Sandy Scott to play in US Amateur as pro switch is delayed

Nairn's Sandy Scott had hoped to be in the pro ranks by now, but has seen his plans thrown up in the air by the Covid-19 pandemic

Sandy Scott, Scotland's top-ranked amateur, has lined up a crack at this month's US Amateur Championship after seeing his switch to the professional ranks put on hold.

The Nairn man is among a small group of exempt Great Britain & Ireland players who have chosen to enter the USGA event, which is being played at Bandon Dunes in Oregon on 10-16 August.

Scott, who sits seventh in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, had been hoping to be in the paid ranks by now after capping his amateur career with a Walker Cup appearance at Royal Liverpool last September.

But the 21-year-old has been forced into a re-think after season his planned 2020 schedule was thrown into disarray by the coronavirus, which forced an early end to his four-year stint at Texas Tech.

"I'm going over for the US Amateur, having got my flights booked after finding it a bit difficult trying to deal with all the restrictions in place at the moment," Scott told The Scotsman.

He is set to be among six players from the top 10 in the WAGR in the field, joining second-ranked Ricky Castillo, as well as Davis Thompson, John Pak, Eduard Rousaud and Andy Ogletree, the defending champion.

Scott thought he'd pulled on the Texas Tech colours for the last time after seeing an event in Arizona cancelled then finding himself heading home as colleges were shutdown in the US. However, that may not now be the case.

"Because this last year was sort of cancelled, we've been granted another year's eligibility and I am trying to take advantage of that because I will probably be an amateur for the next while," he added.

"I'm trying to go back to the States for another year, but that is also up in the air as no one knows at the moment if the fall schedule is going to go ahead. It also recently came out that international students can't go to school if all their lessons are going to be online. It's a bit complicated, to be honest.

"Just being able to play some good golf and get some practice in would be a bonus. That's the plan, but whether it goes ahead is a different story."

Australian-based Scot Connor McKinney has also entered the 120th US Amateur, as have latest Northern Ireland teenage sensation Tom McKibbin and Alex Fitzpatrick, younger brother of 2103 winner and now European Tour player Matt.

"I've been up to Bandon Dunes once before," said Scott, who is getting out at Nairn as much as possible, often with his younger brother and another star in the making, Calum, to try and keep his game ticking over. "I think it was in my freshman year, and it's brilliant."

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