PosAbility Magazine | Disability Magazine UK's Largest Disability Lifestyle Magazine
Disabled golfers from across Scotland travelled to the prestigious Lundin Golf Club in Fife to participate in the final team qualifier for Scottish Disability Golf’s Order of Merit Championship 2014. Winners from the day, along with other selected Scots golfers, were competing for places for the fourth Auld Enemies Cup Team against England from Saturday 13 to Thursday 18 September, at the Shire Golf Club in London.In what is expected to be a fiercely fought battle over four days of unique competition, with all the thrills and spills associated with the famous Ryder Cup, Incorporating disabled players from throughout the UK, it will include foursomes and four ball’s formats, with the winning team being crowned champions after the traditionally tense singles matches on the final day. Both the Scottish and English have spent months in training for this hugely competitive event. Both teams include players with various disabilities such as amputees, stroke and car accident victims, members who are blind and golfers with cerebral palsy, as well as many other disabilities.
Team Scotland Captain, Stevie Cunningham said, “Lundin were fantastic hosts for this final qualifier and what a superb course to play on. There have been a few changes from last year’s team due to some players not being available but I believe that we have a very strong team this year with a full range of golf handicaps and disabilities. This gives me plenty of options for pairing selections. Picking this year’s team was no easy task as there were so many good players vying for a place but unfortunately I just couldn’t pick them all”
The winners on the day at Lundin Golf Club were: Billy Cairns of Ayrshire, with Bob Drysdale of Tayport lying second and Alan Robertson of Stirling in third.
Alan Robertson of Stirling said, “I have never played in a competition of this type before & am thrilled if not a little nervous. This type of event is a real showcase for disabled golf as it covers the whole spectrum of disabilities & is not restricted to just one. I am sure that all the members of the SDGP will wish the team all the best in trying to win this year’s match”.
Team Scotland, selected from the Scottish Order of Merit Championship Tables and the Captain’s “picks,, for 2014 are: Stevie Cunningham (Captain) from Clackmananshire, Trevor Crombie Fife, Derek Milne Fife, Bob Drysdale Fife, John Pennycott Arran, Jim Thomson Millport, Kerr Scott Glasgow, Derek Milne Fife, Ian White Lanarkshire, Alan Robertson Stirling, Andy Gardner Fridwell, Paul Cunningham, Biggleswade, Kevin Harmison of Bedlington, Jim Gales Fife, and Paul Shepherd Fife.
Trevor Crombie, the current leader in the Scottish Order of Merit Championship said “Although it’s called the Auld Enemies Cup, we know a lot of the English team and the whole competition will be a good hearted affair, although I’m sure that everyone wants to go out and win their games. I know the banter and camaraderie will be great, especially when we ‘send them hameward tae think again’!!
In this “Ryder Cup” year at Gleneagles, the SDGP are also very proud to have generated two other international Ryder Cup style events since it was created in 2004. The first is between a World against a North American team of disabled golfers, which will take place in Nevada this October and the second, which began this year, is a UK Wide event and held in Scotland.
More information on the SDGP can be found at www.sdgp.org.uk
