Martin Dempster: Who's next for Scottish success on DP World Tour?

I know it sounds greedy, but who’s next? It’s a question that seems appropriate after Ewen Ferguson became the fifth Scot under 30 to land a maiden DP World Tour triumph in just over three years.

David Law started the ball rolling then Bob MacIntyre, Grant Forrest and Calum Hill all maintained the momentum before Ferguson became the latest to join the club with his weekend win in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

To achieve the feat just three weeks after he’d squandered a four-shot lead in the final round of the Magical Kenya Open was a case of Ferguson silencing the doubters in emphatic fashion and hats off to the 25-year-old.

We’ve been spoiled in Scotland over the years in spawning players like Sandy Lyle, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, Sam Torrance, Brian Barnes, Bernard Gallacher, Stephen Gallacher and numerous others.

Connor Syme has been knocing at the door on the DP World Tour since coming close in his rookie season in 2018. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

It wasn’t that long ago, though, that the average age of the Scottish card holders on the DP World Tour was 37, which was the result of a decade of amateur talent failing to make the transition to the professional ranks.

That figure is still in the 30s, but five of the 12 current crop of main tour players are in their 20s and a sixth is 30, which augurs well for the next decade.

As for who might be the next player to land a tartan triumph, there’s no reason whatsoever why that shouldn’t be either Connor Syme or Craig Howie.

Having come close to winning in his rookie season in 2018 then again in 2020, Syme has already been knocking at the door and the 26-year-old certainly has the game to get the job done.

Craig Howie has made a promising start to his DP World Tour career this season. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

Seeing Ferguson, his long-time friend and now a Modest! Golf stablemate, taste success at the highest level will only have made him more determined to get over the line himself.

Like Ferguson, Howie only graduated from the Challenge Tour at the end of last season, but the 27-year-old can also be pleased with his efforts so far sitting at the top table.

He’s now made five cuts on the spin, carding 17 sub-par scores in 20 rounds, and produced his best finish so far in tying for 12th behind his compatriot at Doha Golf Club.

At the same time, of course, Law, MacIntyre, Forrest, Hill and Ferguson will all be pushing hard to try and become multiple winners and let’s not forget the ‘old guard’.

While delighted to see their younger compatriots making headway, the likes of Stephen Gallacher, Scott Jamieson, Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren will want to add to their respective title hauls and David Drysdale certainly won’t be giving up hope that he can still make that breakthrough as well.

Let’s keep those successes coming because there’s no doubt they are inspiring the next wave of young Scottish talent. The likes of Blairgowrie teenager Connor Graham, for example, will have watched MacIntyre, Forrest, Hill and Ferguson all land their title triumphs in the last 18 months and want to emulate them one day.

Yes, of course, it takes talent to start with, but young Scottish golfers have certainly discovered that recipe for success on the DP World Tour and here’s hoping it continues as that feelgood factor is extremely enjoyable indeed.

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