Golf: Lloyd is quite simply untouchable in Spain

LLOYD SALTMAN is ready to take the European Tour by storm after warming up for his return to the circuit by producing his own version of 'The Alamo' in Spain yesterday.

Luckily for his rivals in an event on the Hi5 Tour, their siege only lasted three days, ten less than the famous event in the Texas Revolution.

Saltman was, quite simply, a class apart in the 25,000 Hacienda De Alamo Open, winning by 13 shots with a remarkable 21-under-par aggregate of 195.

And he's now keeping his fingers crossed that he might get a place in next week's Dubai Desert Classic instead of having to wait for the Avantha Masters in India the following week.

"I'm just waiting for the call. Dubai is a big event where a lot of top players come, but let's wait and see what happens," said the Aegon ace.

"In any case, it has been a great week for me here at Hacienda. The course was fantastic and it is great training for both my game and confidence for my year ahead."

Over the three rounds in Murcia, the former Open silver medal winner bagged 19 birdies and two eagles.

The latter came in his final three holes after he'd run up a double-bogey at the short 15th, having gone 44 holes before that without even dropping a shot.

"My game is in great shape," added Saltman, who was joined in the top ten by both his brothers, Elliot and Zack.

Elliot tied for fourth after closing with a 69 for seven-under, two less than Zack after he signed off with the same score.

Craigielaw's Shaun McAllister, the only other Scot to make the cut, closed with a 72 to finish in a tie for 26th on two-over.

In the Middle East, David Drysdale birdied the last today for a one-under-par 71 when he returned to the course this morning to play his final two holes in the opening round of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters in Doha.

That put him just two shots behind the leader, South African Retief Goosen, and one ahead of fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher going into the second round.

Former winner Andrew Coltart opened with a 74, the same as another ex-champion in the event, Paul Lawrie.

Down Under, Clare Queen looked as though she was going to be the sole Scot standing in the final two rounds of the Australian Women's Open in Melbourne.

After a promising 71, she slipped to a 77 at the Commonwealth Club today but was still going to safely make the cut.

Carly Booth needed a strong finish to her round to have any chance of joining Queen, but Kylie Walker (73 for 157) and Vikki Laing (80 for 163) had already run their race and so had Krystle Caithness even though she had still to finish her second round.

Taiwan's Yani Tseng was the leader in the clubhouse after a 67 hoisted her to nine-under at the halfway stage.