John Hopkins at The Times ask the question(s).
Who has more players in the top ten of the world rankings, Europe or the United States?
Next question:…in the top 20?

The answer(s) is, “There are five Europeans in the top ten, the same as the US, and nine in the top 20, one more than the Americans.

Way to go Europe.

As for “Mikethe Right” posting a comment at John’s article. There’s no way he’s done anything to improve our (Scottish/Kiwi) perception of Poms who go way, way over the top at the first sign of sporting success.

“Well done Lee, Ross & Ian plus of course Simon Dyson & the upcoming english players dominating the European Tour. We'll soon be able to field an all English Ryder Cup team good enough to take on and beat the yanks instead of having to scrape about including welsh, scots,irish, scandinavians & spanish in the team.”

There goes my perception of readers of The Times being of above-average intelligence.

John has written some interesting stuff of late. And I was most interested in his Spike Bar article, “Nature's lawn mowers keep Scottish course in good repair”

Eighteen months ago I had the thrill of playing Machrihanish at the foot of the Mull of Kintyre. And while there I heard about the development of Machrihanish Dunes-The first links course to be built on the west coast of Scotland for 100 years and now using “natures lawn mowers” for course maintenance. And it’s just round the corner from Machrihanish.

Machrihanish is somewhat like Royal Dornoch in that it’s off the beaten tourist track and consequently when I mention the names of these two great golf courses, peoples’ eyes just glaze over.

Now that there’s two courses on the Mull of Kintyre it should encourage more people to do the Mull.
By the way, Machrihanish is said to have the finest opening hole in the world. Fortunately the tide was out when I played it (badly) and was therefore able to play my second from the beach.
Now there’s something to think about when booking a tee time at Machrihanish.
Ask for the tide times

John was really pleased at, “…hearing that 25 Black Hebrideans, so named because they are black from top to toe, had been shepherded on to the Machrihanish Dunes course by sheepdogs and then left alone to start munching.”

Alas John doesn’t say much about the quality of the course. So here’s a link to some photographs of the course.

The Kim-Allenby (staying out until 4am on the morning) affair gets some coverage. And whether or not there’s truth in the Allenby statement. Kim can’t deny he has the reputation of being a party animal-A latter day Walter Hagen perhaps?

A headline, “Tiger the Ultimate Professional” tells of, “Charles Barkley, the former basketball star and a friend of the world No 1, recently cited Woods's behaviour to Anthony Kim in a radio interview in the US. Kim's talent for golf is undoubted but he is also known as being something of a party animal who was recently accused of staying out until 4am on the morning of his singles match against Robert Allenby in the Presidents Cup, an accusation he did not deny.”

Now here’s something, which may be of interest to guys and gals with putting problems.

"The one thing I will say about Tiger is that when we go out he can drink," Barkley said. "But never when he is at a tournament. I think you have to distinguish between the two. You can have fun when you are off, but if Tiger has a tournament he won't even do caffeine during the week. He thought that it screwed up his putting stroke."

It’s unlikely I could do without coffee, first thing in the morning. Giving it up for a whole week requires a level of self-discipline way beyond what I have. But there again maybe Tiger has a magic brew that’s even better.
Whatever it is I’d like some of it.

My thought for the day is a quote by Bobby Jones, “Paralysis by analysis”
The thought inspired by reading an NZPA/New Zealand Herald article.
“Danny Lee needs to 'stop over-thinking”
Danny is given a few words of wisdom from Rod Pampling.

Here’s the link to world ranking article
The black sheep
And, no coffee for Tiger

Guid gowfin’ at the weekend.

Slainte

Stan