tiger doesn't qualify (for automatic selection) he will be his first pick.
"Why would you say that 18 months before the event? Woods could be 25th in the world rankings by September 2014.
"What the Americans have done actually is to identify their weakness. They have identified it by showing that they are obsessed with Woods.
The European Tournament Committee will discuss the Ryder Cup captaincy in Abu Dhabi on January 15 although more time may be needed before a decision is made.
"Colin Montgomerie said that Watson's appointment should not colour our strategy and I agree with that," added Jones.       
"But I was with Paul Eales, who is on the tournament committee, and he said it (Tom Watson's appointment) changes what we are going to have to consider.
"He said we need someone who can counteract Tom. No, we need someone who can lead the team. I can understand the talk about the Monty factor for a match in Scotland but personally I still hope Paul McGinley gets it and I hope that Darren Clark gets it in America in 2016.
"Darren's style is a people's champion which the Americans engage with.
"I'd go for a double announcement: McGinley for Gleneagles and Clarke for Hazeltine."   
      
   
       
  

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EUROPEAN GOLF ASSOCIATION PERMIT USE OF MEASURING DEVICES FROM 2013

FROM THE EUROPEAN GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
Distance measuring devices (DMDs) will be permitted for use during European Golf Association (EGA) championships in 2013 and onwards. 
Meeting last week, the EGA Championship Committee recommended to the EGA Executive Committee that the local rule that permits the use of conforming DMDs be added to their generic condition of competition, applicable to all EGA events except the international matches shared with the R and A, Ladies Golf Union and Asia Pacific Golf Confederation.
Under the Rules of Golf, such devices may only currently be permitted for use under the Local Rules of the competition being played. Certain restrictions to the type of device, defined by the parameters measured, are still outlined under the Rules of Golf.
While it has been a matter of contention within the EGA Championship Committee for sometime, a recent survey carried out by the EGA revealed that approximately 75% of its member national golf authorities currently permit their use and that many of those who did not were awaiting the EGA’s lead. Apart from wishing to represent its membership in the best way possible, the EGA also considered its position as an organiser of many international
European title championships and the possible effects the change could have before taking the decision.
Championship Committee chairman, Birgitta Ljung of Sweden, stated that while we recognise that there are major amateur championships and professional tours that still restrict their use, the EGA’s previous position in not allowing them was principally to align ourselves to these other major events and event organisers. 

However, with subtle differences in event conditions already, most of the EGA committee members, whether liking the change or not, saw the change as inevitable in EGA events in any case.
To assist their swing development and practice routines, players currently use many forms of technology, which are not permitted during stipulated rounds of competition. The condition permitting DMDs will make golf course yardages more simply, quickly and accurately assessible than other forms of yardage indication. 
Before DMDs, when players or their caddies used to pace the course, it could be interpreted that those players who were more meticulous in preparing their yardage books had a just advantage over those who did not. DMDs potentially level this aspect of preparation. 
Players must still be judicious on what is best measured, but the main difference in allowing them is that, if a measurement is missed during practice, it can be easily acquired during the round. While it is controversial whether or not the use of DMDs speeds-up play, the pace of practice rounds in particular, should increase.
The EGA Championship Committee will be eager to make sure the greater ease of acquiring yardages translates into faster rounds.
For further information, please contact the EGA office:
Tel: +41 21 785 70 60

 Email: info@ega-golf.ch

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NEWS ABOUT EPD TOUR'S 2013 SCHEDULE



FOR NEWS ABOUT THE 2013 SCHEDULE OF THE 
 E P D Tour (European Professional Development), which is run by the German PGA,

CLICK HERE

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MY SPECIAL DAY - CANCER SURVIVOR THOMAS BROCK MEETS PAUL LAWRIE


LINK TO THE SKY SPORTS SPECIAL VIDEO

CLICK HERE

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