The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Law hails Scots’ race for Dubai
David Law believes the strong Scottish contingent at this week’s DP World Tour Championship shows the professional men’s game at the Home of Golf is in good shape.
He is one of five Scots teeing up in this week’s season-finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
Law is joined in the 50man field by Robert Macintyre, Ewen Ferguson, Drumoig’s Connor Syme and fellow Aberdonian Richie Ramsay.
He said: “I think it goes to show the state Scottish golf is in. There are some really good young players. Bob has been playing well for a few years now.
“Ewen and Connor are doing great and Richie has been a consistent player for a long time.
“There is something to be said for seeing fellow Scots doing well and the impact that has. It definitely spurs you on.
“It shows we have a lot of good players on the tour just now.”
Law, 31, is playing in the end of season event for the first time as he looks to finish a satisfying season with a flourish.
The Scot required a top20 finish at last week’s Nedbank Championship to earn his spot in the Dubai field – and a birdie at the last hole ensured he made it with nothing to spare with a tied-19th placing.
He said: “Making this event was definitely a goal at the start of the year.
“Last week in South Africa was always going to be an awkward one because you had one eye on doing well enough to qualify for this week.
“You didn’t know before the event where you would have to finish to make it but it turned out I had to make the top 20.
“The first two days were really good and I think I was within one shot of the lead on the Friday. It was a course that suited me quite well.
“I played probably my best golf of the week on the final seven holes. It was a nice way to finish, hitting a 5-iron on 18th to three feet in front of a big crowd to make the field for this week. That shot on 18 felt as good as any other shot I had hit before.”
Law has never played this week’s venue but is hopeful the Earth Course will suit his game.
He said: “There are lots of slopes and undulating greens so I’m expecting it to be more of a second shot golf course which should suit me. Your long to midrange putting will need to be good to compete.
“There are huge world ranking points on offer this week so it is a great opportunity.”
It has been a memorable year for Law, who made his major debut at the 150th Open at St Andrews after securing his spot with a top-five finish at the Irish Open a fortnight before.
And he would love to end the season on a high with a strong showing this week.
He added: “It is our Tour Championship and it is the event you want to make at the start of the season.
“Any week you get Rory Mcilroy playing makes a big difference to the event.
“You have guys such as Shane Lowry, Jon Ram and Viktor Hovland and that elevates the status of the event.
“I want to try to finish as high up the leaderboard as I possibly can.”
Ryan Fox, meanwhile, believes he has “nothing to lose” as he bids to overhaul Rory Mcilroy and end the season as European No 1.
Mcilroy, who is bidding to emulate Henrik Stenson (2013) by winning the PGA Tour’s Fedex Cup and topping the DP World Tour’s money list in the same season, leads Fox by 128 points ahead of the season-finale in Dubai.
A victory for either man would guarantee they finish top of the rankings, while US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick needs at least a top-two finish and help from Mcilroy and Fox.
Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry and Adrian Meronk could also lift the Harry Vardon Trophy on Sunday, but they need a win and other results to go their way.
Fox said: “Rory is the favourite but to be in this position is great and I’ve got nothing to lose.”