Hello everyone.  Firstly, apologies for the slow update of the website the last two weeks, things have been a bit busy playing and travelling but I thought I might give you a quick update on happenings.

Last week we had the European Tour’s biggest event, the BMW PGA Championship at the famous Wentworth Golf Club.  I have played there for the last two years but it was effectively a new course for everyone after alterations made by Ernie Els.  There was a lot of media coverage on the new greens with a lot of the top players complaining or commenting on things that were not to their taste.  From what I gathered Ernie got a little frustrated that the players were going to the press instead of him and at the end of the week basically said that they were spoilt brats.  I agreed with him totally.  Here we are playing for the biggest prize fund of the year, on a fantastic course, the green surfaces were pristine and the course was in great condition.  Then you have the superstars complaining that the slopes are too radical or the course is now too difficult.  Sometimes I think people can lose a sense of reality and do become used to having everything done for them and everything being perfect all the time.  The reality is there are literally thousands of aspiring guys that would love to be playing that tourament, and the European Tour so really, get a grip.

I had a good week apart from 20 bad holes in the middle, making a double bogey 7 in the 2nd round to likely miss the cut.  Then found out late that it had just squeaked in on the number.  I followed that up with a poor 3rd round before finishing with a 69 to finish in a tie for 61st.  It really was an awesome week to be part of, great weather, great course and massive galleries from the greater London area.

From the high of Wentworth to missing the cut last week in the Madrid Masters.  To be honest I was probably a little flat and my play reflected that.  I played what felt like nice golf tee to green, sprinkled with the odd really poor shot.  For 2 rounds I had 3 double bogey’s and 1 triple so that showed to me there was a lot of poor concentration going on. 

Tomorrow I will be heading along the M4 to Newport for the Welsh Open, this will be held on the 2010 Ryder Cup course so looking forward to going back and getting stuck in.

Mark has finished in a tie for 38th position in the BMW Italian Open.  It was a consistent if unspectacular week with rounds of 72, 71, 73 and 69 to finish 3 under par.

Mark spends this week at home preparing for the European Tour’s flagship event next week, the BMW PGA Championship at the famous Wentworth Golf Club.  Mark is based only 10 minutes from the course so is looking forward to getting a few extra rounds in at the course which has been recently renovated by Ernie Els.  The course has 18 new greens and surrounds as well as other minor changes so although he has played there for the last 2 years it will be vital to come to grips with the new greens.  Mark will also look forward to playing in front of a few of his London friends as well as his mother who arrives from New Zealand on Monday.

Mark has missed the cut in the Open de Espana in Seville with rounds of 77 and 72.