Ross Cameron is hoping good things come to those who wait as he prepares to make his European Tour debut at the age of 41.
The Peterhead golfer earned an invite to this week’s Scottish Championship at Fairmont, St Andrews by winning last month’s Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA Championship at Deer Park.
Cameron followed up that success with victory at the Northern Open at Spey Valley in Aviemore to finish top of the Tartan Tour’s order of merit.
He has taken the week off his job at a supermarket in Peterhead to tee it up in the €1,000,000 event.
Cameron, who represents Saltire Energy, said: “The excitement levels are pretty high and they are only going to get higher come Thursday.
“It is great to be in the field.
“It is my first European Tour event so I was thrilled to get the invite. I have been dreaming about this for quite some time.
“I am determined to make the most of it.
“It is a shame there are no crowds. I had a few people asking me if spectators would be allowed but unfortunately that is not the case this week.
“I’m sure my parents would have been here to watch but they will be cheering me on from home.
“The supermarket has been great with me.
“I was off last week for the British PGA and off this week as well so I haven’t had any 3am alarms going off over the past week, which has been fine.”
Cameron believes lowering his levels of expectation on the course following the resumption of tournaments after lockdown has been the key to his recent success.
He said: “It is probably down to a combination of a few things.
“I am hitting the ball well and I have a really good level of acceptance of where my game is because I haven’t been able to do the same level of practice as I would normally do due to lockdown.
“It has been easier for me to expect a little bit less when I’m out on the course and that has possibly helped me.
“In the tournaments when I did well, such as the Scottish PGA and the Northern Open, my preparation was working in the supermarket for two or three days before.
“I arrived at both tournaments knowing I was playing reasonably well but still unsure what would happen when I was out on the course.”
The Scottish PGA champion will have Ladies European Tour player and close friend Michele Thomson on the bag for him when he tees up this week.
Cameron said: “She has plenty of Ladies European Tour experience.
“It is great to have somebody who I get on with so well alongside me this week. Michele is good company and she will be a big help.
“I did my PGA training at Ellon and I met Michele when she was about 16 or 17 so I’ve known her for a long time.
“She knows my game really well so she will be able to keep me right this week.
“Michele and I arrived at St Andrews on Monday. We did the Covid-19 testing that is required and both came back negative so it was good to get that out of the way.
“I have played the course before. I was in a EuroPro event here and there have also been some regional PGA events as well.
“It might be almost 10 years since I last played here but the course is in great condition.”
Having waited so long to make his European Tour debut, Cameron is keen to enjoy every moment of the week.
He said: “I’m certainly trying to embrace it all and take it all in.
“I will try to enjoy it but I obviously want to do well.
“I’m not putting too many expectations on myself but I know my game is in good shape.
“If I can play my golf then I’m sure I will be fine and have a good week.
“A friend of mine said it might help me the fact we have no crowds this week.
“He is probably right as it will be more like a normal event for me as in the majority of my events there tends to be little if any crowds.
“It will be a game of golf without the crowds and that might be helpful for me.”
