Ewen Ferguson: Scots rookie wins first DP World Tour title

Ewen Ferguson has won the Qatar Masters to seal his maiden DP World Tour title.

The 25-year-old from Glasgow closed with a two-under 70 in Doha to finish one shot clear of American Chase Hanna and claim his first win in his rookie season on the former European Tour.

Ferguson is the third Scot to win the title, following Andrew Coltart in 1998 and two-time champion Paul Lawrie (1999 and 2012).

His win comes on only his 37th DP World Tour start and just his sixth as a full card-holder.

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“It’s unbelievable,” he told Sky Sports’ Inci Mehmet. “I can’t believe it. It’s been years and years of hard work. My mum and dad, my sister, brother the whole family gave me everything to get to this moment and I can’t believe it.

“It’s a dream come true.”

Ferguson started the final round three shots off the lead held by England’s Matthew Jordan and Adrian Meronk of Poland. However, as the wind picked up on the final day, he harnessed the conditions best, finishing eagle-par-birdie to set the clubhouse target at seven-under. 

One by one, his challengers fell away and when Meronk found the water at the par-5 18th with his second shot – needing eagle to force a playoff – Ferguson’s victory was assured.

The win comes just three weeks after the young Scot blew a four-shot 54-hole lead at the Kenya Open.

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On that occasion, he said that the pressure of chasing down his first title had overwhelmed him. 

Not so today. 

“It was one of those days when you just kept fighting to the end,” added Ferguson, who vaults to 11th on the Race To Dubai. “I’d been in contention a bit over the last couple of years and not managed to win, to the point where I thought I don’t know if I’ll ever manage to win. Just to get over the line is an absolute dream come true. I cannot believe it.”

Ferguson is the fourth different Scot under the age of 30 to win on the DP World Tour in the last 16 months, following Robert MacIntyre, Grant Forrest and Calum Hill.

“Actually, Bob just sent me a text with a video of when I was 18 or 19 acting like an idiot and he said, ‘I can’t believe this guy has just won’,” he added.

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“Everyone is so happy for me. Connor Syme, my best pal out here, is so happy for me as are his family and all my family and hopefully I can inspire a lot more people to play golf and get out here and get over the line as well.

“Connor has text me and called me a stud. He just loves that I won and said that he knew it was coming. He’s just the nicest guy and has helped me with my game.”