Bob MacIntyre didn't win on Challenge Tour and he's a rock star now - Ewen Ferguson

They say winning is everything, but that may not necessarily be the case when it comes to trying to climb the ladder in professional golf.
Ewen Ferguson, left, and Bob MacIntyre share a laugh during a practice round ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in September. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images.Ewen Ferguson, left, and Bob MacIntyre share a laugh during a practice round ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in September. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images.
Ewen Ferguson, left, and Bob MacIntyre share a laugh during a practice round ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in September. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images.

Yes, of course, Ewen Ferguson would love to have joined fellow Scot Craig Howie in tasting victory this season on the Challenge Tour as they both bid to secure coveted European Tour cards.

The Glaswegian has one final chance in this week’s Rolex Grand Final at T-Golf & Country Club in Mallorca and, with his step up the top tour effectively guaranteed before it starts, he’ll be giving it his all over the next four days.

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However, Ferguson is heading into the £380,000 finale feeling confident about what lies ahead next season and beyond, having watched Bob MacIntyre make his presence felt on the European Tour without hitting the bullseye on the second-tier circuit.

“I’m a bit disappointed that I haven’t won yet,” the 25-year-old told The Scotsman. “But, at the same time, Bob didn’t win on the Challenge Tour and he’s a rock star now.”

Three years after MacIntyre finished 11th in the standings - he graduated along with Grant Forrest, Liam Johnston and David Law in a stellar season for the Scots - Ferguson sits sixth in the Road to Mallorca.

With 20 cards up for grabs on this occasion, he can afford to relax knowing it’s job done as far as his season-long goal is concerned, but that won’t stop him from checking the standings on a daily basis.

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The former British and Scottish Boys’ champion said he’s been doing that throughout the year and found himself doing all sorts of calculations during a spell in isolation in August after contracting Covid-19.

“During those two weeks when I had nothing to do in my room other than watch Netflix, I kept thinking, ‘oh no, this is one of those stories where Ewen got so close to his card and, all of a sudden, it goes wrong after he gets Covid’,” he admitted.

“I always felt that if I could get 100,000 points for the season, I’d get my card, and I was on 90,500 at that point, but I found myself trying to work out the rate the player in 20th place could go up.

“During those two weeks lying in my bed, it went up by €5,100. I started working out what would happen if it kept going up by that match, so checked that on the calculator (laughing). Then it went up by €5,000 one week due to certain people winning.

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“I remember talking to someone and they said, ‘don’t worry, I am on it like a hawk!’ I think everyone is probably looking because imagine if you finished 21st at the end of the season - there is nothing worse.”

Helped by three second-place efforts - he’s also finished third and fourth - Ferguson doesn’t need to worry about suffering that cruel fate and has dad Mark, mum Dorothy and brother Lewis leading a personal fan club this week.

“You are only going to make your European Tour card for the first time and once and it will be nice for them to be standing there with a tour card on Sunday and they are all there to share it with me,” he said, smiling.

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