The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Treat of a year to behold
Simply the best year since the salad days of Monty and Sam, 2022 saw four Scottish wins and makes T2G’S annual report card of the DP World Tour Scots a rare pleasure to write.
It’s tinged with some sadness, because we did lose two venerable mainstays, as well.
But Richie Ramsay got reward for all his battles and hard work with his best-ever season.
Although admitting he’s now thinking carefully about life beyond tour golf, you suspect he’s not finished yet.
The young breed have made a big impact, and there’s every indication there’s more to come. Two of our young guns were actively scouted by the Ryder Cup captain.
Hopefully Calum Hill, laid low by a nerve infection for all of 2022, can come storming back in 2023.
Ewen Ferguson (Rank 17, Best W, Commercialbank Qatar Masters, ISPS Handa World Invitational, Top 10s: 5)
We had high hopes for Ewen after his – really overdue – promotion to the main tour, and he delivered in spades. The first Scot to win twice in a season since Monty, and it could have been three but for Oliver Wilson’s crazy long putting display in Denmark.
Tour golf being the brutal school it is, he now has to sustain it. But the Glaswegian really looks like he belongs in this company.
A+ Robert Macintyre (Rank 18, Best W, DS Automobiles Italian Open, Top 10s: 4)
Almost inevitably, there were questions being asked of Bob – as the first half of the season was pretty dull by his standards.
A shuffle in Team Macintyre and some tough talking sparked a superb restorative run after Denmark. The win in Rome
over a top-order field was the obvious highlight. Now we’re talking about world top 50, Ryder Cup and all that stuff again. With good reason.
B+ Richie Ramsay (Rank 19, Best W, Cazoo Classic, Top 10s: 3)
All Richie’s considerable frustrations over the last four or five years came out in the emotional celebration of his fourth tour victory at Hillside in July. This was his best season in 14 years on tour, even though his stroke average was actually higher than last year.
Contending made all the difference – he should have won at the Belfry and had a good run at the Nedbank,
as well. A fine renaissance by a doughty competitor. A
Connor Syme (Rank 28, Best 2nd, Kazoo Open, ISPS Handa World Invitational, Top 10s: 5)
Connor actually arrived as a tour player during lockdown, only for it not to fully count because of playing rights waivers. But over the next two seasons he’s established himself, and in 2022 moved into the top rank. The next step is the win, and he’s been at the sharp end of enough events now to be fully ready. B+
David Law (Rank 49, Best 3rd, Hero Open, Top 10s: 3)
Having battled to keep
his card in 2021, the 30-year-old Aberdonian left no doubts this time. He made it to the Dubai finale for the first time, and got within range of a second win a few times. Real consistency – just seven cuts missed – did the trick, and he bagged his careerbest cheque finishing T4 in Ireland.
B Scott Jamieson (Rank 55, Best T4, Omega European Masters, Top 10s: 4)
For once, the Floridabased veteran’s best performance of the year didn’t come in January, although he was his most consistent in the early going as usual. But overall it was his best season in
five years. Without some Sunday struggles in Abu Dhabi, Kenya, France and the Nedbank, he would probably have got to Dubai. Bgrant Forrest (Rank 93, Best T3, Cazoo Classic, Top 10s: 3)
Forrest’s season to follow his 2021 win was a big disappointment. His two top-paying performances were the BMW PGA and the Dunhill, and he was third behind Ramsay at Hillside. But the hope was that he would kick on after his win, and it didn’t really happen. Needs to find some consistency on the course and on the range. D Marc Warren (Rank 95, Best T2
Scandinavian Mixed, Top 10s: 1)
The four-time tour winner has flirted with his playing rights in the last few years, and it was one single performance that saved his whole season: the T2 at the Scandinavian Mixed in June. A decent run of finishes in Spain late in the season saw him home safely.
Ccraig Howie (Rank 135, Best T12 Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Top 10s: 0)
The Borderer started his debut season well – six cuts made, a strong showing in Qatar. But like many in their maiden year, he ran out of steam in the second half, with 12 cuts missed in his final 19 events and just two finishes inside the top 20. There will be the odd start in 2023 – he was T44 in Joburg last week – but it’s back to the Challenge Tour.
D David Drysdale (Rank 158, Best T8 Portugal Masters, top 10s: 1)
Double D’s unbroken run of survival was finally ended by nagging injuries, age and, by his own admission, the distance the young lads hit the ball in the modern game. He gave it a lash in the very final event of the year, but will depend on invitations for starts in 2023. It shouldn’t be the end, but if it is, what an exemplary career.
D Stephen Gallacher (Rank 173, Best T18, Open de Espana, top 10s: 0)
The ranking tells the tale. In fact, Stevie’s last top 10 was the win in the Indian Open in March 2019 that secured his tour rights for the last three years. Never got going this year, although there were signs of life in Madrid late on.
He’ll get a few invitations due to his status as a fourtime winner and Ryder Cup player, but it’s going to need a massive turnaround in form. E