Doughtie Sr. on Golf (June 2014)

The Merry Month of May.

It was not William Shakespeare who wrote this,but Thomas Dekker(must have had Dutch ancestry)who penned this poem in the 16th Century......and 500 years later it has certainly been a merry month in the golf world.

Those who participated,completed their NGF Comp. matches and special congratulations to our Dames 1 who promoted to the Hoofd Klasse.The NGF are presently considering formats for next year and hopefully it will be as exciting and enjoyable as it has been in previous years.

In the paid ranks,Martin Kaymer got things going at TPC Sawgrass,winning The Players with Europeans occupying 6 of the Top Ten spots.The likeable Adam Scott captured the Nr 1 position in the World Rankings and won the Crowne Plaza.And Japanese 22 year-old Hedeki Matsuyama won Jack Nicklaus' Memorial on the same weekend that Thongchai Jaidee secured a double for the Asians with a play-off win at Sweden's Nordea Masters.

Jaidee(44) completed a memorable month for the "older " Tour players.Earlier, the charismatic Spaniard, Jimenez,at 50 years old, was victorious in his 1st Seniors event,winning on the US Champions Tour,before capturing his National title,the Spanish Open, not long after.This broke his own record of being the oldest winner on the European Tour.

On the same weekend that Rory McIlroy returned to the winners podium at the BMW-PGA flagship event at Wentworth,in dramatic fashion,Colin Montgomerie won his 1st Major.....albeit on the Seniors Tour.

In a career which earned him 5 Major runner-up spots over a period of 24 years and a record 8 Order of Merit titles,the Scot ,who recently reached his half century,finally buried the tag of "one of the best players never to win a Major",when he triumphed in the US Seniors PGA,finishing(-13) well clear of the popular 64 year old Tom Watson(-9).Colin becomes the first home-based Scot to succeed in that event,although Jock Hutchison (1937 and 1947) and Freddie Mc Leod(1938),who had become US citizens at the time of their wins, were born in Scotland......

Oh yes!!!!...and Kylie Walker,another Scot, rounded off a good weekend for Celtic golf at The International ,with the Deloitte Ladies Open.

....and so a great month of golf closed with victors emerging at both ends of the age spectrum...with perhaps the older boys,who also include a rejuvenated ,43 year old Thomas Bjorn in their ranks,getting the edge.

Let us however not forget that 11 year old Lucy Li has qualified for the US Ladies Open later this month..........becoming the youngest ever qualifier....

.....what will June bring us?????