DUNCAN STEWART HOME IN MAY

TO CHASE SCOTLAND CAP – AND

THEN A PRO TOUR CAREER

When he comes home from four years at Jacksonville University, Florida next month,
Grantown-on-Spey’s Duncan Stewart will probably not have enough time to win a place in the Scotland team for the European amateur team championships at Western Gailes in early July.
But Duncan, winner of the Chiberta Grand Prix in France during last year’s summer holidays from the States, must surely have a chance of making the Scotland line-up for the men’s home internationals at County Louth Golf Club, Ireland from September 19 to 21.
“When I come home in May depends if I make it to the college regional championships as an individual or not (Jacksonville University have been eliminated). I am going to play as many tournaments as I can when I get back to Scotland, starting with the Scottish stroke-play at Royal Dornoch,” said Duncan in an E-mail.
“I am thinking about returning to America in August to play in the Scratch Players’ Championship (at Del Rio Country Club, California from August 13-16) and also to try to qualify for the US amateur championship.
“A lot will depend if I think I have a chance of being selected to play for Scotland in the home internationals. But I am going to give the Qualifying School a go over here in the States. I am trying to find someone or some people to sponsor me. That’s as much as I have planned.”
Although the R&A are doing their best to promote the message among talented teenage golfers that British universities have as much to offer, sometimes more than their United States counterparts, Duncan Stewart and his Jacksonville University team-mate, Russell Knox from Inverness, are proof that the American college system does work wonders for some Scots.
Mike Flemming, who was at that time Jacksonville Univ ersity’s head golf coach, took a big gamble four years ago when he signed up Stewart and Knox. They were little known outwith their own immediate area, although Duncan had played for Scotland at boys’ level.
That gamble has paid off big-time for Jacksonville and the two Scots who have matured into star performers for the university on the American circuit. Over the four years, they have helped to win umpteen tournaments and titles and both have figured prominently in the college rankings, no mean feat considering the quality of player at the top end of the list.
“I have had a great time at Jacksonville University and I think my game has made huge progress since I went there,” says Duncan.” I have to give my swing coach Martin Piggott a lot of credit. He has helped me for past eight or nine years and I always go to see him when I am back in Scotland.
“Grantown on Spey Golf Club and its members have been an incredible supporters. They have always kept track of me over here and always welcomed me back when I return home.
“How did we come to go to the States in the first place? It was Mike Flemming who spoke to Russell Knox when Russell was on a fact-finding visit to Jacksonville University. I was talking at the time to the coach at Southeastern Louisiana University but he didn’t have any scholarship money left to for me.
“Mike Flemming heard about the situation and, mainly on Russell’s recommendation, I signed that summer for Jacksonville University along with Russell and it was the best move both of us could have made at the time.
“I can’t thank Mike Flemming enough because I had almost given up on the idea of going to the States and was probably only a week away from booking a flight to New Zealand. One of my friends and I were going to go there and travel for a year, so I am very glad that Mike called me. “I have actually been working with Mike on the mental aspect of my game and he has been helping me a great deal. He has so much experience and just listening to his stories helps.
“Mike, alongwith my parents, my fiancé and her mother are going to be at my Jacksonville graduation on May 5.”