Caddie Golf Tours

A great announcement from the sponsors of the Women's British Open, Ricoh, that they are to continue supporting the event until 2013. There was further good news for Scotland when the venues of Carnoustie in 2011 and then a return to the Old Course St. Andrews in 2013 were confirmed, by the Ladies Golf Union, for the championship. The Women's Open was held at the Old Course in 2007 and was a huge success. The world's number 1 Lorena Ochoa won the first professional womens championship to be held over the legendary links and I am sure she and many other players will be relishing the opportunity to play the Old Lady again. The golf links of Carnoustie, in 2011, will prove a real stern test for the ladies and this has generated a good deal of conversation about what tees they will use and how they will cope with this most treacherous of golf links in Scotland. I think the golf course may win! Wonderful news for Scotland and for the ladies championship in securing the sponsorsh...

LPGA player Catriona Matthew, a born and bred Scot from North Berwick, today completed a steady march to her first Major title at the Ladies British Open, contested over the treacherous links course of Lytham St. Annes. Catriona lead by three shots at the start of the fourth day and though she had a couple of slips birdies at the 13th,14th and 15th gave her a four stroke advantage over the closing strectch. A dropped shot at the 17th did not do any real harm. A final four round total of 285, three under par, secures the prize and close to £200,000 pounds. A superb effort, 68, from Karrie Webb, a three time former British Open champion, gave her second place on even par. Four players shared third place on +1, Paula Creamer, Christina Kim, Ai Miyazato (Japan) and Hee-Won Han (Korea). A wee footnote to Catriona Matthew's win and possibly one of the reasons she likes the golf course at Lytham St. Annes: she won the British Amateur title at this venue sixteen years ago!

This week has the only ladies 'Major' on the European Tour, the British Open, being played over the wonderful links course at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. A true links golf course in located on the north west of England it has held 10 Open Championships that have been contested by the men since 1926 and will be host to it's eleventh Open in 2012. David Duval won the last mens Open played over Lytham in 2002. The course is playing pretty tough over these first couple of days and this has been reflected in the cut being set at +9. Now far be it from me to criticise the professionalism and atheleticism of the ladies game, but it does seem that the essential art of chipping from 80 yards, and in, on the links seems to be beyond these 'modern' women professionals. Extraodinary that the highly paid golf coaches have not been advising this part of the game prior to a Major tournament being played on a legendary links golf course. I'm certainly looking forward to the ...