Locke won’t be defending title at Blairgowrie

Silver Medal winner to inspire

Scotland’s top male amateur golfers will gather in Perthshire next week in the 2018 Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship, no doubt inspired by the meteoric rise of last year’s champion Sam Locke.

This year’s event will take place at Blairgowrie Golf Club between Tuesday July 31 and Sunday August 5, where competitors will play 36 holes of stroke play over the Landsdowne Championship and Rosemount courses, with the top 64 players progressing to the match play stages.

Last year’s champion Locke, who on Sunday won the Silver Medal at the 147th Open Championship after finishing as the leading amateur, will not return to defend the title he won at Prestwick 12 months ago after deciding to join the professional ranks and therefore giving up his amateur playing status.

The 19-year-old from Stonehaven was the only amateur to make the cut at Carnoustie and went on to finish the week on nine over par.

Locke, who is a protege of 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, told BBC Sport Scotland: “I’ve decided to turn professional after winning the Silver Medal at the Open.

“I just think for me, personally, it’s the right decision. I’ve always wanted to turn pro and compete with the best players in the world on the biggest stage and this week’s kind of accelerated my decision.

“I’ve always wanted to be a professional golfer from a young age. I’ve always loved playing the game and competing and I just love the feeling of winning.”

Locke’s comments after winning the 2017 title have added poignancy given his achievements since.

At the time he said: “It’s nice to finally get a big win under my belt and hopefully I can kick on from here and enjoy more success. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing and practise hard.”

He’s not the only notable Scottish name to win the coveted amateur championship – 30 years previously a certain Colin Montgomerie triumphed with a similarly convincing margin.

This year a total of 273 entries were received for the field of 264, with the handicap ballot falling at 4.7. The winner will again secure automatic entry to the Men’s Home Internationals, which will take place in Conwy, Wales, from September 12-14. With free entry, Scottish Golf is encouraging fans to come along and watch Scotland’s top male golfers – and perhaps the next Locke or Montgomerie – in action.