Open Scot Watch – A Look At The Seven Scottish Players In The Hoylake Field

The first 29 instalments of The Open Championship were won by Scots. Players from Scotland picked up a further 10 titles between 1893 and 1920. Scottish born Tommy Armour won at Carnoustie in 1931, but it was then a 54 year wait before another Scotsman lifted the Claret Jug - Sandy Lyle, who took the title at Royal St George’s in 1985.

Paul Lawrie won famously at Carnoustie in 1999, coming from 10 behind with a round to play to take the title in a playoff against Jean Van de Velde and Justin Leonard. Colin Montgomerie had a chance to win at St Andrews in 2005 but Tiger proved to be too good that time, as he so often did. 

It’s 24 years then since a Scot has come out on top in the event that was born north of the border. This year at Royal Liverpool, there are seven players from Scotland looking to put an end to that near quarter of a century drought.

Robert MacIntyre

The 27-year-old from Oban is the best placed Scot on the Official World Golf Ranking at 54th. Most pundits would place Bob as the most likely of the Scottish contenders to enjoy success this week at Hoylake. MacIntyre very nearly won last week’s Scottish Open after a stellar final round. He finished just one shot shy of Rory McIlroy’s winning total. He’s a former Scottish Amateur champion and Amateur Championship finalist. He was tied sixth in the 2019 Open and tied eighth in 2021. He enjoys the links and has the game and form to go well at Royal Liverpool.

Richie Ramsay

The Aberdonian recently turned 40 and is playing this week in his eighth Open Championship. He’s a former US Amateur Champion and a four-time winner on the DP World Tour. This is his first Major start since 2018 but he’s been enjoying some decent recent form. He was third in the Made in Himmerland tournament and tied fifth in the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed. He won last year’s Cazoo Classic at Hillside, showing his ability on the links.   

Ewen Ferguson

The 27-year-old from Glasgow was twice a winner on the 2022 DP World Tour. He beat Chase Hanna by a stroke to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and then came out on top in the ISPS Handa World Invitational. A former British Boys champion and a member of the victorious GB&I Walker Cup team of 2015, he’s playing his first Open.

Connor Syme

He’s played twice before in The Open, missing the cut both times. Born in Kirkcaldy, Syme turned professional in 2017 after playing in the Walker Cup. The 28-year-old has made it into the Hoylake field by finishing 28th on last season’s DP World Tour rankings.

Graeme Robertson

35-year-old Robertson made it into the field by holing a 40 footer on the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff in final qualifying at Dundonald. Robertson, from Glenbervie, stopped playing for some six years after success as an amateur and only turned professional two years ago. It’s an Open debut for Robertson.

Marc Warren

Warren has been a professional since 2002. Now aged 42, he’s playing in his fifth Open Championship but his first since 2016. He’s won four times on the DP World Tour and he made it into the field for Hoylake thanks to a joint fourth place finish in the Made in Himmerland tournament.

Michael Stewart

The 33-year-old from Troon has been a professional since 2011. A former Scottish Amateur champion and Walker Cup player (2011,) he’s making his debut in The Open Championship. He won the Final Qualifying event at Dundonald. Stewart tees off second to last on day one, at 4.05.