Ewen Ferguson shakes off 'shocking attitude' for home gig in Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Scot excited to be teeing up in Rolex Series event close to his apartment in UAE

Ewen Ferguson has talked about starting the new 2024 season with a “shocking attitude” in South Africa – but the Scot is both smiling again and feeling a spring back into his step heading into a ‘home’ assignment’ in this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

The 27-year-old had been hoping to pick up some early Race to Dubai points in the new DP World Tour campaign towards the end of last year but missed the cut in the Investec South African Open Championship before withdrawing from the Alfred Dunhill Championship following an opening 78. “I probably shouldn’t have gone to South Africa at the end of the year,” admitted Ferguson, speaking to The Scotsman in the United Arab Emirates. “I went to try and get some points on the board, but I wasn’t in the right headspace. My attitude was shocking and that’s why I pulled out of the second event and decided to get back here to Dubai.”

On the back of perhaps trying to push himself too far at times, though, in fairness, that’s purely been down to him being a natural competitor, the two-time DP World Tour winner has decided to try and focus a bit more on shorter stretches when it comes to events. “I think this year I’m going to try and take a bit more time off,” he added. “I’m going to try and be a bit fresher when I am playing and, for instance, I’m not going to play in Bahrain (where an event is being played next month), even though it’s so easy for me to get to from here. My aim is to play three-week stints and focus on getting things right in those events. I just want to try and do things a bit more professionally and back myself a bit more.”

Ewen Ferguson reckons his attitude was 'shocking' when he played in the Investec South African Open Championship towards the end of last year. Picture: Luke Walker/Getty Images.

Ferguson started his 2024 calendar campaign by finishing just outside the top 10 in last week’s inaugural Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek. “Yeah, another good week,” he said, having finished last season with an eye-catching performance in the Middle East in the DP World Tour Championship. “I played really nice. I changed to the new arm-lock putting technique, which is really good and I’m really enjoying it. “Overall, I feel my game is really good. I was a bit worried about last week as I had 14 new clubs in the bag (laughing). To be fair, the clubs are all the same; it’s just new versions of them. But the Cobra wedges have been great, new 3-wood has been brilliant, as has the new driver. I’ve been loving it.”

As is the case when it comes to living in Dubai and the former Scottish and British Boys’ champion is sleeping in his bed again this week as he makes his second appearance in this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic, having finished inside the top 30 on his debut in the Rolex Series event at Emirates Golf Club 12 months ago. “It was so good as I love playing there and love the buzz around the whole tournament,” he said, smiling. “It’s amazing the number of tee shots I’ll hit this week that look towards the apartment block I live in. It’s pretty nice knowing that when I’m done on the golf course I’ll be heading back there to chill and also have a short drive there in the morning. It’s the perfect event for me in many respects, to be honest.”