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Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Notable absentees in Scottish Amateur Championship at Gullane
Connor Graham and Cameron Adam among star players sitting out national championship 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... Alexander Farmer's bid to become the first player since 1983 to successfully defend the Scottish Amateur title has been boosted by some notable absentees for this week's event at Gullane. Showing that the national championship no longer holds the standing it once had, Connor Graham, Cameron Adam and Jack McDonald are all playing instead in other events. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Blairgowrie teenager Graham, who played in The Open a fortnight ago, is teeing up in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge at Roxburghe Schloss, where McDonald is also in the field as an amateur. Alexander Farmer shows off the trophy after winning last year's Scottish Amateur Championship at the St Andrews Links Castle Course | Chris Young/Scottish Golf Meanwhile, 2023 winner Adam, who also played at Royal Portrush two weeks ago, is competing in the Western Amateur in the US along with Niall Shiels Donegan, who would have been another leading contender for the Scottish crown. It means that the likes of Farmer, 2022 winner Oliver Mukherjee and two-time beaten finalist Gregor Tait are some of the top names heading into battle on the East Lothian coast. Not since Charlie Green achieved the feat 42 years ago has a player successfully defended this title but, on the back of his victory at the Castle Course in St Andrews 12 months ago, Farmer is ready to give it a go. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I've never played Gullane, so I'll get two practice rounds in and get to know the courses and, hopefully, make it through to the match play,' said the 20-year-old Kilmacolm player. 'In match play anything can happen. You can play really well one day and the other guy plays better, or you can play badly and win. Match play is weird that way.' Fraser Walters among the locals to look out for A field of 256 players will tackle Gullane No 1 and No 2 over the opening two days on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the top 64 progressing to the knock-out stage.
The National
13-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
Forrest top Scot as MacIntyre laments "horrific" Scottish Open defence
'I got an absolute clinic from Justin,' said Forrest who got a front row seat for a masterclass as Rose romped home with a closing 63 at the Genesis Scottish Open to surge up the leaderboard. Forrest himself had to settle for a one-under 69 and his five-under aggregate left him as the leading Scot in the field. 'I didn't have my best stuff, especially over the weekend, but I just tried to do the best with what I had and dug in,' said the 32-year-old. It's not been a vintage campaign for Forrest but, in this pursuit of fine margins, every little helps and a solid enough week on home soil gives him something to build on. Watching Rose go about his composed, clinical business, meanwhile, certainly gave Forrest plenty of food for thought. 'It was seriously impressive,' added the former Scottish Amateur champion, who earned the Jock MacVicar Memorial Trophy as the pick of the tartan troops. 'Getting to play with guys like him is always good. You can see why he's been at the top for so long. 'I played with Lee Westwood here in 2019 and I felt the same about him. Justin hits the ball so accurately and consistently. He only missed one shot today. 'He has total control of the ball. You can see why he's had the success and the longevity at this level. It's good to see the standard that he is at and it can drive you on. But I have work to do.' Forrest, who won his maiden DP World Tour title at St Andrews back in 2021, was languishing down in 124th place on the Race to Dubai coming into the domestic showpiece and a sturdy finish will, at least, get him inching in the right direction. After a brief break, he'll gird himself for a hectic run of events that will make or break his season. 'Once I start up again, I'll only have about two weeks off until November,' he said. 'That's a lot of golf. There are a lot of events and some big points still to play for so I'm not looking at the rankings just now. 'But the way I've played this year, I deserve to be where I am. I need to improve and start playing better.' A little tonic was provided by his old sparring partner, David Law, who lost his DP World Tour card last season but went a long way to bouncing back with a fine victory on the second-tier HotelPlanner Tour in the Czech Republic yesterday. 'It's magic,' beamed Forrest. 'My wife told me when we were out on the course. He must be close to getting back on the DP World Tour again, so that's another inspiration for me. I need to get my finger out and make sure I'm out the main tour with him.' This time last year, Robert MacIntyre coasted over to The Open at Royal Troon on a wave of Scottish Open-winning euphoria. Today, he'll board a ferry to Portrush hoping that the crossing is not too choppy after a trying, disappointing title defence in East Lothian. 'I'm not a boat guy and I hope I don't get seasick,' said the Oban man with a wry smile. He wasn't feeling particularly chipper on dry land last night after a closing one-over 71 left him down on a two-over total. 'Horrific, a terrible week,' was MacIntyre's summing up of affairs. On a firm, fiery Renaissance course that was like a yellow brick road, the 28-year-old felt some equipment issues hindered his progress. 'This is as firm as the course has been,' he added before explaining the technicalities. 'There are some equipment things I need to learn from because it's the first time I've played with these irons in concrete conditions. 'I'd moved into these irons for softer conditions, and I couldn't get the strike, I couldn't get the ball flight in the sky, I couldn't stop it, and so that side of it was annoying me. 'I was just getting too much bounce on this turf with my clubs and it started to affect my distances and yardage control. Winning last year is a memory that will last a lifetime. But this was just a poor week.' We move on quickly in this game, of course. MacIntyre's return to Portrush this week is being eagerly anticipated. 'It's on to probably my favourite links golf course in the world,' he said of the Antrim venue where he finished tied sixth on his Open Championship debut back in 2019. Happy sailing.
The Herald Scotland
13-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Forrest top Scot as MacIntyre laments "horrific" Scottish Open defence
Forrest himself had to settle for a one-under 69 and his five-under aggregate left him as the leading Scot in the field. 'I didn't have my best stuff, especially over the weekend, but I just tried to do the best with what I had and dug in,' said the 32-year-old. It's not been a vintage campaign for Forrest but, in this pursuit of fine margins, every little helps and a solid enough week on home soil gives him something to build on. Watching Rose go about his composed, clinical business, meanwhile, certainly gave Forrest plenty of food for thought. 'It was seriously impressive,' added the former Scottish Amateur champion, who earned the Jock MacVicar Memorial Trophy as the pick of the tartan troops. 'Getting to play with guys like him is always good. You can see why he's been at the top for so long. 'I played with Lee Westwood here in 2019 and I felt the same about him. Justin hits the ball so accurately and consistently. He only missed one shot today. 'He has total control of the ball. You can see why he's had the success and the longevity at this level. It's good to see the standard that he is at and it can drive you on. But I have work to do.' Forrest, who won his maiden DP World Tour title at St Andrews back in 2021, was languishing down in 124th place on the Race to Dubai coming into the domestic showpiece and a sturdy finish will, at least, get him inching in the right direction. After a brief break, he'll gird himself for a hectic run of events that will make or break his season. 'Once I start up again, I'll only have about two weeks off until November,' he said. 'That's a lot of golf. There are a lot of events and some big points still to play for so I'm not looking at the rankings just now. 'But the way I've played this year, I deserve to be where I am. I need to improve and start playing better.' A little tonic was provided by his old sparring partner, David Law, who lost his DP World Tour card last season but went a long way to bouncing back with a fine victory on the second-tier HotelPlanner Tour in the Czech Republic yesterday. 'It's magic,' beamed Forrest. 'My wife told me when we were out on the course. He must be close to getting back on the DP World Tour again, so that's another inspiration for me. I need to get my finger out and make sure I'm out the main tour with him.' This time last year, Robert MacIntyre coasted over to The Open at Royal Troon on a wave of Scottish Open-winning euphoria. Today, he'll board a ferry to Portrush hoping that the crossing is not too choppy after a trying, disappointing title defence in East Lothian. 'I'm not a boat guy and I hope I don't get seasick,' said the Oban man with a wry smile. He wasn't feeling particularly chipper on dry land last night after a closing one-over 71 left him down on a two-over total. 'Horrific, a terrible week,' was MacIntyre's summing up of affairs. On a firm, fiery Renaissance course that was like a yellow brick road, the 28-year-old felt some equipment issues hindered his progress. 'This is as firm as the course has been,' he added before explaining the technicalities. 'There are some equipment things I need to learn from because it's the first time I've played with these irons in concrete conditions. 'I'd moved into these irons for softer conditions, and I couldn't get the strike, I couldn't get the ball flight in the sky, I couldn't stop it, and so that side of it was annoying me. 'I was just getting too much bounce on this turf with my clubs and it started to affect my distances and yardage control. Winning last year is a memory that will last a lifetime. But this was just a poor week.' We move on quickly in this game, of course. MacIntyre's return to Portrush this week is being eagerly anticipated. 'It's on to probably my favourite links golf course in the world,' he said of the Antrim venue where he finished tied sixth on his Open Championship debut back in 2019. Happy sailing.
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
After going OB at 13, Robert MacIntyre rallies to make cut on the number at Scottish Open
Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside. 'The Costa del Lothian,' smiled Grant Forrest of a shimmering, sun-soaked scene that Judith Chalmers used to revel in on an episode of Wish You Were Here. Forrest is certainly glad he's here for the weekend. So too is Robert MacIntyre. The reigning Genesis Scotttish Open champion from Oban was facing an early exit as he slithered outside the cut mark but dug in, showed his usual resolve and hauled himself back inside the safety zone. His 1-over 71 was not a thing of beauty but it got the job done and he finished on the 1-under limit. 'I played absolutely terribly,' admitted MacIntyre, while delivering a sizeable sigh of relief. Things were looking particularly bleak when he lost his drive on the 13th and ended up with a potentially ruinous double-bogey six. 'It was one of the worst shots I've hit all season,' he said of a tee-shot which sailed out of bounds. 'At the time, I'm thinking, 'oh well, this is it, this is curtains'. I could have lost the plot there, but I was like, 'I've just got to keep fighting here'.' And fight he did. The salvage operation began immediately. MacIntyre knocked his tee-shot on the par-3 14th into four feet and gobbled up the birdie chance. On the par-3 17th, the Scot threatened the flag again and a delightfully flighted 6-iron into 3 feet spawned another birdie as he moved back to 1 under for the championship. 'I guess growing up at Glencruitten on a short golf course with loads of par-3s helped me in the end,' he said of that important brace of twos. A two-putt from distance for a par on the last completed the recovery. 'There's no other way to describe today other than a poor performance,' added the Ryder Cup player. 'But I just fought it out and ground it out and I got away with it.' Forrest, meanwhile, enjoyed a more serene passage into the closing 36-holes. In his own backyard of East Lothian, the 32-year-old moved onto a 5-under aggregate with a largely trouble-free 68. 'Links golf is hard to beat when it's dry and sunny,' said Forrest. The home comforts are certainly suiting him to a tee this week. 'It's nice just being at home,' he said of the domestic bliss. 'We can stick the barbecue on when it's like this too.' Forrest has been wrestling with his game this season but there continues to be glimmers of hope that his fortunes can turn. 'Sometimes there are a couple of shots, that you may not be comfortable with hitting, but you pull them off and things like that can turn things around,' added the former Scottish Amateur champion, who won on the DP World Tour back in 2021. A good example of such a morale-booster came on the par-5 10th. Forrest had just leaked his only shot of the day on the previous hole but hit a cracking drive, then unleashed a 5-wood to 20-feet and two-putted for a birdie. Forrest and MacIntyre will be joined at the weekend by Fifer, Connor Syme, who double-bogeyed his final hole in a 71 but edged through on one-under. Calum Hill, one shot off the lead after a 65 in round one, endured a torrid second day, though, and missed the cut on 2-over after a shattering 77. The 30-year-old hadn't made a bogey in his opening round but stumbled to five on the first nine holes of round two as he plummeted down the standings. Ewen Ferguson and Richie Ramsay also finished on 2-over totals and joined the Scottish casualty list.
The Herald Scotland
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Robert MacIntyre survives Scottish Open cut on the limit
The reigning Genesis Scotttish Open champion from Oban was facing an early exit as he slithered outside the cut mark but dug in, showed his usual resolve and hauled himself back inside the safety zone. His one-over 71 was not a thing of beauty but it got the job done and he finished on the one-under limit. 'I played absolutely terribly,' admitted MacIntyre, while delivering a sizeable sigh of relief. Things were looking particularly bleak when he lost his drive on the 13th and ended up with a potentially ruinous double-bogey six. 'It was one of the worst shots I've hit all season,' he said of a tee-shot which sailed out of bounds. 'At the time, I'm thinking, 'oh well, this is it, this is curtains'. I could have lost the plot there, but I was like, 'I've just got to keep fighting here'.' And fight he did. The salvage operation began immediately. MacIntyre knocked his tee-shot on the par-3 14th into four-feet and gobbled up the birdie chance. On the par-3 17th, the Scot threatened the flag again and a delightfully flighted 6-iron into three-feet spawned another birdie as he moved back to one-under for the championship. 'I guess growing up at Glencruitten on a short golf course with loads of par-3s helped me in the end,' he said of that important brace of twos. A two-putt from distance for a par on the last completed the recovery. 'There's no other way to describe today other than a poor performance,' added the Ryder Cup player. 'But I just fought it out and ground it out and I got away with it.' Forrest, meanwhile, enjoyed a more serene passage into the closing 36-holes. In his own backyard of East Lothian, the 32-year-old moved onto a five-under aggregate with a largely trouble-free 68. 'Links golf is hard to beat when it's dry and sunny,' said Forrest. The home comforts are certainly suiting him to a tee this week. 'It's nice just being at home,' he said of the domestic bliss. 'We can stick the barbecue on when it's like this too.' Forrest has been wrestling with his game this season but there continues to be glimmers of hope that his fortunes can turn. 'Sometimes there are a couple of shots, that you may not be comfortable with hitting, but you pull them off and things like that can turn things around,' added the former Scottish Amateur champion, who won on the DP World Tour back in 2021. A good example of such a morale-booster came on the par-five 10th. Forrest had just leaked his only shot of the day on the previous hole but hit a cracking drive, then unleashed a 5-wood to 20-feet and two-putted for a birdie. Forrest and MacIntyre will be joined at the weekend by Fifer, Connor Syme, who double-bogeyed his final hole in a 71 but edged through on one-under. Calum Hill, one shot off the lead after a 65 in round one, endured a torrid second day, though, and missed the cut on two-over after a shattering 77. The 30-year-old hadn't made a bogey in his opening round but stumbled to five on the first nine holes of round two as he plummeted down the standings. Ewen Ferguson and Richie Ramsay also finished on two-over totals and joined the Scottish casualty list.
