Scots pro wins on American tour

Scotland’s Calum Hill is putting the coronavirus-enforced pause of his European Tour rookie season to good use – by winning on one of the few tours that is still operating. 

The 25-year-old closed with a four-under 68 to win the 54-hole Verrado Founders Championship on the Outlaw Tour, a men’s circuit that plays primarily in Arizona. 

Kirkcaldy-born Hill finished on 15-under, one shot ahead of Colorado golfer Chris Korte. 

The event had got off to a peculiar start when the 60-player field was cut down to 44 after the opening round after 14 players were disqualified from playing from the wrong tees. A further two withdrew. 

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Hill had made the decision to head for Arizona shortly before the coronavirus lockdown began in the UK. 

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His manager Iain Stoddart of Bounce Sports Management told us: “His girlfriend is based over there and there are some fantastic golf facilities out there, too, which are currently not under lockdown, so he made the decision that that’s where he wants to be.” 

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Hill, who studied at Western New Mexico University before turning professional in 2017, finished second on the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2019 to earn a first crack at the European Tour this year. 

He had played in five events, sitting 110th on the Race To Dubai, before the tour went into lockdown.