Ewen Ferguson already has name on same Hoylake honours' board as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy

Ewen Ferguson already has his name up in lights at Royal Liverpool, Or, to be precise, on a board in the Hoylake clubhouse honouring winners of big events at the Merseyside venue.

Ewen Ferguson, pictured during the Genesis Scottish Open, is making his major debut in the 151st Open. Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

His came in the 2013 Boys’ Amateur Championship and, a decade on, the 27-year-old is excited to be heading back there to make his major debut on the back of finishing in the top 30 in last year’s Race to Dubai.

“A good omen maybe?” said Ferguson of having tasted success at the venue for the 151st edition of golf’s oldest major. “I went a couple of weeks ago and played a practice round with Connor Syme.

“The champions’ board is there and it says Tiger [Woods], me and Rory [McIlroy]. That’s pretty cool. Going back will be great. Hopefully because of that win back then I might get a nice wee draw.

“I remember loads from that week. I putted really well, I think the course suited a bit of a fade. I did that all well that week. Hitting low little iron shots, everything. I’m pretty good at links golf. I’m used to it.”

Ferguson set up his opportunity by winning twice as a rookie on the DP World Tour last season. “I think it was 2010 at St Andrews,” he said of his first Open memory. “My pal was there with me and he said to me, ‘I bet you’re too scared to shout ‘get in the hole’ when someone hits it’. We were watching Tiger. I said I’d do it, but couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

His preparation next week will include a practice round with Rickie Fowler. “I met him in the Cobra van and we were just chatting away,” said the Bearsden man, who revealed during the Genesis Scottish Open that he’d been dubbed ‘ ‘knock-off Rickie Fowler’ on social media.

“I told him the story about the ‘knock-off Rickie Fowler’ and all that and I said, ‘can we get a practice round next week?’ He said ‘no problem, here’s my number, text me’. I got his number, we’ve had some back and forth, so that’s great. We’re mates now.”

While it will be the biggest stage of his career, Ferguson reckons playing in events like the Genesis Scottish Open - the latest edition at The Renaissance Club featured eight of world’s top ten - will help him in terms of preparation.

“Really big,” he said. “I think even the British Masters was big. That brought in a lot of people. Dealing with all the stuff that comes with these big events is helpful.

“You don’t want to overdo things. I’ve done it a few times when I’ve put too much into the preparation. By the time Thursday comes, I’m knackered. So the key for next week will be light prep.

“I’m good at staying in the moment. After a round here, for instance, I just think about getting lunch and going to chill. Tomorrow is its own wee day and the next day. I just focus on that and don’t get ahead of myself.”