The month of March has been highlighted by reporting on three tournaments on the PGA Tour – Tampa Bay Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Shell Houston Open.

So apart from a couple of games of golf in Scotland beforehand, it’s an all-American theme this month with my Monthly Medal awards.

GOLFER OF THE MONTH – Tiger Woods

Who else but Tiger Woods!

Back-to-back victories and with his Arnold Palmer Invitational success matching a record set by the late Sam Snead with eight victories in the same event.

As well, Woods went back to World No. 1 also with victory at Bay Hill.

Daylight in a distant second place.

BEST GOLF COURSE PLAYED IN MARCH – Crail.

And the winner is – Crail Golfing Soceity in Scotland.

Even though I had to obtain a pair of mittens and a beanie (woollen hat) for a first time to help combat the snow and cold, it’s always a pleasure getting out onto either the Balcome Links or Craighead course.

In fact, it was the only golf course I played in March.

BEST TOURNAMENT OF THE MONTH – Arnold Palmer Invitational.

I hadn’t been to the Arnold Palmer Invitational in nearly a decade and not since great friend and esteemed colleague, Dai Davies used to be presented late in the day with his own bottle of red while the rest of the media savoured Budweiser.

It was great to again catch-up with IMG’s Bev Norwood and Media Officer, Tracey Dent who looked after us superbly.

And what made it more special was the fact organisers, including tournament host Arnold Palmer, went out of their way to make you feel welcome.

There was also a wonderful media dinner in the clubhouse on Saturday night of the tournament and with the Tournament Director speaking of his appreciation for the media’s input.

Special mention also to the Shell Houston Open as it’s always an enjoyable week.

Recognition of the press who make the effort to journey to tournaments has been an on-going theme in my awards and what a pity many other Tournament Directors don’t take a leaf of the book of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Shell Houston Open.

SHOT OF THE MONTH – Shane Lowry.

A storm storm halted played midway on the opening round of the WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship in Arizona.

World No.1 Rory McIlroy was being interviewed by SKY Sports when struck on the side of the head by the player he was due to face in the opening round of the $8.75m event.

The culprit was good friend and fellow Irishman Shane Lowry who wins the ‘Shot of Month’ for his snowball.

BIGGEST FRIGHT OF THE MONTH – Mini Hurricane that hit Bay Hill

The biggest fright of the month was having to run as fast as we could through driving rain and strong winds from the Media Centre to the security of the Bay Hill clubhouse.

Never before in my long years on reporting on golf have we been advised to vacate a Media Centre due to bad weather.

However the mini hurricane that ripped across central Florida around 3pm on the Sunday of the event was something I trust I will not have to experience again.

BEST UNINTENDED STOPOVER FOR THE MONTH – Memphis, Tennessee.

When our flight from Orlando via Memphis and on to Houston was late leaving Orlando we knew that due to the small connection time in Memphis we may miss out onward flight to Houston for the Shell Houston Open.

As it turned out, we arrived in Memphis to find the gate had been closed so it meant staying the night in Memphis.

Delta Airlines were wonderful in looking after our needs in arranging for transport to the hotel, meal vouchers and a night’s accommodation in the Hilton Hotel in Memphis.

The only problem it was a bitterly freezing night in Memphis with the outside temperature nudging 40 degrees F.

We eventually made our way back to Memphis Airport the next morning and had plenty of time for a warming cup of coffee adn a visit to the Elvis memorbilia shotp to buy good friend, George Morris, and Elvis devotee, a t-shirt before arriving mid-morning in Houston.

After checking into our Humble hotel it was straight to the Redstone course where it was business as usual in catching up with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry playing a practice round together.

NEW TAVERN OF THE MONTH – Nona Blue, Lake Nona, Florida.

Graeme McDowell’s on a real winner with his involvement in the newly-opened Nona Blue bistro.

Nona Blue is just a mid-iron from the front gates of Lake Nona Golf Club.

I paid a visit three days after the opening and patrons were lining up to get a table.

So here’s toasting G Mac’s initiative and looking forward to a pint of the ‘black stuff’ when next in Orlando.

WORST HOTEL OF THE MONTH – America’s Best Value Inn, Clearwater, Florida.

It’s amazing in the course of a season reporting on golf how the standard of hotel rooms can vary.

More often than not we don’t have a problem with hotel rooms.

Well, there was an exception during the course of the Tampa Bay Championship.

Rather than slamming America’s Best Value Inn at Clearwater, Florida as a dump, in need of refurbishment, hasn’t seen a coat of paint in years, bath towels 50 year old, a door that would never open, let me just remark – there won’t be a next time staying at America’s worst value inn In Clearwater, Florida.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH – Tiger Woods text message to Rory McIlroy.

A day after Tiger Woods captured an eighth Arnold Palmer Invitational he received a congratulatory text message from Rory McIroy, and the player he’d dethroned in returning to World No. 1.

However little did McIlroy expect the reply he got from Woods ahead of McIlroy competing in the Shell Houston Open.

“Take your finger out of your ass and go and win this week,” said Woods in the text.

However McIlroy later admitted that was the toned-down version of Woods text message.

BEST VISIT OF THE MONTH – Kennedy Space Centre.

The Space Shuttle program is on hold but it doesn’t mean the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral hasn’t shut down.

The centre has a program of satellites set to be launched into space this year.

The visitors centre is a rewarding experience and in particular the area set aside dealing with ‘The Space Race’ and the fight between the USSR and the USA to be first into space and first to set foot on the moon.

So it was a fascinating afternoon looking over the visitors centre.