Latest news with #ConnorGraham
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Former World number one tips Scottish golf prodigy everybody is raving about to go all the way
Ryder Cup legend praises Tartan ace Connor Graham and fellow amateur boosted Lee Westwood has handed a glowing commendation to Scots kid Connor Graham. The Perthshire teenager made his Open debut at Royal Portrush having come through qualifying at Dundonald. Unfortunately for Graham, he did not manage to make the cut, but the former World No.1 sees the talent in the youngster who is 34 years his junior. Westwood played alongside Graham for 36 holes during the Ayrshire qualifier and poured praise onto the kid as he assessed the new breed of young guns making their way in golf. He said: 'Really impressed. I'd say over the last couple of weeks with the qualifying and then the practice rounds, I've seen some really good young talent in the qualifying. 'Connor Graham from Scotland, a couple of good lads from Charlotte, UNC. Some great young players, which I'm not surprised about. There's so many good young players now, but they've come through the qualifying.' Graham's fellow Scots amateur Cameron Adam also missed the cut with Daniel Young as Bob MacIntyre remained Scotland's sole weekend representative. But Adam believes the experience will count for plenty and said: 'I can compete at this kind of level. To be able to turn up here and not have my A game and kind of come this close to making the cut kind of just proves to me that, if I played well, I would be right up there. That's the biggest positive I've got to take. 'I've gone out and tried and I've just not quite performed to my peak. That happens. It's difficult to really control that. 'The biggest thing is confidence. I've come here and been able to handle it with all the emotions. That's the biggest thing about coming to a stage like this for the first time, like how I felt on the first tee, just getting there and playing in that position, it's something you can't really put a value on. That's got to be the biggest positive I can take from this. 'I just try to stick to my normal self and keep to my routines and trust that that's what's got me here. It's more than good enough to compete here. 'Again, you feel different things out on a stage like that than you could ever feel anywhere else. It's just kind of dealing with that, those feelings within your body, whether it's the butterflies in the stomach or the shaky legs. 'It's just learning little techniques on how to deal with that and be able to hit shots when it happens because it's going to happen. Everyone's human. People get nervous. Learning different techniques that I can deal with that in those situations is going to do me good going forward.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scottish teenager overcomes biggest nerves of career to give himself fighting chance at The Open
18-year-old Graham tees up chance to make the cut on his major debut Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Connor Graham overcame feeling the 'most nervous' he'd ever been to give himself a chance of making the cut on his major debut in The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush. Playing in the same group as 2018 winner Francesco Molinari, the 18-year-old Blairgowrie amateur signed for a two-over-par 73 in challenging conditions in Northern Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was pretty good,' said Graham, who won The R&A Junior Open at Monifieth in 2022, of how his day had been. 'I enjoyed it.' Connor Graham pictured at Royal Portrush with his coach and caddie, Fintan Bonner | Tom Russo | The Scotsman The Scot created history two years ago at St Andrews as the youngest-ever Walker Cup player while he also played on a winning Junior Ryder Cup team in Rome later that year. But he admitted of the challenge on the first tee on this occasion: 'That was probably up there with the most nervous I've ever been and I was just glad to be able to be in play after the tee shot.' Level par after 12 holes, he was wobbling a bit as shots were then dropped at the 13th, 15th and 16th, but a birdie at the 17th repaired some of that spillage. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Yeah, it was nice,' he said of that timely boost. I made a few silly mistakes on that back nine but almost holed out on 17, hit the hole, had a tap-in birdie, which definitely felt nice.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scottish teenager overcomes biggest nerves of career to give himself fighting chance at The Open
18-year-old Graham tees up chance to make the cut on his major debut Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Connor Graham overcame feeling the 'most nervous' he'd ever been to give himself a chance of making the cut on his major debut in The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush. Playing in the same group as 2018 winner Francesco Molinari, the 18-year-old Blairgowrie amateur signed for a two-over-par 73 in challenging conditions in Northern Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was pretty good,' said Graham, who won The R&A Junior Open at Monifieth in 2022, of how his day had been. 'I enjoyed it.' Connor Graham pictured at Royal Portrush with his coach and caddie, Fintan Bonner | Tom Russo | The Scotsman The Scot created history two years ago at St Andrews as the youngest-ever Walker Cup player while he also played on a winning Junior Ryder Cup team in Rome later that year. But he admitted of the challenge on the first tee on this occasion: 'That was probably up there with the most nervous I've ever been and I was just glad to be able to be in play after the tee shot.' Level par after 12 holes, he was wobbling a bit as shots were then dropped at the 13th, 15th and 16th, but a birdie at the 17th repaired some of that spillage. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Yeah, it was nice,' he said of that timely boost. I made a few silly mistakes on that back nine but almost holed out on 17, hit the hole, had a tap-in birdie, which definitely felt nice.'
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
The Open 2025: It's another family affair for rising star Connor Graham
Connor Graham pictured during a practice ropund for the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush | Tom Russo | The Scotsman Blairgowrie player has come a long way since last Claret Jug joust at Royal Portrush Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Just under six years ago, a tiny 12-year-old competed along with his dad and big brother in the Scottish Amateur Championship at Crail. Fast forward and he is now walking tall and teeing up this week in The 153rd Open. In that time, Connor Graham has created history as the youngest-ever Walker Cup player and played on a winning Junior Ryder Cup team. Oh, and let's not forget winning The R&A Junior Open and Scottish Men's Open. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Connor Graham pictured during a practice ropund for the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush | Tom Russo | The Scotsman He's one of the most exciting talents in the amateur game in the UK and is hoping he won't be fazed by this week's big occasion, even in a group that includes 2018 winner Francesco Molinari for the opening two rounds on the County Antrim coast. 'It definitely affects you because it's not what you're used to, being out here with that many people,' said the Blairgowrie member - the first to represent the Perthshire club in the Claret Jug event since Bradley Neil at Royal Liverpool in 2014. 'It's different from what you're normally playing week-in, week-out. I just have to manage that and try to not think about it too much.' Dad Stuart and mum June are here, as are brothers Gregor, who is now a professional and playing on the HotelPlanner Tour, and Archie. 'I would say I've come quite a long way since,' he said, smiling, about his previous family affair at Crail. 'I was the only one to miss the cut out of the three of us. I was like 12 or 13, so I had an excuse. 'I don't think there's much of a rivalry anymore between me and my dad. But, between me and my brother (Gregor), we have a nice bit of healthy competition. We push each other on.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Connor Graham, Daniel Young, Cameron Adam and Bob MacIntyre pictured before playing a practice round together at Royal Portrush on Tuesday | Bounce Sport He said it was 'nice to get a pretty decent group' - it also includes Swede Jesper Svensson - but insisted that he is 'here to do a job' as part of a four-strong Scottish contingent that also includes fellow amateur Cameron Adam, as well as Bob MacIntyre and Daniel Young. Caddying for Graham, who had an eye-catching first year on the US college circuit at Texas Tech, is Fintan Bonner, the St Andrews Links Golf Academy-based coach who has worked with him since he was nine. 'It'll be big, you know, having someone who knows the game,' he said. 'There won't be too many people, other than myself, that know my game better. It'll be good having him on the bag.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
State of the Nation - The Insider: 'We don't have the strength in depth we'd like in golf but there are positives'
In June, Mail Sport published exclusive stories highlighting concerns over the future of two of the most popular sports in Scotland: tennis and rugby. And with the likes of Judy Murray raising the alarm, such warnings are impossible to ignore. In our new series, State of the Nation, our reporters turn the spotlight on some of the biggest sports in this country for a health check. We're not just looking for what's going wrong — it's important to highlight what's going right, as well. Here, we take a look at golf... When two young Scottish amateurs tee it up in the Open Championship at Royal Portrush this week, it will undoubtedly be the proudest moment of their fledgling careers thus far. All the more so given the manner in which Cameron Adam and Connor Graham had to fight and earn their spots. Both have been part of the college circuit in America, with left-hander Adam, 22, graduating from Northwestern in Chicago and Graham, 18, recently completing his first year at Texas Tech. But the pair retain strong links to their roots in Scotland. For a start, Adam is an ambassador for the Stephen Gallacher Foundation, with Graham fulfilling the same role for the Paul Lawrie Foundation. Adam, a member at Royal Burgess, secured his place at Portrush after winning the prestigious Open Amateur Series, the latest triumph on a stunning run of form over the past couple of years. Graham, meanwhile, came through a gruelling day of final qualifying at Dundonald, eventually prevailing over fellow Scot Paul O'Hara in a play-off in Ayrshire. It's going to be a huge week for the pair but both have already shown they have the talent and composure to take it all in their stride. For everyone connected with Scottish Golf, it will be a massive boost to see Adam and Graham flying the Saltire on the leaderboard at Portrush. There is also a very good crop of players coming through in the women's game, with Lorna McClymont and Hannah Darling helping Team GB&I win the Curtis Cup last year. The key is to ensure the pipeline is healthy enough for plenty more to follow in future, as Scotland looks to keep pace with other similar-sized countries around Europe. 'The standard is so high around other European countries,' said Clare Queen, a former player on the Ladies European Tour and now head of performance and pathway at Scottish Golf. 'The bar is being raised all the time, so it's important we continue to improve what we do so our young players understand the level required. 'In terms of numbers, we probably don't have the strength in depth we would like right now, albeit there are still loads of positive things happening. 'We do still have some really strong individuals coming through, especially over the last three or four years. But we want more kids coming through the pathway and pushing for a place in the national teams. 'We all love to see a Saltire up there on the leaderboard. With Cammy and Connor both going to The Open at Portrush, there's going to be loads of attention on them, but what an unbelievable experience it'll be for them. 'I think it's a Scottish thing where we always love to see our own people doing well. I am sure they will have aspirations of doing what Calum Scott did last year at Troon by winning the Silver Medal. 'We are the home of golf, but we are also still a relatively small country in terms of population. It's so important to have these guys coming through as role models. 'We do have some really talented players coming through at the moment, and we've seen a really good group establish themselves on tour over the past 10 years or so. 'Bob MacIntyre, Connor Syme, Ewen Ferguson, Grant Forrest — they all push each other and raise the bar among themselves. 'But, as an organisation, we always want to push on and try and achieve more. Success for us would be really increasing the volume of players — both male and female — who establish themselves on tour.' One of the key challenges facing Scottish Golf is helping players make that initial transition from amateur to professional and making sure they are ready. It's an issue which will face Adam and Graham in due course given the trajectory of their careers, but they have solid backing from the Gallacher and Lawrie foundations respectively. Queen added: 'Giving young boys and girls the opportunity to develop and progress in the game is something I'm passionate about. 'Over the past year or so, we have been doing a big review just to really try and assess where we're at. The pathway system is something we have been really keen to focus on. 'Ultimately, the aim is to strengthen and improve the pipeline of young players coming through. If we can find a more consistent approach, and a way of delivering more consistent opportunities, that will help.' Although they would like to retain their top talent and develop them at home, Scottish Golf would never discourage any young player from playing on the US college circuit if given the opportunity. On the path taken by Adam and Graham, as well as a few others, Queen added: 'We would never necessarily discourage anyone from playing college golf in the States. It's very much an individual thing — it's great for some players, not so great for others. With Cameron Adam and Connor Graham, they have both really thrived in the time they have been over there. 'They have both done exceptionally well in that environment, but it's not necessarily for everyone. We've seen other players in the past struggle to adapt, so it's about doing what's right for you. 'There's a human side to all of this. When you're 16 or 17, and you've got a chance to move to America, it's not the easiest thing to decide in terms of what's the right or wrong thing to do. It's a big call.'
