Welcome to Kicking Off as we consider the implications of what looks a historic day for golf along with the usual mix of football and rugby news
Today
- Frank McGarvey astonished James Forrest has turned down Celtic's contract offer - and suggests winger will struggle to get even a Championship club in England
- Mark Warburton admits Rangers will have to grind out more wins like they did against Queens in the final weeks of the season
- Lee Wallace delighted that Barrie McKay has signed a new deal with Rangers
- John McGinn on being famous and “better than Zidane”
- Dundee manager says he plans to have a word with Gary Harkins after the club captain aired his view on Rangers' status
- R&A continue to overcome their fear of monstrous regiment but may yet have to address greater golfing embarrassments as they keep Turnberry among the Open pool of courses despite Trump’s trumpetings
- Horne and Visser return but Cowan and Maitland are ruled out of Scotland’s trip to Italy
- Horror of 10-in-a-row threat is not adding to the pressure on Scotland in Rome according to assistant coach Hines
- Scots diver Reid earns Rio Olympic spot
Frank opinion
Frank McGarvey (left) shared a dressing room with Charlie Nicholas (middle) and George McCluskey, both of whom went on to big moves south, but he reckons modern-day Celtic forward James Forrest is unlikely to attract much interest from major English clubs
Ready to roll up the sleeves
Rangers manager Mark Warburton acknowledges that his team will have to continue to work hard for their wins in their bid to secure the Championship title and guaranteed promotion to the Premiership
Leading the applause
Rangers captain Lee Wallace has welcomed the news that prospect Barrie McKay is committed to the club longer term
New deal
Barrie McKay has agreed terms that will keep him at Rangers until the summer of 2018
Better than Zidane?
John McGinn addresses the extraordinary claims being made on his behalf as he adjusts to becoming a Hibs fan favourite
Hart to Hark
Dundee boss Paul Hartley said he would discuss Gary Harkins' comments about Rangers' 'new club' status with his captain but still seemed relaxed ahehad of tonight's Scottish Cup replay against Dumbarton
Cat among pigeons
Scotland's top golfer Catriona Matthew is among the potential beneficiaries of what looks a ground-breaking merger between the R&A and the Ladies Golf Union
Golfing undesirable?![The Herald:]( "The Herald:")
Golf appears to be addressing one embarrassment in its attitudes towards women, but others may yet need attention
Horne of a dilemma![The Herald:]( "The Herald:")
Glasgow Warrior Peter Horne has recovered from injury to bolster a Scotland squad that is seeking to end a record-breaking run of Six Nations defeat
Don't panic
Assistant coach Nathan Hines says Scotland's record-breaking losing run in the Six Nations is not bringing any added pressure to their trip to Rome
Heading south
Scots diver Grace Reid has earned a place in the British team heading for this summer's Olympics in Rio
06.05 Radio Scotland sports headlines
Scotland assistant coach Nathan Hines determined not to let pressure become too much... no shock defeat for Manchester United in FA Cup as they set up quarter-final meeting with West Ham... tonight sees Scottish Cup action as Dundee meet Dumbarton looking to get through to a quarter-final meeting with Rangers
06.32 Radio Five Live sports headlines
Louis Van Gaal expresses satisfaction with Manchester United's easy FA Cup win at Shrewsbury... Arsenal can expect it tougher in Champions League against a Barcelona team whose management is expressing fear that the English Premier League's spending power offers a bigger threat to them than Spanish rivals Real Madrid... English League One leaders Burton Albion lose at Souternd... Kenya given two months to address doping issues by athletics chiefs... Tiger Woods manager says reports that he has suffered a major setback following his latest back operation are inaccurate... Johana Konta through to second round at Mexican Open... Scottish diver Grace Reid secures spot in GB Olympic team
Read all about it – the back pages
The Evening Times, The Herald and The National all lead with news of James Forrest's imminent departure from Cetic with the club's former striker Frank McGarvey expressing scepticism regarding his chances of attracting interest from a leading club
Grandstanding - today's Scottish sports comment
Nick Rodger reckons it may be “hard hat time" for Royal Troon’s membership as the club which retains discriminatory policies towards women could prepares to come under a hostile microscope as it hosts the Open Championship this summer just months after yesterday's announcement that the tournament's organisers, the R&A, is merging with the Ladies Golf Union.
In The National Martin Hannan calls on the SFA to do some proper research on whether playing on artificial pitches really does cause injury, while staying with football Neil Cameron has offered interesting views in HeraldSport online on why Celtic supporters will see the trees for the Forrest as their under-performing winger prepares to leave.
Sporting Twitterati
On the day that golf made encouraging progress in terms of its attitudes to women one Tweeter reckons he has found something else for the sport to feel uncomfortable about:
Just when Donald Trump thought things were going so well... #bigidiots pic.twitter.com/P3NHgD3Q3w
— Matthew Collins (@MattHopeNotHate) February 22, 2016
Better, perhaps, to focus on the day's positive news:
Excited 4 these great entities. LGU has been incredible 4 @RICOHWomensBrit and @RandA joining creates serious upside https://t.co/5o5j0t6T8G
— Michael Whan (@LPGACommish) February 22, 2016
All the moreso as claims are made that its biggest star of modern times apparently continues to struggle:
Tiger Woods' condition has reportedly worsened, he can't move well or sit without pain https://t.co/G4mo4NhYHz pic.twitter.com/z1Q7SxwuXm
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 22, 2016
Behind the headlines
Sometimes it is just not meant to be and as it emerged overnight that Grant Gilchrist has suffered yet another significant injury in the course of what was supposed to be another comeback game some of us started to wonder.
The world looked to be at the big lad from Alloa’s feet when, on his first tour as Scotland head coach, Vern Cotter made the lock captain for their meeting with Argentina in the summer of 2014 and then appointed him as captain for that year's autumn Tests.
However that is when it started to go wrong, a broken arm suffered the same week, ruling him out of that campaign and then complications setting in and hindering his recovery.
He managed to regain fitness in time to be involved in Scotland's World Cup campaign, only to succumb to a groin problem which abbreviated his involvement and sent him back to the re-hab room.
His re-appearance for Edinburgh for the first time in 16 months naturally generated considerable excitement, then and speculation as to whether he might be available to help Cotter's ailing side which has failed at record levels in the absence of the man he had wanted to be his on-field leader.
It is all the more disappointing because as another towering figure like Al Kellock, who has done so much for rugby in Glasgow, Gilchrist came from outside the communities that have traditionally produced Scotland captains - the private schools and the Borders - so could have played a major role in helping change the sport's image.
The main concern is, however, for the lad himself who must be wondering if he is among those destined to be continually let down by a body that cannot cope with the demands of the spirit it contains.
We wish the 25-year-old well in his latest bid to recover.
Thanks for reading. Back tomorrow with another day's Scottish sports agenda.
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