'Big relief': Scot secures DP World Tour card for 16th season running

Scott Jamieson is hoping his 16th successive season as a DP World Tour card holder can produce a “few more highlights” than he has managed so far.

The 41-year-old secured his seat at the top table for another year after finishing joint-fifth behind compatriot Bob MacIntyre in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday.

Jamieson headed into the event sitting 119th in the Race to Dubai but, after picking up a cheque for around £100,000 for his best performance of the season, he has jumped to 88th.

Scott Jamieson smiles on the first tee at Kingsbarns during the final round on day four of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday | Warren Little/Getty Images

The top 115 at the end of the Genesis Championship in Korea later this month will secure a full card for next season and, with the clock beginning to tick, it was a timely return to form for the Florida-based Scot after missing seven cuts in his previous eight starts.

“Yeah, it was a big relief more than anything given the situation I was in heading into the week,” he admitted to The Scotsman, reflecting on a profitable week at Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews.

Jamieson had racked up three top-ten finishes in his first seven events of the season only to find himself in freefall since tying for 19th in the BMW International Open at the beginning of July.

Conditions for Dunhill Links ‘helped somewhat’

“You try and tell yourself that, definitely,” he replied to being asked if it had just been a case of staying patient after being in a similar position two years ago and taking it right to the wire on that occasion.

“But, you know, it is not guaranteed to come and maybe the conditions and playing on courses I am very familiar with in those conditions helped me somewhat last week. You’ve just got to stick to the programme, so to speak, and be brave enough to take the opportunity when it comes.”

Jamieson’s sole success on the circuit came in the 2012 Nelson Mandela Championship in South Africa but, as he edges towards the 400 appearance mark, his career earnings stand at £6.7 million.

“Next year will be my 16th season - it’s a long time,” he said. “I suppose there’s probably not many that have been out here that long as lots come and go.

“I’ve probably not had as many highlights along the way as I would have liked but the longevity of it has certainly been pretty good. So, hopefully, I can make a few more highlights in the back end of my career.”

Jamieson laid the foundations for his strong week by carding a six-under-par 66 at St Andrews before adding a 68 at Carnoustie then signing off with a 70 at Kingsbarns as the $5 million event was cut to 54 holes after Saturday’s play was abandoned due to Storm Amy.

“Yeah, for sure,” he admitted of saving his card on Scottish soil being extra special. It’s always great fun to not only play on those courses but getting to compete on them. You’ve got Kingsbarns, which is one of the prettiest courses in the world while Carnoustie is arguably one of the best tests in the world. Then St Andrews speaks for itself with its hallowed turf. So, yeah, it was a big relief more than anything given the situation I was in heading into the week.”

As the weather started to turn nasty, MacIntyre’s 66 at Kingsbarns on Friday was a great round of golf and the same applied to Jamieson’s four-under-par salvo at Carnoustie.

Scott Jamieson lines up a putt on the 16th green during his splendid four-under 68 in tough conditions at Carnoustie Golf Links on Friday | Jan Kruger/Getty Images

“Yeah, I was lucky that I started on the back nine and I was able to take advantage of the chances I had on that nine when it was playing downwind and then it was just a case of hanging on,” he said. “It was some of the worst conditions I’ve played in over the last four or five holes.”

Jamieson was speaking en route to Madrid for this week’s Open de España at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, where home favourites Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia are spearheading a field that also includes Ryder Cup hero Shane Lowry.

Aim is to try and get into end-of-season events

“I was down to play the last four and that is still the plan,” said Jamieson, who will be flying the Saltire along with Grant Forrest, Connor Syme, Ewen Ferguson, Calum Hill and Richie Ramsay.

“I am looking forward to seeing if I can play well enough to sneak into one of the last two events in the UAE (the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and DP World Tour Championship in Dubai). So the focus has changed a little bit and, hopefully, I can carry the same form into this week.”