Graeme Robertson has namesake Dean helping his DP World Tour card bid

Graeme Robertson is enjoying the chance to feed off Dean Robertson’s passion for golf again as he joins a posse of Scots teeing up in Spain this week in the second stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School.

Having already cleared the first hurdle in the marathon to secure 25 cards for the 2023 campaign, Robertson now faces another four-round examination at Emporda Golf in Girona along with compatriot Jeff Wright.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Robertson. “First stage was good and I was just happy to qualify. I made it more nervy than it should have been after playing great in rounds two and three to put myself in the last group.

“It was a level up from what I have been playing in this year, so you never know how your game will respond to travelling again and playing bigger courses. That being said, I've played a lot of good golf this year and that was one of the main reasons why I decided to try Q-School.”

Graeme Robertson has used the Tartan Pro Tour to get himself ready for this season's DP World Tour Qualifying School and is through to the second stage in Spain this week. Picture: Tartan Pro Tour

Robertson worked as a sales person in the building trade for a spell before deciding to give the pro game a crack at the age of 33. He enjoys working at the Fairways Indoor Golf Arena in Falkirk, especially as that allows him to play on both the Tartan Pro Tour and Tartan Tour, but the former Stirling University man isn’t in Spain to make up the numbers.

“I'm more than happy playing in PGA events and combining these with the Tartan Pro Tour, but I would love to get through Q-School,” he said, adding that he’s recently linked up again with namesake Robertson as his assistant on the hugely-successful Stirling University programme.

“It's like I've rolled the clock back 10 years as he's on the phone all the time pushing me and supporting me. I love the enthusiasm he has for the game, I think he's been there over 10 years now and he's the same now as he was on day one.”

Jack McDonald, another Stirling graduate, is in the field at Isla Canela Links in Huelva along with Greg Dalziel, Rory Smith and David Rudd, while David Drysdale joins Daniel Young, Liam Johnston, Craig Ross and Sam Locke in trying to come through the 72-hole test at Desert Springs in Almeria.

Elsewhere, Michael Stewart and Connor McKinney, who was born in Scotland but plays under the Australian flag, are among the hopefuls at Las Colinas in Alicante. Stewart has already secured a full Challenge Tour card for next season through the PGA EuroPro Tour, but he’s not about to take his foot off the pedal.

“It is one of those weeks where I don’t want to sit back and be happy with the fact that I’ve ticked off one of my goals and have full playing rights for the Challenge Tour, which is great as I’ve never had that before,” said the Prestwick man.

“I want to enjoy this week knowing that I can only improve eventually where I am going to be playing but I also don’t want to sit back and be content with that and be happy with it. I would love nothing more than to do well this week and get through to the final stage and get a card.”