The 6 desires on wish list of a Scottish golf fan for 2025 - including the big one

The 2025 golf season is already under way, with highlights set to include an eagerly-awaited Ryder Cup in New York, Bob MacIntyre’s Genesis Scottish Open title defence and a second Open at Royal Portrush in the space of just seven years.

The game will also see the launch of TGL, the new indoor team event founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, while the next 12 months will surely see some light being finally shone on what the landscape is going to look like with the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund all working together if that is indeed still going to be the case.

It’s always exciting heading into a new year as slates have been wiped clean and players start out feeling reinvigorated no matter what happened the previous 12 months. For some, it’s a case of trying to build on a strong season while, for others, the goal will be to do better.

As always, Scottish golf fans will be watching closely to see how players flying the Saltire fare on circuits around the world and here are six things we’d all probably like to see happen in 2025:

Bob MacIntyre celebrates after helping Europe win the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. | | Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Ryder Cup repeat for Bob MacIntyre

The Oban man made his debut for Europe in the 2023 contest in Rome as an automatic qualifier and that will be his goal again for September’s clash with the Americans at Bethpage Black. Even though he was unbeaten in three games in helping Luke Donald’s team pull off an impressive victory in Italy, MacIntyre might not have been 100 per cent sure at the time that he could become a multiple Ryder Cup player, but that’s now one of his big goals for 2025 and he’s given himself a great chance of achieving it.

Having broken into the world’s top 15 on the back of his RBC Canadian Open and Genesis Scottish Open title triumphs last year, he’s in all the majors this year and the PGA Tour’s Signature Events as well. That means he’s in a good position to pick up big points for a new single points list that will see six players secure automatic spots and also help determine six captain’s picks.

Euan Walker in action during the 2024 Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A at Club de Golf Alcanada in Mallorca | Octavio Passos/Getty Images

Card success on Challenge Tour

Scottish players enjoyed a good spell on the DP World Tour’s feeder circuit as MacIntyre, Ewen Ferguson, Grant Forrest, David Law, Connor Syme and Calum Hill all secured step ups in quick succession. Caledonian card contenders have now drawn a blank for the last three years in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, though, and it is important, of course, that new blood comes through.

After coming up agonisingly short for the third year in a row, Euan Walker will certainly be determined to be among the 20 Challenge Tour graduates at the end of the 2025 campaign, as will the likes of Daniel Young, Ryan Lumsden, Jack McDonald and rookie professional Gregor Graham, while it would also be great to see both Graeme Robertson and Sam Locke make their presence felt on the circuit this year after securing cards for the first time through the Tartan Pro Tour.

Nairn’s Calum Scott, pictured during last year’s 152nd Open at Royal Troon, is a contender for the 2025 Walker Cup team | AFP via Getty Images

California dreamers in Walker Cup

Great Britain & Ireland will be led into battle in this year’s contest at Cypress Point by Dean Robertson and, though winning will be his priority, there is no denying the proud Scot will want to see at least one of his compatriots in the team. As things stand, Calum Scott is the leading contender after he made the team for the 2023 contest at St Andrews before capping another strong campaign last year by finishing as the leading amateur in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

Talented teenager Connor Graham, who also played against the Americans last time around and is now at Texas Tech with Scott, will also be aiming to get himself in the frame, as will California-based Niall Shiels Donegan, who has gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years. Robertson has already made a reconnaissance trip to Cypress Point and will be leaving no stone unturned.

Paul Lawrie, pictured in action during last year’s event, will be spearheading the Scottish challenge in the 2025 Senior Open at Sunningdale | Kenny Smith/Getty Images

Senior success and maybe even a major

With Stephen Gallacher having already turned 50 and David Drysdale doing likewise in March, the Scots are set to have a strong contingent in the senior ranks this year. Paul Lawrie still has wins left in him and Greig Hutcheon looks as though he’s got an exciting couple of years ahead of him after landing a breakthrough over-50s’ win in 2024.

Though Gallacher and Drysdale came up just short in their bids to secure Champions Tour cards for this year, they should both do well on the European Legends Tour and can hopefully get in the mix in majors, which include a Senior Open date at Sunningdale.

Lorna McClymont has turned professional after securing a Category 16 card for the 2025 LET Tristan Jones/LET | Tristan Jones/LET

Saltire flying high again on LET

It would be an understatement to say that 2024 was a disappointment for the Scottish players on the Ladies European Tour, with Kylie Henry finishing 131st on the Order of Merit, Laura Beveridge ending up 140th and Michele Thomson failing to make the top 200.

Having been unable to salvage the situation at the Q-School, it remains to be seen how many starts they will actually get this year, but all it would take is one big week to get a spring back in their step. With her Category 16 card, Lorna McClymont will certainly secure a few top-tour appearances and, on the back of her eye-catching amateur career, maybe she can be the one to get that Saltire flying proudly again on LET leaderboards.

Aidan Lawson, centre, shows off the trophy after winning the European Young Masters in Slovakia | European Golf Association

A few more amateur dramatics

There’s nothing better than seeing exciting young talent emerge in the game and, with all due respect to anyone I might offend, Scotland has been lacking a bit in that department in recent years.

We’ve had the odd success here and there, including Aidan Lawson winning the European Young Masters last year, but, way too often, big Open events in Scotland are falling to English players in particular and here’s hoping 2025 brings lots of tartan triumphs in the amateur game.