FORMER BOY WONDER LIAW NOW WORKS WITH SCOT MARK LAMB

FROM USGA WEBSITE
Beaumont, California – Henry Liaw was a can't-miss kid who appeared destined for stardom. He was all of 15 years old when he won the 2001 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio, Texas, and the following year he advanced to the quarter-finals of the U.S. Amateur, where he lost to Hunter Mahan
But a funny thing happened on the way to fame and fortune. Henry never made it on the US PGA Tour and struggled for several years in Europe, China, Japan and Korea before settling into his current role as head professional at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon, located in this Riverside County community about 80 miles east of Los Angeles.
Though his career in golf didn't turn out exactly the way he had planned, he is happy with what he is doing. To a point.

"I miss playing a lot," he said, "especially when you watch guys you grew up with, like Anthony Kim, doing as well as they are. You see that and you're like, ‘Man, I want to go out there.’ This is different, but it's fun, too."
Liaw, who turns 26 in September, works with juniors at an academy he runs at the club with former Scottish boys open stroke-play champion MARK LAMB, and he is an assistant coach for the women's team at the University of Redlands, an NCAA Division III program that just enjoyed the best season in its five-year history.

Redlands’ top player, junior Tracy Saracino of Englewood, Colo., who has been ranked as high as eighth nationally in Division III, said she had not heard of Liaw before he started working with the team, and it was only after doing some research that she discovered he not only won the U.S. Junior Amateur but once shot a 58 at Alhambra (Calif.) Municipal Golf Course when he was 13 years old.

"My jaw just kind of dropped open," Saracino recalled. "I was amazed at what he had done. I was so excited because our program was kind of new and I thought this was going to be great for Redlands, having such an amazing addition."

Head women's coach Art Salvesen said the impact Liaw has had on the team is hard to describe.

"His professionalism and the way he is around the girls really impressed me," Salvesen said. "The short-game lessons we got with him are phenomenal. His name is also a draw. We're starting to build a women's program and of the six new recruits about half of them brought up Henry's name.
"They know what he did."
But Liaw still has regrets over what he didn't do.
"My goal was to always play here in the U.S., but I couldn't break through," he said of trying to make the PGA Tour. "Each year you go to [qualifying] school and you're missing it. After a while it takes a toll. You hear about guys like Mac O'Grady trying 17 times; are you kidding me? I'd rather use that money on my kids' education or something.
"I just got kind of burned out a little bit."

It was late in 2009 when he said he "decided to start over." He had grown tired of constant traveling and not seeing his wife, Meggie, for more than two months out of the year.

But he never grew tired of the memories, particularly those from 10 years ago at the 54th U.S. Junior Amateur. He defeated Richard Scott of Canada, 2 and 1, in a final that ended a gruelling week in which Liaw fell four holes shy of the Junior Amateur record for most match-play holes needed to win a championship. Liaw played 104 holes in six rounds, including a 22-hole victory over Ryan Cochran, son of former PGA Tour pro/current Champions Tour player Russ Cochran, in the second round.

Liaw says he might pull out pictures of that championship from time to time, but he doesn't talk about it much unless someone asks him what he did for a living before he arrived at Morongo Golf Club. If you're looking for awards or other mementos from his highly successful junior days, you'll have to visit his parents' home in Rowland Heights, Calif., more than an hour's drive west.
"My mom (Cindy) has every trophy," he said.
+Article by Larry Morgan, a writer/copy editor for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune in West Covina, California.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? No 8 KEVIN McALPINE

Kevin played on same Colorado State  team as Martin Laird

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

If you are looking around for Scots who achieved stardom as amateurs but whose talent has not transferred with them to the pro ranks, then Alyth’s Kevin McAlpine is one of the first names to come to mind. In 2007 he was at the top of the tree in the Scottish amateur world. In 2011, he is at the bottom of the tour pro ranks

Scottish amateur champion at Nairn in 2006 and then, 12 months later, Scottish amateur stroke-play title-winner over another classic links, Royal Dornoch. Winner also of the North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play for the David Blair Trophy in 2006 and again in 2009 (pictured left at Lossiemouth).

Yes, Kevin McAlpine, at that stage, was more famous than his father Hamish who was Dundee United’s stalwart goalkeeper for many seasons. But Kevin’s pro career has simply not got off the launch pad. The Alps Tour and Euro ProTour look to be his only chance to earn some money with his clubs in 2011.
It was Martin Laird’s recent victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational that brought Kevin back into my thoughts. Weren’t they both on golf scholarships at Colorado State University at the same time, back in the early 2000s?
Just to confirm it, I sent an E-mail to Kevin – and he picked it up in Florida. Here’s his reply:

“Yes, I did attend Colorado State University when Martin Laird was there. He was actually the person who introduced me to the college’s golf coach Jamie Bermel. I had played with Martin during the 2001 Scottish youths championship at Crail where we tied for third behind Jamie McLeary. I told Martin about my intention to go to college in the States and he helped sort that out for me.

“I played on the Colorado State team with him for two years. We had a really good bunch of guys and a great team leader in Martin. He is obviously very talented and smart but also very hard working.

“Martin’s game improved dramatically in the two years I played with him. He did lose the odd five bucks to me though, all be it not very often! His swing now is pretty similar. He hits the same high fade that he did back then.

“Just from watching him (on TV!) I can tell that his short game has improved but most of all his putting has improved since he went to the belly putter! I think that everyone in Scotland and in the world can see how good a player he is now!

“I do keep in touch with Martin. He had asked if I would be in the area for the US PGA Tour’s Florida swing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to any of them. I did send a text to congratulate him after his win, and he replied in a solid Scottish way with 'Cheers!'

“I’m in Naples, Florida at the moment, working at Old Collier Golf Club as a caddie. The plan was to get out of Scotland for the winter, make some money to come back and play this season.

“Caddieing here has helped me to do both! I am still golfing and practising when I am not working. I’m looking forward to the new season. If at first you don,t succeed, try and try again!”

Kevin McAlpine

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? No 7: Scottish schoolboys champion of 1999

Recognise the Scottish schoolboys champion of 1999 when the tournament was played at Troon Darley?
It's none other than 16-year-old Bearsden Academy pupil MARTIN LAIRD, writes Colin Farquharson (Colin@scottishgolfview.com).
Well, we all know what has happened to Martin in the best part of 11 years since then but I thought you would like to see him "before he became famous."
Just like Graeme McDowell claims that four years on the American college circuit at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, transformed him from a good golfer to one capable of winning a Major, so Martin Laird "graduated" in the school of golf through four years at Colorado State University.

He had won the Scottish youths championship at Letham Grange in 2003 and finished third behind Graham Gordon and David Inglis in the Tennant Cup tournament the same year.

Martin has won $5,095,351 in America since 2007. He broke the $1million barrier in winnings in the 2009 season with $1,349,354 and promptly raised the bar again in 2010 with earnings of $2,137,928.

Already this season, he has made $502,638 on the US Tour.

He's No 43 in the World Professional rankings and is the ninth longest driver on the American tour with an average tee shot of 301 yards. You can see him on the left with the swing of a man who hits the ball a long way.

Born in Glasgow on December 29, 1982, he is 28 years old.

FLASHBACK TO THE 2003 TENNANT CUP. Winner Graham Gordon is pictured holding the prestigious trophy. He won the 72-hole tournament with two rounds of 71 at Glasgow Gailes followed by scores of 65 and 67 at Killermont.

David Inglis, on left, was runner-up with 274 and that's Martin Laird, third with 276, on the right. Inglis is now assistant head coach at Luke Donald's alma mater, the Northwestern University, Chicago, whil Gordon's pro career has been blighted by illness. We hope to feature Graham's story in a future "Where are they now?" episode.

+Thanks to Glasgow Golf Club archivist Nevin McGhee for the details of the 2003 Tennant Cup.