Ross Cameron goes from supermarket to victory at Scottish PGA

Peterhead pro had to take a part-time job to supplement his income during lockdown

Ross Cameron achieved the biggest success of his career in winning the Loch Lomond Whiskies PGA Scottish Championship and in doing so experienced some sunshine in an otherwise gloomy year.

Cancelled tournaments and shut golf clubs due to lockdown meant the 41-year-old from Peterhead had to take a part-time job in a supermarket to supplement his income.

But those worries were temporarily cast aside at Deer Park as he won the Tartan Tour’s flagship event.

He left a posse of Scotland’s most accomplished and successful tournament pros in his slipstream to claim the coveted trophy, the £4,250 first prize and the chance add his name to an illustrious roll call of winners which includes Sandy Lyle, Paul Lawrie, Sam Torrance, Andrew Coltart and Bernard Gallacher.

The four-shot advantage Cameron enjoyed at the start of the fourth and final round remained at the end as defending champion Paul O’Hara plus former winners Graham Fox and Chris Kelly were among those left to scrap for the remainder of the £27,250 prize fund.

In the event, the runners-up berth went to Clydeway Golf’s Fox whose six-under-par round of 66 was the best of the day and saw him finish on 11-under.

Cameron recorded his second successive three-under-par round of 69 to post a final total of 15-under. To avoid exchanging scorecards as a precaution to combat the spread of Covid-19, players recorded their scores electronically via an App on their mobile phones.

“That allowed me to see what everyone else was doing,” explained Cameron, who represents Saltire Energy. In fairness, I was playing well and didn’t have any nerves at all. But being able to do that gave me some extra reassurance.”

Cameron posted four sub-par rounds at the Livingston venue. “I don’t think I’ve been that consistent over four rounds,” he said.

Cameron is hoping his victory will lead to exemptions and invitations to play in other prestigious tournaments.

“It’s given me a big boost in the Tartan Tour’s Order of Merit and I hope this will open a few doors,” he said. “In the meantime, it’s back to work at the supermarket on Monday.”

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