Golf: Jack McDonald prospers after practice round with Tour champions

AMATEUR Jack McDonald reaped the benefits of a practice round in the company of two hand-picked European Tour winners to give himself a chance of making the halfway cut in his first appearance in a professional event.

After quickly getting over his opening-tee nerves, the 19-year-old Ayrshireman carded a two-under-par 70, which delighted both himself and Dean Robertson, the former Italian Open champion who is McDonald’s mentor at Stirling University and is also caddying for him this week.

It was Robertson who arranged for McDonald, the 2009 Scottish Boys’ Stroke-Play champion and a semi-finalist in last month’s Amateur Championship at Royal Troon, to play with Francesco Molinari, Matteo Manassero and a third Italian, Andrea Pavan, on Tuesday as part of his preparations for the £2.5 million event.

“There was a reason for that,” explained Robertson, who won the Scottish Amateur Championship in this neck of the woods, beating Raymond Russell on the last green in their 36-hole title joust at Royal Dornoch in 1993, the year after Stephen Gallacher had claimed that prize.

“These players see opportunity at every corner and to be successful you have to look for every opportunity, play with freedom and be fearless. Jack’s got the skills and the short game of a Tour player, but he needs to get that mindset of a champion. It’s five per cent skill and 95 per cent mindset at this level.” Robertson, whose Italian Open triumph 13 years ago came at Molinari’s home course, Circolo Golf in Turin, added: “As soon as Jack got the invite, it was about getting him exposed to that kind of company, not people bombing it, people with craft and Molinari’s as good tee to green as there is in the game right now.”

McDonald relished his first taste of playing in front of a decent-sized crowd when the Barassie boy, who is halfway through a maths degree at Stirling, thrilled the locals by getting to the last four in the amateur game’s blue riband event in Ayrshire three weeks ago. It helped bring out the best in him again yesterday, when he bagged a brace of birdies on each nine.

“I was nervous but in a good way,” he said afterwards. “I’m a bit wide-eyed, playing with the world’s best and seeing them walking about. It’s a bit different than the usual amateur tournaments, but I love the crowds.”

Two of his birdies – at the fourth and 15th – were tap-ins, with bagman Robertson taking the blame for a dropped shot at the 13th. “We made one error out there and that was my fault,” he admitted. “I gave him one club too many at 13.

“But he can be really proud of himself and, truth be known, he gave himself the chance to shoot 65 with the opportunities he gave himself. He was very excited but more so leading up to the round. We had to get him to eat properly, but he was very composed and patient when play began.”

More of the same today and McDonald could be staying around for the weekend.