RYDER CUP CAPTAINCY: SANDY LYLE HAS NOT GIVEN UP HOPE

FROM THE BBC SPORT WEBSITE
Former US Masters and Open champion Sandy Lyle has not given up on one day captaining Europe's Ryder Cup team.
The 54-year-old Anglo-Scot feels once more in the frame after discovering he was considered to lead the team in 2014.
Players' Committee chairman Thomas Bjorn phoned Lyle to tell him he was one of five candidates discussed before Paul McGinley was selected .
"At least I'm still being considered because two years ago I thought I was regarded as too old," said Lyle.
"They never told me I was under consideration for the captaincy," said the 1985 Open winner.
"It was only when I got a phone call from Thomas the very night they made their decision that I knew.
"They seem to have deleted the unwritten rule that says when you reach 50 it is the end of your Ryder Cup chances."
And Lyle believes that the selection of veteran Tom Watson as United States captain means that age is no longer viewed as a barrier to the role.
"We live in hope and I shall keep my ears and eyes open from now on. Tom Watson being chosen to lead the US has opened the door for us oldies," he said.
"Tom will be 65 in 2014. Maybe I could be considered now for a Ryder Cup in the States, especially with my experience of playing over there,"
However, Lyle, who won the US Masters in 1988, will not be actively lobbying for the role.
"I'm not going to campaign for it," said Lyle.

"If they want me it'll be most welcome but I'm not going to cry about it or lose any sleep if they don't."

But the five-time Ryder Cup player admitted McGinley faced an awkward challenge because of Watson's popularity in Scotland, where he won four of his eight major championships.
"Tom is almost an icon in Scotland," explained Lyle. "He is well-liked there and it's going to be awkward for McGinley because he has got a lot to live up to.
"It'll test him to his limits. When you mention Tom Watson he gets a lot of respect... he's like a Lee Trevino or a Jack Nicklaus.
"When it comes to the war of words and the way the speeches go, that's an important thing.
"McGinley needs to get the crowd to rise to the occasion and get the players going," added Lyle.
However, Lyle is convinced that McGinley's experience at captaining team events was a positive factor.
"But McGinley has a lot of experience of team events having played in the Ryder Cup and been a Seve Trophy captain and Ryder Cup vice-captain," he said.
"He's a good choice and he'll do a good job."

STRONG SCOTLAND TEAM FOR BOYS' QUADRANGULAR IN FRANCE

FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE

Bradley Neil, winner of a Team GB gold medal at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival last month, will seek to continue his fine start to the new season at the 2013 Boys Quadrangular in France.

The Under-18 competition is being contested by the French, Scotland, Italy and Sweden from 14-16 March at Pont Royal Golf Club in Provence.

Due to date scheduling difficulties, the Scots didn’t participate in the pre-season international warm-up event in 2012 but are sending a six-strong team next month.

Led by Under-18s Coach Neil Marr, Neil (Blairgowrie) will be joined by fellow SGU Boys’ Performance Squad players George Burns (Williamwood), Bearsden’s Ewen Ferguson, Bob MacIntyre of Glencruitten, Conor Syme (Dumfries and County) and Cowglen’s Alan Waugh.

Neil celebrated his 17th birthday in style in Australia after he and compatriot Ewan Scott from St Andrews combined with English girl Georgia Hall and Chloe Williams from Wales for overall team glory Down Under.

Bradley enjoyed a number of highlights in 2012, including winning the Moneygate Scottish Area Team Championship with Perth & Kinross and the Scottish Club Championship with Blairgowrie. He went on to be capped for Great Britain & Ireland at the Jacques Leglise Trophy.

Ferguson, who has been performing well in America, finished second in the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Scottish Boys Stroke Play last year, while Burns also enjoyed a consistent season with five top-12s.

Left-hander MacIntyre was runner-up in the Scottish Boys Under-16s Stroke Play, while Waugh reached the semi-finals of the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Boys Championship. Syme, meanwhile, won the Paul Lawrie Foundation Junior Jug.

Neil is the only survivor from the side who performed at the Boys Quadrangular in 2011 at Acaya Golf Resort, Puglia in Italy. Then, Scotland lost to Sweden and Italy, but did defeat France to finish third overall.

For the record, the Scotland team in 2011 was: Liam Johnston (Dumfries and County), Grant Forrest (Craigielaw), Ewan Scott (St Andrews), Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock, Barassie), Daniel Hendry (UAE) and Neil.

Scotland team for the Boys' Quadrangular 2013

George Burns (Williamwood)
Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden)
Bob MacIntyre (Glencruitten)
Bradley Neil ( Blairgowrie)
Conor Syme (Dumfries & County)
Alan Waugh (Cowglen)

Reserve (Non-travelling): 

Calum Hill (Tantallan)

The event format see three foursomes ties and six singles matches (36 holes per day).

JOHN GALLAGHER LYING SIXTH IN SPANISH GECKO TOUR EVENT

Former Scottish amateur champion John Gallagher from Edinburgh is lying joint sixth at the halfway stage of the 36-hole Spanish Gecko Tour event at Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Murcia.  Gallagher, pictured, shot a three-over-par 75 to be six shots behind the two-stroke leader Marek Novy from the Czech Republic. LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES  Par 72 69 Marek Novy (Cze). 72 Jack Winter (Eng). 73 Jaime Camargo (Spa), Gabriel Canizares (Spa)  SELECTED SCORES  75 John Gallagher (Sco), Jeff Pitt (Eng) (T6). TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES CLICK HERE

FORMER SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPION BOOTH SHARES LEAD

Stirling University graduate and former Scottish youths champion David Booth shared the first-day lead with a remarkable round of two-under-par 70 in the Spanish Evolve Pro Tour's Condado Open at Alhama Golf Club, Murcia today. Booth, pictured, looked like finishing nearer last than first when he had a double bogey 6 at the second and a double bogey 7 at the long fourth followed by a bogey at the seventh. That put him five over par after seven holes. Then came a remarkable revival by the Rotherham-born player.  Booth covered the last 11 holes in seven under par with birdies at the eighth, ninth, 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 18th to share the lead on 70 with Lasse Sonne Nielsen (Denmark). The compeition is over three rounds.   LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES  Par 72 70 Lasse Sonne Nielsen (Den), David Booth (Eng). 71 Florian Fritsch (Ger). 74 Matt Evans (Eng), Nick McCarthy (Eng). 75 James Housby (Eng). TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES CLICK HERE

DAVID DUVAL 'EXCITED' TO REJOIN NIKE GOLF STABLE

NEWS RELEASE FROM NIKE
This week, golf fans may notice something that looks familiar – David Duval in the Swoosh.  Nike Golf today announced that Duval has re-signed with Nike Golf. He will make his 2013 debut in the Swoosh at this week’s AT and T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Duval, who was the first Nike athlete to win a major championship using Nike clubs in 2001, will be teeing up the world’s first high speed cavity back driver that conforms to USGA and R and A rules, the Nike VR_S Covert driver. He will also game the Nike VR Pro Limited Edition fairway wood, Nike VR Pro Blade irons, Nike VR Pro wedges and a Nike Method Prototype putter. 
For his golf ball, Duval will play with Nike’s new 20XI-X featuring more RZN technology. On the body, he’ll wear Nike Golf apparel from its Tour Performance Collection and the new Nike Lunar Control footwear.

A fan of the Nike Brand since he first signed with the company in 2001, Duval returns to the Swoosh after missing the products and the people involved. 
“I could not be more excited to once again become a Nike Athlete,” said Duval. “Nike Golf has been a major player in the success I have had throughout my career. I am thrilled to return to the Swoosh and continue my career with a brand that focuses on developing innovative products.”
Duval has 13 career victories on the US PGA Tour, and he also won the 2001 British Open Championship. He has been on three Presidents Cup Teams, two US Ryder Cup teams, and two World Cup teams over his career.
“We have always had a great relationship with David and are happy to welcome him back to the Nike family,” said Mark Thaxton, Global Director of Sport Marketing Operations for Nike Golf.

Duval’s Nike Golf Arsenal
Driver:  Nike VR_S Covert 8.5-degrees, neutral position (Diamana White-Board 73X)
Fairway Wood:  Nike VR Pro Limited Edition 3-wood/15-degree
Irons:  Nike VR Pro Blades (2-PW)
Wedges: Nike VR Pro 53-degree and 58-degree
Putter: Nike Method 006 prototype
Ball: Nike 20XI X
Apparel:  Nike Golf Tour Performance Collection
Footwear:  Nike Lunar Control

Located at NIKE’s World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. 
Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to ushering in the future of this great sport by developing ground-breaking innovations that enable and inspire athletes to become better.  
For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at www.nikegolf.eu and http://www.nikegolf.eu/   
To follow Nike Golf on Twitter visit www.twitter.com/nikegolf 
http://www.twitter.com/nikegolf
and to become a fan on facebook go to www.facebook.com/nikegolf 
http://www.facebook.com/nikegolf 
To view Nike Golf videos subscribe to our You Tube channel at www.youtube.com/nikegolf http://www.youtube.com/nikegolf 

LEADING GOLF BRANDS' DEMONSTRATIONS AT ABERDEEN'S GAMOLA GOLF

  NEWS RELEASE

 

An Aberdeen golf equipment specialist is set to hold a series of expert demonstrations at its city centre retail store.

Gamola Golf, a large golf club, equipment, clothing and accessories store based on the city’s Market Street, is set to welcome representatives from leading golf brands, who will be on hand to advise customers on the latest products.

Representatives from Yonex, Mizuno and Callaway have already been confirmed while Gamola expects to secure other leading companies for similar events in the near future.

They will be offering expert advice on the latest golf clubs, including custom orders, in order to help Gamola’s customers find the best equipment to suit their game.

The first event, focusing on Yonex, takes place on Wednesday, February 20 (2013) from 11am-3pm. On Monday, February 25, an expert from Mizuno will be in store for a fitting day between 12-4pm. Finally, on Thursday, March 7 there will be a demonstration from Callaway between 11am-4pm.

 

To book your place at any of the free events, please contact Gamola Golf on 01224 592900 or ask in store. One-on-one meetings are likely to last 30 minutes.

 

Graeme Masterton, the driving force behind Gamola Golf, said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to attract experts from some of the biggest names in golf. It will be a great opportunity for our customers to try out the latest clubs and find one that can improve their game.”

The Gamola Golf complex is home to a 4,000 sq ft retail store as well as the company’s thriving online business. 
Both feature a host of leading brands including Callaway, Mizuno, Nike, Ping, TaylorMade and Titleist. The store is open from 9am to 6pm Monday-Saturday, extended until 8pm on Thursday, and 11am-5pm on Sunday.

It also features the Locker Room, a bar, restaurant and virtual golf venue which can host more than 140 people. Its five large golf simulators offer virtual access to more than 130 of the world’s premier golf courses - including Kingsbarns, The Belfry and Celtic Manor - and can test the limits of even the most talented golfer.

Prices for virtual golf at the Locker Room are £30 per hour per simulator for a maximum of four people, with special packages available for group bookings. The venue is open from 10am-10pm Monday-Wednesday, 10am-midnight Thursday-Saturday and 10am-9pm on Sunday.

Tartan Tour Professional Greg McBain, winner of the 2012 Paul Lawrie Invitational, is on hand to provide golf lessons as well as advice on custom-fit clubs, while the top floor includes training facilities and meeting rooms available for hire.

 

For further information call 01224 592900, visit www.gamolagolf.co.uk or email lockerroom@gamolagolf.co.uk.

 

MICHAEL CHOI SETS PACE AT ONEASIA Q SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA

Choi heads the class at Sabah Q-School

 

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia:- Australian Michael Choi fired a four-under-par 67 on Tuesday to grab a one-shot lead after the opening round of OneAsia's Q-School at Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club in Sabah, Malaysia. 

Choi, who lost his card after a disappointing rookie season last year, offset five birdies with a lone bogey around the 6,330 metre (6,876 yard) course to nose ahead of Austrian Hamza Amin and New Zealander Nick Gillespie.

With places in the tour's prestigious million-dollar tournaments at stake, nearly 200 players from around the world signed up for Q-School this year. Ten spots went to the top finishers at last week's qualifier at Industry Hills Golf Club in Los Angeles, California, and 14 await the participants at Sutera Harbour. 

"I'm really pleased with the way I played today and hopefully I can continue with this for the next three days," said Choi (right), who finished 19th at Q-School in 2012.

"I played terrible last year. I had full exemption, but just didn't play very well. A lot of the courses I hadn't played before, and everything was all a bit new, so I would definitely like to have another try at it, to get a second shot."

Choi has something of a stormy relationship with the Sutera Harbour course. Needing a par on the 72nd hole to guarantee himself a top 20 place at Q-School last year, he made a double-bogey for a 69, and returned to his hotel room certain he had missed out. 

Instead, the wind picked up and blew the late finishers off track, leaving Choi to graduate. 

The winners of both Q-Schools are guaranteed starts at all OneAsia's tournaments in 2013, while those who finish second and third will likely start most events.

Positions are then accorded proportionally between the Malaysian and U.S. Q-Schools. 

"Getting status is everything," said Pakistan-born Amin after his opening 68 left him in good stead for the rest of the week.

The son of Taimur Hassan, one of Pakistan's most decorated amateur golfers, Amin went to school in his mother's Austrian homeland and only turned pro last year. 

"Getting a card would mean I have a proper schedule, and then I can stick to the process that I have set myself," he said.

Some 15 nationalities were represented at both legs of Q-School and the leaderboard at Sabah was a kaleidoscope of foreign flags with Murillo Wolmer from Venezuala and Canadian Matthew Johnston sharing fourth place at two under. 

OneAsia was founded in 2009 by the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Tour, the Korea Golf Association and the PGA of Australia.

 It has since doubled in size, and the tour's elite suite of tournaments now includes the national Opens of Australia, China, Korea and Thailand -- as well as numerous other prestigious events.

The first event of the 2013 season will be the U.S.$ 1 million Thailand Open from March 14-17.  The tournament is fully co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour Organisation with earnings counting for both money lists.

Scores

 

After the first round of OneAsia Q-School (Sabah) played at the  6,440-metre (6,867-yard) par-71 Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club (* denotes amateur):

 

67 - Michael CHOI (AUS)

68 - Hamza AMIN (AUT), Nick GILLESPIE (NZL) 

69 - Matthew JOHNSTON (CAN), Murillo WOLMER (VEN)

70 - PARK Hyo-won (KOR), KANG Ji-man (KOR), LEE Jung-oh (KOR), Adam SHAW (MAL), PARK Min-jun (KOR) , Blair WILSON (AUS)

71 - KIM Young-kyu (KOR), SONG Jin-oh (KOR), LEE Hoon-heui (KOR), Daniel FOX (AUS) , SEO Jeoung-min (KOR) , Akinori TANI (JPN), LIM Seung-eun (KOR), KIM Yeun-sub (KOR)

72 - Henry EPSTEIN (AUS) , KIM Hyung-tae 837 (KOR)  , Darren GRIFF (CAN), LEE Ji-hoon (KOR), KIM Jin-kyung (KOR), Edward REYES (PHI), PARK Sang-wook (KOR), PARK Sung-hyuk (KOR), Brendan SMITH (AUS) 

73 - CHOI Bo-kyu (KOR), CHO Hong-ryul (KOR), KWON Hyuk-koan (KOR), KIM Hyun-il (KOR), LEE Jeong-woo (KOR), PARK Jin-seon (KOR), PARK Jin-woo (KOR), KIM Jun-kyum (KOR), CHAN Shih-chang (TPE), KIM Min-jun (KOR), Richard T LEE (CAN), HUANG Tao (TPE) 

74 - KIM Tae-hoon (KOR), WON Doo-kyun (KOR), SHIN Hyuk-chul (KOR) , PARK Il-hwan (KOR) , KIM Ji-hoon (KOR), Jun AN (KOR), Lindsay Michael RENOLDS (CAN), Taichi NABETANI (JPN), LEE Seung-chul (KOR), Tim WOOD (AUS) , KIM Sin-kwan (KOR) , Daniel VALENTE (AUS)

75 - Nabil ABDUL (AUS), CHAE Bum-geun (KOR) , PARK Chan-joon (KOR), HA Chung-hoon (KOR), LEE Dae-jun (KOR), PARK Gun-woo (KOR), Fumihiro EBINE (JPN), CHOI Jin-gyu (AM) (KOR), Brent McCULLOUGH (AUS)  , KWON Sung-youl (KOR) , MOON Tae-yang (KOR), KIM Young-bon (KOR)

76 - PARK Chan-kyu (KOR), Daniel BRINGOLF (AM) (AUS), LEE Dong-hoon (AM) (KOR), YU Gyoung-yoon (KOR) , CHOI Seong-Jin (KOR) , LEE Jun-Hyuk (KOR), NOH Kyung-rok (KOR), Ian SONG (KOR)

77 - Rika BATIBASAGA (AUS), CHO Eun-seol (KOR), KIM Dong-hyeon (KOR), Andrew COOPER* (AUS), Richard LEE (NZL),  PARK Jun-sub (KOR), LIN Kuan-po (TPE), JUNG Taek-lim (KOR)

78 - LEE Jae-hyeok (KOR), HAN Jee-hoon (AM) (KOR), Stephen LINDSKOG (SWE), LIM Jong-ho (KOR), KIM Min-gu (AM) (KOR), KONG Yoon-sik (KOR), JEOUNG Sung-hun (KOR), KIM Woo-hyun (KOR)

79 - MUN Do-yeob (KOR), A J MANDANI (USA), JI Kwang-suk (KOR), BAEK Seung-min (KOR), YOO Sung-yong (KOR), JIN Young-gab (KOR) 

80 - Ellar CHEN (TPE), Do-eun AN (AUS)

81 - LEE Dae-han (AM) (KOR), KIM Ki-soo (KOR),  SHIN Yong-bu (KOR)

82 - HONG Ju-hyeong * (KOR), CHAE Sung-duk (KOR), KIM Tae-woo (KOR)

84 - Franjo BLAZEVIC (AUS), KIM Ki-hwan (KOR)

87 - HO Ka-lok (HK), JUNG Joon-ki (KOR)

93 - PARK Kyung-chan (KOR)

94 - Brenton BLANK (AUS)

 

About OneAsia

BEN ECCLES WINS NSW AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Ben Eccles, from the Australian state of Victoria, has won the 2013 NSW Amateur Championship at Royal Sydney Golf Club.
He scored a 2 and 1 victory in today's 36 hole final against Bonnie Doon's Troy Moses.
The young Victorian was never headed all day, in a very close contest where there was never more than three holes the difference. The contest was tightly contested, with Eccles only one up after 27 holes.
Victorian State players  won both pieces of silverware, following Thomas Horan's win in the NSW Medal stroke-play qualifying tournament which produced the 32 qualifiers for the match-play.

Rookie Paul Shields trails at Sundance GC, Buckeye in Arizona

Rookie pro Paul Shields is lying T78 in a field of 92 players after the first round of the All-American Professional Tour's 54-hole event at Sundance Golf Club, Buckeye in Arizona.
Shields shot a six-over-par 78 to trail leader Drew Stoltz by 13 shots.

LEADERBOARD
Players from USA unless stated
65 Drew Stoltz
66 D J Brigman, Jesse Mueller, Kent Eger (Canada).

SELECTED SCORE
78 Paul Shields (Scotland).   

JAMES BYRNE NOW RANKED 699th IN THE WORLD

JAMES BYRNE, earned six World Ranking points for his victory in Malaysia. NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR Scotland's James Byrne earned his first world ranking points of the season when he received six points following his win at the PGM CCM Rahman Putra Masters on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last weekend.  The ADT, which is the secondary circuit of the Asian Tour entered a new and exciting era when all events starts receiving Official World Ranking points from 2013 onwards. All winners on the ADT will receive a minimum of six world ranking points while the top-six players and ties will earn points based on a sliding scale.  Byrne, the 2011 Walker Cup star and Scottish Northern Open champion, is now ranked 699th in the world with Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy taking pole position. Australia's Marcus Fraser, second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season, is lying in 51st place, while Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee is three places back in 54th on the rankings. Other Asian Tour members in the top-100 include Korean honorary member, K.J. Choi (57th), Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant (72nd), Korea's Bae Sang-moon (79th),India's Jeev Milkha Singh(91th), Fiji's Vijay Singh (93th) , India's Gaganjeet Bhullar (97th) and Noh Seung-yul of Korea (100th).