Just five years ago, former double Scottish Boys’ champion Scott Henry turned 30.
A few strange folk like me – outside Scott’s family and friends – took careful note. It meant that of the nine Scots with full European Tour cards at the time, none were in their twenties.
Fast forward to Doha GC at the weekend, and Ewen Ferguson’s characterful victory in the Qatar Masters. It was the fourth win by a Scot in their twenties on the main tour in less than a year.
Quite the change.
A crew of friends pushing each other on
It’s been good grounding, the SGU finally getting the development path mostly right. All have strong management – the Bounce agency for many, Niall Horan’s Modest! Group for a couple, including Ferguson. They all have the ability, that’s for sure.
But it’s the friendly peer pressure, the shared experience, that they’re all good mates which is the real driver.
Ewen talks of competitive practice with best friend Connor Syme. There’s the affectionate banter with another good pal, Robert MacIntyre. David Law, Calum Hill and Grant Forrest – all Tour winners as well – have come through the ranks together.
Ewen’s win in Qatar makes me feel that we’re now getting it right. Because he was the one who hadn’t delivered on his potential.
Back in 2015, Ferguson was arguably the star of the group – certainly the one with the star quality. Ewen carried himself like a pro, was engaging and extroverted. He lit up the Walker Cup at Lytham in 2015, beating Maverick McNealy in a thrilling singles clash.
He was a late call-up to that GB&I team, so maybe we should have pulled the handbrake on the hype. But we wanted him to be a star, because he was – is – great copy.
It took a little longer, but it still happened
Can’t believe it 🏆 1st @DPWorldTour win. pic.twitter.com/D3AnminpC3
— Ewen Ferguson (@EwboF) March 27, 2022
It’s taken a little longer and some more struggles than it took his pals. Even then, there was one last blip. He had a four-shot lead going into Sunday in Kenya three weeks ago but couldn’t get it home.
After, he admitted that sleeping with the 54-hole lead had unnerved him. He also said prior to Qatar he’d been wondering if he’d ever manage to win.
That’s Ewen all over. He’s not short of Weegie gallus – not a bit of it – but he’s also honest. Many players would have bluffed about Kenya and been defensive.
In 30 years doing this, I’ve heard hundreds of times guys say they’d learn from devastating disappointments and come back strong. And you say to your ever-cynical self, “Aye, son, we’ll see.”
It took just three weeks for Ewen to come back strong. It took just one week for Calum Hill to bounce back from a disappointment at St Andrews to win in Kent last year.
These guys are for real. We can be truly optimistic about Scottish pro golf for the long term. How good is that?
The least known World No 1 ever?
Scottie Scheffler six weeks ago.
• 0 wins in 70 PGA Tour starts
• $8.7M career earnings
• Ranked No. 14 in the worldScottie Scheffler today.
• 3 wins in 75 PGA Tour starts
• $14.9M career earnings
• Ranked No. 1 in the world— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) March 27, 2022
Scottie Scheffler is possibly the least familiar World No 1 to the general public since the OWGR started. No doubt he’s had a fabulous run, a third win in two months in the WGC Matchplay victory in Austin at the weekend.
He hadn’t won anything prior to that, though. He was the last ranked player on the US Ryder Cup team. While his major record isn’t at all shabby – Top 20 in all six he’s played as a pro – he hasn’t worried the last-second engravers yet.
For some it underlines that the OWGR isn’t fit for purpose, but that depends what you think it’s for.
Tiger Woods was World No 1 for a record 4,781 days. Tom Lehman was World No 1 for just seven days, but it’s always going to be on his CV.
Obviously it becomes a legacy thing, but in practice the OWGR just tells us who is the hottest player of the moment. The rankings are basically for determining access to the majors and biggest events, and they have to reflect current form more than anything else.
Scheffler, with three wins in a couple of months, is the hottest player right now. He may not hold the ranking beyond Augusta next week.
The man who holds No 1 each September, once all the big prizes have been handed out – that’s the one who really counts.
Get On The SGL
Not the best advertisement for either Aimpoint or pace of play it has to be said – pic.twitter.com/kpodOxbUBK
— TheGolfDivoTee™ (@TheGolfDivoTee) March 23, 2022
Rather than plough the same trough – let’s change the habit of a lifetime – I’ll take a new tack to slag off the Super-Saudi-Bonesaw League.
In the spirit of goodwill, I’d like to help. Given they’ve still got no players, I’m going to nominate someone we should all want to Get On The SGL.
Obviously this is a golfer so irritating we dearly wish they would languish in the inevitable backwater the league will become. Yes, the SGL could actually affect golf in a positive way!
The bonus for nominees is they’re welcome to those incredible riches. It’s a win-win situation for everyone, excepting the victims of appalling human rights violations.
They’re both at it now – pic.twitter.com/DXJwvG0KxA
— TheGolfDivoTee™ (@TheGolfDivoTee) March 26, 2022
Our first nomination I feel sure will gain universal acclaim. Keegan Bradley has been setting teeth on edge in the game for some considerable time, due to an almost tourette-ish affliction over the ball on the tee, the fairway and on the green.
This reached peak on the greens at Austin CC in the matchplay this week. Yes, the greens there are far trickier than the standard PGA Tour stop.
But that did not remotely excuse the theatrics and interminable time it took for him (and his caddie on occasion) to line up routine putts. Which he tended, very often, to then miss.
With his, and many other irritations, he’s developed a strong case. Get On The SGL, Keegan.