Who are the Scots to watch in Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin?

Golf correspondent Martin Dempster picks out the top tartan hopefuls in R&A event

This week sees the 129th Amateur Championship take place at Ballyliffin in Ireland, where the top 64 and ties after two-stroke play rounds on Monday and Tuesday will progress to the knock-out stage later in the week.

It was 40 years ago when Colin Montgomerie lost in the final to Jose Maria Olazabal in The R&A event at Formby while Stuart Wilson is teeing up on the 20th anniversary of his title triumph at St Andrews.

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The last Scottish success in the event was delivered a decade ago by Bradley Neil at Royal Portrush, with Grant Forrest (2015), Bob MacIntyre (2016) and Euan Walker (2019) all falling at the final hurdle since then.

Royal Burgess left-hander Cameron Adam won last year's Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch. Picture: Scottish GolfRoyal Burgess left-hander Cameron Adam won last year's Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch. Picture: Scottish Golf
Royal Burgess left-hander Cameron Adam won last year's Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch. Picture: Scottish Golf

Here, we pick out six Scottish players who will be setting out this week with their sights on the title, with the winner, of course, securing spots in both the 152nd Open at Royal Troon and next year’s Masters at Augusta National.

Cameron Adam

The Royal Burgess left-hander showed his liking for match-play golf when winning the Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch last summer.

In his junior year at Northwestern, he produced a string of consistent performances on the US college circuit and has recorded top-ten finishes in both the Scottish Men’s Open at Muirfield and the Links Trophy at St Andrews since returning home for the summer,

California-based Niall Shiels Donegan has gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years. Picture: Scottish GolfCalifornia-based Niall Shiels Donegan has gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years. Picture: Scottish Golf
California-based Niall Shiels Donegan has gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years. Picture: Scottish Golf

Niall Shiels Donegan

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The California-based player reached the semi-finals in the Boys’ Amateur Championship at Royal Cinque Ports three years ago and has gone from strength to strength since then. He captained Great Britain & Ireland Boys in the 2022 Jacques Leglise Trophy and enjoyed an exciting first year at Northwestern, helping the Wildcats, with Adam one of his team-mates and another Scot, David Inglis, at the helm in his role as head men’s coach, win the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 2006.

Connor Graham

It’s been a frustrating season so far for the younger of the Graham brothers, having been forced to sit out a Scottish Golf trip to South Africa due to a hand issue then seeing it flare up again just before the Lytham Trophy last month. He successfully negotiated 72 holes, though, in last weekend’s Links Trophy and, as evidenced by a win like the 2022 Junior Open at Monifieth, the teenager has the tools required for big jobs like this.

Blairgowrie teennager Connor Graham was unbeaten in Europe's win in last year's Junior Ryder Cup in Rome. Picture: Getty ImagesBlairgowrie teennager Connor Graham was unbeaten in Europe's win in last year's Junior Ryder Cup in Rome. Picture: Getty Images
Blairgowrie teennager Connor Graham was unbeaten in Europe's win in last year's Junior Ryder Cup in Rome. Picture: Getty Images

Gregor Graham

The Blairgowrie man is heading into this event sitting a career-best 166th in World Amateur Golf Ranking, having won both the South African Amateur Championship and the Brabazon Trophy already this year. He’s taken his game up a notch since earning a place in the record books by becoming the first amateur to win on the Tartan Pro Tour last August and his South African success came in a similar format.

Calum Scott

Ranked 34th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the Nairn man is comfortably Scotland’s current No 1 and is heading into this event on the back of a strong finish to the US college season, capped by the Texas Tech player finishing just outside the top ten in the NCAA Division 1 Championship at La Quinta in California. In his first outing back on Scottish soil, he then finished joint-second in the St Andrews Links Trophy and is one of the favourites for this event.

Gregor Graham, Connor's big brother, won the Brabazon Troohy last month after already landing the South African Amateur Championship earlier in the year. Picture: England GolfGregor Graham, Connor's big brother, won the Brabazon Troohy last month after already landing the South African Amateur Championship earlier in the year. Picture: England Golf
Gregor Graham, Connor's big brother, won the Brabazon Troohy last month after already landing the South African Amateur Championship earlier in the year. Picture: England Golf

Gregor Tait

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Having reached the final in the Scottish Amateur Championship two years in a row, the Suffolk-based player clearly relishes the unique nature of head-to-head golf. He’s not been firing on all cylinders heading into this event but, if he can successfully negotiate the stroke-play stage, then those strong performances at Gailes Links and Royal Dornoch should stand him in good stead when it comes down to the nitty gritty of trying to win individual matches.

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