News round-up: The British Open Championship was worth more than £72 million (€105 million) - over £1 million per hole - to Scotland last year, according to a comprehensive economic study.
The value was calculated through £40 million worth of worldwide television exposure for the host country and £32.3 million of new money for the Scottish economy from spending by spectators, the media, players and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
The study was commissioned and jointly funded by the R&A and Scottish Enterprise.
In 2005, the St Andrews Open attracted 223,000 spectators, of whom just over half were Scottish residents and almost one third came from elsewhere in Britain.
More than one in 10 came from overseas, with the majority from the US and others from Ireland, Australia and Canada.
Last year four executive agencies - Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development International, EventScotland and VisitScotland - committed a total of £600,000 over three years to the British Open Championship to promote Scotland as the Home of Golf.
Meanwhile, Padraig Harrington has confirmed he will begin his 2006 season at the Maybank Malaysian Open next month.
Harrington tees off after a successful first season on the US PGA Tour, where he won twice, looking to follow in the footsteps of world number two Vijay Singh, who clinched the title in 1992 and 2001.
The 34-year-old will also go into the tournament, which is co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour, as favourite, although he faces the challenge of two-time winner and defending Malaysian Open champion Thongchai Jaidee, of Thailand.
Seve Ballesteros has delayed his first tournament appearance of 2006 because of further pain in his back.
The 48-year-old played his first event for nearly two years at the Madrid Open in October, and although he missed the cut Ballesteros said he hoped to be back at next week's Dubai Desert Classic.
"He changed his mind because he does not feel 100 per cent," said his manager and nephew, Ivan Ballesteros, yesterday.
The life story of Gary Player, almost certainly the world's most travelled sportsman, is to be documented at the World Golf Hall of Fame in Florida.
Entitled "Gary Player: A Global Journey", the exhibit will be unveiled during the Players' Championship in March.
"The Hall of Fame does a terrific job telling the story of its members throughout the museum," said the 70-year-old South African.
