PLEASE CHOOSE A MONTH:
APRIL | MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
FRANCE
APRIL
A Wednesday to Saturday tournament had been organised to allow extra time to get to Morocco next week. The course was relatively short though with a constant wind blowing off the ocean and tricky green complexes it made scoring relatively high. I finished 7th here last year and had good memories of the way I played giving me a bit more confidence going into the 1st day. I played steady all day giving myself plenty of chances though missed a lot on the greens and shot level par for the day. Day 2 was similar some good chips kept the momentum of the round going. It is important that when you’re not on your game to keep pars ticking over. This is where a good short game will save you strokes and any analysis of a low round will be reflected in good short game statistics.
The 3rd day I played well moving to 3 under after 12 after holing some good putts through the middle of the round though a misjudgment of the wind on 14th led to a quick double bogey and one further 3 putt led to a further level par 71. I showed some good play over the first 3 days though hadn't taken advantage of it. I just needed to concentrate a little more and have some more belief in myself.
The final day things were going great and some accurate iron play had delivered 4 birdies in the first 11 holes. On 12th I shaved the edge to move to 4 under. Heading to the next tee I noticed I was only 1 off the lead and crisp 7 iron to 10ft left a putt to tie the lead. I left it short in the jaws and after making par on the next things went down hill rapidly. A plugged bunker shot, 3putt and flier in 2 holes pushed to back to level and bogey on 17th to 1 over. 4 over for the last 4 killed off any chance of my first professional win though a 12th placed finished was credible. After a rush to the airport 2 flights and a 2 hour drive I eventually got home and Manchester lost to Chelsea. A tough day at the office.
ITALY
MAY
Getting used to early wake up call these days and today was no difference 4.30am wide awake, well awake. Got into Milan Malpensa airport a 2.30 and E120 taxi ride later I got to my hotel. I went to practice that night and the greens are immaculate and run great. The chipping green was superb as well and when conditions are this good it makes practice so easy.
The Taylor Made reps were there and caught up with them to see if they had any thoughts on my driver as I had been having a few problems with the flight. I had taken my old driver and after practice with that decided to use it in the tournament though 5 minutes later I discovered a crack on the face so I had to put a new one in play on day 1.
A good field was assembled and I was paired with 2 Spaniard, Rafael Caberra Bello who I know from my amateur days and Santiago Luna a tour veteran. A poor front 9 and I was 4 over and fought back to 1 over with 3 to play and then shaved the edge on the last 3 holes. I have been playing well for the majority of my rounds though not able to play the whole way round. My experience from last years Majors taught my it is not how good you’re best shots are but how bad your poorest are. Sometimes simply grinding out pars is all you can do and be patient as opportunities will come for birdies. After the round, it was straight to get some food and work on my game and in particular my driving as my new driver was heading left and slowly pulling my confidence down.
Day 2 on I went to hit some drivers before lunch to sort out the lefts I had going yesterday. The Wild Thing John Daly was launching shots on the range as I walked on to the range with his customary cigarette and diet coke by his side. His is a great crowd puller and his book is worth a read if you get the chance. Nothing went for me on the course and my caddie Fredirico seems destined to be working for only 2 days. I just leaked shot after shot due to a poor short game and couldn't make a putt when I gave myself the opportunity.
A missed cut and disappointed finished, though I have a week off to analyse my game and see my coach Ian Rae to get it back in shape and ready for the next tournament in Poland.
POLAND
MAY
After a weeks rest I was looking forward to Poland though it did take 3 flights to get there. The course was a parkland layout with plenty of water hazards scattered throughout. A good driving range and brand new clubhouse made for an overall impressive complex. After the Wednesday pro-am it was straight into to Day 1 after practice had gone well. A cold start to Thursday morning with some wind to add to the difficulty made the morning the harder conditions and the scoring definitely reflected that, needless to say I was off early. Played really nice, good ball striking for a 67 3 under par. I could have been lower though a lot of putts shaving edges though a solid beginning.
A 69 would follow on Day 2 as the chances kept coming though the putter was too cold to take them. 4 under after 36 and the cut was 2 under which was impressive scoring for the field, with the late, early tee times getting the best conditions. For those who missed the cut there was a party on in town reports suggest a good time was had be all. I stayed in and rested up for a moving day. My decision to stay in was vindicated by a smooth 66 with no bogeys on the card and a move up to t-12.
I went out for dinner into the Old Town with Scots players George Murray and Andy Mc Arthur Saturday night and what a lively place. Old classic buildings with plenty of modern bars and clubs to entertain any visitor though it was a quiet dinner for us, still one more day of work to go.
Day 4 I felt a 62 or 63 would give me an outside chance of getting in contention going down the stretch but after 9 holes more near misses on the greens put paid to an early charge. Yet, keep knocking on the door and it will open and I did just that for a 4 under back nine and T-3 finish. Steady play and a good mental attitude were the keys here. My confidence was boosted after seeing my coach over the break and I committed well to a high % of my shots, especially my short irons which provided me plenty of birdies opportunities. Hopefully, this will be the start of all the winter practice paying off.
ENGLAND
MAY-JUNE
I was staying with my cousin Kerry this week which was a good change from the usual hotel and it afforded me as many cups of tea and sky sports as I liked. After getting a feeling for the course in the pro-am I set out Thursday confident in my game after last weeks performance in Poland. I played very steady hitting 17 of 18 greens and slowly reeled out 7 birdies and more importantly no bogeys to tie for the lead in the clubhouse. A good days work and a little time on the range to sharpen up and I was home to rest for an early start Friday. I played nice Day 2 though the putts just wouldn't drop and a 1 under 69 put me in joint 5th. The conditions were harder today though it goes to show how important putting is and the effect it can have on your score.
Day 3 and the tournament goes to a pro-am format and I was partnered with Patt errr last name I I forget. A nice guy who was very helpful from the fact he just said for me to concentrate on my game. We had a good chat going round as he has been to the Masters and various tournaments around the world. Our other amateur partner for the day was Mic de Knock who was a champion horse trainer though no tips were forthcoming. 67 after a good comeback on the back nine concluded day 3
Final day and the rain poured down with the course holding up well. I was paired with ex- Ryder Cupper Andrew Coltart. We both played reasonably solid and returned 69's. A good player and still hits the ball solid it was a pleasure to play with him. Tied 9th for the week and another good week had. Off home for a days break.
SPAIN
JUNE
Madrid this week and the customary 4.30am alarm call Tuesday morning to catch my flight. If you like lie ins golf is just not your game! Arrived fine with all my bags though no taxi driver would take me to the hotel as I had golf clubs, a strange case I have never encountered before though finally got a bigger taxi and headed up to the course via the hotel. A well manicured course with some very tight holes and water coming into play on 3 key par 5's.
Pro-am as usual Wednesday and a proper chance to see the course and enjoyed some warm weather and friendly pro-am partners though we were out of the prizes. I felt me game was in good shape and just needed to get control of the thick rough around the greens this week.
Day 1 and a played well though my short game wasn't what that great and a 2 under 70 was a decent score in the conditions. I played with Scot Jamie Mcleary this week and he played well and rolled some nice putts for a 7 under 65 and tie for the lead.
Day 2 was a roller coaster and a 4 over front nine with so many silly mistakes cost me stroke after stroke and when I did hit a good shot I couldn't convert the putt. It was very frustrating and my attitude was admittedly poor though I took a few deep breaths on 10 tee and cleared my head. Birdie, Par, Eagle and was back motoring along and for a few more putts it could have been a low back side. Difficult conditions and another cut made so it was important now to move up over the weekend. A good dinner at the huge mall next to our hotel and some stretching to loosen off and early to bed after a long mentally tiring day.
Day 3 and the putts still wouldn't drop and it was a case of just plugging away and I eventually shot 1 under which was reasonably though it felt like 3 over as I only got up and down 2 from 8 chances. In the pro ranks stats like that simply won't do!!
Day 4 and a cold start, with a good 3-4 club wind buffeting the course, which with being high up has no shelter. The greens had been firming up all week and it was tough to get close to any pins so pars were always good scores. Steady play and 2 under after 9 holes as the longer the day went on the tougher the conditions. I made my first long putt on 14th to go to 4 under though again simple mistakes where I didn't get up and down on 16 and 17 cost me bogeys. A good par to finish on a tough last hole for a 2 under 70 tied best for the day and vaulted up to 6th position.
Andrew McArthur ended up winning by a shot with Lloyd Saltman t-2 so it was good to see plenty of Scots on the board and sure with the confidence Andy has got from his first win he can push on and get his European Tour card this week.
Up at 3.30am to get my flight to Paris for St Omer next week which is a co-sanctioned with the European Tour. A good prize fund and this is one of the "majors" for any Challenge Tour player, so a good time for my putter to get hot, I will leave it by the fire 2nite!!!!
FRANCE
JUNE
A 3.30pm wake up and I left Madrid for France. Luckily, I slept most of the flight as I still had a 2 hour car journey up to St Omer. I was traveling with Irish lad Gareth Maybin who had a Garmin sat nav so I didn't get lost this time. I will definitely have to get one of those and with my birthday being this Sunday, I hope my mum and dad are reading this hint hint. I played a pro-am at 2pm that day and was exhausted after so straight to the hotel and bed. Golf is definitely not a 9-5 job!
I had two days to rest and practice so spent a lot of time on my chipping which had let me down in Madrid. The tour vans where there so I went in to see the guys at Taylor Made, who sponsor me, to see what new gear was on offer and got 2 new wedges (56 and 60) made up. It can be easy to chop and change as the newest clubs are available, however I only tend to tinker with my clubs. I change my wedges twice a season as with all the practice the grooves wear down so it is nice to get some new ones in the bag and get plenty of spin!
Day 1. I might as well have been at home as it was pouring down, cold and windy all morning. Although I played well enough considering the poor conditions, I missed 3 short putts ending the day 5 over. Not the start I was looking forward and it was a quick lunch and straight to the putting green.
Day 2. I pared the first 7 holes with the course still playing tricky. My practice earlier in the week was paying dividends as I got up and down to get the pars ticking over. Then pulled 5 iron, drop, chip and 3 putt later easy triple 6 from cruising along. I managed to compound the misery spinning the ball with my 9 iron off the next green, chip and 3 putt, 6 again. I didn't end there. After sitting 12ft for birdie on my 10 I approached my ball and a gust moved the ball slightly and I had to call a shot penalty on myself. My partners hardly noticed though I informed them and quickly missed my putt for a 5. Some days things just don't go your way. A missed cut and poor tournament though overall a good 4 weeks on the road.
Taxi for Ramsay, off home to have a weeks break before I get back to work with the Scottish Challenge at Cardrona, just outside Peebles.
SCOTLAND
JUNE
I have had this week off and met up with my coach Ian Rae on Tuesday to work on the swing and putting stroke. Things look good in the swing though just old habits creeping back in. I sometimes release my right heel off the ground too early on the downswing giving me a slight reverse pivot, making my weight transfer right, instead of left. The putting stroke just needed to stay lower through the ball though the difference from a year ago is plane to see and this is simply hard work paying off.
Wednesday I met up with Douglas Craig at the Kings Links Golf Centre to announce a sponsorship deal with the Craig Group. I have known Douglas and his family for a while now so it was good to have their support to help me accomplish my goals. This will enable me to concentrate more on the golf and simply get on with the job at hand. There is more information about the Craig Group in the sponsor section of the website.
I caught up with a few friends from Royal Aberdeen Golf Club and school over the weekend as I have been away for 4 weeks so it was good to see them and get some banter going.
I went down to Cardona on Tuesday for the Scottish Challenge though I had picked up a rib injury on Thursday and after consulting my physio Karen Young I rested up. Though after trying to hit balls the problem seemed to persist even with the days of rest. Unfortunately I had to pull out of the Scottish Challenge and will have to assess my fitness daily. I have Open qualifying at Sunningdale next Monday and 2 tournaments in France and Switzerland after, so will just have to wait and see how things work out. It is very frustrating, especially as the Scottish Challenge is a big money tournament and being on home soil there is added incentive to do well. Though you just have to take the knock backs on the chin and hopefully I will be back to push for titles soon.
Good luck to all the Scottish guys playing at Cardrona and thanks to everyone for their continued support. It is much appreciated.
INJURY UPDATE
JULY
It has been 3 frustrating weeks and today I finally got to hit some balls after just been able to practice short game. My rib injury has been difficult though it was simply a case of not playing any golf or reverting back to my football exploits which caused the problem in order to get back to fitness. In the last few days I have been down to Loch Lomond to pick up a new Taylor Made Tour Burner to test out before I get back to competition. The club sits well and will just have to get out on the course to see if it gives me anything extra before I get back to competitive play. I will just been cracking on with practice for the next week and hopefully I will be able to play in Austria on the 17th July as my first tournament back, which is the same week as the Open. Unfortunately with my injury I had to miss Open qualifying which was a shame as Royal Birkdale is a great course and feel it suits my game well had I made it.
I am going to being co-presenting the sport show on Radio Scotland this Saturday morning (12th) 9am so that should be a good change and interesting to try out. Everybody tells me I have a great face for Radio!!
Finally, I want to wish Steve Buchan a Happy 30th Birthday. He put on a great party on Saturday night and made us all dress up in foolish golf gear with everyone having a good night
AUSTRIA
JULY
Great weather 4 the pro am and got to grips with the mountains course, beautiful though tough on the legs! Must be around 600ft between 15th tee and 18th green. Up early at 5am and the weather was nice for my first 9. I played steady but heavy rain and poor putting pulled me back but shot 1 under 69. In the end I was happy with my opening round back and my rib felt fine. The Open starts today and most of us watched play over lunch with testing conditions with the best players in the world getting a taste of our typical summer!
Another 69 today making two days where a score has got away from me. I started with low confidence today 4 some reason however slowly found my way. My irons were solid giving me 9 consecutive holes inside 15ft, though played them in level par so finishing on 1 under instead of 5 or 6 which I know is there if I can hole the putts. You simply have to persevere and sped time working on my stroke after the round. Great to see Greg Norman up the top of the Open so just shows you what can be done. Take it low this weekend and I can shoot up the leaderboard. Being positive is the key as my game is in good shape despite the injury layoff.
I finished the weekend very poorly with 72 73 so it was disappointing especially Sunday where nothing really went right. Though I have a tournament under my belt after nearly 4 weeks off with an injury. After traveling to London Sunday night I managed to get some sleep in before another early start, as I was playing in the Tesco Pro-Am at The RAC Club in Epsom. Many thanks to my playing partners Francis Clark jnr, Michael Clark and David Reid. A respectable 4th place finish for the team after a slow start. It was a great day out in superb surroundings with Padrig Harrington touching down in a helicopter as the special guest player along with the Claret Jug of course. A impressive victory in testing conditions and another thrilling Open the R&A could be proud of even, without Tiger Woods. Also, important to have a strong European presence on the leaderboard ahead of the Ryder Cup. I head straight to Cardiff from London for the next Challenge Tour and will get back to practice after some rest and ge in all my washing done.....ah the glamour of life on tour!
WALES
JULY
Two solid days of ball striking and nothing really to show. Day 1 was windy though I felt this gave me an advantage due to my links experience. I played steady golf until an 8 at my 11th hole ruined the day. A poor putting performance compounded the triple bogey and from a round that should have been around par a 76 was posted.
The greens were not at there best and my putting woes continued to day 2. 38 putts 4 for me on Friday was the worst since I turned professional or good even remember. My chipping followed suit as from only missing two greens I never chipped inside 15ft. Both were relatively easy chips I would nearly class my chipping in the yips stage despite a lot of work on it. My ball striking was really impressive and fought hard not to let my putting affect it. My irons and driving I committed to throughout which is a huge positive however short game is ultimately the key to success. I was left wanting in this department and some drastic measures may have to be implemented if a full European Tour card is in my pocket by the years end. Ireland next week and I have a good record there so hopefully things will turn around.
Ireland next week and I have a good record there so hopefully things will turn around.
IRELAND
JULY / AUGUST
I was up a 3.30am to get some breakfast and head to Edinburgh to catch my flight to Dublin. I picked up Eric Ramsay on the way and caught up with George Murray at the airport. We got all the bags fine which is always a relief as anywhere you travel now you really are never sure all your luggage will get there. We are playing in Glasson this week which is straight east of Dublin around an hour and a half in the car. The course has a great setting with panoramic views over the huge loch in the area. Though it was difficult to see much of this as the rain set in after 6 holes of practice. I had the pro-am the next day so just relaxed and did a light practice as my early start was catching up with me. Sunshine greeted the pro-am and enjoyed my day with Francis, Joe and Sean who all played well to post a 14 under target for the team prize. However, this was bandit country and we could only finish 4th with that. I played well and got some good notes for the course and enjoyed the local craic (banter) with the members.
Day one of the tournament and think everyone in the field was hoping the weather would hold as the forecast was a shocker with rain predicted most the day. It held for the morning, lucky for me as I headed out at 9.20am. A 3 putt bogey was not the start that I was looking for though kept plugging away and reeling off pars. My game caught alight as I birdied my 8th and 9th holes then played the front 9 (started on 10) in 5 under playing great tee to green which some accurate iron shots and most importantly finished off the chances by rolling the putts in. 66 and a great confidence boost which hopefully I can push on from to improve my ranking.
I went to see the physio after to loosen off. This is all to often forgotten by many amateurs and it is definitely worth spending a a quick 5 minutes in the locker room after your round. I don't tee off till 2.30pm so maybe catch the new Batman film tonight, all work and no play...
Day two went well as the conditions made scoring difficult. The ball was shaking on a few greens as the wind gusted. I was happy with my 2 under 70 as I moved into the outright lead. Day 3 and similar conditions to the previous day. I battled hard the made nothing on the greens reeling off a lot of solid pars. I kept my focus to play my last 8 holes in 2 under courtesy of 2 wedges within a foot of the hole. I good day as concentrated well on each shot and played my own game in a pressure situation. I still have a 1 shot lead and look forward to the challenge ahead tomorrow.
Ireland last day. 1 ahead going into the last day and played great the whole week. The wind was up again and started we'll missing a 12ft birdie putt on the first. I doubled the 2nd from nowhere due 2 some poor pitching and the mandatory lip out which always seems to to add to the trouble. I fought back we'll though could not make a number of putts. 4 holes to go and 2 off the lead I played my best all day giving myself 15,12,5 and 12ft chances on the greens but missed everyone. A 4th place, though the tournament was there if my putting had been better. The one thing I learned from playing the majors is that all the top players have very impressive short games and that is how they put consistently good scores together. For now I will work hard on the putting greens and make a complete dissection of my putting this winter in order to take my game to the next level.
NORWAY
AUGUST
I am up in Moss this week around an hour and a half from Olso. Moss is a beautiful place with a fjord making it a summer retreat for many Norwegian's. However, our hotel overlooks the motorway...nice! The course is in good condition although there was driving rain and wind for the pro am. A windless day 1 and soft greens meant good scoring though not for me as I missed two 3 footers for 1 under. A good few hours on my short irons and putting so bring on day 2 to go low.
Day 2 at the Lexus Open and a great start at 4 under after 10 though my putter let my down over the last few holes. Another cut made and hopeful of pushing up the leaderboard over the weekend. The cut fell at 3 under showing the strength and depth of the challenge tour. Sometimes when things are not going your way you just have to dig in and keep your score ticking over and short game is the key to this. The course had a good chipping area so spent a lot of time there working on hitting through the ball more instead of stabbing motion. This feels a lot more natural and I worked with Frank Coutts at Deeside GC before I came out so this seems to be improving. I hit loads of greens the last 2 days and holed hardly anything but did chip in so glad to see the practice is paying off. I finished 1 over for the tournament however conditions were poor over the weekend as rain seems to follow the Challenge Tour everywhere at the moment.
GERMANY
AUGUST
In Dusseldorf this week and a new putter in the bag after feeling that my putting has cost my 2 good chances of winning this year. The rain has followed us from Norway so got soaked in the pro am though got a good look at the short but tricky course. We played in Dusseldorf last year and it has a lively old town beside the river Rhine with plenty of restaurants and street performers on the weekends. Some places we travel to can be isolated so it is good to have a relaxing friendly place to get some food and switch off from the golf.
Day 1 Germany. A change of putter finally broke the putting drought. I made a couple of 15 footers and a 25 foot putt in the first 9 holes, which is more than the last 3 weeks. A solid back 9 with 2 stiff balls all added up to 7 under 65 to tie for the lead. Things change so quickly out here on tour you just have to keep believing that the hard work you put in will reap dividends.
I added a 70 in the 2nd round and although I did not play that great I put a solid round together. This was one of the major lessons I learned playing in the Masters, US Open and Open. The top don't always hit it well but have a great ability to put together a reasonable score when not striking it well.
Day 3 and in the final group with one of my friends George Murray. I have known George since we played u 16 golf for Scotland over 9 years ago. We both played well and although in a very competitive environment had a good chat and laugh on the way round in between shots. A 69 posted and well positioned for the final day.
Got off to a poor start bogeying the first two holes then a 3 putt on the 5th put me at 3 over. I dug in hard mentally more than anything then went on run of 5 birdies and an eagle in 7 holes. I played great and holed the putts at last. It was a great buzz coming down the stretch in contention and played cool calculated golf over the last few holes to come through by 1 shot of my fellow countryman George Murray.
The feeling of my first win was unbelievable and a few tears shed as it has taken years to get to this point in my career. All this is not possible without help. So to my coach Ian Rae and my sponsors Taylormade, Craig Group and Arnold Clark a huge thanks. Also, all the members at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club for their support. Now I have the taste of winning I want more of the same and look forward to the rest of the season.
DENMARK
AUGUST
I had a rest last week and played some games at Royal Aberdeen. Good to see the Dons fight back for a draw against Rangers. I went to Gleneagles on Monday to see my coach Ian Rae and the guys at Taylormade to check the distances of my wedges and get them tweaked, so that there is an even distance between each one. In Denmark with the weather very similar to Scotland. We are just north of Copenhagen this week in a nice suburb of the city. The course has suffered from a lot of rain so the condition is poor though it is the same for everyone so you just have to persevere. There isn't much rough so it may come down putting contest this week. A 73 in the first round and no putts dropping with poor wedge play, meant I was a couple of shots more than I should have been.
Friday was an up and down day. I struggled 2 make birdies all day and made simple mistakes all day especially not getting up and down after missing a green. Though when I needed it I came through making 3 birdies in my last 4 holes to make the cut. Set out today and played great missing 1 green the whole day where I chipped in. 7 birdies and no dropped shots though shaved the edge of the hole 5 or 6 times from 15ft to 20ft. The longest putt I holed was 12ft so definitely could have been lower. A vault up the leaderboard and hopefully more to come tomorrow.
The final day and the weather was great again meaning another day of low scoring. I didn't play that well on the front side though missed quite a few putts with a solitary 2 putt birdie. Turned things around to come home in 3 under which could have been less again. 69 and 10 under over the weekend is always good. At Gleneagles the fight for Ryder Cup places was on and glad to see Justin Rose, Oliver Wilson and Soren Hansob kept there spots. All very solid players making the team look strong. Faldo has two wild card picks and my money would go on Darren Clarke and between Paul Casey and Ian Poulter for the other. Difficult call for any captain but all 3 are experienced campaigners will fit in nicely.
CHINA
SEPTEMBER
First time in China so a new experience. We were playing in Quingdao, where the Olympic sailing was. The course was a really good layout with numerous water hazards though the condition of the fairways and rough was poor. I had a girl called Mi FiFi who was decked out in a light blue uniform with a huge visor like hat as everyone over here keeps covered up 2 protect them from the intense sun. I had been playing well and rested up the previous week as this is a big event in our calender, with nearly all the top 80 players playing.
Day 1 and got off to a great start leading the tournament at 5 under after the mornings play, even after bogeying my opening two holes. My caddie did a great job and she carried the tour bag round with no problem even though she was only 5,2ft. I played solid in day 2 carding a 69 though Gareth Maybin was leading at -15. A long way back but 36 holes can make a huge difference.
Day 3 and 4 I played with Greig Hutcheon from Peterculter which was good fun. Its not often you get "twa loons" playing together in China. A 70 and 69 to finish on -13 and t-2 place. A great weeks work and another move up the rankings to chase my tour card for next year. China was a great experience although I didn't get to see a lot of the country as we were staying outside the main city. Next stop Kazakhstan and the biggest purse of the year.
KAZAKHSTAN
SEPTEMBER
Ryder Cup week and the teams will just want to get out there and play after months of waiting. On paper there is nothing between the teams. Whoever can gain a foothold in the match and take an advantage early will be my bet. Generally in the past an early lead has proved decisive. Kazakhstan this week for me.
The course is set just below huge snow capped mountains which border China and rolling plains on the other side. We are staying in an old KGB (russian secret service) building right next to the course. I played lovely for the first 2 days till a "schoolboy error" gave me a double bogey to drop back to -5 with the leaders at -10. Saturday and another good start, shooting -2 on the front. Enter a change in my putting and with 3 3 putts and a 4 putt in my last 4 holes my score was lost. A similar story on Sunday though dug in hard as conditions were tough with hard fast greens and tucked pins to shoot level. Not a bad week and a lot again to learn from and improve upon especially in the short game department.
2 weeks in the East and I have moved to no 10 in the rankings so if I can keep moving up then I can secure my full European Tour Card in the forthcoming weeks. I will try to catch some of the last days play at the Ryder Cup to see if we can retain the cup. With the talent in the team sure the boys can be successful.
HOLLAND
SEPTEMBER
Amsterdam this week and after a long flight from Kazakhstan a day of rest on monday. The Ryder Cup is back in Americans hands and all credit to them. I managed to catch some of it in between travel and it looked as if the americans had a lot more fight than previous years and turned many losing games in half points or wins. We ventured into the town on the train for dinner. We tried to buy a ticket at the station but the machine wouldn't work so boarded the train and thought we can get one on board. Not in Holland. They don't sell tickets on board and the conductor was going to hit all 3 of us with a €35 fine or call the police. A little haggling we got the fine to €35 for all 3 of us. Lesson, never board a train in Holland without a ticket. Finally, got dinner at Gauchos an Argentinean steak house just off the main square. Great food and after 2 weeks in Asia it tasted even better.
The first 3 days promised much but I never delivered with silly mistakes costing me double bogeys. Though I played great the last day arrow straight off the tee and hit 17 greens in regulation after missing the first. Most importantly I finished off my chances to card 8 birdies and no bogeys 64 to finish in 20th.
FRANCE
OCTOBER
My final week before a rest next week. The Challenge Tour has taken taken me to China, Kazakhstan and Holland in the last 3 weeks and its Toulouse in France this week. My game has been coming on and a final round 64 in Amsterdam has buoyed my confidence which so vital in professional golf.
The first 2 days were a mix of wind, rain and sunshine with the waterproofs on and off on a regular basis. I played nice and continued my good putting to lie 2 shots off the pace midway through the tournament. At such a vital point in the season, with only 3 tournaments left, it was key to push on and Friday that's exactly what I did. A course record equaling 64 after some great iron play set me up with a 3 shot lead heading into the final round. I had taken my experience from leading previous tournaments and played well all day Sunday, even as my playing partners pushed me all the way with birdies on the front 9. I responded well with some birdies of my own and as the tension grew on the back 9 I felt confident within myself I had the ability to close this out.
My 5 iron over water to 15 feet at the last secured my 2nd tournament victory and most importantly my card for the European Tour next year. A dream come true and excited at the prospect of playing with the worlds best players.
>AGF-Allianz Golf Open Grand Toulouse - Video Review (Windows Media Player Required)
Italy this week after time off in the poor whether at home though some fine home cooking. With only 2 tournaments left in the year it was important to finish it off well in the race for a good ranking on the main tour next year. My win in Toulouse had pushed me up to 6th on the rankings and allowed me a cushion from 10th place, as the top 10 will give me the best category when I join the main tour next year.
In Italy I simply wasn't in the races and didn't feel comfortable with my swing, however it was my wedges which let me down and stopped me putting a score together in round 1. Day 2 was the same and then I gave myself a target for the last 9 and played them in 4 under to make the cut. I always seem to play better under pressure and felt my level of concentration raised as my focus sharpened in on a simple target.
The weekend I felt I could go low and push up the leaderboard but again poor short irons limited my scoring chances. The last day I targeted 6 under but shot 67 5 under and a much better round with less mistakes and a crucial confidence booster going into the final tournament in Bari next week.
My journey to Bari was very adventurous and after the plane from Milan having a technical fault mid-air, we were redirected to Rome and after 4 hrs sitting around doing nothing, we were packed on a bus for another 6hrs to Bari. We finally arrived at 20.30 at our hotel, a mere 15 hrs after getting out of bed... tough day at the office.
Congratulations to the Scottish Amateur team who were crowned World Amateur Team Champions over the weekend in Australia. A fantastic achievement for a small nation such as ourselves and another illustration of the talent we have coming through.
On a sad note it was terrible to hear Seve was diagnosed with a brain tumor hospital. I wish him the best and hope he recovers well.
Last tournament of the season and a poor start and great comeback made for a 1 over par 72. No wind and a lack of rough meant scoring was good and I followed this up with 2 69's, though a lot more potential in each to go lower than that. Final round and some of my poorest gold of the season and not one piece of my game was in good order. A very tense day as everyone was chasing there own goal as the race for a spot on the main tour intensified. A long day but with a final position of 36th in this tournament an 8th place on the order of merit to secure my place on the main European Tour. Relief and delight mixed in to one and a goal for the season achieved after many up and downs.
Next year I will be teeing up with some of the best players in the world and simply can't wait. A rest and some home cooking after 2 weeks in Italy is in order and begin to formulate my schedule and plans for the 2009 season. Bring it on...
RELAXING
NOVEMBER
I have been on a break since the Challenge Tour Final and decided to put the clubs away for 4 or 5 days before I began starting to get ready for my next tournament. A few good days of weather and I headed out to my home club of Royal Aberdeen and manage to beat Mr Webster and Craig in a competitive 18 challenge. A final 10ft par save on 18 meant the drinks were on those boys. It was nice to catch up with many of the members who have supported me since my junior days. I also enjoyed a fine 2 days with my sponsors the Craig Group as we played down at Loch Lomond. It is always enjoyable to play down there and the company was great.
Although there had been a few good days it had been cold and the woolly hat and mitts had been back so I decided to go to Florida and Atlanta and prepare for the Race to Dubai. I got some fine practice at a fantastic club, just outside West Palm Beach called the Medallist. It is Greg Normans home club with local tour players Olin Brown and Jesper Parnevik out playing. A big thank you to all the guys at the club for there first class hospitality. On my way home I made a quick trip to the Golf club of Georgia and again more fast greens to get my short game in check.
As I relax there are many guys going through Tour School back home. A huge mental challenge and I wish all the Scots, too many to mention, good luck in their search for that all important Tour Card.
