Richard Johnson of Wales has some worldly advice for any young British amateur golfer who aspires to become a successful professional.

Johnson says that accepting a golf scholarship at an American university is a waste of time. And he should know, having been through the experience at Augusta State in Georgia, just down the road from Augusta National, home of the Masters.

"I don't know why I stayed," said Johnson. "It probably wasn't the best thing for my golf. It's great to get a degree and have fun for four years, but as far as being a golf pro, I don't think college golf is the way to go.

"For us (British players), you're probably better off doing it through the international federation, going on tour, taking the hard knocks and learning that way," he added. "The English Golf Union, or what they're doing down in Australia, they're far superior to anything college can do over here. It's best to have private coaching."

GOING TO GARCIA'S: Sergio Garcia's home course of Club de Campo del Mediterraneo on Spain's east coast will host the European Tour for the first time when the Comunitat Valenciana Masters Castellon Costa Azahar unfolds this fall. The event is set for Oct. 23-26.

The Comunitat Valenciana Masters will be promoted by MatchGolf and replaces the Mallorca Classic on the 2008 schedule. This new tournament will be the third of four European Tour events to be held in Spain during the 2008 season.

Set in the hills overlooking Castellon, the Club de Campo del Mediterraneo course weaves its way through olive and carob trees. Designed by Ramon Espinosa, the course opened in 1978. Sergio Garcia is the club's touring professional, while his father, Víctor, who plays on the European Seniors Tour, is the club's head professional.

The club has hosted the OKI Senior Spanish Open on the European Seniors Tour for the last three years.

RETURN TO RUSSIA: The European Tour will return to Russia this summer for the $2 million Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship. The event is set for July 24-27 at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club, where Sweden's Per-Ulrik Johansson won the title last year.

Inteco, one of Russia's most powerful real estate developers, was an Official Partner to the 2007 Russian Open and has increased its commitment to the tournament by assuming title sponsorship.

The European Tour has been playing golf in Russia since the second-tier Challenge Tour's first visit there in 1996. The Russian Open has grown over the past 12 years, becoming a dual ranking event from 2003-2005 before being instated as a fully sanctioned European Tour event in 2006.

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