Captain Clarke hints that Poulter and 

Westwood will be part of  Ryder Cup team

 

FROM GOLF DIGEST

Following his European team's dominant performance at the EurAsia Cup, captain Darren Clarke strongly hinted that Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood would, in some capacity, be at this year's Ryder Cup (September 30 to October 2).

"What Lee and Poults have brought to the team room has been priceless," said Clarke. "All of the young kids have listened to them, they've all learnt from them and I think it's been a hugely beneficial week."

Considering the duo's sterling Ryder Cup records -- Westwood has played in nine events and is two points away from Nick Faldo's points record, Poulter owns 13 points in 18 matches -- perhaps that sentiment seems like a given.

However, both Westwood and Poulter struggled in 2015, with Westwood posting just one top 10 in 15 US PGA Tour events and Poulter -- after a strong spring -- faltering in the summer, missing cuts at the U.S. and British Opens.

Even to make the EurAsia Cup, Westwood and Poulter were captain's picks, and perhaps benefited from Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson choosing not to participate in the event.

But Westwood and Poulter made the most of their opportunity, going undefeated at the EurAsia Cup and accounting for six of the team's 18 1/2 points.

 Moreover, many of their fellow Europeans seemed to appreciate and value their leadership; Andy Sullivan tweeted out the two were "inspirational" in team meetings.

"The scoreboard was flattering, but these boys played some sensational golf throughout the tournament," Clarke continued. "They bonded as a team and as pairings, and as a captain I couldn't have asked for more from them. These were some of the best players in the world who wanted to be here and they showed it."

This year's Ryder Cup is at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minneapolis.

Spieth buys Mahan's old Dallas mansion

 for $7 million

By Jason Creek

Jordan Spieth isn't exactly a party animal, but we wouldn't blame him if he never left his house again.
After earning $53 million last year (before signing a deal with Coca-Cola) while winning two majors and rising to the top of the Official World Golf Rankings, Spieth plunked down a little over $7 million to purchase Hunter Mahan's old mansion in the Dallas area.
According to real estate blogger Candy Evans, the home in the North Dallas neighbourhood of Preston Hollow was originally listed for $9.5 million back in May 2014 and the two golfers initially brokered the deal themselves after Mahan had Spieth over for a visit and Spieth "LOVED what he saw."
And what's not to love? There's an indoor basketball court, outdoor pool and grilling area, wine cellar, 12-car underground garage, golf simulator and a workout room. 
Based on these photos, it looks like an easy sell for a 22-year old with the whole world at his fingertips.

Maiden Mercedes-Benz International Round 

Sets Stacey Off On Right Foot

• 
  

FROM THE PGAs OF EUROPE

Round 01 of the third edition of the Mercedes-Benz International Pro-Am got underway in near perfect conditions at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club, United Arab Emirates ... and there was some excellent scoring to match. 
The PGA of Great Britain and Ireland’s Jonathan Stacey took the early clubhouse lead and maintained it for the duration of the day.

A superb blemish-free round of 67 (-4) that consisted of two equally impressive nines cemented his place at the top of the leaderboard:

“I’m pleased – I played really nicely and the greens are amazing out there so you certainly know when you’ve holed a putt,” said Stacey.  “I haven’t got a gameplan coming out here – it’s -1 degree back home so I’ve hit a few balls but other than that I’ve got a low expectations.  It’s the first time I’ve played the course and it’s a really good test of golf off the back tees so I’ll see if I can keep it going.”

Starting on the 10th hole, Jonathan parred the first four holes before birdieing the par-four 14th – another birdie was to follow on the par-three 17th to reach the turn in a two-under 33.  Six straight pars followed, however two birdies in the final three holes saw Jonathan post an unmatched 67 and gain the early initiative over the 28 Professional-strong field.

Just one shot behind are Andrej Kraljic (PGA of Slovenia) and Georg Schultes (PGA of Austria) who signed for matching 68s.  Kraljic’s round consisted of two bogeys, three birdies and an excellent eagle on the 18th, with Georg matching the Slovenian with two bogeys and five bogeys to sit close behind the leader moving into the second round.

Two shots further adrift is the defending Champion, PGA of GB&I’s Garry Houston, who, along with Andrew Pilfold (PGA of GB&I) remain in an excellent position after both signing for 70.

In the Team Pro-Am competition it turned out to be a closely fought contest between the two teams from Rockliffe Hall, who were both battling for the clubhouse lead and early advantage heading into Round 2.

Head Professional, Jonathan Stacey, held the clubhouse lead for a considerable amount of time with his team’s superb score of 89 points (-17) that was seemingly unbeatable.  However Rockliffe Hall’s Assistant Professional, Jonny Dye, and his team of Richard Roper, Tanny Sinfield and Tim Walker, went two better with a sublime team score of 91 points (-19), made up from an exceptional 13 Nett Birdies and 3 Nett Eagles to give them a slender lead at the top.

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2016MercInt

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For more information on the PGAs of Europe visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#MercIntProAm’,

THE OPEN BRINGS £140 MILLION 

BENEFIT TO SCOTLAND

EWS RELEASE FROM RandA

St Andrews: The 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews delivered £140 million of economic benefit to Scotland - the largest amount ever achieved by a golf event in the United Kingdom or Ireland, according to an independent economic impact assessment.

The study, commissioned by the R and A, shows spending by visitors to Scotland for the tournament generated £88 million – nearly double the £47.5 million in visitor impact achieved in 2010 when the event was last held at the Old Course.

A further £52 million in marketing benefit was realised, thanks to the exposure gained by St Andrews and Scotland being broadcast to more than 500 million households worldwide, according to separate research carried out by Kantar Media Sport Intelligence.

The economic impact assessment, carried out by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre, estimates that Fife alone benefited to the tune of around £52 million, and suggests there is a “St Andrew’s effect” that has seen visitor numbers to the Old Course exceed all previous years.

Other key findings from the study include:

• Total spectator admissions over the course of the championship (including practice days and Championship days) were 237,024, with 93,000 unique spectators.
• There were 26,400 spectators from overseas - 28 per cent of the total, compared to 20 per cent in 2010.
• More than three quarters of overseas spectators were attending the Open for the first time in 2015.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“We all know that golf and its origins are synonymous with Scotland but these excellent figures show that the connection between the game and its spiritual home is as strong and productive as ever.

“It is always a special homecoming for players and spectators alike when The Open returns to the Old Course – they have the opportunity to experience not only one of the finest courses in the world, but also take in such a stunning setting on the Fife coast.
“Hosting such events is a tremendous opportunity to showcase Scotland internationally as the perfect stage for events as well as generating spend for local businesses, restaurants and hotels, and the wider Scottish economy.”
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said:

“The R&A brings The Open to Scotland more often than to any other part of the United Kingdom and we are delighted that a long association with VisitScotland produces measurable and sustained benefits for the Scottish economy. For the millions who watched on television and the many thousands who attended in St Andrews, the 144^TH Open was a wonderful celebration of golf. The Open is one of the world’s greatest sporting events and we look forward to staging another successful Championship in Scotland this year when The Open returns to Royal Troon.”

Ends.

Start of 2016 Tartan Tour delayed by snow at 

 

Glasgow Gailes

Today's scheduled start of the 2016 Tartan Tour  was postponed when the Glasgow Gailes course was snowbound and obviously unplayable for the first of the PGA in Scotland Winter Four-ball series.

"There was an inch or so of snow in Ayrshire over the weekend – unheard of!" said Shona Malcolm, secretary of the PGA in Scotland.

The Winter Four-ball series switches to the East Course next Monday at Craigielaw Golf Club, East Lothian.

ends

Challenge Tour Schedule for 2016

Scottish Hydro Challenge at Aviemore (June 23 to 26) only port of call North of the Border

The European Challenge Tour will once again break new ground and continue to pioneer the growth of the game across the globe with five new tournaments on a 2016 schedule which reflects the increasing strength of Europe’s top developmental tour. As well as the already-announced Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson and the Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge, this year the tour will return to England and Egypt, while the addition of the Hainan Island Challenge means the exciting season-ending run of events will include two weeks in China in October ahead of two weeks in the Middle East. The 2016 Road to Oman will comprise a total of 27 tournaments in 21 different countries, with all players chasing a spot in the top 15 of the Road to Oman Rankings and graduation to The European Tour. All roads will once again lead to Muscat and the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, where last year Ricardo Gouveia sealed a stunning victory to seal his position as Road to Oman Rankings winner after a record-breaking season in which he became the highest-ranked Portuguese player in the history of the Official World Golf Ranking. Alain de Soultrait, Challenge Tour Director, said: “With the addition of several new event and an increase in prize money, we have a very promising 2016 schedule in front of us and we cannot wait to start what is sure to be another memorable season. “As our motto states, the Challenge Tour is ‘where heroes are made’ and has down the years built a strong reputation for developing and growing the game. Our schedule this year, especially with our exciting new tournaments, reflects this better than ever. “Just over a week ago, one of our most recent graduates, Brandon Stone, captured a maiden victory on The European Tour, with another of our Members, Haydn Porteous, winning the Joburg Open last weekend. "They are just the latest of countless success stories which have proven that the Challenge Tour really is the best place for talented young stars to develop into world-class golfers. “We must extend special thanks to the national federations, promoters, sponsors and partners. Without their continued support the Challenge Tour would not exist, let alone thrive and grow as it currently does. “Finally, we wish the very best of luck to all our Members and an enjoyable season to all our fans.” The season starts once again in Nairobi in March with the Barclays Kenya Open, where last year Porteous beat Stone in a play-off, before the Red Sea Egyptian Challenge – the first Challenge Tour event in Egypt since 2010 – and a return to Spain at the end of April. May will see a return to some familiar sights, taking in the Turkish Airlines Challenge, a trip to 2022 Ryder Cup host nation Italy for the Italian Challenge, a return to Austria for the Kӓrnten Golf Open and the fifth staging of the D+D REAL Czech Challenge. As the European summer arrives in June, the Challenge Tour swings through continental Europe, visiting Switzerland for the Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf, Belgium for the KPMG Trophy and France for the Najeti Open Presented by Neuflize OBC – the first of three French tournaments in 2016. The SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts closes the month before a busy July takes in the Made in Denmark Challenge, the D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge, the Fred Olsen Challenge de España, Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge and the Northern Ireland Open. August starts with the Challenge Tour’s return to Sweden after a five year absence before the Rolex Trophy in Geneva and another new event, the English Challenge, which closes the month. September sees a final visit to France for the Cordon Golf Open and a return to Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa & Golf Resort for the Volopa Irish Challenge before the Kazakhstan Open – with the largest prize fund of the season – returns at the start of October, followed by a second trip to Italy. An enticing fortnight in China for the Hainan Open and the Foshan Open precedes the final two events of the season, the new Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge and the prestigious NBO Golf Classic Grand Final that will bring the curtain down on the 2016 Road to Oman Rankings. See below for the full 2016 schedule. 2016 Challenge Tour schedule DATES TOURNAMENT VENUE PRIZE FUND 17 – 20 MARCH The Barclays Kenya Open Karen CC, Nairobi , Kenya €220,000 20 – 23 APRIL Red Sea Egyptian Challenge Sokhna GC, Ain Sokhna, Suez, Egypt €180,000 28 – 01 MAY Spain (tbc) TBC TBC 05 – 08 Turkish Airlines Challenge Gloria GC, Old Course, Belek-Antalya, Turkey €175,000 12 – 15 Italian Challenge Golf della Montecchia, Padova, Italy €250,000 19 – 22 Kärnten Golf Open TBC €180,000 26 – 29 D+D REAL Czech Challenge Golf & Spa Kunětická Hora, Dřiteč, Czech Republic €175,000 02 – 05 JUNE Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf Golf Sempachersee, Lucerne, Switzerland €170,000 09 - 12 KPMG Trophy Cleydael G&CC, Aartselaar, Belgium €170,000 16 - 19 Najeti Open Presented by Neuflize OBC Aa Saint-Omer GC, Lumbres, France €200,000 23 - 26 SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Macdonald Spey Valley GC, Aviemore, Scotland €250,000 30 – 03 JULY Made in Denmark Challenge Aalborg GK, Aalborg, Denmark €175,000 07 – 10 D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge Penati Golf Resort, Senica, Slovakia €170,000 14 – 17 Fred Olsen Challenge de España Tecina Golf, La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain €170,000 21 – 24 Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France €210,000 28 – 31 Northern Ireland Open Galgorm Castle, Ballymena, Northern Ireland TBC 04 – 07 AUGUST Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson Katrineholms GK, Katrineholm, Sweden €200,000 11 – 14 TBC 17 – 20 Rolex Trophy Golf Club de Genève, Genève, Switzerland €250,000 25 – 28 English Challenge TBC TBC 01 – 04 SEPTEMBER Cordon Golf Open Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André, Pléneuf, France €200,000 08 – 11 Volopa Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa & Golf Resort Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, County Carlow, Ireland €180,000 15 – 18 TBC 22 – 25 TBC 29 – 02 OCTOBER Kazakhstan Open Zhajliau GC, Almaty, Kazakhstan €450,000 06 – 09 Italian Tournament (Title tbc) TBC €250,000 13 – 16 Hainan Open Sanya Haitang Bay Penisula GC, Sanya, Hainan Island, China $350,000 20 – 23 The Foshan Open Foshan GC, Shishan Town, Nanhai District Foshan City, Guangzhou, China $500,000 26 – 29 Ras Al Khaimah Al Hamra GC, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE $350,000 02 – 05  NOVEMBER NBO Golf Classic Grand Final Almouj Golf, The Wave, Muscat, Oman €400,000 - Ends -

NE Alliance tee times at NEWBURGH

Wednesday's North-east Alliance has been switched from Royal Tarlair to Newburgh on Ythan Golf Club.
The following tee times will apply:

8-20 A Campbell G Esson A Smith C Cassie 
8-29 P Morrison M Merchant R Lamb 
8-38 
8-47
8-56 D Mackay K Nicol G Chalmers

9-05 R Reid D Booth R Blackmore S Dillon
9-14 S Davidson D Lawrie M Brown R Brown 
9-23 M Rendall L Roger H Roulston S Ross 
9-32 J Duff B Ritchie 
9-41 
9-50 K McGillivary L Duncan J Stewart W Beattie
9-59 J Forrest B Lumsden N Stewart J Sunley

10-08 J Scott B Skene S Mackie P Walker 
10-17 D Fleming L Fowler M Duncan A Gall
 10-26 K Beveridge L Murray J Hopwood 
10-35 S Finnie S Allison M Winton H McNaughton 
10-44 D Leslie G Homer D Wright P Cheyne 
10-53 G Riley J Morris J Duncan G Milne

11-02 D Brown M Lawrie T Collie R Tulloch 
11-11 W Skene R Duncan M Rogers A Clark 
11-20 G Thom D Lane J Murray D Bisset 
11-29 N K Parker D Nelson A Graham 
11-38 J Nicolson B Nicolson G Allan
11-47 P Low J Borthwick W Middler 
11-56 K Duncan R Mcken M Patterson

12-05