Absence of Scots from golf's top 100 provides genuine cause for concern

WHEN the inaugural world golf ranking was issued in 1986 after Jack Nicklaus won the Masters at Augusta, the presence of Sandy Lyle at No3 behind Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros was, inevitably, a source of Scottish pride.

Sam Torrance, in 23rd place, Gordon Brand Jr, 68th, and Ken Brown, 93rd, also figured among the game's top 100 players that spring.

While a good deal has changed in the golfing world over the subsequent 22-and-a-half years, until now the home of golf always felt reasonably confident of representation among the sport's elite. At least that was the case until yesterday. The latest international survey of the game's leading lights was notable mainly for a conspicuous absence of tartan – the lack of any Scottish professional from the top 100 for the first time since the rankings began.

Alastair Forsyth's slip from 98th to 102nd, in tandem with Colin Montgomerie's continuing slide to 114th place, has left Scotland without representation at the highest level. The other highest-ranked Scots are Richie Ramsay, 152nd, Paul Lawrie, 163rd, Gary Orr, 175th, and Martin Laird, 246th. Following in the footsteps of Scotland's omission from the Ryder Cup match at Valhalla last month for the first time since the 1930s, the cold facts of the situation make unsettling reading for the game in this country.

Not that it's all gloom and doom, by any means. The success this month of Scotland's top amateurs in Australia, where they won the Eisenhower Trophy for the first time, finishing nine shots in front of the USA; the positive performances of Ramsay and Steven O'Hara on the Challenge Tour, where the pair won cards this week for the 2009 season on the European Tour; and the return to form this autumn of former Open champion Lawrie all offer significant glimpses of encouragement.

Moreover, it could be argued that but for doleful personal circumstances, the death of his father, Alex, which forced Forsyth to pull out of events in Spain and Portugal, Scotland's highest-ranked golfer would have retained his place in the top 100 as well as qualifying with something to spare for the season-ending Volvo Masters, which starts on Thursday. Instead, he lost ground in the Order of Merit as well as the world rankings and narrowly missed out on a place at Valderrama.

Brian Marchbank, director of golf for 110sport, who manages Forsyth, Stephen Gallacher, Marc Warren and O'Hara, cautioned, however, that it would be misleading to interpret the absence of a Scot from the top 100 for the first time as an irrevocable sign of infirmity.

"Yes, facts are facts and it can't be good if we don't have any players in the top 100," he said. "But there have also been a few really positive developments for Scottish golf in recent weeks. The fact that Callum Macaulay, Wallace Booth and Gavin Dear were able to defeat the USA by nine strokes at Royal Adelaide to win the World Amateur Team Championship for the first time was fantastic.

"Both Richie Ramsay and Steven O'Hara also deserve credit for a season of strong performances on the Challenge Tour. They finished in the top ten on the money list and won cards to play on the main Tour next season.

"And I think everyone is pleased to see Paul Lawrie playing well again. Paul is a tremendous competitor and it's been great to see him string together some excellent performances over the past couple of months." Among his own men, Marchbank believes Warren, who won the World Cup in partnership with Monty a year ago, has sorted out the technical issues which blighted his game in 2008 and is ready to make a far stronger impact in 2009. He also pointed to the upturn in Gallacher's fortunes with top-ten finishes at the Castello Masters and the Johnnie Walker over the past couple of months.

Forsyth can look back on a year in which he was the only Scottish winner on Tour at the Madeira Islands Open as well as recording his first top-ten finish in a major at the US PGA Championship. Overall, however, the Paisley golfer would be the first to admit there were too many events over the season where he played 72 holes but finished a long way from the heat of battle. "Results speak for themselves," Forsyth said. According to Marchbank, however, the Scottish contingent on Tour don't lack desire.

"The one thing I can say about our guys is that they are never satisfied with their performances and are all determined to improve their careers," he added. "They make decent livings and could sit back and enjoy their rewards. But that's not how they see things," he said. "They know that winning is the most important thing."

Although England, with 239 wins, and Spain, 147 wins, remain the only countries with more individual victories on the European Tour than Scotland on 125 wins, Marchbank makes the point that standards are now higher. He pointed to the global strength in depth of the European Tour and the fact only eight players were multiple winners over the past season.

With more players from more countries than ever before capable of winning tournaments, it's clear only the best of Scottish golf will be good enough to meet a quickening challenge.