What a couple of days it has been for Scottish golf. As if it wasn’t sufficient that iconic pictures of the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship had been beamed throughout the globe, alongside got here two of the nation’s lesser-known gamers to announce themselves on the worldwide stage.
First there was world No979 Michael Stewart beautiful the house galleries with a fairytale tie for fourth on the sport’s non secular house. The 36-year-old Ayrshireman who had began his week competing in a Tartan Professional Tour occasion ended it with a £168,000 cheque and an opportunity of enjoying on the DP World Tour subsequent season.
Then there was Sandy Scott changing into the primary Scottish skilled since Sandy Lyle in 1988 to win back-to-back titles within the US. Fourteen days after securing his PGA Tour card with a victory in Ohio, the 28-year-old pulled off one other one in Oklahoma to hitch fellow Scot Bob MacIntyre on the planet’s high 100.
MacIntyre didn’t do badly both. Defending his title in Fife, the 30-year-old from Oban tied for sixth, however he might sit out the remainder of the DP World Tour season resulting from safety issues within the Center East. If he does, there will likely be no scarcity of different storylines for Scottish golf within the days and weeks forward.
Stewart, for instance, should be pinching himself. Final Wednesday, he earned £2,365 for ending second on the Duddingston Traditional.
The next day, he was teeing it up on the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship, and went on to play so nicely throughout the hyperlinks of Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews that he carded a 17-under-par complete, degree with Tommy Fleetwood and simply forward of MacIntyre and Brooks Koepka.
Michael Stewart has gone from the Tartan Professional Tour to eyeing a promotion to the DP World Tour
His efficiency entitles him to maintain related firm at this week’s Spanish Open in Madrid, though it wasn’t till yesterday that Stewart determined to take up that possibility. His first thought was to play within the season-ending Tartan Professional Tour occasion at Gleneagles the place he would have been in line to safe a HotelPlanner Tour card for subsequent season.
Nevertheless it later emerged that he was already on the right track to earn a robust membership class on the second-tier Tour courtesy of his heroics in Fife. And with affiliate membership on the DP World Tour, a robust outing in Madrid might earn him enjoying privileges on the principle circuit in 2027.
All a little bit complicated, maybe, however the backside line is that Stewart has taken a monumental leap ahead. His skilled profession has been a protracted wrestle, however he was an impressive novice and his talents haven’t gone unnoticed by these within the know. MacIntyre even described him because the ‘greatest chipper and putter on the entire planet’.
Having leapt nearly 500 locations to 483 on the planet rankings, Stewart stated: ‘That is wonderful. It offers your self a little bit bit extra perception you can go on and compete at this degree. Simply preserve working onerous.
‘I’m simply delighted at the truth that I’m 36 years previous and I nonetheless haven’t misplaced the will to practise onerous and carry out. And, if you get on the stage, you are able to do it.’
Sandy Scott has turn out to be the primary Scot since Sandy Lyle to win successive golf tournaments
Throughout the pond, Scott can also be taking progress in his stride. Two weeks in the past, he secured his first title on the Korn Ferry Tour by profitable the Nationwide Youngsters’s Hospital Championship in Ohio. On Sunday evening, he made it two in a row with a playoff triumph on the Compliance Options Championship in Oklahoma. The primary of these secured a PGA Tour card for subsequent season, the second a bounce to 87 on the planet rankings, 68 locations under MacIntyre, the one different Scot within the high 100.
The Nairn participant started his ultimate spherical three pictures behind 54-hole chief Trent Phillips, however a six-under 64 despatched him surging up the leaderboard and right into a tie with American William Sides after 72 holes. A birdie on the fourth playoff gap earned him the trophy and took his prize cash for the 2 titles to £408,341. He tops the standings heading into this week’s season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
‘I used to be delighted when the putt went in, most likely some reduction there as nicely,’ stated Scott. ‘It was a protracted day. There’s most likely stuff coursing by my physique proper now that’s by no means been there.
‘I’ve at all times had the assumption that I can do it. That’s why all of us tee it up, I feel that’s the place all of us see ourselves going.
Robert MacIntyre stays Scotland’s No 1 however he’s more likely to be out of motion till December
‘Perception is an enormous a part of this sport. To win the final two weeks is fairly particular.’
That Scott has overcome critical damage to get this far provides weight to his achievement. He has wanted break day to cope with a recurrence of the issue.
‘I’m pleased with the combat to get right here,’ he stated. ‘I’m grateful for the help I’ve had. I’ve gone by some ups and downs, accidents and what not. When it first flared up in faculty, it took a few surgical procedures and a few steroid injections, and I used to be out for one of the best a part of two years. It took a whole lot of perseverance and assist.’
The hope is that Scott has put the damage behind him. He says he has discovered to handle the issue and that he’s feeling good. He and some of his fellow Scots have loads to look ahead to.
