Connor Graham shines but Scots miss out on automatic Singapore spot

Scotland's Eisenhower Trophy trio Connor Graham, Calum Scott and Gregor Tait flanked by team manager John Rishbury (far left) and national coach Spencer Henderson (far right). Picture: USGA/Steven Gibbons.

Despite another eye-catching performance from Blairgowrie teenager Connor Graham, the Scots ended up in a tie for 21st as the United States landed the title for the 16th time but first since 2014 with an impressive nine-shot success in Abu Dhabi.

Joining the Americans is securing spots in the next staging in Singapore in two years’ time were Norway, Australia, France, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Czechia, Ireland and the Netherlands.

As the host country, Singapore also qualifies automatically while the remaining 25 spots will be filled based on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. The best two ranked players from each country are added together and that is used to determine a score/value.

That process will happen at a cut-off point in 2025, with a minimum of three teams from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania being included in the line up based on this WAGR method.

Graham, who was joined in flying the Saltire on this occasion by Nairn’s Calum Scott and Gregor Tait of Aldeburgh, finished joint-14th in the individual standings after posting rounds of 70-71-68–69 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club for a ten-under-par total.

Scott, who, along with Graham, played in the Walker Cup at St Andrews earlier in the year, opened with rounds of 71-69 before having to settle for a share of 64th spot following closing efforts of 72-76 at the venue for the inaugural Hero Cup on the DP World Tour earlier in the year.

It was a tough week, meanwhile, for Tait as the two-time Scottish Amateur Championship beaten finalist failed to break par, coming closest to doing so when he signed for a par-72 in the second circuit.

Graham’s effort in the UAE came after he’d backed up a strong performance in Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup win in Rome, where he ended the three-day contest unbeaten, by carding a brilliant nine-under-par 63 at Dumbarnie Links off the tees used in practice rounds for the aforementioned Walker Cup at St Andrews.

He was out in 30 after birdies at the second, third, fifth and sixth before picking up an eagle 3 at the seventh then coming home in 33 thanks to gains at the 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th. His sole dropped shot came at the par-3 14th. “It's the best round of golf I have ever seen,” declared David Scott, the Dumbarnie Links general manager, “and I’ve played with some good players over the years.”

This week sees Abu Dhabi Golf Club stage the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, with Scotland being represented in the battle for the Espirito Santo Trophy by Hannah Darling, Lorna McClymont and Carmen Griffiths. Broomieknowe player Darling shone in last year’s event in France, carding the lowest round of the week with a six-under-par 65, a sparkling effort that saw her finish just one shot behind American Rose Zhang as the then world No 1 and now a winner on the LPGA Tour shared top spot with two others in the individual standings.

Joining forces on that occasion with McClymont and Chloe Goadby, Darling’s eye’ catching endeavours helped secure a best-ever seventh place for the Scots and that will be the benchmark for the tartan trio this time around, with McClymont having landed both the Welsh and Irish Women’s Open Championships earlier this year while Griffiths is the Scottish Women’s title holder after claiming that prize at Ladybank.

Sweden are the defending champions after a trio that included world No 1 Ingrid Lindblad, who comfortably won the LPGA Tour Qualifying School second stage in Florida last week, pipped the United States in a tie-breaker in Paris to secure a third trophy triumph.