Ewen Ferguson eyes place on GB & Ireland team

HE’S lifted the Jacques Leglise Trophy as captain of a winning Great Britain & Ireland Boys’ side, but Ewen Ferguson is taking it one step at a time in his bid to be donning the same colours in the premier team event in amateur golf.

18-year-old Bearsden golfer Ewen Ferguson. Picture: Contributed

“The Walker Cup is definitely something to work towards this season,” admitted the 18-year-old Bearsden player, who became the first Scot in almost a decade to win the Boys’ Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool two years ago.

He backed that up by adding the Scottish Boys’ Championship at West Kilbride last year before making his mark at men’s level this season with back-to-back victories in the Scottish Champion of Champions and Craigmillar Park Open at the beginning of last month.

“If I keep performing well, hopefully I will have a chance of selection,” added Ferguson. “My focus is on the Lytham Trophy. Then the Irish Open Stroke-Play and so on. This is my first full season as a senior golfer and there is a lot of golf to play.”

It’s eight years since Lloyd Saltman recorded the most recent Scottish victory at Royal Lytham. He was a prolific winner at that stage of his 
career and Ferguson also seems to rise to the occasion when he gets a whiff of victory in his nostrils.

“Ewen has always been a confident driver of the ball and has gained 30/40 yards in length off the tee in the last couple of years,” said his coach, Brucefields-based Gregor Monks.

“Personally, I believe Ewen is capable of qualifying for the Walker Cup but I’m sure he’ll just be concentrating on trying to produce good performances at the upcoming events for the moment and not thinking too far ahead.”