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4 July, 2007 136th Open Championship, Carnoustie, 19-22 July 2007
OPEN PREVIEW
An Open Championship demands drama and excitement up until the last putt drops. Eight years ago Carnoustie certainly delivered with one of the most memorable climaxes to an Open in living memory. Who will ever forget Jean Van de Velde and his agonizing descent into golfing madness on the 18th when needing a six to win he took seven. But the Frenchman's mental meltdown proved to be Paul Lawrie's gain as the Scot crept up on the rails with a closing 67 to force a play off and eventual victory against Van de Velde and Justin Leonard. I recently had the pleasure and privilege of playing Carnoustie twice in the amiable company of Carnoustie Head Professional Colin Sinclair. Colin arrived at Carnoustie in February 1999 via Blairgowrie and Walton Heath and has developed into one of the very best in his business. Clearly proud of the golf course and its magnificent condition Colin was able to give me an expert insight into how the pros will approach it. If anything Lawrie's win in 1999 was over-shadowed by the furore concerning the rough guarding the Angus links, which had the media re-dubbing the course 'Carnasty', such was its ferocity. “Personally I feel it was very difficult” said Colin. “We have a layout that does not require a lot of rough. If you combine the tough lay out, approximately 7,400 yards in length, with a bit of wind, which there tends to be, then the finest exponents of the game will be challenged” “The finish to Carnoustie 15,16,17 and 18 will always ultimately decide the champion but the first third of the course is where the opportunity lies to post a score” Could we have A British winner? Colin believes that one of the secrets to Carnoustie is to play it time and time again. “A number of players have been regular visitors to Carnoustie in the last 6 seasons for the Dunhill Links Championship and this a huge advantage”. Of the 6 winners of that Championship 5 are Brits – Paul Lawrie, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Stephen Gallacher and Colin Montgomerie. If you also believe in the 'horses for courses' theory the Brits would appear to have an outstanding chance this time around. Colin's money however is on Tiger Woods. The world number one will have the chance to be the first player to win it three times in a row since Peter Thomson in 1956. “Carnoustie is a 'plotter's course” so I expect to see Tiger's strategy at Hoylake mirrored here” The course is sporting a couple of notable alterations. “The third hole has been altered from a straight par 4 to more of a dogleg to the right with two bunkers on the right side, one on the left and new rough mounding in the middle of the fairway, so accuracy more than length is required here. “The 17th has received a slight alteration with the area on the right side of the fairway which was previously flat, now been contoured and rounded. Players who bale out into this area away from the Barry Burn will have a much tougher job now controlling their second shot to what I feel is the toughest hole on the course” Thanks Colin, I had a great couple of days in your company.
15 June 2007
GLENMUIR WPGA FINAL 2007. ROYAL PORTHCAWL Catherine Panton-Lewis stood on the 14th tee of the second round 4 shots behind the leader Tracey Loveys. Neither player could at that point have foreseen what was about to happen next, but Panton Lewis mounted the 15th tee with a one shot lead. Tracey ran up a calamitous 7 after a visit to one the deep-faced pot bunkers guarding the green and as if to deepen the wound Cathy holed for a birdie 2. With her tail up, three more birdies ensued which sealed a 3 shot victory for Cathy. The feisty Panton Lewis showed she had lost none of her competitive spirit from her years on the European Tour. A multiple winner there, it was no surprise to her peers that she had found the wherewithal to win again here. The Scot, daughter of golfing legend John Panton, who celebrated her 52nd birthday this week, said “My dad was thrilled. He's in his 91st year and lives above my husband Phil (who caddied for Cathy) and myself in Berkshire. We still play 9 holes together – it's great having your coach live upstairs” For myself I was not nearly sharp enough over the two days but was greatly encouraged by Cathy's victory over the 'youngsters'. Maybe there is still time for a 'youngster' like me to win this Championship before the tournament spikes finally get hung up for good. National Headquaters Glenmuir WPGA FINAL 2007 Royal Porthcawl 14th-15th June 2007 Final Result
4 May, 2007 BBC RADIO SCOTLAND AT THE OPEN I'm delighted that I'll be at the Open Championship once again as part of BBC Radio Scotland's commentary team. Richard Gordon will be presenting from the commentary box at the 18th green with David Begg alongside. On the golf course there will three 'teams' of commentators and summarisers, comprising Adam Hunter, Gillian Stewart, Kevin Craggs, Conor McNamara, Gary Parker and Brian Donald. Tune in to Radio Scotland, for extensive coverage of the four days' play together with a comprehensive preview programme on the eve of the Championship. The transmission times from Carnoustie are as follows: Wed 18 1800 – 1900 preview programme Thu 19 1200 – 1800 Fri 20 1200 – 2000 Sat 21 1300 – end of play (app 1930) Sun 22 1300 – end of play (app 1900) Find BBC Radio Scotland on 810Khz,370m; FM 92.4 - 94.7 For information on the Championship go to http://www.opengolf.com/ Friday, 26 January, 2007 Record Breaker Els A European Tour (men and women) record that has stood for 15 years has finally been broken. Gillian Stewart previously held the European record for the most Consecutive Cuts made - 79, achieved between 1986 and 1991.
On Friday 26th January 2007
by making the weekend at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters in Doha, one Theodore Ernest Els overtook this mark taking his tally to 80. The world number four's run stretches back to the 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic. Gillian's tally of 79 remains, however, a record for the Women's European Tour. Ernie's credentials as the world's most consistent golfer are enhanced by the fact that he is also at the head of the stats for Consecutive Cuts on the American PGA Tour - currently 42. Sunday, 16 July, 2006
The Barclays Scottish Open, Loch Lomond
With Brian Donald of BBC Radio Scotland, all set for on-course coverage of the final day's play
28 June 2006 The Barclays Scottish Open, Loch Lomond July 13 -16, 2006
Defending champion Tim Clark and Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, the two players who chased Phil Mickelson all the way to the winning post in his quest for his second green jacket at the Masters Tournament in April, will renew their competitive rivalry at Loch Lomond Golf Club when they tee off in the £2.4 million Barclays Scottish Open from July 13-16.
Those not able to get to a TV screen over the weekend of 15/16 July to witness a world-class field contest the tournament over the beautiful Loch Lomond course need not despair. BBC Radio Scotland will be broadcasting live from the course on both Saturday and Sunday. This is a first for Radio Scotland and follows on from their much-acclaimed coverage of the Open Championship at St Andrews last year. Gillian Stewart will again be part of the on course commentary team. Tune in to Radio Scotland on 810Khz,370m; FM 92.4 - 94.7, 11am-5.30pm each day For information on the tournament go to http://www.barclaysscottishopen.co.uk/
15 - 16 June 2006
Glenmuir Women Club Professional Championship, Prince's Golf Club, Sandwich GILLIAN SO CLOSE AT PRINCES Former Ladies European Tour star Gillian Stewart came close once again today to capturing the Glenmuir Women's Club Professional Championship. In 2004 she finished a shot behind Alison Gray at Southport & Ainsdale. On this occasion at the Prince's Golf Club in Kent she finished third, two shots back of two players. Mette Hageman, Holland's leading woman professional for the past 14 years, won the Championship but only after a play-off against overnight leader Anna Smith of World of Golf. An opening round of 3 under par 71 saw Stewart lie one behind Smith on 70, with Hageman on 73. With two holes to play of this 36 hole event Stewart stood on the seventeenth tee in her starting position, one shy of the lead. A 5-iron tee shot to this tricky short hole was rifled straight at the pin only to hit the top of the bunker guarding the pin. 'It was agonisingly close' said Stewart. 'I needed another birdie there to go even with Anna'. In the event she made a decent fist of the chip shot from an awkward position but her putt for par stayed above ground. A par at the last for a level par round of 74 gave her a two round aggregate of 143, 3 under par and third place. Attention now switches to 2007 when the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship will be played over the famous links of Royal Porthcawl. WPGA Glenmuir Prince's G C 2006 WPGA Glenmuir Prince's Final Result
April 2006
NEW 'teach yourself' BOOK , Teach yourself golf by david & patricia davies § Do you want to play golf but aren't sure where to start? § Do you want to know which clubs to use when? § Would you like key tips from great coaches?
David Davies has been writing about golf for 40 years and is former golf correspondent for the Guardian. Patricia Davies was an Ireland junior internationalist and is now a golf writer. Approved and supported by the Professional Golfers' Association.
February 2006
PGA Honours for Gillian Scottish professional Gillian Stewart has been honoured in the latest APAL (Accreditation for Prior Achievement and Learning) awards. She has had her PGA membership status elevated to that of 'Advanced Fellow of the PGA' The Professional Golfers' Association now have in place different levels of membership providing a framework that will maintain the position of the PGA at the forefront of the sport with members who are 'professional' in every sense of the term to be compared with medicine, law, accountancy and teaching. Rewarding significant achievement within the sport are the categories of Advanced Professional, Fellow of the PGA, Advanced Fellow of the PGA and Master Professional.
July 14 -17, 2005
The Open Championship, St Andrews
Former European Ladies Tour star Gillian Stewart was delighted to accept an invitation from BBC Radio Scotland to be part of their on- course commentary team for the Open Championship at St Andrews. "It was an epic sporting week" said Stewart. "With Tiger Woods asserting himself once more as the game's leading player and Jack Nicklaus taking his leave of the game which idolises him, as a sporting spectacle it was hard to beat." "We were on air from 12 noon till 8 o'clock each day of the Championship so they were long working days but it was immensely enjoyable. St Andrews is the Open they all want to win and it was a privilege to be inside the ropes to witness it all."
November 2004
NLP Master Practitioner In November 2004 I qualified as a Master Sports Practitioner of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) NLP is many things - It is beyond any shadow of a doubt that for players to fulfil their potential, it is absolutely imperative to improve not only technique but the mind also. Tiger Woods has the best mind in golf. This is what he has to say - "My creative mind is my greatest weapon. It is a kind of inner vision that enables me to see things that others might not, like a certain way to play a shot. The psychology of golf can be complicated as it does entail mental toughness, self-confidence, conquering inner demons, instant recall of past successes and being able to purge failures. It is the game within the game. I developed my mental strength early, I cannot overemphasise the importance of YOU developing yours NOW!" What the NLP Certification has given me is a set of applicable tools and training that can be incorporated into my existing coaching format to allow the player to have both a trained brain and a trained swing. Historically, mental training has fallen into two areas; discussion on the subject in a very general way in a group setting or recognising that a player needs some 'help' and recommending that they see a sports psychologist, a reactive mindset as opposed to a developmental one. This is a bit like sitting in a room talking about what you should do in the golf swing and never going to the range or waiting until the player suffers a serious muscle tear and then recommending a stretching programme! Players should have the understanding that mental skills can be developed and improved upon and that they are part of training as opposed to being something to consider if they feel it might help when things are not going to plan. SWING-ONLY coaching is not enough for ANY level of golfer. Key to big changes in performance is for every golfer to also learn some basic mental skills that will help them make the most of their swing technique. If you would like to develop your mental skills please contact me - Email: mailto:trainedbrain@gillianstewart.com
12 -13 August 2004
WPGA Glenmuir Championship, Southport & Ainsdale GILLIAN PIPPED AT THE POST AT SOUTHPORT & AINSDALE
Former European Ladies Tour star Gillian Stewart, now based in her native Inverness and building up a reputation as a golf coach, showed she had not lost all her old tournament skills by finishing runner-up in the WPGA Glenmuir championship at Southport & Ainsdale. Gillian shot rounds of 71 and 74 for a three-under-par total of 145, being pipped at the very last hole for the title and £1,000 first prize by Alison Gray from Ormskirk who shot 74 and 70 for 144. Alison, who was a member at Southport & Ainsdale as an amateur, putted "like a dream" to birdie the fourth, sixth, seventh, 11th and 14th in her second round and draw level with Gillian. Tied playing the last hole, Miss Stewart was bunkered off the tee and could only splash out. She finished with a bogey to Mrs Gray's two-putt par from 40ft. Gillian's runner-up prize was £800. "I'm delighted with the way I played and disappointed not to have gone all the way. It's a great course and takes a bit of knowing. This is a title I'd love to win. This is only its second year but I am sure it is a WPGA tournament that will grow as the number of women club and teaching pros increases. I'm already looking forward to next year's championship at Woodhall Spa," said Gillian. WPGA Glenmuir Championship
Southport & Ainsdale Final Result
Press Release, 23rd April 2004
Golf Gurus Host Highland Seminar
Highland golfers were treated to a unique event last Wednesday at the Newton Hotel in Nairn. At the invitation of European Tour professional and coach Gillian Stewart, golfing gurus Dr Karl Morris and Jamie Edwards presented a seminar on how to 'Train your Golf Brain'. Dr Morris and Jamie Edwards work at the highest level in golf with players of the calibre of Darren Clarke, their aim being to help players manage themselves better on the golf course and get the best out of themselves. Gillian Stewart said - "The event far exceeded my expectations with a turnout of 80 people, which just shows the interest that exists in this side of the game. Karl and Jamie did a great job and kept their audience enthralled for the best part of three hours. The seminar was extremely practical, with every person present being able to take away skills and tools that they could immediately implement to help them perform better on the golf course. Feedback so far has been tremendous. What they do fits in with my belief that to coach effectively, this side of the game has to be integrated with the technical. Tiger Woods has worked with a sports psychologist since the age of 12, which was an interesting revelation for the youngsters in the audience. What is really exciting is the possibility that this event could act as the catalyst for one of more of these young golfers to commit to developing their mental game early and go on to become great players" One of the attendees, Alasdair Mackenzie, Fortrose G.C. said, "It was really very good, lots of tips on how to keep focused over a 3 hour round, lots of ways to practice which makes the effort more rewarding, lots of "little snippets" about the techniques used by the famous Pros which I had never heard before. I would definitely go again and recommend it to anyone with a serious interest in improving their game". For more information contact - Gillian Stewart For more information on TRAINED BRAIN check them out at - www.trained-brain.com |  |
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