Pressure on Lee, Cairns and McKinnon in team event
SCOTLAND DUE A WIN IN PGAs
OF EUROPE EVENT IN SPAIN
FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON
(Colin@Scottishgolfview.com)
Scotland, the country that dominated the PGAs of Europe international team golf championship in the 1990s, are certainly due a win this Century in the tournament.
The Scots won back-to-back titles in 1996 and 1997 – and since then nothing although they did finish joint third with England last year, only four shots behind champions France with Ireland runners-up, two shots off the pace.
The tournament, supported by Glenmuir, tees off on Wednesday at Roda - a new Dave Thomas-designed course in the Murcia region of Spain.
This year’s Scotland trio – Craig Lee (Stirling), Samuel Cairns (Westerwood) and James Irvine (Irvine) – are not, on paper, as strong as last year’s Tartan Tour line-up of Scott Henderson, Chris Doak and Chris Kelly.
But that’s due to the parameters of the selection system for this tournament which is essentially for club pros rather than full-time tour pros. That’s why the original team announced by the PGA Scottish Region - Greig Hutcheon, Dean Robertson and Craig Lee, whowere the first three in the Tartan Tour Order of Merit this year, had to be revised.
Messrs Hutcheon and Robertson do not meet the stipulation that players in the PGAs of Europe international team tournament must work at least 25 hours a week in a golf professional’s shop or other golf-related business.
Let’s hope that Messrs Cairns and Irvine can rise to the occasion as super-subs.
The England team, spearheaded by Glenmuir British club professional champion Paul Wesselingh, will start favourites to take the title at the conclusion of the four-day 72-hole stroke-play event in which each team counts only its two best from three individual scores daily.
Incidentally, PGA Cup player Wesselingh was so emotional after his national club pro success that he couldn’t remember his telephone number when he wanted to phone home with the victory news!
The PGAs of countries all over the Continent have sent teams of three to compete in Spain and many of the line-ups include British or Irish professionals who have gone abroad to get club posts.
The "home" British and Irish line-ups are:
England – Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park), Duncan Muscroft (Venice), Ian Keenan (Royal Liverpool).
Ireland – Robert Giles (Greenore), Leslie Walker (Dundalk), John Dwyer (Ashbourne).
Scotland – Craig Lee (All Swing Golf Centre), Samuel Cairns (Westerwood), James McKinnon (Irvine).
Wales – Alun Evans (Newport Links), Mark Litton (The Bedforfd), Simon Edwards (Clays, Wrexham).
OF EUROPE EVENT IN SPAIN
FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON
(Colin@Scottishgolfview.com)
Scotland, the country that dominated the PGAs of Europe international team golf championship in the 1990s, are certainly due a win this Century in the tournament.
The Scots won back-to-back titles in 1996 and 1997 – and since then nothing although they did finish joint third with England last year, only four shots behind champions France with Ireland runners-up, two shots off the pace.
The tournament, supported by Glenmuir, tees off on Wednesday at Roda - a new Dave Thomas-designed course in the Murcia region of Spain.
This year’s Scotland trio – Craig Lee (Stirling), Samuel Cairns (Westerwood) and James Irvine (Irvine) – are not, on paper, as strong as last year’s Tartan Tour line-up of Scott Henderson, Chris Doak and Chris Kelly.
But that’s due to the parameters of the selection system for this tournament which is essentially for club pros rather than full-time tour pros. That’s why the original team announced by the PGA Scottish Region - Greig Hutcheon, Dean Robertson and Craig Lee, whowere the first three in the Tartan Tour Order of Merit this year, had to be revised.
Messrs Hutcheon and Robertson do not meet the stipulation that players in the PGAs of Europe international team tournament must work at least 25 hours a week in a golf professional’s shop or other golf-related business.
Let’s hope that Messrs Cairns and Irvine can rise to the occasion as super-subs.
The England team, spearheaded by Glenmuir British club professional champion Paul Wesselingh, will start favourites to take the title at the conclusion of the four-day 72-hole stroke-play event in which each team counts only its two best from three individual scores daily.
Incidentally, PGA Cup player Wesselingh was so emotional after his national club pro success that he couldn’t remember his telephone number when he wanted to phone home with the victory news!
The PGAs of countries all over the Continent have sent teams of three to compete in Spain and many of the line-ups include British or Irish professionals who have gone abroad to get club posts.
The "home" British and Irish line-ups are:
England – Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park), Duncan Muscroft (Venice), Ian Keenan (Royal Liverpool).
Ireland – Robert Giles (Greenore), Leslie Walker (Dundalk), John Dwyer (Ashbourne).
Scotland – Craig Lee (All Swing Golf Centre), Samuel Cairns (Westerwood), James McKinnon (Irvine).
Wales – Alun Evans (Newport Links), Mark Litton (The Bedforfd), Simon Edwards (Clays, Wrexham).
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Tuesday, November 14, 2006
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