Jack McDonald, a new Borderer making his mark in golf, inspired by Craig Howie

Galashiels man Jack McDonald has never played rugby and didn’t fancy traipsing around the Borders kicking a football for his pastime as a teenager.

Jack McDonald is hoping to use his nine-shot success in the Battle Trophy at Crail Golfing Society to secure a first Scotland cap this year. Picture: Kenny Smith.

He opted for golf to be “different” and the 21-year-old is delighted about that decision after emerging as one of Scotland’s leading amateurs over the past year.

McDonald landed a breakthrough win in the historic Tennant Cup in Glasgow last summer and backed that up over the weekend by storming to a nine-shot victory in the Battle Trophy at Crail Golfing Society.

He joined current DP World Tour card holders Grant Forrest and Connor Syme in getting his hands on the latter prize and is now preparing for an even bigger assignment in this weekend’s Lytham Trophy.

“It’s been a pretty good time for me over the last 12 months,” admitted McDonald, who is a member of Schloss Roxburghe, where he also works part-time in the pro shop. “I’ve played as much golf as possible and put the hours in. It sounds simple, but that’s definitely been the key.

"Winning the Tennant Cup was definitely a big confidence boost as it showed that I could compete in these events and get it over the line.”

Ian Ford, Paul Gallagher, Mike Thomson and Allan Turnbull all recorded various national successes representing Borders clubs, as, of course, did the Howie brothers - Craig and Darren - from Peebles.

After narrowly losing his DP World Tour card at the end of last season, Craig has made a strong start to the new Challenge Tour campaign while Darren has just started out in the paid ranks.

“I played a lot of golf, including Borders stuff, with Darren before he turned pro,” said McDonald. “Craig, meanwhile, is obviously a bit of inspiration by showing that someone from down here can do it. We’ve not really got the facilities like other areas in Scotland do and it’s nice to see what someone from here can achieve.

“I’ve never played rugby. I played football when I was a lot younger, but it was a case of ‘do I want to travel the Borders playing football’ or ‘do I want to go down a different route and see where it could take me’ and I’m glad that I chose golf.”

McDonald, who is hoping to secure a first Scotland cap at some point this season, is coached by Daniel Wood, a Duns man who is now the head professional at The Hirsel in Coldstream.

“I’ve worked with him for two-and-a-half years now and he’s definitely made a big difference to my game,” he said. “It was distance the first year. He helped me up my clubhead speed and gain some distance, allowing me to compete last year in the bigger events whereas that wouldn’t have been possible in previous years due to being quite short.

“I’m now hitting it far enough where I can compete and I certainly needed that length round Crail at the weekend. There’s also not many longer courses that we play all year than The Roxburghe and, as a result of that, I find myself going to other courses and thinking they don’t seem as long as they maybe do to other people. The facilities are good and it’s always in good nick as well.”