It’s that time of year, folks, for the column that perennially makes our leading Scottish professionals look at your correspondent with narrowed eyes for months. Yes, it’s the Scottish European Tour pros’ report card for 2021.
Actually, unlike some recent seasons – we staved off almost a complete disaster a couple of years ago – 2021 has been pretty good, all told. All 10 players with tour cards have retained them (or likely will) for 2022, which is a sound bottom line.
Our main star has continued his upward development, all things considered. There have been two wins by players we’d hoped would graduate to the top of the podium somewhere and duly did.
The old retainers did enough at various times to get by. Even better, the 10 become 12 in 2022 with the graduation from the Challenge Tour of Ewen Ferguson and Craig Howie.
Both came through the satellite tour’s Rolex Grand Final at the weekend. Both have earned their spurs already on the main tour with top ten finishes in the last two years.
There’s no Q School this year again to augment numbers further, but that’s meant the qualifying bar on the Race to Dubai is down to 122.
One Scot lies outside that presently, but after this week’s AVIV Dubai Championship and a shuffling of those eligible, he should be safe.
Anyway, here’s the marks for the year. Don’t be too upset, guys, it’s only one hack’s view.
ROBERT MACINTYRE (R2D 17th, Best 3, Dubai Desert Classic)
We shouldn’t be disappointed with Bob’s year, although I suspect many (including him) are. His best finish in the numbers was Dubai, the event he really had a chance of winning, playing in the final group with Paul Casey.
After there was a split schedule pursuing a PGA Tour card and an ultimately fruitless chase for a Ryder Cup place. The second half of the year has been a little underwhelming.
But he played all four majors. He was 12th on his Masters debut and T8 at the Open, winning return trips to both. Also played really well at the WGC Matchplay. This was definitely not a poor season, it was another stepping stone. B
CALUM HILL (R2D 25th, Best W Cazoo Classic)
A breakthrough for the Perthshire player, his performance in Saudi (T4) in an elite field started it all well and he barely had a dip from then on. Six top tens in all, and the win in Kent in August to top it all off.
He was a little frustrated he didn’t play better in the bigger events. But a nice week at the DP World Championship next week should complete a great year. A
GRANT FORREST (R2D 36th, Best W Hero Open)
Looked to be having another solid but underwhelming season until he found something in Ireland after a change of coach.
A good Scottish followed and two weeks later came the breakthrough at Fairmont with his Hero Open win. Another top three followed in Spain. Forrest fulfilled the potential we thought he had, and he can kick on from here. A
RICHIE RAMSAY (R2D 74th, Best T4, Irish Open)
Just seven missed cuts in 26 starts, but the perfectionist three-time Tour winner has been frustrated he only cracked the top ten twice – especially when prizefunds were reduced as they have been. But it was a year of consolidation. C+
DAVID LAW (R2D 103rd, Best T4, Hero Open)
His exemption for his debut win expiring at the year’s end, the 30-year-old from Aberdeen needed to step up in 2021. But a nice little run through June and July got him going forward and the T14 at the BMW PGA at Wentworth was an outstanding way to nail down his card for another year. C
CONNOR SYME (R2D 104th, Best T3, Kenya Open)
Tricky year for the Fifer, his good results in 2020 counting for little in terms of ranking. But in March, April and May he strung some good results together, got within a shout of a win, and did enough. The second half of the season has been disappointing, though. C
MARC WARREN (R2D 110th, Best T5, Abu Dhabi)
The best came first, T5 in a class field in his opening event. Warren was never really in bother after that although he made just three cuts in 16 events. Injury issues have been prevalent as he gets older. A T9 in Spain was insurance, but he was always safe. C-
SCOTT JAMIESON (R2D 115th, Best T8, Italian Open)
Jamieson’s best cheque for the year was also in the opener in Abu Dhabi. After that he toiled a little without ever being under threat, thanks to decent finishes in Italy and at Valderrama. Based in Florida, deserves some extra credit for overcoming all the Covid travel disruption. C-
DAVID DRYSDALE (R2D 123rd, Best T5, Kenya Classic)
One outside the qualifying spots just now, Double D should make it comfortably when the five or six affiliate members come off the rankings. But really, it’s beyond ludicrous to criticise David after 18 successive years on the tour. C
STEPHEN GALLACHER (R2D 133rd, Best T16 Abu Dhabi)
Stevie’s Indian Open win of two years ago meant he was always safe for 2022, and he admitted to having struggled with the Covid protocols. Showed a little sign of improvement once the tour opened up again.
But like Double D, it’s really pointless now to be critical of one of the tour’s elder statesman. The four-time winner reaches the milestone of 600 tour events this week. C