Just in case any reminding is needed, 2010 is a Ryder Cup year and in the run-up to Celtic Manor, Wales, in October, the biennial beanfeast will loom large at every tournament played on the European and PGA tours.

As Scotland’s stock in the professional golfing world has fallen alarmingly in recent years, not one of our tartan troops made it into Nick Faldo’s team that was defeated at Valhalla, Kentucky, in 2008. It was the first time in the modern era that even a single Scot had failed to make the grade and the chances are it will be the same story this time, even though a bright new horizon is beckoning for Scottish fortunes on the men’s tours after a spell in the doldrums.

Both have declared an ambition to make this year’s side. The Arizona-based Laird has even belatedly joined the European Tour as an affiliate member to make himself eligible just in case he bursts into the big time this season, starting this week in the SBS Championship in Hawaii. But both are realistic enough to recognise that their Ryder Cup 2010 debuts may be further in the future.

He also reckons the positive “can-do” attitude of Americans helped him against what he perceives as an all-pervading Scottish negativity that includes, perhaps, columns like this pointing out a couple of weeks ago that while the tee-to-green play of the European Tour Scots is among the best, the putting stats are grim.

Montgomerie has already made it clear that players in his side in all probability will have to be well inside the world’s top 50 to be considered and there are sound reasons for that. These are the players assured of starts in every world and major championship, the tournaments where the pressure is most comparable with the Ryder Cup 2010, where players will earn most points and have the chance to show their resilience.

As the SGU and the Professional Golfers’ Association in Scotland continue to ponder the dearth of top young players making the transition to successful tournament professionals, the answer may indeed lie in establishing a base in a warmer climate and recruiting a wide range of positive-thinking mentors that was the recommendation in the challenging No Limits report by Winning Scotland Foundation almost a year ago.

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PREPARATIONS for this year’s Ryder Cup are progressing well, a report to councillors says.

City centre improvements, which are part of a £3.8 million revamp ahead of the October tournament, are already under way including work on the city’s war memorial and riverside walkways from the Riverfront Theatre to the footbridge.

A report to the council’s cabinet meeting next week says other projects including work to restore the Transporter Bridge, improvements to John Frost Square and work on key motorway routes at Tredegar Park Junction and the Coldra Roundabout are due to start this month.

A planning application for the park and ride at Usk Showground for Ryder Cup 2010 staff is due to be considered by Monmouthshire planning committee this month.

Park and Ride projects are on course to be completed on time with work at the Llanwern steelworks site and Tredegar House planned to start this month for completion in the summer.

Ryder Cup 2010 Wales reported that on-site infrastructure was progressing well with the bridge across the River Usk from Caerleon complete.

A schools education programme is being set up to get children involved in the event including golf themed literacy and maths exercises.

The council is also working to deliver opportunities for children and young people to participate in golf and funding has been allocated to support golf as a priority sport in Newport by the Sports Council for Wales.

All road closures associated with the tournament have been agreed and residents and businesses within the event exclusion zone in Catsash Road, Bulmore Road, Abernant Road, Belmont Hill, Royal Oak Hill have been contacted.

Preparations for the Newport 2010 Festival are also under way and will be unveiled at the launch on January 21.

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Darren Clarke wants nothing more than to get back into the European Ryder Cup team in 2010 but the Northern Irishman knows he must first start winning again.

The 41-year-old is in East London this week for the Africa Open, and, after a forgettable past 12 months, he is hoping for redemption in the new year.

Clarke, one of the heroes of the 2006 Ryder Cup victory at The K Club in Ireland, had only three top-10 finishes in 2009, the best of which came at the KLM Open in Zandvoort, where he tied for fifth.

By his own admission, it was a poor year and he is now keener than ever to make amends, with one eye firmly set on the contest against the United States in nine months' time.

"It was pretty obvious last year and I wanted to come back and get off to a fast start.

"I missed the Ryder Cup2010 the last time. I thought I had a good chance of making it but I missed it and I desperately want to get back on the team again. So that's the idea behind the early start."

Clarke also revealed his eagerness to improve on his form.

Speaking about his other goals, he continued: "Just to get back in the winner's circle again as soon as I can. I want to get back to winning ways again.

"I didn't win last year. I had a pretty poor year so I want to get back in the winner's circle and go from there."

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2010 promises to be an exciting year for golf as The Ryder Cup returns to Europe. The Celtic Manor Resort in the Usk Valley, South Wales plays host to this showpiece event and Four Communications will be working alongside US PR Agency Buffalo Communications in handling the press office in the UK.

Between 1 and 3 October 2010, the golfing elite of Europe and America go head-to-head in the sports premier team event on the purpose built Twenty Ten Course. This is the first course in history built to host The Ryder Cup 2010 and has been tailor made to challenge the best.

The Celtic Manor Resort is set in more than 1,400 acres of panoramic parkland at the gateway to Wales. With two hotels – a 330-room luxury Resort Hotel and the historic 19th century Manor House with 70 rooms – two exceptional spas, two luxury health clubs, a shooting school, fishing facilities, tennis courts, mountain biking, walking trails and five outstanding restaurants, The Celtic Manor Resort provides a complete experience for business, leisure and golf travellers as it gets ready to host The Ryder Cup 2010.

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Colin Montgomerie is confident his decision to feature as a playing captain at the Royal Trophy will not backfire.

The Scot will lead the European team in Thailand as they seek to regain the trophy they surrendered to Asia for the first time 12 months ago with a 10-6 defeat.

Montgomerie will also skipper Europe later in the year when they face America in the Ryder Cup 2010, although he has already insisted there is no chance of him featuring as a player, even if he were to qualify for the team.

But the 46-year-old is looking forward to playing his part this week and has played down claims from Asian counterpart Naomichi 'Joe' Osaki that he could struggle to carry off his dual role.

"When I heard that the games were just one game per day then it is possible (to play) but when you have two matches a day and 36 holes a day it becomes impossible to try and fit in the scheduling," Montgomerie explained ahead of the first day of action at the Amata Spring Country Club on Friday.

"With one match a day it is possible to captain and play in the team and it means I am at very close quarters to watch my team players and see what will happen not just here but of course later in the year."

"It is a very important year for European golf in 2010 culminating in the Ryder Cup 2010 in October," he continued.

"We have a great wealth of talent in Europe, more so than I have ever witnessed in my career.

“The Royal Trophy is a very good preparation for us in many ways to see how our top players are playing early on in the year while it gives me a great opportunity to witness how they are preparing for the Ryder Cup at the end of the year.

"We have seven possibilities here this week to show off their skills and we look forward trying to regain the Royal Trophy against a very strong Asian team."

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Former Ryder Cup 2010 hero Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland heads a strong, East London (South Africa)

Africa Open field when the event joins the European Tour circuit for the first time Thursday.

Dane Thomas Bjorn and Englishman Nick Dougherty are other big names chasing glory in the one-million-euro event at the links-cum-parkland East London Golf Club.

Retief Goosen, twice US Open champion, pipped Clarke for the Africa Open title last year and other South Africans will be trying to prevent a European Tour hat-trick for invaders this season.

The second edition of the Road to Dubai European Tour order of merit won by Englishman Lee Westwood last season began in South Africa a month ago with victories for rising stars Pablo Martin and Richie Ramsay.

Spaniard Martin won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in the eastern Mpumalanga province and Scot Ramsay lifted the South African Open after a play-off against Indian Shiv Kapur at Pearl Valley near Cape Town.

They say golfing greatness is defined by the Majors, but Montgomerie is perhaps the exception to that rule. Despite winning all of The European Tour’s biggest prizes, The Ryder Cup 2010, where he has starred in a record equalling five victories – provides the Scot with his greatness.

The world number 11 is still hoping to kick off 2010 in the Abu Dhabi Championship starting on January 21.

Argentine Angel Cabrera fired a course-record 62 on the intriguing par-73 layout at the Africa Open last year only to be upstaged by Sterne, who needed one stroke less in the same tournament.

Clarke overcame the death of his wife to play a pivotal role in the 2006 Ryder Cup triumph over the United States at a rain-soaked K Club outside Dublin and craves another crack at the Americans in Wales this October.

"I enjoyed playing in the Africa Open last year when finishing second behind Retief and I'm really looking forward to this tournament," Clarke said after a practice round designed to brush off festive-season cobwebs.

Competitors face raised tees, narrow fairways and minute greens on an outward-nine adventure that drifts through Indian Ocean dunes and can be pleasant when calm and perilous should the wind unleash its fury.

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GOLF fans in South West Wales are being given the choice of entering the online ballot for Hospitality to Ryder Cup 2010, or taking the alternative option of securing passes for the two Ryder Cup Practice Days Hospitality that precede golf's most prestigious team event.

The Ryder Cup comes to Wales for the first time in September 2010 when the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport hosts the biennial contest.

Hospitality was initially allocated through an online Hospitality ballot. A second ballot was opened with successful applicants being notified in April 2010 — all unsuccessful applicants from the first ballot were automatically entered into the second ballot.

As well as Hospitality for the three main match days, Ryder Cup Europe is also giving fans an early chance to sample the unique Ryder Cup 2010 atmosphere and see some of the world's top players at close quarters by securing Hospitality at a special rate for the three pre- tournament practice days.

Previously allocated within the online ballot, Ryder Cup Practice Days Hospitality, which start from £1,615.00 to £3,730.00, will be available on a first come, first served basis via the Ryder Cup website at www.corporatehospitalitygroup.com/Ryder-Cup-Hospitality

Richard Hills, director of Ryder Cup Europe, said; "Practice days at the Ryder Cup allow the golfers to familiarize themselves with the course and surroundings while the team captains get a last opportunity to see their players in action before deciding on the all-important pairings for the foursome and fourball matches. Demand for match-day Hospitality is always incredibly high but the practice days can give fans a once in a lifetime chance to get close to some of the world's best golfers."

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