GARY'S MBE In 2007 Gary was named in the New Years Honours list, he received an MBE for his services to sport. Gary received his MBE at an investiture at Buckinham Palace from the Queen.

Here is what Gary had to say at the time of receiving his MBE.

"It's a great honour and I'm very proud," he said. "I received a letter from the Prime Minister's Office some three weeks ago and the biggest problem was not being able to tell anyone. It was burning a hole in my pocket so to speak.

"This means everything to me. It salutes the sacrifices I've made to the game over the past 20 years but this is not just for me. It is also for those people who have helped me achieve what I have. Those at my club Kilworth Springs, those who have coached me over the years, the people who helped me when I was in Bristol, and especially my mother without whom I wouldn't have achieved anything."

"Being able to represent your country, be it England or GB&I, means more to me than all the individual stuff," he adds. "The team events such as the Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy are thrilling and I would say winning the Eisenhower in Chile in 1998 would be my ultimate success."

"I've been playing golf for over 40 years, having started when I was four," he says. "Although I'm 46 years old I feel I'm 46 years young. I am still very ambitious and want to achieve even more in the game. A seventh Walker Cup would be high on the list."

"I've been to the Palace with the Walker Cup team but I've yet to meet the Queen. So that would be a thrill," he adds.