Scottish golfer wishes he could turn back clock as he lifts lid on The Open regrets

Golf can be a frustrating game. Just ask Michael Stewart, who was feeling cock-a-hoop after giving a great account of himself in The Open at Royal Liverpool around 16 months ago but is back trying to make headway in the professional ranks.

The Ayrshireman, who tied for 52nd behind Brian Harman in the Claret Jug event on Merseyside as a qualifier, had to be content with a caddying role for his good friend Rhys Enoch in the recent Challenge Tour Grand Final in Mallorca when his goal had been to be in the battle for a DP World Tour card as a player.

Some back issues contributed to Stewart finishing a lowly 187th in this season’s Road to Mallorca Rankings, but the former Scottish Amateur champion reckons he’s struggled since The Open due to the fact he didn’t properly process his performance that week.

Michael Stewart pictured during the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool in 2023 | Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

“Everyone loves hindsight, don’t they?” he told The Scotsman. “I wish I had dealt with The Open better because, though I have absolutely no right to feel the way I did, I felt like that was going to kick-start something.

“‘Belonged there’ is the wrong term because I’m not saying that’s what I felt. But I feel like I showed in a short period in that Open that I can compete and that was despite not feeling I had my best stuff or having an unbelievable week with the putter.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t give myself time to reflect on that week and view it as a massive success because it takes a lot out of you mentally when you have never been in that position before.

“Then, on top of that, the way the Challenge Tour points system worked, I didn’t really gain anything from The Open, which hurt a little bit. Rather than moving up the Road to Mallorca Rankings, I stayed where I was and I might even have dropped down.

“If I’d had the chance to take that time back, I definitely wouldn’t have played in Ireland the following week. Having said that, Brandon Robinson Thompson (the Englishman who won the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge at Newmachar this year) also made the cut in The Open and then won the week after.

“That might sound like an excuse, but I literally then had to try and put the foot down as I was just in the area of keeping my card and that kick-started five missed cuts in a row and, all of a sudden, I felt further away from where I wanted to be as opposed to closer.”

In 15 events this season on the Challenge Tour, Stewart’s best finish was a tie for 23rd in the D+D Real Czech Challenge, signing off his campaign with a 63, but it was too little, too late to get him close to being involved in the business end of the season with a club in his hand.

Michael Stewart caddied for close friend Rhys Enoch in the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by the R&A at Club de Golf Alcanada in Mallorca | Octavio Passos/Getty Images

“I’ve played some poor golf since The Open at Hoylake, something like nine or ten months and, if not, it certainly felt that long. I was working through some niggles and stuff and my back really started getting sore in May time,” added the 34-year-old, who is managed by Paul Lawrie through his Five Star Sports Agency.

“I then took some time off until the end of July and tried to qualify for The Open on my home patch (in Troon) but, unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I then started to come back slowly and worked on some technique stuff that I felt was going to help my back and for the last two months or so it’s been a lot better.

“I’ve got a scan coming up to make sure there is nothing sinister going on, but it’s been better. Although there is still a little bit stiffness, I’ve had no pain when I have been playing and it feels as though it is gone, thankfully.

“I played some really nice golf in Portugal, not so well in Italy, then some nice stuff in France and Prague to finish. Yes, there are some good signs. I feel like I am in a better place as far as my game is concerned as I’ve been able to do a lot more work with Alan [McCloskey, his coach] recently after a spell when I couldn’t do much at all with him.

“I feel I have a bit more understanding of where my game is at and what I need to do to make sure the back stuff doesn’t flare up again because a lot of it was due to my technique. It was a bit of wear and tear as I had a bit of a funky move where I will hang back and the right side gets scrunched up.

“When I’m strong and in the gym, I am taking care of that stuff and it seems to be better. But, when I am not able to take care of the gym stuff and there’s a little bit of weakness on that side, that’s where I start to feel the pain. But it’s definitely getting better.”

David Law has been tipped to win back his DP World Tour card by his former Scotland team-mate Michael Stewart | Getty Images

During a glittering amateur career, which included a Walker Cup appearance as part of a winning Great Britain & Ireland side at Royal Aberdeen in 2011, one of Stewart’s biggest rivals was David Law, with the pair still being close friends.

Though a recent catch up didn’t produce anything to celebrate as both Law and Enoch failed to secure DP World Tour cards in the Qualifying School Final in Spain, Stewart is confident that the Aberdonian will regain his place at European golf’s top table before too long.

“Davy will be back - there is no doubt in my mind about that,” he said of the two-time Scottish Amateur champion. “Davy now has a game that, if he is on, he is going to compete at whatever level he is playing. He is a seriously impressive ball-striker and golfer now. He’s got a bit of that X-factor in his game and there is no doubt in my mind that he will get his card back at some stage.”

One of the game’s most likeable characters, Stewart is hoping he can recapture that Open form and be flying the Saltire as well on the DP World Tour one day.