FOCUS ON After playing catch up opportunity now Knox for Duncan
TWELVE months ago, it was a case of do or die for Duncan Stewart’s golfing career.
The birth of his son, Jack, the previous October, had sharpened his focus. He knew that he couldn’t afford to keep playing so badly with a young family to support.
It would be one more season on the Challenge Tour and, if unsuccessful, a trip to the job centre was on the cards for the man from the Highlands.
But Duncan won on only his second start of the year and it catapulted him to his best-ever season. He finished 10th on the Challenge Tour roster and gained promotion to the European Tour.
Now the 32-year-old from Grantownon-Spey can’t wait for his year with the big boys, starting with this week’s South African Open.
“It’s been great to be at home with the family for the last few weeks, but as soon as the New Year came round, the excitement has been growing,” he said.
“I have worked for a lot of years to make it to the European Tour.
“Last year was almost a last hurrah. I had played horribly for two years and knew I couldn’t carry on like that.
“But I went back to my old swing from my college days and it worked. I got an invite to play in Madrid, I won and it sorted out the rest of the year.
“My friends were waiting at the back of the 18th green and said they could see the relief on my face when I holed the final putt.
“That gives you the confidence to know that you are good enough.
“Now I’m on the main tour and the standard is higher across the field. Obviously I want to win and do well, but I have to be realistic, too.
“If I finish in the top 100 or 110 to keep my card, that would be a good season for me.
“There were only a couple of us over-30s who graduated from the Challenge Tour. But I don’t see age as a major factor. Lots of people play their best golf in their 30s and that’s what I aim to do.”
Stewart came to prominence last November when he was chosen by Russell Knox to represent Scotland at the World Cup of Golf in Australia.
Knox overlooked a number of players higher up the World Rankings on the European Tour to pick his old friend from their days together at Jacksonville University.
It was an experience Stewart thrived upon, even though an opening 78 in the foursomes left them playing catch-up for the rest of the week, as they eventually finished in a tie for 19th.
He ignored any murmurings about his right to be there and relished being back on the course with his college pal.
“To represent your country and team up with one of your best friends was very special,” Duncan admitted. “We both enjoyed the whole week. “Russell got a bit of stick for picking me but those were the rules. We weren’t the only ones to do it.
“England did the same when Danny Willett originally chose Lee Westwood over Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan.
“Victor Dubuisson skipped a few guys to pick his friend for France and Jhonattan Vegas picked his brother for Venezuela.
“I felt comfortable on the course with the crowds and the TV cameras. But it was like the old days playing with Russell.
“What he has achieved in the last couple of years has been phenomenal. He’s become a world-class player and he should have been in the Ryder Cup team.
“I like to think it was because of a technicality. If his win at the WGC in China had counted, Russell would have qualified easily. He missed out because he hadn’t signed a membership form.
“Seeing him do so well has been a great motivation. It shows what could happen if you work on the right things.
“In college, all we tried to do was beat each other, whatever the event, because we were about as good as each other.
“It could have been the other way around for our careers. But now it would be fantastic if we could get back to those days.”