Dunhill Links

I enjoyed my week off, as it was my birthday, one of my presents was a trip to see Billy Connolly on tour which was fantastic, I have loved him since I was a kid and he certainly didn't disappoint. I also practised and played a couple of games with friends at my home club Matfen Hall.

We arrived in St Andrews on Tuesday lunchtime and spent the afternoon trying my new set of Titleist 755 irons. The rest of the afternoon was spent on the practice putting and chipping greens. The range was full of amateurs and pro's as this week is different as it is pro-am pairings all week and we play three different courses St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

On Wednesday I played an early practice round with Lee Slattery, David Lynn and Paul Broadhurst at Kingsbarns. Broady and I played a match against Lynny and Slatts, it was a close one but we edged them with a 2&1 win and my new irons won themselves a place in my bag. There was plenty of banter and much talk of football as Lee's caddy Stevie is a big Sunderland fan. My parents came up to watch and enjoyed the walk, as the views are beautiful especially on a clear day like we had. St Andrews is where we came for family holidays when I was a kid and it is still one of my favourite places.

Unfortunately Jonathan Edwards wasn't playing this year especially as we had some success as a pairing. My partner this year was Herbert Koehler Jnr, we were paired with John Bickerton and Michael Pascucci. We started on the 10th at St Andrews and got off to a good start I was 1 under for my first nine holes which was pleasing as I had played the more dangerous holes well and without catching any of the treacherous bunkers. I birdied the 1st, 7th and 9th holes and bogeyed the 6th for a 2 under par back nine and a total of three under par, 69. Our team was -6 and was well positioned.

Friday was our turn to play at Kingsbarns the weather was warm for this time of year and we again started on the 10th, I played my best golf of the week with no bogeys, I birdied the 10th, 12th, and 16th to turn in three under and had birdies on the 3rd, 7th, 8th and 9th for a round of 65, seven under par. This took me to 10 under for the tournament.

Saturday we completed the rotation at Carnoustie, again the weather was pleasant for October but the wind was still swirling about. I didn't get off to the best start with bogeys on the 2nd and 4th I played the middle holes well but didn't take any of my chances until I birdied the 12th. I three putted the 14th for a bogey and made another on the difficult par 3 16th for a round of 75, three over par. Our team finished on 16 under par but missed the cut.

I played on Sunday at St Andrews with John Bickerton and Gary Orr, at least this gave me another chance to listen to some of John's jokes. We started on the 10th again, I three putted the tricky 11th for a bogey, but followed with a birdie on the 14th, I bogeyed the 16th and 17th and birdied the 2nd and 4th holes to finish with a level par round of 72 and finish the tournament at seven under par. It was pleasing to play well again, but frustrating that I gave myself many chances for birdie but didn't capitalise on all of these opportunities.

I have a Grass Roots golf day today at Benfield school which has been organised by the Golf Foundation and the Newcastle School Sport Partnership and then I leave for Madrid first thing on Tuesday morning, just enough time to get my laundry washed and repacked!