Ewen Ferguson was top of the Scots in The Open at the weekend. Today, he’ll be the best man at his old mucker Connor Syme’s wedding.
Forget ribald anecdotes in the speech, Ferguson may be tempted to entertain the glass-clinking company with some tales of a 22nd place finish at Royal Troon? Ladies and gentlemen…
Having made the cut with a shot to spare last Friday, Ferguson negotiated his way around Troon’s abundant perils and pitfalls in impressive fashion over the weekend and made a decent major mark in just his second appearance in one of golf’s grand slam events.
That high finish, which was rewarded with a cheque for almost £117,000, has lifted the Bearsden man into the world’s top 100 for the first time. Only just, mind you. He’s 99th.
Nevertheless, it’s another significant step in the right direction for Ferguson, who claimed his third DP World Tour title a couple of weeks ago at the BMW International Open in Germany.
A Scottish Open and an Open have hurtled by since then and Ferguson is now on a prolonged break.
He’ll need it. When he returns to action later next month, for a run of big events that includes the British Masters, the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship, there won’t be much let up.
Ferguson is pushing for one of 10 PGA Tour cards on offer through the DP World Tour rankings and is in a good position to nab one and join his compatriot, Robert MacIntyre, on the lucrative, US-based circuit.
“It’s not often you have a chance to get a PGA Tour card and I do this year,” said the former Walker Cup player. “I’m ready for this break and I’ll probably play loads towards the end (of the season).
“If I get in the Race to Dubai, I’ll take the time off you have earned and start again in the New Year fresh because I know I’ve got a massive gap coming up.
“I remember Bob (MacIntyre) doing the same. Just go for it, give it a real go and then have your time off at the end.”
While MacIntyre, a two-time winner in his rookie year on the PGA Tour, has been very open about the struggles he has had trying to adapt to the American way of life, Ferguson believes he would settle in quickly.
“I know Bob struggles with it, but I wouldn’t,” added Ferguson, who is currently based in Dubai. “I went to high school in America in Hilton Head Island for three years and loved it. Don’t get me wrong, there are pros and cons, but I like the American way.”
Like Ferguson, MacIntyre is downing tools for a well-earned rest before heading back across the Atlantic for the FedEx Cup play-offs.
The 27-year-old’s thrilling victory in the Genesis Scottish Open propelled him into a different league. The wider MacIntyre clan, meanwhile, have acquired celebrity status too.
His faither Dougie even gets asked for selfies by adoring fans. He’ll be on David Letterman’s couch at this rate.
“The Open week was wild,” admitted MacIntyre, who is well aware that heightened exposure can have its drawbacks. “Every step you take, there’s just more attention. That’s something I have struggled with in the past.
“But it’s something we’ve just got to get used to. It’s not just me, it’s the whole family. The biggest thing is that everyone is safe. I don’t mind having my photo taken with people, but you want to be safe and I’ll do things to keep everyone safe.
“Oban is a reasonably safe place, so it’s not too bad if you go out and walk the dog. My mum and dad have a big dog that not many people want to mess with (laughing). But things have got to be adjusted within my life.”
MacIntyre is tucked nicely inside the world’s top-20 at No 17. It’s the kind of rarefied air you’d need breathing apparatus for and the lefty is keen to keep climbing higher.
“I want to be the best player I can be,” he said. “If No 17 is the limit, then that’s it. But I don’t think it is.
“It is exciting to be world No 17, but there are 16 players better than me. Obviously to become world No 1, you need to win majors. I ticked off the one I wanted outside the majors and now I want to win majors.”
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