World No 15 is notable absentee as Scottish Golf squads announced for 2027

Scottish Golf has announced its national squads for the 2027 season, with a mix of interesting inclusions and, at the same time, some notable absentees.

Coventry Hearsall’s Arianna Virik, for example, has been named in an eight-strong girls’ squad, which also includes St Regulus Ladies’ member Carly McDonald.

Virik underlined her potential when winning the 2024 Scottish Girls’ Amateur Championship and is now at Loretto School in Musselburgh.

Scottish Golf has announced its squads for 2027 | Scottish Golf

McDonald, meanwhile, is one of the shining young stars in the Scottish game, having joined Hannah Darling and Grace Crawford as winners of The R&A Girls’ Under-16 Amateur Championship when landing that coveted crown this year.

Blairgowrie’s Connor Graham is the standout name in the men’s squad, which also includes Aidan Lawson, the 2024 European Young Masters winner Aidan Lawson and brothers Oli and Sam Mukherjee.

However, there is no place for California-based Niall Shiels Donegan, the other Scot who helped Great Britain & Ireland pull off a dramatic Walker Cup win at Lahinch in September.

It is understood that the world No 15, who landed his maiden win on the US college circuit earlier this year, has made himself unavailable for the squad and winter training.

Brother and sister Fraser, who topped this year’s Scottish Boys’ Order of Merit, and Stella Walters are other notable absentees from the list for the same reason.

Oliver Henderson, Stephen Gallacher’s nephew, has been in one of two transition squads, with the aim to help to bridge the gap for younger players in the years immediately following the step up from the junior ranks.

“It’s always exciting to name the squads for a new season, introducing fresh faces to the junior set-up and continuing to work with players who have already had experience of our performance pathway,” said Clare Queen, Head of Performance and Pathway at Scottish Golf.

“Investment in the performance programme lies at the heart of Scottish Golf’s strategic approach to development.

“The introduction of a Regional Performance Development Programme earlier this year will further support the pipeline of players coming through from club and Area and County level to the national set-up.

“Everyone in the team is committed to providing the best guidance and playing opportunities for our leading amateurs so that they may fulfil their true potential.

“It’s important that Scotland, as the Home of Golf, is represented at the top of leaderboards, and our work reflects this ambition.

“Our coaches, support staff and volunteers are striving to give the players all that they need to achieve their goals in the season ahead.”

SCOTLAND SQUADS 2027

Boys

Fraser Brown (Nairn)

Tyler Gordon (Thurso)

Thomas Kelly (Stirling)

Ben Love (Old Course Ranfurly)

Fraser MacKenzie (Inverness)

Jamie McDonald (St Andrews New)

Cole Stewart (Carnoustie Caledonia)

Oli Robertson (Deeside)

Girls

Lucie Barclay (Kilmacolm)

Carla Burns (Douglas Park)

Jayla Kepler (Greenock)

Carly McDonald (St Regulus Ladies)

Holly McKenzie (Murcar Links)

Lucy Moran (Dunbracken Ladies)

Annie Pennycook (St Regulus Ladies)

Arianna Virik (Coventry Hearsall)

Men

George Cannon (Glenbervie)

Alexander Farmer (Kilmacolm)

Finlay Galloway (St Andrews New)

Connor Graham (Blairgowrie)

Ross Laird (Glenbervie)

Aidan Lawson (Bruntsfield Links)

Oli Mukherjee (Gullane)

Sam Mukherjee (Gullane)

Ben Murray (Portlethen)

Chris Somers (Murcar Links)

Women

Sheridan Clancy (Lake Karrinyup)

Ellie Docherty (Moray)

Rosie Maguire (Pollok)

Abigail May (St Regulus Ladies)

Abercrombie Nisbet (Gullane)

Jade Potter (Craigielaw)

Freya Russell (Royal Troon)

Jennifer Saxton (Dunfermline)

Susan Woodhouse (East Kilbride)

Men’s Transition Squad

Oli Blackadder (Deeside)

Brodie Cunningham (Bothwell Castle)

Ewen Farquhar (St Andrews New)

Oli Henderson (Bathgate)

Eddie Jackson (Turnhouse)

Kai Laing (Broomieknowe)

Dominic McGlinchey (Renaissance)

James Wood (Bathgate)

Women’s Transition Squad

Grace Crawford (North Berwick)

Louisa Hamilton (Ponteland)

Erin Huskie (Stirling)

Melissa Keay (Ralston)

Evie McCallum (Dunfermline)

Hannah Ounap (Loudoun)

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