Rugby: Scotland scrap southern hemisphere tours

The SRU have confirmed Scotland will no longer hold three-day tests against South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, at least for the next eight years.

Scotland's absence from New Zealand's tour schedule for the next eight years has been explained as a decision taken by the SRU, contrary to reports. It had been suggested the Scots had been snubbed by the All Blacks, when they unveiled their future plans earlier this week.

National coach Andy Robinson and performance director Graham Lowe no longer favour prolonged tours of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Instead, Scotland will travel for one-off matches against the three for the foreseeable future, while also hosting the trio nine times in six years between 2012 and 2018.

France, England, Ireland and Wales are all booked up to play the three, who are collectively known as SANZAR, on tours scheduled until 2018.

“I am very pleased with the tours schedule,” Robinson told the SRU website. “We have a first-rate programme of autumn Tests incoming to Murrayfield, which are important for our rugby development.

“As far as our overseas tours are concerned I do not believe it would be beneficial for us to play a series of three Tests against the individual SANZAR countries at the end of our season.

“What I believe works for us, from a performance perspective, is a mix between SANZAR and Tier 2 unions as that gives us the opportunity to develop players which is part and parcel of touring."

"More than anything I'm just relieved to be playing again, the Wallabies was just more of a bonus if I made it."Lowe, who left the New Zealand Rugby Union to take up his post with the SRU last October, added: “Like Andy, I firmly believe that the schedule, as outlined, will assist with our rugby development and importantly develops solid relationships with some of world rugby's emerging nations.”

England V South Africa hospitality

Rugby Hospitality

Wales boss Gatland warns Martyn Williams and Ryan Jones

Coach Warren Gatland says that veteran Wales flanker Martyn Williams and skipper Ryan Jones must improve their displays against France on Friday.

Wales rescued an incredible last-gasp 31-24 win against Scotland in their last championship game in Cardiff.

But Williams, Jones and Andy Powell - now dropped for disciplinary reasons - were outshone by Scotland's back-row and must up their game against France.

"We missed, I think, 10 tackles between them," Gatland said.

"Martyn's missed a few tackles and he's been the first to put his hand up and needs to rectify his performance and get it right and he normally responds exceptionally well to that.

"I think what's pleased me about Martyn in the last week or so is he's recognised that as a loose-forward trio we probably didn't do so well against Scotland.

"So it's a sign of his experienced leadership in the squad, and for Ryan I think he's developed well into a captain.

"He's showing really good signs in terms of the way he's leading this team. He doesn't speak for the sake of speaking and he's starting to let his rugby do the talking.

"But he knows himself after his performance against Scotland he needs to go up a notch against France."

Williams, 33, will equal Colin Charvis' 94-cap record for a Wales forward when he runs out at the Millennium Stadium against the Grand Slam-chasing French.

"It's a great milestone for Martyn," Gatland added. "I think it's a fantastic achievement for him.

Jonathan Thomas switches from lock to back-row to fill the gap vacated by Powell's banishment from the squad after being charged with drink-driving following an incident with a golf buggy on the morning after the win against Scotland.

Jones' inclusion was the major talking point when Gatland announced the team on Monday, with Luke Charteris only getting a place on the bench despite his man-of-the-match show for the Dragons at Ulster.

Gatland also admits that picking Mike Phillips on the bench - despite the British and Irish Lions star playing just 40 minutes of rugby in four months - is a gamble.

Phillips has been selected ahead of Dwayne Peel - who has missed only a month of action recently with a groin strain - as the back-up to Richie Rees of the Blues.

While Phillips came on for the second half of the Ospreys' 19-17 win over Connacht in the Magners League on Sunday, Peel played the full game when Sale lost 19-10 to Leeds on Friday.

Gatland cited the precedents of Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery recently returning to Test action after injury and Scotland having Mike Blair on the bench against Wales following a lengthy lay-off.

Gatland said of Phillips: "Even though he's not 100% match fit, he's medically fit and he gives us something a little bit different.

Gatland admits he was wrong to pick Cooper to start against Scotland, with Rees having made a strong case for the starting nine shirt with his performances off the bench.

Ireland V Wales Hospitality

Six Nations Hospitality

Six Nations 2010: Rees vows to keep Phillips on bench

Phillips made the Wales replacements, even though he has played just 40 minutes of rugby – coming on as a half-time substitute for Ospreys in their narrow victory over Connacht last weekend – in four months following a serious ankle injury sustained against Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup.

The first Rees, who began his senior career with Ospreys before arriving at the Blues via English Premiership club London Irish, where his top-flight career had taken off, knew of Phillips and Dwayne Peel having been called up by Gatland was when the pair turned up at Wales’ Vale of Glamorgan headquarters.

“I didn’t know either of them were coming. When they both walked into the hotel, I thought, ‘here we go!’ If I was selected, I was selected – if not, it wasn’t to be,” he said pragmatically.

“I tried not to think about it. I had an hour or two on tenterhooks until the side was announced.”

Now, having got the nod with doubts surrounding the match fitness and sharpness of Lions Phillips and Peel following their injury-interrupted campaigns, Rees is focusing on facing up to France’s scrum-half hotshot Morgan Parra.

“It’s nice to have them back, but I just try to concentrate on my own game. We will see how Friday goes and then take it from there,” he said.

“The coaches were pretty pleased with what I offered and now I’ve got a start, which is obviously what you want.”

Rees could have his hands full, not only trying to halt France’s Six Nations title and Grand Slam march, but also keeping their new general Parra quiet.

Parra, five years Rees’ junior, delivered majestic displays during victories over Scotland and Ireland, kicking 23 points and frequently tormenting the opposition through his full array of skills.

Rees would like to follow suit, knowing getting the better of Parra would aid him in that quest, and in keeping the challenge of Phillips and Peel at bay.

“Parra’s had a very good start to the Six Nations, to be fair to him,” Rees acknowledged.

“I’ve looked at his last couple of games and I think he controls a lot of what the French do – he is key for them.

“Maybe I have got to try and get in his face a little bit and see where that gets us. It’s my job to do a number on him.”

Whatever happens under the Millennium Stadium floodlights, though, it will be a far cry for Rees from last season’s inaugural Six Nations Friday night Test between France and Wales in Paris.

While Wales fought – and ultimately failed – to preserve their unbeaten Six Nations record under Gatland, Rees was sampling the delights of Edinburgh on tour with Crawshay’s Welsh invitational team.

Wales captain Ryan Jones is backing his former regional colleague to come up trumps against the physical French, saying: “I’m incredibly impressed with Richie.

“It’s an opportunity he has to take with two hands and we are going to support and help him do that the best we can.”

Jones was adamant, if Rees plays well, he could stave off the challenge of Phillips.

“That’s the one thing with Warren, he doesn’t make changes for the sake of it.” Gatland was insistent: “Richie has played himself into the starting line-up.

“He has made a definite impact coming off the bench in the last two games, he has impressed us with the way he has trained and this is a great chance for him.”

Ireland V Wales Hospitality

Six Nations Hospitality

Six Nations 2010: Keith Wood column

Ireland was for a long time a rural country and, as a man who is proud that he still works on the farm, Hayes has his roots in the land. By extension, you could say the fans have their roots in John Hayes. He is held in great affection.

The reason 'The Bull' comes in for more scrutiny than everyone else is because he has been there for so long. I was captain when he made his debut in 2000 and now he is on the verge of his 100th cap for Ireland.

In some ways the fact he is so tall helps him a lot and in some ways it hinders him - if he gets a good hit in the scrum and he gets himself into a good position, you cannot move him. But the small, little, stocky guys have always put him under pressure. He has gone back a few times in his career, but so has every prop.

He defends very well, he's an absolute demolisher of rucks and he is the best line-out lifter in world rugby. In the time he has been there, Ireland's line-out has gone from strength to strength. He can get a player like Paul O'Connell up to huge heights and that gives a massive level of security to the hooker and the rest of the team.

Hayes will never be considered a great technician, but he will be considered a great team-mate and a really, really good rugby player. And ultimately he is a great figure with the fans because he is truly Irish.

I do not think Hayes and the rest of the Ireland pack will have a whole lot of trouble against England at Twickenham on Saturday. Ireland did very well in the scrum against Italy, poorly against France, but then France were truly extraordinary.

Ireland were totally outplayed in Paris and I think they will be a tiny bit jaded, but that does not mean the buzz has gone. The big issue is confidence - has it taken a knock?

Even though they were being outplayed, there was a five-minute spell in the first half where, if things had gone Ireland's way, they could have still been in the game.

Instead, Cian Healy gave away a penalty at the other end and got a yellow card, Jerry Flannery performed his magician's trick and tried to cut someone in half and Ireland fell into a huge hole.

Wales coach Warren Gatland said he didn't think France were that good and inisted Ireland were very bad, but that is not entirely true.

Ireland did not play at their best, but France, when they are playing with that kind of confidence, are peerless. England simply aren't as good as France so a lot of the problems that existed in Paris will not exist at Twickenham.

Ireland will have learned an awful lot about contact in Paris, because France were fantastic at the contact area. Ireland need to win the collisions in the forwards against England and need to be running on to the ball.

O'Gara plays the percentages very well, and although I would not say he is predictable, teams are forcing him to play in a certain style. He takes the kicking option a lot of the time, while opponents rush up outside him so he has to go himself, and he has not really got the turn of pace to make a half-gap into a whole gap.

Ireland's discipline, with the exception of Healy and Flannery against France, has been fantastic so England cannot rely on kicking goals, they need to score tries.

Ireland V Wales Hospitality

Six Nations Hospitality

Six Nations 2010: Murphy experience the key

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has pointed to Geordan Murphy's knowledge of English rugby as the key to the veteran Leicester full-back's recall for Saturday's trip to Twickenham.

Murphy will make his first international appearance since the final match of last year's championship, when Ireland completed the Grand Slam against Wales.

Restricted to just three Guinness Premiership outings for the Tigers since dislocating his shoulder last September, Murphy was nevertheless outstanding in the weekend's 33-11 rout of Gloucester.

The 31-year-old replaces the injured Rob Kearney at full-back against England.

"Geordan's experience will compensate for his lack of rugby. Twickenham is not a ground he's unfamiliar with," said Kidney.

"He'll be playing against guys who he knows. That was part of the mix in giving him the nod for this one."

Leinster fly-half Jonathan Sexton is preferred ahead of Munster veteran Ronan O'Gara, who drops to the bench following the 33-10 defeat by France, with Tomas O'Leary continuing at scrum-half.

But Kidney played down the significance of Sexton's selection, adding: "We're blessed with two out-halves, one with huge experience, the other up and coming.

"I thought it was opportune to give Jon a go this time."

Ireland V Wales Hospitality

Six Nations Hospitality

Clarke chases glory as Africa Open joins European

Former Ryder Cup 2010 hero Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland heads a strong, East London (South Africa)

Africa Open field when the event joins the European Tour circuit for the first time Thursday.

Dane Thomas Bjorn and Englishman Nick Dougherty are other big names chasing glory in the one-million-euro event at the links-cum-parkland East London Golf Club.

Retief Goosen, twice US Open champion, pipped Clarke for the Africa Open title last year and other South Africans will be trying to prevent a European Tour hat-trick for invaders this season.

The second edition of the Road to Dubai European Tour order of merit won by Englishman Lee Westwood last season began in South Africa a month ago with victories for rising stars Pablo Martin and Richie Ramsay.

Spaniard Martin won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in the eastern Mpumalanga province and Scot Ramsay lifted the South African Open after a play-off against Indian Shiv Kapur at Pearl Valley near Cape Town.

They say golfing greatness is defined by the Majors, but Montgomerie is perhaps the exception to that rule. Despite winning all of The European Tour’s biggest prizes, The Ryder Cup 2010, where he has starred in a record equalling five victories – provides the Scot with his greatness. 

The world number 11 is still hoping to kick off 2010 in the Abu Dhabi Championship starting on January 21.

Argentine Angel Cabrera fired a course-record 62 on the intriguing par-73 layout at the Africa Open last year only to be upstaged by Sterne, who needed one stroke less in the same tournament.

Clarke overcame the death of his wife to play a pivotal role in the 2006 Ryder Cup triumph over the United States at a rain-soaked K Club outside Dublin and craves another crack at the Americans in Wales this October.

"I enjoyed playing in the Africa Open last year when finishing second behind Retief and I'm really looking forward to this tournament," Clarke said after a practice round designed to brush off festive-season cobwebs.



Competitors face raised tees, narrow fairways and minute greens on an outward-nine adventure that drifts through Indian Ocean dunes and can be pleasant when calm and perilous should the wind unleash its fury.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Monty unfazed by dual role

Colin Montgomerie is confident his decision to feature as a playing captain at the Royal Trophy will not backfire.

The Scot will lead the European team in Thailand as they seek to regain the trophy they surrendered to Asia for the first time 12 months ago with a 10-6 defeat.

Montgomerie will also skipper Europe later in the year when they face America in the Ryder Cup 2010, although he has already insisted there is no chance of him featuring as a player, even if he were to qualify for the team.

But the 46-year-old is looking forward to playing his part this week and has played down claims from Asian counterpart Naomichi 'Joe' Osaki that he could struggle to carry off his dual role.

"When I heard that the games were just one game per day then it is possible (to play) but when you have two matches a day and 36 holes a day it becomes impossible to try and fit in the scheduling," Montgomerie explained ahead of the first day of action at the Amata Spring Country Club on Friday.

"With one match a day it is possible to captain and play in the team and it means I am at very close quarters to watch my team players and see what will happen not just here but of course later in the year."

"It is a very important year for European golf in 2010 culminating in the Ryder Cup 2010 in October," he continued.

"We have a great wealth of talent in Europe, more so than I have ever witnessed in my career.

“The Royal Trophy is a very good preparation for us in many ways to see how our top players are playing early on in the year while it gives me a great opportunity to witness how they are preparing for the Ryder Cup at the end of the year.

"We have seven possibilities here this week to show off their skills and we look forward trying to regain the Royal Trophy against a very strong Asian team."

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

2010 is Ryder Cup year at Celtic Manor Resort

2010 promises to be an exciting year for golf as The Ryder Cup returns to Europe. The Celtic Manor Resort in the Usk Valley, South Wales plays host to this showpiece event and Four Communications will be working alongside US PR Agency Buffalo Communications in handling the press office in the UK.

Between 1 and 3 October 2010, the golfing elite of Europe and America go head-to-head in the sports premier team event on the purpose built Twenty Ten Course. This is the first course in history built to host The Ryder Cup 2010 and has been tailor made to challenge the best.

The Celtic Manor Resort is set in more than 1,400 acres of panoramic parkland at the gateway to Wales. With two hotels – a 330-room luxury Resort Hotel and the historic 19th century Manor House with 70 rooms – two exceptional spas, two luxury health clubs, a shooting school, fishing facilities, tennis courts, mountain biking, walking trails and five outstanding restaurants, The Celtic Manor Resort provides a complete experience for business, leisure and golf travellers as it gets ready to host The Ryder Cup 2010.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

DARREN CLARKE SETS RYDER CUP TARGET

Darren Clarke wants nothing more than to get back into the European Ryder Cup team in 2010 but the Northern Irishman knows he must first start winning again.

The 41-year-old is in East London this week for the Africa Open, and, after a forgettable past 12 months, he is hoping for redemption in the new year.

Clarke, one of the heroes of the 2006 Ryder Cup victory at The K Club in Ireland, had only three top-10 finishes in 2009, the best of which came at the KLM Open in Zandvoort, where he tied for fifth.

By his own admission, it was a poor year and he is now keener than ever to make amends, with one eye firmly set on the contest against the United States in nine months' time.

"It was pretty obvious last year and I wanted to come back and get off to a fast start.

"I missed the Ryder Cup2010 the last time. I thought I had a good chance of making it but I missed it and I desperately want to get back on the team again. So that's the idea behind the early start."

Clarke also revealed his eagerness to improve on his form.

Speaking about his other goals, he continued: "Just to get back in the winner's circle again as soon as I can. I want to get back to winning ways again.

"I didn't win last year. I had a pretty poor year so I want to get back in the winner's circle and go from there."

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Ryder Cup preparations ‘going well’ - council report

PREPARATIONS for this year’s Ryder Cup are progressing well, a report to councillors says.

City centre improvements, which are part of a £3.8 million revamp ahead of the October tournament, are already under way including work on the city’s war memorial and riverside walkways from the Riverfront Theatre to the footbridge.

A report to the council’s cabinet meeting next week says other projects including work to restore the Transporter Bridge, improvements to John Frost Square and work on key motorway routes at Tredegar Park Junction and the Coldra Roundabout are due to start this month.

A planning application for the park and ride at Usk Showground for Ryder Cup 2010 staff is due to be considered by Monmouthshire planning committee this month.

Park and Ride projects are on course to be completed on time with work at the Llanwern steelworks site and Tredegar House planned to start this month for completion in the summer.

Ryder Cup 2010 Wales reported that on-site infrastructure was progressing well with the bridge across the River Usk from Caerleon complete.

A schools education programme is being set up to get children involved in the event including golf themed literacy and maths exercises.

The council is also working to deliver opportunities for children and young people to participate in golf and funding has been allocated to support golf as a priority sport in Newport by the Sports Council for Wales.

All road closures associated with the tournament have been agreed and residents and businesses within the event exclusion zone in Catsash Road, Bulmore Road, Abernant Road, Belmont Hill, Royal Oak Hill have been contacted.

Preparations for the Newport 2010 Festival are also under way and will be unveiled at the launch on January 21.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Odds stacked against Laird and Ramsay stepping into the Ryder Cup breach

Just in case any reminding is needed, 2010 is a Ryder Cup year and in the run-up to Celtic Manor, Wales, in October, the biennial beanfeast will loom large at every tournament played on the European and PGA tours.

As Scotland’s stock in the professional golfing world has fallen alarmingly in recent years, not one of our tartan troops made it into Nick Faldo’s team that was defeated at Valhalla, Kentucky, in 2008. It was the first time in the modern era that even a single Scot had failed to make the grade and the chances are it will be the same story this time, even though a bright new horizon is beckoning for Scottish fortunes on the men’s tours after a spell in the doldrums.

Both have declared an ambition to make this year’s side. The Arizona-based Laird has even belatedly joined the European Tour as an affiliate member to make himself eligible just in case he bursts into the big time this season, starting this week in the SBS Championship in Hawaii. But both are realistic enough to recognise that their Ryder Cup 2010 debuts may be further in the future.

He also reckons the positive “can-do” attitude of Americans helped him against what he perceives as an all-pervading Scottish negativity that includes, perhaps, columns like this pointing out a couple of weeks ago that while the tee-to-green play of the European Tour Scots is among the best, the putting stats are grim.

Montgomerie has already made it clear that players in his side in all probability will have to be well inside the world’s top 50 to be considered and there are sound reasons for that. These are the players assured of starts in every world and major championship, the tournaments where the pressure is most comparable with the Ryder Cup 2010, where players will earn most points and have the chance to show their resilience.

As the SGU and the Professional Golfers’ Association in Scotland continue to ponder the dearth of top young players making the transition to successful tournament professionals, the answer may indeed lie in establishing a base in a warmer climate and recruiting a wide range of positive-thinking mentors that was the recommendation in the challenging No Limits report by Winning Scotland Foundation almost a year ago.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Fans' chance to see Ryder Cup 2010 stars

GOLF fans in South West Wales are being given the choice of entering the online ballot for Hospitality to Ryder Cup 2010, or taking the alternative option of securing passes for the two Ryder Cup Practice Days Hospitality that precede golf's most prestigious team event.

The Ryder Cup comes to Wales for the first time in September 2010 when the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport hosts the biennial contest.

Hospitality was initially allocated through an online Hospitality ballot. A second ballot was opened with successful applicants being notified in April 2010 — all unsuccessful applicants from the first ballot were automatically entered into the second ballot.

As well as Hospitality for the three main match days, Ryder Cup Europe is also giving fans an early chance to sample the unique Ryder Cup 2010 atmosphere and see some of the world's top players at close quarters by securing Hospitality at a special rate for the three pre- tournament practice days.

Previously allocated within the online ballot, Ryder Cup Practice Days Hospitality, which start from £1,615.00 to £3,730.00, will be available on a first come, first served basis via the Ryder Cup website at www.corporatehospitalitygroup.com/Ryder-Cup-Hospitality

Richard Hills, director of Ryder Cup Europe, said; "Practice days at the Ryder Cup allow the golfers to familiarize themselves with the course and surroundings while the team captains get a last opportunity to see their players in action before deciding on the all-important pairings for the foursome and fourball matches. Demand for match-day Hospitality is always incredibly high but the practice days can give fans a once in a lifetime chance to get close to some of the world's best golfers."

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Will the Ryder Cup in October be one to remember?

Some say this biennial bonfire of the vanities is over-hyped, but that simply is not possible in a year when Colin Montgomerie could be the captain of Ian Poulter.

For all the Scot's façade of good grace and statesmanship, Montgomerie's leadership will be its own source of fascination at Celtic Manor. Will Poulter, assuming he qualifies, be ordered to go easy on the peacock hairstyle? Will he be allowed any say on the European team's dress code for the final-day singles?

A performer of peerless Ryder Cup pedigree, Montgomerie is little versed in the management of such egos. He remains acutely vulnerable, too, to the raucous banter and cat-calls that have tended to disfigure – or enhance, depending on your point of view – this event. That 'Mrs Doubtfire' soubriquet still stings.

The dynamic with Corey Pavin, the United States captain, has a similar potential to be explosive. While Pavin's official pronouncements have so far been studies in blandness, his apologists tend to forget the fiery, moustachioed renegade he used to be – not least when he revved up the Americans to memorable effect at Kiawah Island in 1991.

No one could fail to romanticise the prospect of 50,000 people galvanising 24 players for three days amid the splendour of rural South Wales. The one imponderable is how sodden and bedraggled those people will be after braving the Usk Valley in October.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Great golf ahead in 2010

This year promises to be one of the most exciting and challenging years on the links we’ve had in a while.The four majors this year will be contested on four of the most famous and challenging golf courses in the world. The Masters will be played at the usual, beautiful Augusta National in Georgia April 8 through 11. The US Open will be contested at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif., June 17 through 20 and will provide some thrilling shot-making. The British Open will be held at one of the oldest and most revered courses in the golfing kingdom the quirky Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, July 15 through 18.

The Ryder Cup 2010 will be contested at the Ten Twenty Course at Celtic Manor in Wales Oct. 1-3. Fiery little Corey Pavin will captain the U.S. team as they try to beat the Europeans on their own soil for the first time since 1993.

Maybe Corey can instill the same old devil-may-care spirit that captain Paul Azinger instilled in the U.S. team that carried them to victory at Valhalla in 2008.

One of the big mysteries of 2010 is when will Tiger Woods get his personal life straightened out and tee it up again. I have heard a non-malicious rumor from a Florida source that says Elin and Tiger still love each other and want to make their marriage work.

Elin has an attorney, but has not filed for divorce. If Tiger can focus on making his marriage work as well as he does on hitting difficult golf shots then the family will be happy again.

Let’s hope so for the sake of Elin, the children, and all of Tiger’s adoring fans. I would love to see him back in action at the Masters in April.

“I have enjoyed bringing you golf news in 2009 and am looking forward to another great year of golf in Ryder Cup 2010”, Colin Montgomerie

EKU coach Pat Stephens says this will be a rebuilding year for the Colonel golf team. EKU lost seniors Trey Bowling, Jesse Massie, Shaun McConnell and Brandon Berry from last year’s team. Trey Bowling was KGA Player of the Year in 2008 and, in 2007, Phil Hendrickson was player of the year.

One thing both of these teams have going for them is the excellent Colonel Golf and Learning Center. This Center has all the latest technology for complete swing analysis and the range and greens to fine tune that swing.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Odds stacked against Laird and Ramsay stepping into the Ryder Cup breach

Just in case any reminding is needed, 2010 is a Ryder Cup year and in the run-up to Celtic Manor, Wales, in October, the biennial beanfeast will loom large at every tournament played on the European and PGA tours.

But what chance a Scot making it into Colin Montgomerie’s 12-man European side?

As Scotland’s stock in the professional golfing world has fallen alarmingly in recent years, not one of our tartan troops made it into Nick Faldo’s team that was defeated at Valhalla, Kentucky, in 2008. It was the first time in the modern era that even a single Scot had failed to make the grade and the chances are it will be the same story this time, even though a bright new horizon is beckoning for Scottish fortunes on the men’s tours after a spell in the doldrums.

The Saltire is being flown proudly by Martin Laird and Richie Ramsay, two players whose stars are very much on the rise after victories on the PGA Tour and European Tour respectively late last year, and new Scottish standard-bearers are chronically needed to replace Sandy Lyle, Sam Torrance and Colin Montgomerie, our top guns over the last three decades.

Can Laird and Ramsay step into the breach? Of course they can, but from their current positions the odds are stacked heavily against them.

Both have declared an ambition to make this year’s side. The Arizona-based Laird has even belatedly joined the European Tour as an affiliate member to make himself eligible just in case he bursts into the big time this season, starting this week in the SBS Championship in Hawaii. But both are realistic enough to recognise that their Ryder Cup 2010 debuts may be further in the future.

Montgomerie has already made it clear that players in his side in all probability will have to be well inside the world’s top 50 to be considered and there are sound reasons for that. These are the players assured of starts in every world and major championship, the tournaments where the pressure is most comparable with the Ryder Cup, where players will earn most points and have the chance to show their resilience.

Others could still join them at St Andrews through other qualifying avenues, but the tartan army at the home of golf in July is unlikely to be anywhere near as strong as the last time the Open was there in 2005 when 10 Scots were in the field. Six played all four rounds, Montgomerie was runner-up, Lloyd Saltman was joint 15th, Scott Drummond and Eric Ramsay joint 23rd, Lyle joint 32nd and Lawrie joint 52nd.

Curiously, the rise of both Laird and Ramsay is connected with American influences. Laird exited Scotland as a youth to attend the University of Colorado and remained in the US, playing his way through the collegiate scene and then on to the PGA Tour via the Nationwide Tour.

Ramsay had much stronger links to home as a product of the Scottish Golf Union before forging a link, as the US amateur champion, with the Golf Club of Georgia without which, he feels, his short game would never have been sharp enough to mount the winner’s podium.

He also reckons the positive “can-do” attitude of Americans helped him against what he perceives as an all-pervading Scottish negativity that includes, perhaps, columns like this pointing out a couple of weeks ago that while the tee-to-green play of the European Tour Scots is among the best, the putting stats are grim.

The Scot is not only captaining the side but also playing. Having tumbled to world No.255, he is hardly there on current form, but you can’t accuse the eight-time Ryder Cup 2010 player, unbeaten in singles in that time, of being short on experience.

As the SGU and the Professional Golfers’ Association in Scotland continue to ponder the dearth of top young players making the transition to successful tournament professionals, the answer may indeed lie in establishing a base in a warmer climate and recruiting a wide range of positive-thinking mentors that was the recommendation in the challenging No Limits report by Winning Scotland Foundation almost a year ago.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Odds stacked against Laird and Ramsay stepping into the Ryder Cup breach

Just in case any reminding is needed, 2010 is a Ryder Cup year and in the run-up to Celtic Manor, Wales, in October, the biennial beanfeast will loom large at every tournament played on the European and PGA tours.

But what chance a Scot making it into Colin Montgomerie’s 12-man European side?

As Scotland’s stock in the professional golfing world has fallen alarmingly in recent years, not one of our tartan troops made it into Nick Faldo’s team that was defeated at Valhalla, Kentucky, in 2008. It was the first time in the modern era that even a single Scot had failed to make the grade and the chances are it will be the same story this time, even though a bright new horizon is beckoning for Scottish fortunes on the men’s tours after a spell in the doldrums.

The Saltire is being flown proudly by Martin Laird and Richie Ramsay, two players whose stars are very much on the rise after victories on the PGA Tour and European Tour respectively late last year, and new Scottish standard-bearers are chronically needed to replace Sandy Lyle, Sam Torrance and Colin Montgomerie, our top guns over the last three decades.

Can Laird and Ramsay step into the breach? Of course they can, but from their current positions the odds are stacked heavily against them.

Both have declared an ambition to make this year’s side. The Arizona-based Laird has even belatedly joined the European Tour as an affiliate member to make himself eligible just in case he bursts into the big time this season, starting this week in the SBS Championship in Hawaii. But both are realistic enough to recognise that their Ryder Cup 2010 debuts may be further in the future.

Montgomerie has already made it clear that players in his side in all probability will have to be well inside the world’s top 50 to be considered and there are sound reasons for that. These are the players assured of starts in every world and major championship, the tournaments where the pressure is most comparable with the Ryder Cup, where players will earn most points and have the chance to show their resilience.

Others could still join them at St Andrews through other qualifying avenues, but the tartan army at the home of golf in July is unlikely to be anywhere near as strong as the last time the Open was there in 2005 when 10 Scots were in the field. Six played all four rounds, Montgomerie was runner-up, Lloyd Saltman was joint 15th, Scott Drummond and Eric Ramsay joint 23rd, Lyle joint 32nd and Lawrie joint 52nd.

Curiously, the rise of both Laird and Ramsay is connected with American influences. Laird exited Scotland as a youth to attend the University of Colorado and remained in the US, playing his way through the collegiate scene and then on to the PGA Tour via the Nationwide Tour.

Ramsay had much stronger links to home as a product of the Scottish Golf Union before forging a link, as the US amateur champion, with the Golf Club of Georgia without which, he feels, his short game would never have been sharp enough to mount the winner’s podium.

He also reckons the positive “can-do” attitude of Americans helped him against what he perceives as an all-pervading Scottish negativity that includes, perhaps, columns like this pointing out a couple of weeks ago that while the tee-to-green play of the European Tour Scots is among the best, the putting stats are grim.

The Scot is not only captaining the side but also playing. Having tumbled to world No.255, he is hardly there on current form, but you can’t accuse the eight-time Ryder Cup 2010 player, unbeaten in singles in that time, of being short on experience.

As the SGU and the Professional Golfers’ Association in Scotland continue to ponder the dearth of top young players making the transition to successful tournament professionals, the answer may indeed lie in establishing a base in a warmer climate and recruiting a wide range of positive-thinking mentors that was the recommendation in the challenging No Limits report by Winning Scotland Foundation almost a year ago.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Great golf ahead in 2010

This year promises to be one of the most exciting and challenging years on the links we’ve had in a while.The four majors this year will be contested on four of the most famous and challenging golf courses in the world. The Masters will be played at the usual, beautiful Augusta National in Georgia April 8 through 11. The US Open will be contested at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif., June 17 through 20 and will provide some thrilling shot-making. The British Open will be held at one of the oldest and most revered courses in the golfing kingdom the quirky Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, July 15 through 18.

The Ryder Cup 2010 will be contested at the Ten Twenty Course at Celtic Manor in Wales Oct. 1-3. Fiery little Corey Pavin will captain the U.S. team as they try to beat the Europeans on their own soil for the first time since 1993.

Maybe Corey can instill the same old devil-may-care spirit that captain Paul Azinger instilled in the U.S. team that carried them to victory at Valhalla in 2008.

One of the big mysteries of 2010 is when will Tiger Woods get his personal life straightened out and tee it up again. I have heard a non-malicious rumor from a Florida source that says Elin and Tiger still love each other and want to make their marriage work.

Elin has an attorney, but has not filed for divorce. If Tiger can focus on making his marriage work as well as he does on hitting difficult golf shots then the family will be happy again.

Let’s hope so for the sake of Elin, the children, and all of Tiger’s adoring fans. I would love to see him back in action at the Masters in April.

“I have enjoyed bringing you golf news in 2009 and am looking forward to another great year of golf in Ryder Cup 2010”, Colin Montgomerie

EKU coach Pat Stephens says this will be a rebuilding year for the Colonel golf team. EKU lost seniors Trey Bowling, Jesse Massie, Shaun McConnell and Brandon Berry from last year’s team. Trey Bowling was KGA Player of the Year in 2008 and, in 2007, Phil Hendrickson was player of the year.

One thing both of these teams have going for them is the excellent Colonel Golf and Learning Center. This Center has all the latest technology for complete swing analysis and the range and greens to fine tune that swing.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Will the Ryder Cup in October be one to remember?

Some say this biennial bonfire of the vanities is over-hyped, but that simply is not possible in a year when Colin Montgomerie could be the captain of Ian Poulter.

For all the Scot's façade of good grace and statesmanship, Montgomerie's leadership will be its own source of fascination at Celtic Manor. Will Poulter, assuming he qualifies, be ordered to go easy on the peacock hairstyle? Will he be allowed any say on the European team's dress code for the final-day singles?

A performer of peerless Ryder Cup pedigree, Montgomerie is little versed in the management of such egos. He remains acutely vulnerable, too, to the raucous banter and cat-calls that have tended to disfigure – or enhance, depending on your point of view – this event. That 'Mrs Doubtfire' soubriquet still stings.

The dynamic with Corey Pavin, the United States captain, has a similar potential to be explosive. While Pavin's official pronouncements have so far been studies in blandness, his apologists tend to forget the fiery, moustachioed renegade he used to be – not least when he revved up the Americans to memorable effect at Kiawah Island in 1991.

No one could fail to romanticise the prospect of 50,000 people galvanising 24 players for three days amid the splendour of rural South Wales. The one imponderable is how sodden and bedraggled those people will be after braving the Usk Valley in October.

For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

Casey hopes for better 2010

Paul Casey has revealed he is hungry for more success after shaking off the rib injury which ruined his 2009 season.

The 32-year-old Englishman started last year in red-hot form and won three tournaments - including his first PGA Tour win - but barely played for the rest of the season after picking up a rib injury at July's Open Championship.

Casey is now back to full-fitness and ready to embark on a season which he hopes will culminate with a place in Europe's Ryder Cup 2010 squad.

"It's very easy to look forward because I haven't really been able to play golf since the Open," explained the world number seven.

"I've tried to come back and I haven't been ready and that's been frustrating. Now I feel hungry to play a lot of golf. I've already got the schedule at home and mapped it out.

"2009 could have been such a great year and it was a great year but it was just half a year. If I can just stay fit and healthy, there's no reason why I can't do better things next year as I did in the beginning of 2009.

Rugby Hospitality: For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality

What can happen in 2010

Ryder cup 2009 didn't lack for excitement or drama, but Ryder Cup years always seem to have that extra dimension. Yes we over obsess on this biennial clash between Europe and the US but the intrigue of the qualification period provides a strong narrative for the season and the match itself never fails to deliver. The October date at Celtic Manor provides concern over autumnal conditions in the Usk Valley but this already feels as though it will be a very special match, especially with Europe so desperate to recapture the trophy. Judging by the 2009 year end rankings we will be watching the best players in the world, Europe and America each have 11 players in the world's top 30. The Ryder cup 2010 captains, Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin are such strong competitors they will be their own sources of interest throughout the year and once again golf will be able to transcend and attract general sports fans as well as die-hard golf enthusiasts. Bring it on

Rugby Hospitality: For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Ryder Cup Hospitality Ryder Cup Hospitality