Dream DP World Tour debut in Doha for Scottish teenager
A 17-year-old Scottish amateur has earned a dream opportunity by joining the likes of Stephen Gallacher and Richie Ramsay in flying the Saltire in this week’s DP World Tour event in Qatar.
Dominic Mcglinchey, who lives in Doha with his family but is a member of The Renaissance Club in East Lothian, secured one of three amateur spots up for grabs in the $2.5 million Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
He’s playing on his home course in the Middle East at Doha Golf Club, where his dad Gary, a long-time PGA professional, was the general manager for eight years.
“I have been a junior golfer at Doha Golf Club since I began playing and have been based here for the majority of the last three years, hence the invitation,” Mcglinchey told The Scotsman. “Doha has been a great place to practice my game year round and I’m very excited for the opportunity.”
With his dad on the bag, Mcglinchey will head out in today’s opening round with Finland’s Lauri Ruuska and South African Peter Moolman in his group. “It is a privilege to play at The Renaissance Club, where the course and facilities are world class,” he said of flying the flag this week for the Genesis Scottish Open venue in the Qatari capital.
Mcglinchey snr started his career in the game as a YTS trainee at Deer Park in Livingston before becoming a trainee assistant at East Sussex National. He then had a spell at Dubai Creek before returning to Scotland to work at Loch Lomond. Due to his subsequent strong connection with Doha Golf Club, though, over two spells, it’s a dream to see his son getting this opportunity.
“I’m looking forward to playing some of my last junior events like the Scottish Boys’ Open in April and some men’s events around the UK this summer,” said Dominic of what lies ahead for him back in the amateur game later in the season.
In addition to Gallacher and Ramsay, Mcglinchey joins Ewen Ferguson, Calum Hill and Scott Jamieson in the Caledonian contingent for a tournament that marks an end to a five-event stretch in the Middle East. For Jamieson, it’s a quick return to the venue where he dug deep to hang on to his DP World Tour card in the final regular event of last season, when he finished jointthird behind Finland’s Sami Valimaki.
Helped by that win, Valimaki secured one of the ten PGA Tour cards up for grabs through the 2023 Race to Dubai and he’s playing in the WM Phoenix Open this week, but the Doha field includes last week’s Bahrain Championship winner Dylan Frittelli, as well as Rasmus Hojgaard, Tom Mckibbin and Pablo Larrazabal.
Meanwhile, Bob Macintyre has secured a spot alongside compatriot Martin Laird in the WM Phoenix Open after gradually working his way up the reserve list over the past few days. Kevin Streelman opened the door for the Oban man as he pulled out of the $8.8 million event on Tuesday afternoon.