Gregor Graham urged to 'kick on' by new GB&I captain Dean Robertson

In-form Blairgowrie player told he’s ‘doing all the right things and making all the right noise’

Blairgowrie's Gregor Graham has jumped up the World Amateur Golf Ranking after winning the South African Amateur Championship. Picture: GolfRSA

In-form Gregor Graham has been urged to “kick on” by newly-appointed Walker Cup captain Dean Robertson after starting his 2024 campaign with a strong South African stint.

As part of a Scottish Golf squad that made the journey on an annual warm weather trip funded by the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation, Graham was crowned as South African Amateur champion after producing a brilliant performance at Royal Johannesburg.

In addition, the 20-year-old Blairgowrie player finished second in the Gauteng North Open, third in the GolfRSA International Amateur and joint-eighth in the South African Stroke-Play.

Despite making a big jump, he’s still behind both his younger brother Connor and Nairn’s Calum Scott in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, but Robertson is looking for Graham to push hard for a place in the GB&I teams for both the St Andrews Trophy at Royal Porthcawl this summer then the Walker Cup at Cypress Point in California next September.

“I don’t know these players very well individually, but I’ve got a close eye on all of them,” admitted Robertson, who is the first professional to be appointed by The R&A as the GB&I men’s captain after taking the same step in the women’s game with Catriona Matthew.

“Calum Scott is the highest-ranked GB&I player on paper at this moment in time, but the No 1 player right now, without any shadow of a doubt, is Gregor Graham as he’s been setting the world alight down in South Africa. I’m in close contact with (Scottish Golf men’s performance coach) Spencer Henderson, who was down there with the guys, and right now Gregor is doing all the right things and making all the right noise.

“His younger brother, Connor, was thrust into the Walker Cup last year, having done fantastically well when winning the Scottish Stroke-Play up at Meldrum House. I want to see these players kicking on and being at the top of the team sheet, for sure.”