Stone loves the limelight

– After a highly profitable season on the European Tour, highlighted by his Scottish Open victory, Brandon Stone (above) was asked yesterday if he no longer finds it daunting teeing up in the tour’s biggest and most lucrative events – like the $7-million Turkish Airlines Open, beginning today at the Regnum Carya Golf Resort.

“Actually, I’ve never been daunted by how important the tournament is, or who’s playing, or how tough the course might be,” was his candid reply. “I really thrive when the cameras are on me and I’m in contention. That’s when I play my best golf.”

And right there is one of the secrets to the 25-year-old’s success, which has earned him nearly €1.5 million in prize-money – the equivalent of about R24-million – on the European Tour in 2018.

He looks back on his Scottish Open victory with pride.

“One of my goals at the beginning of this year was to win abroad, on the European stage, and to do so on a links course, on turf unfamiliar to what I’m used to in South Africa, against the best players in the world was pretty special.”

He is aware that at next week’s Nedbank Challenge, for instance, there is additional pressure because of the high expectations the home fans place on the South African golfers taking part.

“Yes, there is going to be high stress and pressure but if it worries you you’re probably in the wrong occupation.”