McGinley's vote will make Clarke Ryder Cup captain

FROM GOLF.COM 
By NICK MENTA

Darren Clarke will be voted Team Europe's 2016 Ryder Cup captain on Wednesday, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
Per the Telegraph: "Paul McGinley will put aside his personal differences on Wednesday to give Clarke the vote which will carry him over the line in the race to become Europe’s Ryder Cup captain."

McGinley, Europe's 2014 captain, is part of a five-man panel that will select a new captain for the 2016 matches at Hazeltine.
The panel further consists of former captains Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie, outgoing European Tour chief executive George O'Grady and Ryder Cup veteran David Howell.
According to the Telegraph, O'Grady and Howell "will step in only if the three immediate past captains cannot reach a decision."
The report identifies Montgomerie as a clear Clarke supporter while Olazabal will be forced to pick between a friend, McGinley, and a fellow countryman, Miguel Angel Jimenez, the other leading candidate. That likely leaves McGinley as the deciding vote.
Friends for years, McGinley and Clarke drifted apart, according to the Telegraph, "after Clarke moved back to Portrush following the death of his first wife, Heather. 
But the real split occurred after McGinley perceived Clarke as going back on a promise to allow him free run at the 2014 captaincy."
McGinley has maintained following Team Europe's win at Gleneagles that he would try to respect the players' wishes in selecting a new captain. Team veterans Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood have all expressed their support for Clarke.
Clarke served as a vice captain under both Montgomerie and Olazabal in the 2010 and 2012 matches but did not under McGinley in 2014. As a player, Clarke competed on five consecutive teams from 1997 to 2006, compiling a 10-7-3 record en route to four European victories.

... BUT ALISTAIR TAIT THINKS O'GRADY HOLDS THE 

KEY TO THE 2016 TEAM CAPTAINCY

FROM GOLFWEEK.COM

Past captains Paul McGinley, Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie; player representative David Howell; and European Tour chief executive George O’Grady will decide the next European captain at a meeting at the European Tour headquarters at Wentworth.
Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez are the two main candidates. As stated in this column previously, O’Grady might need to cast the deciding vote.
Olazabal can be expected to vote for his compatriot. McGinley might be inclined to lean that way too. He and Clarke aren’t bosom buddies after Clarke tried to scupper McGinley’s candidacy two years ago.
Montgomerie might be inclined to lean towards Clarke, since the 2011 Open champion campaigned to have the Scot reinstated as captain for last year’s match.
Howell is a member of the European Tour’s tournament committee and is supposed to represent the players’ views. However, he will naturally lean Clarke’s way since they have a long relationship as members of Chubby Chandler’s ISM stable.
Over to you then, George!

 

Peter Lawrie says addiction to fizzy drinks was costly

FROM SKYSPORTS.COM

Peter Lawrie has revealed his performances on the golf course suffered a huge dip because of an addiction to fizzy drinks.

The Irishman said he drank several litres of cola a day and battled mood swings when he tried to quit the habit in 2013.
Lawrie went from 161st in the world two years ago to 896th at the end of 2014.

The 40-year-old, pictured, said his addiction got so bad that he used to drink Coke on the golf course but going without it made him feel worse.
“I went from such a high on sugar to a dramatic low,” he told Newstalk. “I never recovered from it, I really didn’t. That was the one thing.
“I know this might shock people, but I lost all confidence in myself.
“I wouldn’t say I went for a breakdown, but I got exceptionally emotional at the end of that year and some of last year, as well.”
"It was just very difficult to deal with all of the situations that were coming at me. Whether that had anything to do with my mental state in any shape or form, I have no idea.”
Lawrie said he has fizzy drinks now, but in smaller quantities, and his form is improving. He has made the cut in his last three starts.
He said: “[Dropping Coke from my diet] just didn’t work.
"I don’t know whether it triggered something in my brain or whatever, but I wasn’t the same Peter Lawrie when I did it.”

R and A's NEW CEO COULD GIVE GOLF BALL 

TECHNOLOGY ISSUE TOP PRIORITY
 
FROM GOLFWEEK.COM
By ALASTAIR TAIT 

Can Slumbers nap on the job?

That was the thought that came to me after a round table discussion with R and A chief executive Peter Dawson and his successor Martin Slumbers in St Andrews.
Slumbers begins working with the R and A on March 2 and will shadow Dawson for six months before taking full control of the reins when Dawson retires after 16 years in September.

You could be forgiven for wondering what on earth Mr. Slumbers (pictured) is going to do in his dual role as R and A chief executive and secretary of the Royal and Ancient, given that Dawson has already been taken care of all the contentious issues.
Or has he?
Dawson has settled the long-putter issue. He’s helped get golf into the Olympic Games. More importantly, he’s turned 261 years of history and misogyny on its head by successfully pushing through new rules that have seen women become members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
Looks like Slumbers is set for an easy ride looking after the normal functions of the governing body and the world’s most influential golf club.
However, could it be that Slumbers is about to take on a bigger issue? Could he be the man to tackle the vexed issue of the golf ball and the distance it travels?
The R and A recently announced plans for a new equipment testing centre at Kingsbarns. The 22,750-square-foot facility will house the R&A’s Equipment Standards department under the direction of Dr. Steve Otto, director of research and testing at The R&A.
There have been rumblings from St Andrews recently that the R&A is set to do something about the ball. Is that the reason for the new equipment facility?
Could Slumbers be in for a potentially bigger challenge than anything Dawson faced?
Watch this space.

CONOR O'NEIL TOP SCOT ON ALGARVE PRO TOUR

Conor O'Neil earned £160 as top Scot in joint 11th place in a field of 56 at the weekend's Algarve Pro Tour 36-hole event at Morgado Golf and Country Club, near Portimao.
O'Neil had rounds of 74 and 71 for one-under-par 145 over the par-73 course. He finished seven shots behind the winner of the £2,000 prize, Tiago Cruz (Portugal) who beat England's Scott Fallon in a play-off after they tied on 138.
The Glasgow player birdied the ninth, 10th, 12th and 13th holes in his final round today.
Craig Lawrie (73-75), Ben Craggs (74-74), Scott Drummond (75-73) and Jay Taylor (76-72) tied 19th on 148 and finished outwith the prizelist.
Lawrie had four birdies but also a double bogey 5 at the short eighth and two late dropped shots at the 15th and 18th.


ALGARVE PRO TOUR
Morgado G and CC, Portimao
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 146 (2x73)
138 T Cruz (Por) 70 68, S Fallon (Eng) 71 67 (Cruz, £2,000, bt Fallon, £1,250, in play-off).
139 M Armitage (Eng) 70 69 (£1,000)
141 Ricky Brackenbury (Eng) 72 69 (£800)
142 S Cronin (Eng) 71 71 (£600)
143 T Hogarty (SAf) 70 73 (£500)

SCOTS' TOTALS
145 C O'Neil 74 71 (T11) (£160)
148 C Lawrie 73 75, B  Craggs 74 74, S Drummond 75 73, J Taylor 76 72 (T19).
155 G Mann (am) 78 77 (41st
176 E Bowden (am) 85 91 (50th).

GAITTENS LOCAL HERO AT FORTROSE AND 

ROSEMARKIE IN NORTH SCOTTISH ALLIANCE

ROBIN WILSON REPORTS 

Local member, Chris Gaittens, whose best result since becoming a member of the North Scottish Golfers' Alliance was a joint first place with Scot Dingwall (Grantown on Spey) at Grantown in October 2013, enjoyed home comfort to record his first individual

scratch triumph at Fortrose and Rosemarkie on Saturday.

The Channory Point peninsular course on Ross-shire's Black Isle has a reputation of being very difficult when wind sweeps across it so Saturday's benign condition caught out quite a lot of players and the scoring was not as low as expected., only two in the field of 89 breaking par and just one local member smashing his handicap.

Wedged between two birdies at the fifth and seventh holes, Gaittens' bogey at the long sixth hole was his second in an outward half of par 36 before a two under par inward 33, highlighted by an eagle 2 at the 265yd 14^th, for a two under par  69 to win the by one stroke from former Scottish international Bryan Fotheringham.

Fotheringham, the reigning Alliance champion, had birdie 2s on his outward card at the fifth and ninth holes to arrive on the tenth tee at two under par 34.
 But two shots were dropped on his run for home, at the 11^th and 15th, one recovered with birdie at the same hole that Gaittens eagled for a one over 36 and a second place 70.

Matching the par of 71, with a birdie 2 at the final hole, were local Alan Cameron (39-32) and John Campbell (Grantown on Spey)  (36-35), whose double bogey 6 at the 15^th was repaired by birdies at the 14^th and 17th, and Elgin's Neil MacWilliam whose card featured four birdies and also an eagle 2 at the 14^th, but was cluttered with six bogies. in par-matching halves of 36 and 35.

A third local to figure in the top eight was Lewis Reid (35-37), joined on 72 by Gordon Hay (Grantown on Spey) and Bruce Thomson (Torvean). 
Hay's net 71 raised him into second handicap place in Class 1 for the second week running. The winner with a net 70 was Elgin's McWilliam.

Only in the higher handicap section was there one player to make an early spring bloom. Local Donnie MacLeod, with a handicap of 13, bogeyed the first four holes then matched par to the 12th before a birdie at the 14th, and then dropping three shots on the final two holes, which he could well afford, for his gross 78 gave him a net 65 and a seven-shot winning margin,.

The fog postponed November fixture at Nairn Dunbar has been rearranged for Saturday, February  21 and the fixtures return to a scheduled Ross-shire venue (Muir of Ord) on Saturday, Februray 28.

NORTH SCOTTISH GOLFERS' ALLIANCE
Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club.
LEADING SCRATCH
Par 71
69 C Gaittens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie)
70 B Fotheringham (Inverness)
71 J S D Campbell (Grantown), A Cameron (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), N Mcwilliam (Elgin)
72 G H Hay (Grantown), L Reid (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), B J Thomson (Torvean)
73 D Hector (Elgin), D Ramsay (Moray) p
74 B Cruickshank (Spey Bay)
75 K Godsman (Moray), R H Stewart (Torvean)
76 J Simpson (Forres)
77 J R Ingram (Boat of Garten), J Shaw (Boat of Garten), G Allan (Moray), D Joel (Inverness)
78 D F Sharp (Boat of Garten), A Waterson (Grantown), R McKerron (Forres), I Murray (Boat of Garten), D M Macleod (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), J Wright (Forres)
79 C C Macdonald (Elgin), R Kinnaird (Grantown), A Hutchison (Inverness), W Donnelly (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), W R Duncan (Moray), R Wilson (Brora), W Weatherall (Muir of Ord), P Masson (Rothes)
81 R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), F Mackellar (Grantown)
82 G Cruickshank (Spey Bay), T Madden (Elgin), S Mullen (Elgin), M McDonald (Boat of Garten), A Henry (Inverness)

LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1 (7 and under)
70 N McWilliam (Elgin) (1)
71 J R Ingram (Boat of Garten) (6), Hector (Elgin) (2), G H Hay (Grantown) (1), L Reid (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (1)
Class 2 (8 to 18)
65 D M Macleod (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (13)
72 I Grant (Grantown) (13)
73 G Cruickshank (Spey Bay) (9), T Madden (Elgin) (9), F Mackellar (Grantown) (8), I Mackellar (Grantown) (11), A McWilliam (Moray) (16)

Aussie Dodt wins Thailand Classic

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Australian Andrew Dodt carded a five under par 67 in the final round of the True Thailand Classic presented by Black Mountain to snatch his second European Tour win.
With much of the focus on big-hitting Scott Hend, the overnight leader, and the much-fancied Thongchai Jaidee and Miguel Angel Jiménez, who both started the day one stroke back, Dodt was under the radar at the start of the final round at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin.
However, three consecutive birdies to start lifted him into the mix, and he stayed steady while his opponents faltered, with Hend posting a level par 72, Jaidee a 71 and Jiménez a 73.
Jaidee had an eagle putt on the last to win, but he left it ten feet short and missed the birdie attempt which would have forced a play-off, leaving Dodt, who had already finished at 16 under par, to celebrate the first prize of 289,862 Race to Dubai points.
Quotes
Andrew Dodt
“I’m speechless. I got off to a good start today and hung in there during the middle, just trying to make pars on the tougher holes. I knew 17 and 18 were downwind and I was hoping to birdie one of those and get to 17 under. Unfortunately I couldn’t, but 16 was good enough. I was really switched on as I wanted to get off to a fast start. Those three early birdies really got the momentum going and I hung in after that. The winds picked up on the back nine and it got pretty tricky towards the end – I tried to play as sensibly as I could.
“Losing my card on The European Tour was probably a good thing two years ago because it really knocked me down, made me work harder and want to do well again. I did that towards the end of last year and that form has carried over to the start of this year.”
Thongchai Jaidee
“Overall I played well but I made some mistakes with the club selection especially on 13 where I double bogeyed. The pin positions were tough, especially on the back nine. I three-putted on 16 and 18. I tried my best and it’s okay I finished second. Andrew was a deserving winner as he put up a great performance. I’ll try again the next time.”
Scott Hend
“I pressed for the win on 17 and got a bit aggressive with my bunker shot, and I finished one shot behind. I came here to try to win. I thought Dodty was going to make birdie on 18 and I was only 15 under, so I thought I had to play an aggressive bunker shot. Unfortunately I caught it a little too clean and bogeyed the hole. All in all it was a good solid week and there are a lot of positives to take out of it. It’s good to see Dodty winning, fantastic. Obviously I wish it was me standing there winning, but congratulations to him.”
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
272 A Dodt (Aus) 71 67 67 67,
273 S Hend (Aus) 67 68 66 72, T Jaidee (Tha) 69 66 67 71,
274 J Knutzon (USA) 72 66 69 67, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 67 67 70 70, R Lee (Can) 68 67 73 66,
275 J Carlsson (Swe) 69 67 70 69, W Ormsby (Aus) 72 65 68 70, M Jiménez (Esp) 67 66 69 73, C Pigem (Esp) 65 72 72 66,
276 A Noren  (Swe) 67 70 68 71, S Brazel (Aus) 69 69 71 67, S Kapur (Ind) 66 73 69 68, J Parry (Eng) 71 69 70 66,
277 R Green (Aus) 71 67 67 72, J Colomo  (Esp) 74 67 65 71, J Wang (SKor) 68 69 71 69, J Randhawa (Ind) 71 70 65 71, A Wall (Eng) 72 68 70 67, J Campillo (Esp) 73 68 66 70,
278 A Lahiri (Ind) 69 72 70 67, N Holman  (Aus) 71 67 71 69, B Henson (USA) 70 69 69 70, P Junhasavasdikul (Tha) 67 73 70 68,
279 M Warren (Sco) 69 71 72 67, M Korhonen (Fin) 73 69 70 67, T Bjørn (Den) 69 72 66 72, A Otaegui (Esp) 69 69 71 70, T Lewis (Eng) 69 67 70 73, P Marksaeng (Tha) 67 72 68 72,
280 P Meesawat  (Tha) 73 65 73 69, C Lloyd (Eng) 69 71 71 69, M Hoey  (Nir) 64 72 73 71, M Fraser (Aus) 69 71 70 70, M Carlsson  (Swe) 71 71 67 71, R Wattel  (Fra) 70 68 70 72, A Atwal (Ind) 73 67 74 66,
281 K Broberg (Swe) 70 71 72 68, T Pilkadaris (Aus) 69 73 73 66, R Karlberg  (Swe) 72 65 70 74, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 72 66 69 74, D Chia (Mas) 71 71 71 68, E Grillo (Arg) 70 69 71 71, J Edfors (Swe) 69 72 72 68, T Khrongpha (Tha) 68 72 69 72,
282 S Kang (SKor) 74 68 72 68, C Plaphol (Tha) 71 71 69 71, M Mamat (Sin) 70 68 70 74, A Hansen (Den) 71 71 69 71,
283 M Kieffer (Ger) 73 68 70 72, J Quesne  (Fra) 70 71 70 72, S Dyson  (Eng) 73 69 72 69, J Barnes (Eng) 72 70 70 71, J Kruger (RSA) 69 69 70 75, D Lipsky (USA) 65 73 69 76, P Swangarunporn (Tha) 75 67 71 70, R Wannasrichan (Tha) 68 71 74 70, S Supupramai (Tha) 72 68 72 71, F Aguilar (Chi) 70 70 71 72,
284 P Peterson (USA) 68 72 72 72, G Havret  (Fra) 69 68 72 75, P Tangkamolprasert (Tha) 71 71 73 69, M Baldwin (Eng) 69 67 73 75, J Pagunsan (Phi) 72 70 71 71, H Chien-Yao (Tpe) 65 73 72 74,
285 P Maddy (Eng) 70 70 73 72, K Richardson (Aus) 73 68 73 71, D McGrane (Irl) 74 67 74 70,
286 K Oda (Jpn) 70 71 74 71, M Kawamura (Jpn) 68 72 71 75,
287 M Ford (Eng) 67 74 72 74, B Rumford (Aus) 69 72 70 76,
288 S Lewton (Eng) 70 71 76 71,
289 S Jamieson  (Sco) 70 72 72 75,
291 A Pavan (Ita) 70 72 71 78, R Paratore (Ita) 67 75 73 76,
292 S Chawrasia (Ind) 71 71 71 79,
295 A Vongvanij (Tha) 72 69 80 74,


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

JIM FURYK LEADS AT PEBBLE BEACH IN FIRST 

TOURNAMENT SINCE RYDER CUP

FROM SKYSPORTS.COM

Jim Furyk shot a superb nine-under par 63 to move into a one-shot lead after the third round at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, California.

On another, glorious day on the west coast, tailor-made for low scoring, the Ryder Cup veteran took full advantage as he posted nine birdies in a blemish-free round at Pebble Beach to move one shot clear of Matt Jones who  followed up Friday's 66 with a 67 - which included six birdies in seven holes but also two bogeys to check his serene progress.

Furyk (pictured) did not show much sign of rust for someone competing for the first time since the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in late September. Now he has another chance to end a winless drought of more than four years - but he will be wary; he has failed to win on the last eight occasions when he had at least a share of the 54-hole lead.
Overnight leader Brandt Snedeker also remains in the hunt as he posted a 67 with a bogey on the par four third hole at Pebble Beach his only dropped shot and he sits two shots off the pace.
The highest-placed European are Germany's Marcel Siem - who matched Furyk's 63 with seven birdies and an eagle on the par five to lie six shots behind the leader - alongside Ireland's Shane Lowry, who shot an excellent 67 at Spyglas Hill.
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
197 Jim Furyk 64 70 63
198 Matt Jones 65 66 67, Brandt Snedeker 64 67 67
199 Nick Watney 65 69 65

SELECTED SCORES
203 Shane Lowry (Ireland) 67
210 Brian Davis (England) 71, Ian Poulter (England) 72 (T77)
212 Greg Owen (England) 68
225 Paul McGinley (Ireland) 76

MONTY CLICKETY-CLICKS AGAIN ON US SENIORS' 

TOUR - LEADS BY ONE FROM JANZEN

FROM GOLFWEEK.COM
NAPLES, Florida– Colin Montgomerie has fond memories of his last showdown with Lee Janzen.
He's hoping for a repeat.
Montgomerie overcame a double bogey to shoot his second straight 6-under 66 and hold onto a one-stroke lead over Janzen after two rounds of the Ace Group Classic at TwinEagles Golf Club on Saturday.
Montgomerie birdied four of his last six holes and is at 12-under 132 for the tournament. Lee Janzen also had a double bogey but shot a 7-under 65 and is one back at 11 under.
In 1993, Montgomerie and Janzen squared off in the Ryder Cup in England.
"The singles is different," Montgomerie said. "It's very much a on-on-one. I managed to beat him 1-up. I hope to stay one ahead."
In the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama, Janzen recalls running alongside Montgomerie while he was being cheered by the European fans. Janzen took off his hat and waved in appreciation.
"Some guy yelled out, 'We're not cheering for you, Janzen,' which was quite funny," he said. "He got a good laugh out of that reminiscing."
Esteban Toledo and Scott Dunlap are at 8-under 136. Three other players are at 7 under, including Bernhard Langer, who won five tournaments in 2014 and also had 18 top-10 finishes.
"A wee bit of gap," Montgomerie said.
Montgomerie birdied Nos. 2, 3, 6 and 7 before faltering for a double bogey on No. 9. He pushed his second shot into a bunker. His chip then ran back down the hill. He chipped to within 4 feet but missed the putt.
Janzen found trouble on the seventh hole. He birdied his first three holes as well as Nos. 6, 9, 12, 13, 16 and 17.
"Same things, I mean, you can look at his caliber and his ability and what he did on 9, he probably wants to kick himself, just like I did on No. 7," Janzen said. "I actually had a chance to make a par."
Added Montgomerie: "He threw in one early on the seventh and I gave him one back at the ninth and yet we both scored 66, 65. So good scoring and it's good that's you're spurred on by someone, especially your playing partner, someone you respect."
Montgomerie birdied four of his last six holes. On No. 17, he had a decision to make. He chose to lay up and credited that with getting a birdie.
"It says maybe I'm more patient," he said. "Maybe I'm maturing, mellowing. I don't know if that's a good thing or not."
Paul Goydos, who won the Allianz Championship last week in Boca Raton, Fla., is at 5 under after a 70.
Kirk Triplett, the 2014 ACE Group Classic victor, is at 4 under after a 72.
SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
132 Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) 66 66
133 Lee Janzen 68 65
136 Scott Dunlap 69 67, Esteban Toledo (S America) 69 67

SELECTED SCORES
138 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 71 67 (T5)
141 Roger Chapman (England) 75 66 (T19)