Scottish duo hail ‘fantastic’ opportunities

• Grant Forrest and Ewen Ferguson to play Challenge Tour events
• Comes due to new partnership between Scottish Golf and Bounce
• “It’s fantastic to be getting these opportunities,” said Forrest

Walker Cup-winning duo Grant Forrest and Ewen Ferguson are set for spots in two upcoming Challenge Tour events thanks to a partnership between Scottish Golf and their new management company, Bounce Sport.

Forrest, 22, and Ferguson, 19, have earned spots in the Turkish Airlines Challenge in Belek (May 5-8) and the Montecchia Open in Padova, Italy (May 12-15), with new Challenge Tour regulations allowing amateur golfers to earn points on the circuit’s Road to Oman Order of Merit.

The move is designed to ease the transition of promising amateurs into the paid ranks, with Bounce Sport managing the players during the events and working closely with Scottish Golf’s performance team, who will continue to oversee the players’ preparation for major events on the amateur calendar throughout the season.

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“It’s fantastic to be getting these opportunities,” said Forrest, Scotland’s top-ranked amateur and winner of the Battle Trophy at Crail on Sunday. “Not only can you get some experience in professional events but it also now counts for something moving forward. If you do really well in the starts you get, you can secure something tangible for the following year.

“I’m delighted to have a plan in place for when I turn pro,” he added. “They have a great relationship with the Challenge Tour and European Tour through the Scottish Hydro Challenge and I’m really looking forward to working with them.”

Forrest and Ferguson join the likes of Stephen Gallacher, Craig Lee and Andrew McArthur in the Bounce ranks, with Bearsden teenager Ferguson delighted at the prospect of getting some Challenge Tour starts under his belt.

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“To have these two Challenge Tour events coming up is really exciting,” he said. “It’s about learning all the time in this game – you are learning about yourself but also from other people, which I will get the chance to do in both Turkey and Italy over the coming weeks.

“I think it’s a really good move. I’m sure a lot of players over the last decade or so would have loved to have this same opportunity and hopefully we can benefit from it and play well at the same time.”

Drumoig’s Connor Syme, Kirkhill’s Craig Ross and reigning Scottish Amateur champion Robert MacIntyre are also set to benefit from the Challenge Tour starts, which have been carefully selected so as not clash with the main amateur tournaments.

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Scottish Golf :: Challenge Tour opportunities

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