Ferguson set to give it best shot in chance to ‘make name for yourself ’

Rookie professional Ewen Ferguson is relishing an opportunity to lock horns with major champions and Ryder Cup players when the Open de Portugal gets underway today.

Former Open champion Paul Lawrie and Masters winner Mike Weir are in the field at Morgado Golf Resort, as is Oliver Wilson, who played in the 2008 Ryder Cup.

In terms of experience, Ferguson is not even close to being in their league, having only turned professional towards the end of last season.

However, the 20-year-old from Bearsden can’t wait to test himself in an event that is co-sanctioned between the European Tour and the Challenge Tour.

“It’s a chance to try to make a name for yourself and I’ll certainly be giving it my best shot,” said Ferguson.

He joins Lawrie, as well as eight other Scots, in the field and is aiming to use this week to show that he’s become a bit more organised since he started out on his new career.

“One question I was asked recently was about the best piece of advice I’ve received since I turned professional and that is probably trying to be organised,” added the former Walker Cup player.

“I’m trying to be a bit more on the ball with things. Sometimes I tend to forget things, so I’m trying to write things down in a diary.”

Also bidding to land a chunk of a €500,000 prize fund are David Drysdale, Duncan Stewart, Scott Henry, Craig Lee, Grant Forrest, Ross Kellett, Bradley Neil and David Law.

For Lawrie, this is his first 72-hole outing since the Aberdonian won the Dimension Data Pro-am in South Africa in mid-february. “Back nine is good and condition is excellent,” he wrote on Twitter of this week’s new venue.